Explore missions to Mars, make your own (edible) meteorites, and build a lunar lander as part of our space-themed Week 2 of Summer of STEM.
Planetary scientist Suzie Imber is helping to launch (pun intended) the theme of space for Week 2, which begins on 3 August. We’re getting a headstart to include NASA’s launch of the Perseverance Rover to Mars on 30 July. The Summer of STEM offers themed activities for the summer, for families with children from primary up to 14 years of age.
Over the next month there will be lots of Mars activity with missions to the Red Planet from NASA and the UAE. The UK has also built a Mars rover and has a thriving space industry. We’ll be introducing you to activities from designing a lunar habitat to making your own Mars rover. You can download the activities here.
Suzie Imber is Associate Professor in Space Physics at the University of Leicester and winner of the 2017 BBC2 series Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes? She says:
“In two years’ time a Mars rover, the Rosalind Franklin, will be sent to Mars to look for evidence of life. In my own work I’m involved in the European Space Agency’s BepiColombo mission, currently on its way to Mercury. This is a great time to get interested and involved in space and engineering. Who knows, it could lead you to one day working on a mission into space.”
Space will also be part of Week 3’s theme, starting on 17 August and focusing on sport and being active, and including Mission X’s Train Like an Astronaut. You can also look back at the ocean activities in Week 1.
All the activities will be available on our home learning page. We hope you enjoy the activities and please let us know how you get on with photos and videos, using the hashtag #scienceathome on Twitter or Instagram.