The Martian Classroom extends beyond the walls of a school building or the time constructs of a calendar year. It is boundless- not even Mars itself poses a limit! Check out these resources to explore with kids of all ages over the winter break. Fun is often authentic learning in disguise!
APPS & Websites to Explore (Yes, they are free!):
NASA Be A Martian This app lets you participate in the current (and future!) missions on Mars, with the latest images and news.
Checkout the Hour of Code Space Quest and build a Star Wars Galaxy with Code.
Rocket Science 101 This app, created by NASA’s Launch Services Program, lets you build your own rocket for your favorite NASA mission.
NASA App Get the latest agency news, find the NASA facility nearest you, and catch a seemingly infinite number of videos and images.
NASA Spinoff NASA Spinoff profiles the best examples of technology that have been transferred from NASA research and missions into commercial products. From life-saving satellite systems to hospital robots that care for patients and more, NASA technologies benefit society. There’s more space in your life than you think!
Space, Astronomy & NASA News NASA’s one-stop app for the latest space news.
Space Images App This picture-packed app lets you share the most amazing images on social media.
New Horizons App Explore Pluto and the outer Solar System through images from NASA’s probe.
ISS Live App This app makes you feel a part of the International Space Station, with virtual 3D tours and live stream of data.
ISS Spotter Find out when the International Space Station will be visible from your roof or backyard, then set an alarm to make sure you can see it. The built-in compass will help your spotting.
Earth Now Another app from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This one uses maps to visualize recent data from Earth Science satellites, including surface air temperature, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and water vapor as well as gravity and sea level variations.
Images of Change This NASA app lets you see just how Earth is changing, including then-and-now comparisons of glaciers, wildfire sites, and floods.
NASA 365 NASA events and trivia for each day of the year. See what happened in space on your birthday.
The Alliance for Space Development advocates settlements in space.
Amazing Space The best astronomy site on the Web. If you’re interested in the Hubble or James Webb Telescopes, here is where you’ll find the latest data and images.
ESA ESA is the European Space Agency. The site contains the latest news from across the pond.
Google’s $30 million X Prize spurs innovation in low-cost robotic commercial space exploration. As you might expect from Google, this site is very, very cool, including a documentary series produced by J.J. Abrams of Star Wars and Star Trek fame.
NASA.gov is one of the least stuffy government websites, packed with multimedia. This is the place to learn how to participate directly with space, from getting your Scout troop’s experiment onto the International Space Station to visiting the Johnson Space Center.
The site of the National Space Society, which advocates human colonization of space.
The site for the Planetary Society, Mars Society, SETI Institute, Commercial Spaceflight Federation, and the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration.
Space.com is a great source of information, gathered by a commercial online publisher—news of the latest commercial and government launches, astronomy facts, and even an area where you can shop for a telescope.
Space Daily is the go-to site for space news. While geared toward the true space fan, space works on the brain a lot the way baseball does. Follow the players and the games (or, in this case, missions) for a while, and you will find yourself becoming a true fanatic.
The Space Foundation leads educational programs and holds an annual symposium of space stakeholders.
NASA Space Place is a fun site for kids, with everything space and NASA.
Space weather affects telecommunications on Earth, and it can affect the timing of launches. It’s a cool way to see how the Sun is impacting (literally) Earth with its cosmic rays.
Visit SpaceX to keep up with Elon Musk’s ventures in space.
The Space Telescope Science Institute is located within Johns Hopkins University. Get a close look at missions run by this inside player.
Educators, parents, college students, and citizens of Earth visit The Gravity Well to learn more about our generation’s most promising challenge.
