Exploration: Then and Now NASA and Jamestown Education Module
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Survival!
Exploration: Then and Now
Grade Level: 6–8
Connections to Curriculum:
Science and History
Teacher Preparation Time:
20 Minutes
Lesson Duration:
Two 50-Minute Class Periods
National Science Education Standards
Science as Inquiry
Science in Personal and Social
Perspectives
Essential Question
What are the most essential items
for the survival of settlers and
explorers in new worlds?
Lesson Overview
This lesson introduces students to
exploration and survival in new worlds. It
compares challenges faced by explorers
through the ages, checking for prior
knowledge about conditions for survival in
1607 Jamestown and on the Moon.
During the Explore section, students are
challenged to take on roles as explorers.
Students are asked to choose items to
help them survive in the Jamestown
settlement in 1607. Items are ranked and
choices are justified based upon meeting survival needs in this harsh environment.
During the Extend section, students take on the roles of astronauts who are part of a
team landing on the Moon in 2025. Again, students are challenged to rank items for
survival in this new world. Students compare the two survival challenges to develop a
deeper understanding of exploration.
During the Evaluate section, students will revisit the Essential Question to identify
common qualities of essential items for survival in 1607 Jamestown and future lunar
settlements.
Upon completion of this lesson, students may want to know more about four themes
of exploration: settlement, transportation, human needs, and the importance of water.
These topics are developed in the four Web-based lessons included in the
Exploration: Then and Now education module.
Background Information
Exploring new worlds is dependent on the survival of explorers and their ability to adapt
to new environments. Rapid adaptation was critical for the early Jamestown settlers.
Life in Virginia was much different than life in England. Conditions were harsh and the
environment unfriendly. By 1609, nearly 500 English settlers had made the journey to
Jamestown and the settlement seemed to be well established. By the winter of 1609 to
1610, conditions suddenly changed, leaving food and freshwater in short supply and
only about 60 settlers alive.
Exploring worlds beyond Earth pushes survival to an entirely new level. In space and
on other planets, fulfilling human needs presents great challenges. Survival requires
adapting to new environments and finding solutions to new problems.
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“Let us continue now with new explorations which are more expansive and more bold voyages
which will define us as a space faring civilization.”
—William Shepherd, Commander, Expedition 1, International Space Station
Instructional Objectives
Students will:
• analyze and rank items based upon their importance for survival in a particular
environment;
• work as a team to come to a consensus about the importance of certain survival
items;
• compare team rankings to rankings developed by history and astronomy experts;
• identify and compare human needs in two different exploration environments;
and
• compare the differences in survival on Earth and the Moon.
Materials
Explore
Per student:
• “Survival in Jamestown Scenario”
Per group:
• “Survival in Jamestown Ranking Answer Key”
• “Survival in Jamestown Three-Circle Venn Diagram”
Extend
Per student:
• “Survival on the Moon Scenario”
Per group:
• “Survival on the Moon Ranking Answer Key”
• “Survival on the Moon Three-Circle Venn Diagram”
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Instructional Procedure
Engage
1. Introduce the idea of exploration by discussing this quote with your students:
“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.”
—Frank Borman, Commander, Apollo 8 Mission
2. As a class, continue the discussion of exploration by presenting these questions:
• Can anyone be an explorer? Name some past explorers. (Accept a wide array of
answers to help set the stage that everyone can be an explorer.)
• Why do you think humans explore? (Answers will vary.)
• What are some of the limitations to exploration? (Time, money, resources, etc.)
• When might exploration lead to settlement? (Settlements are established when
there is sufficient food, water, shelter, space, climate, etc.)
• What are some historical settlements and why were these sites chosen for
settlement? (There are a variety of answers. Be sure to include Jamestown, the
first permanent English settlement in America.)
• Where might future settlements be placed and why might these future sites be
chosen? (There are a variety of answers. Be sure to discuss that NASA plans to
build settlements on the Moon.)
Explore
Survival in Jamestown
1. Discuss the Essential Question: What are the most essential items for the survival of
settlers and explorers in new worlds?
2. Ask students what they need to know before they can begin creating a list of essential
items. The list of items is dependent upon the location and conditions of the new world.
3. This “Survival” challenge is based upon surviving in Jamestown in 1607. As a class,
read and discuss the “Survival in Jamestown Scenario.”
Survival in Jamestown Scenario
4. Ask students what they know about Jamestown and the environment the settlers
chose for their new home after reading the scenario. Ask if students know anything more
about Jamestown from prior reading or research. Help students organize this information
in their journals using a chart similar to the chart below.
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What do we know about
Jamestown in 1607?
Example: The water was
brackish.
How would this affect
survival?
