Are you looking for an engaging way to help students learn about how spaceflight impacts human DNA? This lesson will let students explore environmental factors and telomere length as an extension of one of our adapted research articles on astronauts’ DNA. In this activity, students model how telomeres protect DNA and then test their models in discussions with other groups.
Suitable for students in 6th-8th grade.
- Activity link: Lesson plan (PDF), Lesson idea video (YouTube)
- Reading extension: SJK-adapted article
- Level: Grades 6-8
Part 1: Getting Started
Invite students to think about spaceflight and how it might impact the humans who travel to space. Watch a video together and then ask students to begin researching these concepts independently. You can see a full set of discussion questions in the Lesson Plan.
Next, introduce the concept of DNA and telomeres by watching another short video together and then asking students to explore the shoelace comparison more deeply. You can see a full set of discussion questions in the Lesson Plan.
Part 2: Reading Activity
Individually or in groups, have students read the article What happens to astronauts’ DNA in space? published in Science Journal for Kids. Answer the assessment questions at the end of the article (teacher’s key available on the same page). Discuss as a class:
- What was surprising about the results?
- Why might telomeres get longer in space?
- What are the possible risks of shortened telomeres back on Earth?
Some students may benefit from an audio narration of the adapted article available in English and/or a written translation available in Spanish.
Part 3: Hands-On Activity
In this activity students work in groups using provided materials to model telomeres and then demonstrate the effects of spaceflight on the telomeres. Use questions provided in the full Lesson Plan to guide students as they work. Then, have students review all of the models in a Gallery Walk, evaluating how well their peers’ models explain the concept. Have a few groups present their models and answer additional prompts provided in the full Lesson Plan.
Part 4: Discussion
Distribute the Discussion Questions worksheet and have students work individually or in pairs to respond to the questions. After students finish responding to the questions, lead a class discussion, and invite students to share their responses.
Part 5: Writing Extension
If time allows, or as a homework extension, students can write reflectively on the lesson using provided prompts, and then choose a new scenario to explore through research.
That’s Not All!
Don’t forget to check out the extra resources located on the article’s page and browse for other related articles on our site, including an English-language audio version of this article and a written translation in Spanish, plus a Lesson Idea video summarizing this lesson plan.
Title image by AJC1
