Build the Station Simulation. Educator's Guide

With just a few materials, building a paper model of the International Space Station (ISS) can become an excellent group, troop, or class project. This publication contains a brief overview of the ISS, its parts, the science that occurs on board, instructions, and extensions for an interdisciplinary technology experience. Discover more about the Station. Explore fun facts, simulate building the Station, and learn about the international partners. NASA hopes to whet users' appetites for more space exploration through these materials. Teams of students can take on the roles of international partners and/or engineers as they learn about and assemble portions of the model. Once each team briefs the group about their section of the model during a mock summit, then it's time to ensure "Assembly Complete." Also included is a worksheet with Web links (and an answer key) to help students process what they learn. The end result is an international, team-building experience to construct a 3-D paper model of the Station. With a bit of nylon fishing line or string, the model can hang suspended and seemingly float below the ceiling. Various links to multimedia experiences are included to extend the experience and further bring the Station to life. Students can visit the links to play a spacewalking simulation game, find out how to view the Station from their backyard, and see pictures of the inside of the Station using a program called Photosynth. [This document was created for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by NASA Headquarters and Johnson Space Center.]