It is unsafe to drink
brackish water.
What would I need to
survive in this
environment?
To survive, we need
freshwater.
5. As a class, discuss how this environment would affect survival. For example, the site
chosen for the Jamestown settlement was surrounded by brackish water. It is unsafe to
drink brackish water. Continue the discussion by asking students what they might need
to survive in these conditions. Help students organize this information in their journals.
Teaching Suggestion: This lesson builds interest and motivation for students to want to
learn more about exploration. A more in-depth study about exploration and survival in
Jamestown in 1607 and possible lunar settlements can be found in the other four
lessons in the Exploration: Then and Now education module.
6. Assign students roles as 17th-century explorers. Ask them to imagine that they just
spent 144 days at sea and have arrived at the location that will be known as Jamestown.
The students’ mission is to establish a permanent English settlement at this site.
7. Review the list of available items and discuss any items that might be unfamiliar.
Inform the students that some of the images included are items that were actually found
during archaeological digs. The artifact images are courtesy of the Colonial Historical
National Park.
8. Ask students to independently rank the items listed from 1 to 15, identifying those
items that would be most important for human survival in the harsh new environment at
Jamestown. Items ranked with a low number (1 to 5) are the most valued. Items ranked
with a high number (10 to15) are least valued. Students should write a one- or two-
sentence reason for their rankings.
Teaching Suggestion: You might put the image of each item on an index card and let
the students sort and rank the items this way.
9. Organize the students into small groups. After completing individual rankings,
students will share their rankings with other members of the group and discuss their
choices. Each team must agree upon a group ranking.
Teaching Suggestion: Students could display their results with an electronic
spreadsheet.
10. Ask each team to record their group rankings on an overhead transparency. Discuss
the differences in the rankings and the reasons for the differences.
11. The Colonial Historical National Park historians developed two different rankings.
Give each group a copy of both rankings and ask the group to analyze the differences
between the historians’ rankings and their group’s rankings.
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Survival in Jamestown Ranking Answer Key
Teaching Suggestion: Discuss why there is not
one correct ranking. Students should
realize that the justifications and explanations for the rankings are more important than
the numerical ranking. Explain that the “Ranking Answer Key” is based on historical and
scientific information from the Colonial Historical National Park historians. The historians
who developed the answer keys brought different expertise and understandings to the
problem and were specifically asked to complete the rankings independently. Both
historians agreed that they would have made different choices if they had worked as a
team to rank the items.
12. Have students work as a team on the “Survival in Jamestown Three-Circle Venn
Diagram” to organize the rankings of the two historians and their own group ranking.
Students may include any items that are scored plus or minus one number of their
choices as an agreement. For example: One expert ranked the musket as number 2 and
one ranked it as number 3. For the Venn Diagram, students should consider the musket
ranking as an agreement. If the group ranked the musket as a 1, 2, 3, or 4, the item can
be placed in the center section where all three circles intersect.
Survival in Jamestown Three-Circle Venn Diagram
Explain
1. As a class, identify items that were ranked the same by each group and the experts.
Discuss possible reasons for this similar ranking.
2. Create a list of items that were ranked more than plus or minus one number different
by the student groups and experts. Discuss possible reasons for these differences.
3. Identify information that the group was missing that would have helped them rank
some of the items.
4. Ask students to read and respond to the following journal question individually.
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Journal Prompt 1: Important decisions, such as survival decisions, may require
teamwork and are often best decided by a group. Choose one item that you ranked
differently than anyone in your group or differently than the historians. What were your
reasons for the original ranking? What were the reasons the other person gave for a
ranking that was different than your ranking? Would your reasons change now? How?
Why? Before writing, set up a table to help organize and compare your ranking, your
reasoning for the ranking, and the reasoning of the other person.
Extend
Survival on the Moon
1. Return to the Essential Question: What are the most essential items for the survival
of settlers and explorers in new worlds? As a class, summarize some of the essential
items for survival in Jamestown in 1607 and ask students if they think any items on this
list would also be essential for survival on the Moon. The next “Survival” challenge is
based upon surviving on the Moon in 2025.
2. As a class, read and discuss the “Survival on the Moon Scenario.”
Survival on the Moon Scenario
3. Ask students what they know about the Moon and the Moon’s environment after
reading the scenario. Ask if students know anything more about the Moon from prior
reading or research. Help students organize this information in their journals using a
chart similar to the chart below.
What do we know about
the Moon?
Example: There is little
or no oxygen on the
Moon.
How would this affect
survival?
We need oxygen to live.
What would I need to
survive in this
environment?
To survive, we need a
source for oxygen.
4. As a class, discuss how this environment would affect survival. For example, there is
little or no oxygen on the Moon. We need oxygen to live. Continue the discussion to help
students understand what they might need to survive in these conditions. Help students
organize this information in their journals.
Teaching Suggestion: This lesson builds interest and motivation for students to want to
learn more about exploration. A more in-depth study about exploration and survival on
the Moon and possible lunar settlements can be found in the other four lessons in the
Exploration: Then and Now education module.
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5. Assign students roles as 21st-century explorers who are establishing a settlement on
the Moon. Ask students how their experience in ranking the items for survival in
Jamestown might help with this challenge.
6. Review the list of available items. Inform the students that some of the images
included are items that would not
usually be found on the Orion spacecraft, but they may
include them in their survival ranking. These items are included to see if students can
determine their importance in the lunar environment. Discuss any items that might be
unfamiliar to the students.
7. Ask students to independently rank the items listed from 1 to 15, identifying those
items that would be most important for human survival in the harsh new environment of
the Moon. Items ranked with a low number (1 to 5) are the most valued. Items ranked
with a high number (10 to 15) are least valued. Students should write a one- or two-
sentence reason for their rankings.
Teaching Suggestion: You might put the image of each item on an index card and let
the students sort and rank the items this way.
8. Organize the students into small groups. After completing individual rankings,
students will share their rankings with other members of the group and discuss their
choices. Each team must agree upon a group ranking.
Teaching Suggestion: Students could display their results with an electronic
spreadsheet.
9. Ask each team to record their group rankings on an overhead transparency. Discuss
the differences in the rankings and the reasons for the differences.
10. Two NASA scientists developed two different rankings. Give each group a copy of
both rankings. Carefully examine the reasons each expert gave for his response. Ask
the group to analyze the differences between the experts’ rankings and their group’s
rankings.
Survival on the Moon Ranking Answer Key
Teaching Suggestion: Discuss why there is not one correct ranking. Students should
realize that the justifications and explanations for the rankings are more important than
the numerical ranking. Explain that the “Ranking Answer Key” is based on scientific
information from NASA scientists. The scientists who developed the answer keys
brought different expertise and understandings to the problem and were specifically
asked to complete the rankings independently. Both scientists agreed that they would
have made different choices if they had worked as a team to rank the items.
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11. Have students work as a team to complete a “Survival on the Moon Three-Circle
Venn Diagram” to compare the results of the NASA experts to the group’s rankings.
Students may include any items that are scored plus or minus one number of their
choices as an agreement. For example: One expert ranked a magnetic compass as
number 14 and one ranked it as number 15. For the Venn Diagram, students should
consider the magnetic compass ranking as an agreement. If the group ranked the
magnetic compass as a 13, 14, or 15, the item can be placed in the center section
where all three circles intersect.
Survival on the Moon Three-Circle Venn Diagram
12. Ask students to reflect on the difficulty of each survival situation. Was the second
“Survival” activity easier or more difficult than the first? Why? Relate the students’
experiences to explorers through the ages. (New explorers learn from the experiences of
those who have explored before them, but survival requires adapting to new
environments and finding solutions to new problems.)
Evaluate
1. As a class, discuss the following questions, drawing upon experiences from this
lesson:
• Sir Isaac Newton is quoted to have said, “If I have seen further than others, it is
because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.” How might this quote relate to
explorers and settlers? (Explorers and settlers learn from the experiences of
others. The first people to travel or settle new worlds help pave the way for
others to follow.)
• What must explorers do before traveling to new worlds to prepare for their
explorations? (It is important to know about and prepare for the environment of
the new world. It is also helpful to learn from the experiences of other explorers.)
• What challenges do explorers face when they travel to new worlds? (Explorers
must be able to adapt to new environments and find solutions to new problems.)
• What are the most essential items for the survival of settlers and explorers in new
worlds? (Some essential items are items that help settlers and explorers travel,
navigate, find and store food, offer shelter, find and store water, protect
themselves and their environment, etc.)
• What are the benefits and difficulties in making decisions as a group?
(Group decision-making brings together more ideas and experiences to help
solve a problem. It is sometimes difficult to build consensus and come to an
agreement when working in a group.)
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2. Ask students to write a paragraph to respond to one of the following journal prompts.
Journal Prompt 2: What are the most essential items for the survival of settlers and
explorers in new worlds? Organize your writing by thinking about answers to these
questions:
• What do you need to know to survive in a new environment?
• What are the differences and similarities in items that are most valuable for
survival in Jamestown and on the Moon? Compare and contrast.
• What are common qualities of these essential items for survival?
• What are common qualities of unessential items for survival?
• What can we learn about the basic needs of humans as new places are
explored?
Journal Prompt 3: In addition to building a settlement on the Moon, NASA plans for
humans to travel to Mars. Travel in space to Mars and beyond pushes the science of
survival to a new level. Astronauts will encounter new problems that will require new
solutions. Discuss what you think NASA will need to know and do before sending
astronauts to Mars. Identify some items that would be essential for survival of settlers
and explorers on Mars.
Teaching Suggestion: This introductory lesson leads students to ask more questions
about survival and exploration. Four more lessons are included in the educational
module Exploration: Then and Now to help students learn more about four themes
of exploration. These lessons will guide your students, as a class or independently,
to find out more about:
• Transportation: How do vessel design, navigation, and propulsion affect
exploration?
• Settlement: How do an area’s location, soil, and weather affect settlement?
• Human Needs: How do people adapt to new environments? How will basic
needs be met in new worlds?
• Follow the Water: Where is water found? Why is liquid water important for life?
After your students study one or more of the other lessons in the Education: Then and
Now module, ask them to revisit the Essential Question: What are the most essential
items for the survival of settlers and explorers in new worlds? Ask students to rank the
essential items for survival again and compare the second ranking to the first to see if
the students’ additional knowledge about exploration changes their ideas about survival.
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Survival in Jamestown Scenario Student Handout
You are a passenger on one of the three small, English, sailing ships
captained by Christopher Newport in the spring of 1607. You are
approaching the coast of Virginia after a long, wintry voyage across the
Atlantic Ocean.
At first, you explore up and down the James River in a shallop, or small boat. You had
been directed by the Virginia Company of London to find “the true, most wholesome and
fertile place” to settle. Finally, you pick the site of Jamestown because it appears
defensible, has a deep harbor close to shore, and is covered with walnut, beech, oak,
and hickory trees. On May 13, 1607, you are one of the 104 weary men to step off the
cramped quarters of the three ships onto the swampy lowland. Fear of a massive attack
by the Powhatan Indians makes the immediate construction of James Fort more
important than building structures for housing. Soon, a triangular wooden wall, or
palisade, is built to protect you and the other settlers against future attacks. By the end
of June, when Captain Newport returns to England for new supplies, your settlement
seems to be well established.
Suddenly, conditions in Jamestown change. Supplies begin to run low and food is
spoiling. The weather is turning hot and conditions are very dry. Little or no rain has
fallen in weeks, no wells have been dug, and you are forced to drink water from the
swamps or river. This water not only carries diseases but is brackish water, containing
about 5 times the normal salt one should consume. As conditions worsen, men are dying
daily. By autumn, disease reduces the number of survivors to fewer than 60.
Imagine that you are one of the survivors. You must make some hard decisions in order
to survive. As with survival of all living things, you must have food, shelter, and water.
You are challenged to choose items that will help you survive. On the next page, you will
find a list of 15 items that may have been used in Jamestown during this time. Some of
the artifacts have been found in recent archaeological digs.
Rank these items from 1 to 15 according to their importance to you and the other
settlers. Place the number 1 by the most important item and continue numbering to 15,
the least important. Beside each choice, explain why you gave each item the rank it
received and how you plan to use the item to help you survive.
Once you’ve made your own choices, work with your team of settlers to come to
consensus. It is a desperate time and everyone living in Jamestown must agree, not only
about the value of these items but about how to use them, as well.
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Student Handout
How would you rank these items to survive in
Jamestown in 1607?
Place the number 1 by the most important item and continue numbering to 15 to indicate
the least important item. Beside each item, write your reasons for giving the item its
ranking and explain how you plan to use the item to help you survive. Some of the
images are photographs of artifacts found during archaeological digs at Historic
Jamestown. (Artifact images courtesy of Colonial National Historic Park.)
Items that may help you survive in Jamestown
Flint and striker
a hard gray stone (flint) and a small piece of steel (striker)
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Salted pork and hard tack
meat preserved by salting and biscuits baked until all moisture is removed
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Candlestick holder
a nonflammable base for candles
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
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Musket
a common gun of the time
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Sword
a weapon with a long metal blade
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Ax
a tool with a handle and a heavy sharp blade
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Bleeding bowl
a common medical item
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Beads
glass trinkets or jewelry
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Coins
English money
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
15 meters (about 50 feet) of hemp rope
rope made of natural fiber
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Astrolabe
a tool to measure the altitude of the Sun
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Magnetic compass
a tool that uses a magnetic field to determine direction
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Bartman jar
a pottery jar commonly used in the 17th century
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Case bottle
a dark-green, square, glass bottle
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Hammock
a swinging couch or bed, usually made of netting or canvas
Rank:________Reason:_______________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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Survival in Jamestown Ranking Answer Key Student Handout
Two Colonial Historical National Park historians separately ranked the same items and
explained their reasons for their rankings. Bill Warder was the first expert. Bill is an
interpretive ranger for the National Park Service. He interprets historical records to
develop educational materials and is known for his expertise. The second expert was
Curt Gaul, site supervisor for the Colonial National Historical Park at Historic
Jamestowne. Curt also develops historical educational materials and works closely with
archaeologists at the Jamestown excavation site.
Both experts agreed that the Jamestown settlers would need to depend upon each other
to make difficult decisions. These settlers faced living and working in an unfamiliar
climate and environment. Times were stressful, as relationships with the Virginia Indians
would swing from peaceful coexistence to outright hostility. What at first seemed like a
perfect site to settle actually had sandy soil and little freshwater, making it a poor site for
planting. The Jamestown settlers would need to develop a clear understanding of the
environment and available materials to survive.
The rankings and explanations below indicate how each expert ranked the items to help
them survive in Jamestown.
First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
1) Salted pork and hard tack
“One of the few ways the English had
to preserve precious food supplies was
by adding salt (salted pork) and baking
biscuits until all moisture was
eliminated (hard tack). Salted pork and
hard tack were preserved to last a very
long time. These supplies might be all
the food the settlers had to eat until
John Smith returned from the trips
where he attempted to trade for food
with the Powhatans.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
1) Salted pork and hard tack
“Food supplies were needed by the
settlers until they were able to find food
locally. Salted pork and hard tack
lasted longer than fresh meat or fish.
The hard tack was soaked in water
before it was eaten.”
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First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
2) Musket
“If a deer wandered near the fort, a
musket could be used to shoot it,
providing meat to feed the settlers. A
musket could also be used for protection.
Contact with the Powhatans was often
unpredictable. Sometime meetings were
friendly. Sometimes they were not.”
3) Magnetic comp
ass
“John Smith carried a compass. His
compass proved valuable in helping to
navigate the James River, which runs
basically east to west. John Smith
conducted trading ventures on the
James River in the fall of 1607 trying to
get food from the Powhatans for the
hungry settlers at the fort. The compass
prevented him from getting lost in
unfamiliar areas.”
4) Bleeding bowl
“Many of
the settlers at the fort were sick
and need
ed medical care to keep them
al
ive until help arrived or John Smith
return
ed with food.”
5) Beads
“P
rior contact with the Virginia Indians
had reve
aled how much the native
i
nhabitants prized beads, both
economi
cally and spiritually. Glass
beads and
coins proved to be some of
the most i
mportant trade items the
English had when they attempted to
trade with the Powhatans for food.
Beads were a form of money for the
Powhatans. They were also important in
their religious ceremonies.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
2) Flint and striker
“Fire was needed to cook and provide
warmth. Fire was also used to keep wild
animals away at night. The flint was
sharp and could be used as a cutting
utensil, knife, or as a sharpening tool for
stakes or lances.”
3) Musket
“Guns were needed to hunt for food and
to defend the settlement. Muskets were
limited by the supply of powder and shot,
and they were not useful in poor
weather.”
4) Sword
“Swords were used as axes or
machetes. If broken, swords were
polished and used as knives.”
5) Ax
“An ax was needed to build houses for
shelter and construct the fort. It was also
used as a high-priced trade item.”
6) Beads
“Beads were used to trade with the
Powhatans in exchange for food.”
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Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
7) Bleeding bowl
“Medical items such as this were needed
to treat settlers who were suffering from
ailments. Many settlers would not know
what medicines to use and found
themselves relying on natural herbs and
healing remedies. A bleeding bowl was
used to collect blood that was drawn
from the body. This common practice
was used to rid the body of disease.”
8) 15 meters (about 50 feet) of hemp
rope
“Rope was always useful to have on
hand. The early structures in the fort
were mud-and-stud construction. The
saplings used to build these structures
were lashed together by rope.”
9) Bartman jar
“The Bartman jar was used to carry
liquids, but it was awkward and
breakable. The settlers traded the jars to
the Powhatans for water jugs made from
animal skin.”
10) Case bottle
“The case bottle was delicate and easily
broken. It could be used to store drink, in
particular, wine. Once broken, the pieces
of the bottle could be used as cutting
tools.”
11) Magnetic compass
“A compass was important for exploring
and mapping Virginia. John Smith talked
about showing his compass to the
Powhatans who were fascinated by how
it worked.”
First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
6) Flint and striker
“The need of fire for warmth and cooking
has been around for a very long time. As
nights grew colder, fire became
important for warmth. The settlers
needed to cook what little food they had.
Fire was also a source of light. The flint
and striker were the 17th-century version
of matches.”
7) Ax
“An ax was used to cut lumber and wood
posts. The settlers also needed firewood
and a way to repair the fort walls.”
8) Bartman jar
“Bartman jars were pottery jars used for
the storage of liquids. Clean water was
scarce, and if it rained, or someone in
the fort found a freshwater spring,
containers were needed to store the
precious water.”
9) Sword
“A sword is an alternate weapon to a
musket. Occasionally, muskets would
not work properly, especially if the
gunpowder became damp.”
10) Case bottle
“Case bottles were square-shaped glass
bottles stored in wooden crates to
prevent breaking, especially while
onboard a ship. The bottles usually held
medicine or alcoholic beverages.
Because water was so scarce, case
bottles were used to store freshwater.
The medicine contained in some of the
bottles was useful in treating any wounds
or illnesses.”
11) Candlestick holder
“The light from a candle held in the
candlestick holder provided some
emotional comfort from the terrifying dark
of a strange new land.”
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First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
12) Coins
“Coins were an alternate trade item. The
English found out very quickly that their
coins were not going to be used the way
they were back in England to buy goods.
The Powhatan form of money was often
beads and copper. The English learned
to shape their coins like elongated beads
or to pierce holes in the coins, which
were worn as pieces of jewelry. With
these modifications, the Powhatans
would trade food for the coins.”
13) 15 meters (about 50 feet) of
hemp rope
“The rope was used to make traps and
snares, but there were many readily
avai
lable substitutes found in nature, so
thi
s item was not essential.”
14) Hammock
“T
he hungry settlers worried about the
uncertai
nty of the future and did not get
much sleep at night. The hammock was
not essenti
al for survival.”
15) Astrolabe
“T
he astrolabe was used to navigate by
the stars
on large bodies of water such
as oceans,
but was not needed on the
Jam
es River.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
12) Candlestick holder
“Candlestick holders and candles were
needed to provide light after dark.
Candles were made from natural
sources, so these were not as necessary
as other items.”
13) Astrolabe
“Since the Jamestown settlers were no
longer traveling on the ocean, the
astrolabe was not necessary or
practical.”
14) Coins
“Coins had little value in early Virginia,
except as items to trade with the
Powhatans for food.”
15) Hammock
“Though a place to sleep was important
and a hammock provided a comfortable
choice, a tired Jamestown settler would
sleep just about anywhere.”
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Survival in Jamestown: Three-Circle Venn Diagram Student Handout
Compare your group’s rankings to the experts’ rankings. You may consider any item
scored plus or minus one number as an agreement. For example: Expert 1 ranked the
musket as number 2 and Expert 2 ranked it as number 3. For the Venn Diagram, the
musket ranking is an agreement. If your group ranked the musket as a 1, 2, 3, or 4, the
item should be placed in the center section where all three circles intersect. If one of
your group’s rankings matched only with Expert 1’s ranking, that item would be placed in
the space where Expert 1’s circle overlaps with the Group Ranking circle. If an item is
not a match for any one, that item is placed outside the three circles.
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Survival on the Moon Scenario Student Handout
The year is 2025 and you are part of a four-member team traveling toward
the Moon in the Orion spacecraft. Orion is a gumdrop-shaped spacecraft
designed to carry humans from Earth to the Moon. Orion is similar in shape,
but larger than the capsules used during the Apollo program. Attached, or
docked, to Orion is the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), which you
will use to land on the Moon.
As your spacecraft enters lunar orbit, you spot the lunar outpost. This outpost has
grown, having been built piece by piece during past missions. You are excited to see the
outpost. It is located on a crater rim near the lunar south pole, in near-constant sunlight.
This location is not far from supplies of water ice that can be found in the cold,
permanently shadowed part of the crater.
After transferring into the LSAM and separating from Orion, you prepare to descend to
the lunar surface. Suddenly, you notice that there is a problem with the thrusters. You
land safely, but off course, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the lunar outpost. As you
look across the charcoal-gray, dusty surface of the Moon, you realize your survival
depends on reaching the outpost, finding a way to protect yourself until someone can
reach you, or meeting a rescue party somewhere between your landing site and the
outpost.
You know the Moon has basically no atmosphere or magnetosphere to protect you from
space radiation. The environment is unlike any found on Earth. The regolith, or lunar
soil, is a mixture of materials that includes sharp, glassy particles. The gravity field on
the Moon is only one-sixth as strong as Earth’s. More than 80 percent of the Moon is
made up of heavily cratered highlands. Temperatures vary widely on the Moon. It can be
as cold as -193°C (-315°F) at night at its poles and as hot as 111°C (232°F) during the
day at its equator.
Survival will depend on your mode of transportation and ability to navigate. Your basic
needs for food, shelter, water, and air must be considered.
You are challenged to choose items that will help you survive. On the next page, you will
find a list of 15 items available to you. Rank these items from 1 to 15 according to their
importance to you and your crew. Place the number 1 by the most important item and
continue ranking the items to number 15, the least important. Beside each choice,
explain why you gave each item the rank it received and how you plan to use the item to
help you survive.
Once you have made your own choices, work with your team to come to a consensus.
Your survival depends on your ability to work with other team members to determine not
only the value of these items, but how to use them as well.
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Student Handout
How would you rank these items to
survive on the Moon in 2025?
Place the number 1 by the most important item and continue numbering to 15 to indicate
the least important item. Beside each item, write your reasons for giving the item its
ranking and explain how you plan to use the item to help you survive.
Items that may help you survive on the Moon
Life raft
a self-inflatable floatation device
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Two 45.5-kilogram (100-pound) tanks of oxygen
pressurized tanks of oxygen
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Space blanket
a thin sheet of plastic material that is coated with a metallic reflecting layer
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Lights with solar-powered rechargeable batteries
portable lights powered by solar batteries
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Signal mirror
a handheld mirror
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
38 liters (10 gallons) of water
a container of water
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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First aid kit
a basic first aid kit with pain medication and medicine for infection
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Food concentrate
dehydrated food to which water is added
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Magnetic compass
a tool that uses a magnetic field to determine direction
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Solar-powered radio receiver-transmitter
a communication tool powered by the sun
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Map of the Moon’s surface
a map showing the Moon’s terrain
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
15 meters (about 50 feet) of nylon rope
manufactured rope
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Parachute
a large piece of silk cloth
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Space suit repair kit
materials to repair tiny holes in fabric
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Box of matches
wooden sticks with sulfur-treated heads
Rank:________
Reason:____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Survival on the Moon Ranking Answer Key Student Handout
Two NASA scientists separately ranked the same items and explained their
reasons for their rankings. Dr. Carlton Allen was the first expert. Dr. Allen is the
curator and manager of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science
(ARES) Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office. This office is responsible
for protecting, preserving, and distributing extraterrestrial samples to help others
learn more about solar system exploration. These samples include the Apollo
Moon rocks and regoliths, Antarctic meteorites, and particles of solar wind. Dr.
Allen’s background is in planetary science. The second expert was John
Gruener. He is a flight systems engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and
his background is in aerospace engineering and physical sciences with an
emphasis in planetary geology. He has worked as a rocket scientist designing
missions to the Moon and Mars, as a space farmer growing plants in advanced
life-support systems, and as a planetary scientist studying the rocks and soils on
Mars.
Both experts agreed that the type of lander in which you were traveling would
determine your course of action if you landed on the wrong place on the Moon. If
you were in a two-stage lander (one stage for descent and one stage for ascent,
like the Apollo lunar module), they suggested that you terminate the surface
mission, head back to orbit, rendezvous with Orion in lunar orbit, and head home.
If returning home was not a choice and you were stuck on the Moon, the experts
suggested that you sit tight and wait for someone at the outpost to come and get
you. They agreed that the safest thing to do in this situation, as in most
emergencies, is to stay put and call for help.
If someone from the outpost cannot reach you, then the experts felt that you had
no option other than to try to make it to the outpost. The rankings and
explanations below indicate how each expert ranked the items to help you reach
the outpost.
First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
1) Two 45.5-kilogram
(100-pound tanks of oxygen
“With basically no atmosphere on the
Moon, oxygen (O2) to breathe is the
most pressing survival need. The
average person needs about 0.84
kilograms (a little less than 2 pounds)
of O2 per day.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
1) Two 45.5-kilogram
(100-pound) tanks of oxygen
“Oxygen to breathe is the most
important survival need, since the
Moon has virtually no atmosphere.”
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First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
2) 38 liters (10 gal
lons) of water
“Though we believe there is some
water in the form of ice on the Moon,
there is no liquid water. Water is
essential to all life. Currently, each
astronaut aboard the International
Space Station (ISS) uses about 11
liters (3 gallons) of water daily.”
3) Food concentrate
“Food concentrate is a good source of
food and an efficient way to carry it.”
4) Solar-powered radio receiver-
transmitter
“Hopefully people from the lunar
outpost are looking for you while you
are trying to reach them. A solar-
powered radio receiver-transmitter is
important to maintain this
communication.”
5) First aid kit
“No matter where you are, a first aid kit
is a good idea. Be sure you carry pain
medication and medicine for
infections.”
6) Map of the Moon’s surface
“A map of the Moon’s surface is your
primary way to identify your location
and to help you navigate.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
2) 38 liters (10 gallons) of water
“Water is another basic survival need
for the astronauts. Because there is
no liquid water on the Moon, the
astronauts will need the water they
brought with them to survive.”
3) Food concentrate
“Although the food concentrate must
have water added to be useful, it is
lightweight and easy to carry,
meeting a third basic need for
survival.”
4) Solar-powered radio receiver-
transmitter
“As people from the lunar outpost are
looking for you, you should try to
reach them. Maintaining
communication with your outpost is
essential.”
5) First aid kit
“A first aid kit takes up little space
and may be important to have in case
of illness or injury.”
6) Map of the Moon’s surface
“With no other directional tools
available, a map of the Moon’s
surface is the most important means
of finding your way from one location
to another.”
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First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
7) Space suit repair kit
“You cannot afford to have any tears in
your space suit. Your suit protects you
from harsh conditions while you make
your way to the lunar outpost. The soil of
the Moon (regolith) ‘sticks’ to space suits
and equipment. It is very sharp, like tiny
fragme
nts of glass or coral, and can cut
hol
es that put your life at risk.”
8) 15 meters (abo
ut 50 feet) of nylon
rope
“The nylon rope is useful in scaling cliffs
or crat
ers you may have to cross. To
prevent i
njury or in case you cannot
wa
lk, rope is helpful for tying you to
others.
”
9) Space blanket
“T
he space blanket helps reduce heat
loss from a
person’s body. The reflective
materi
al reflects about 80 percent of the
wearer’
s body heat back to the body.
The r
eflected side is also used to prevent
absorpti
on of sunlight.”
10) Signal mirror
“T
he signal mirror is an important way to
communi
cate during the daylight. The
Moon’
s daylight is brighter and harsher
than Earth’s. There is virtually no
atmosphere to scatter the light, no
clouds to sha
de it, and no ozone layer to
block the sun
burning ultraviolet light.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
7) Space suit repair kit
“Your space suit protects you from the
harsh conditions on the Moon. The
sharp soil of the Moon can cut tiny
holes in the suit, which may
compromise its effectiveness.”
8) Life raft
“The life raft makes a great sled for
carrying the oxygen and water.”
9) Space blanket
“The space blanket is used to insulate
the oxygen and water from the hot
daytime temperatures. Temperatures
vary widely on the Moon. It can be as
cold as -193°C (-315°F) at night at its
poles and as hot as 111°C (232°F)
during the day at its equator.”
10) 15 meters (about 50 feet) of
nylon rope
“The rope makes dragging the life raft
easier or may come in handy when
crossing difficult terrain.”
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First Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
11) Lights with solar-powered
rechargeable batteries
“T
hese lights allow for nighttime travel.
The nights on the Moon are brighter than
nights on Earth, at least on the side of
the Moon
that is facing Earth. With its
clouds and oceans, Earth reflects more
light than the dark Moon rocks. Earthlight
on the Mo
on is much brighter than
moonl
ight on Earth.”
12) Life raft
“A life raft is of little use for survival on
the Moon. Although it could be used to
drag he
avy items, the sharp regolith
would quickly puncture the raft.”
13) Parachute silk
“Compared to other items, this item is of
little use.”
14) Magnetic compass
“The Moon has no global magnetic field,
wh
ich makes a magnetic compass
virtually useless.”
15) Box of matches
“Matches are virtually useless on the
Moon because there is little oxygen.”
Second Expert’s Ranking
and Reasons
11) Lights with solar-powered
rechargeable batteries
“The lights are helpful if you travel
across large shadowed areas. Some
areas in the polar regions are
permanently dark.”
12) Signal mirror
“The signal mirror is used as a form of
communication if the radio is not
working.”
13) Parachute silk
“Parachute silk comes in handy as a
backup sled to the life raft, or as
shade.”
14) Box of matches
“With little oxygen on the Moon, the
matches are useless.”
15) Magnetic compass
“The compass is virtually useless
because there is no Moon-wide
magnetic field.”
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Survival on the Moon: Three-Circle Venn Diagram Student Handout
Compare your group’s rankings to the expert’s rankings. You may consider any item
scored plus or minus one number as an agreement. For example: Expert 1 ranked a
magnetic compass as number 14 and Expert 2 ranked it as number 15. For the Venn
Diagram, the magnetic compass is an agreement. If your group ranked the magnetic
compass a 13, 14, or 15, the item should be placed in the center section where all three
circles intersect. If one of your group’s rankings matched only with Expert 1’s ranking,
that item would be placed in the space where Expert 1’s circle overlaps with the Group
Ranking circle. If an item is not a match for any one, that item is placed outside the three
circles.
