A Masterclass in Teaching from Mission Control

Like many others, I was glued to live coverage of the Artemis II mission all last week. Having grown up with NASA’s space shuttle program, watching a new crew launch into space was exciting, and yes, anxiety-provoking. Thankfully the mission was a rousing success and the crew are safely back on Earth.

My fifth grade students study various topics in astronomy (the Earth-Sun-Moon system, the solar system, and a smattering of whatever else I can fit in) and so I was expecting the coverage to spark ideas for lessons. What I didn’t expect, though, was for the mission to prompt me to reflect on effective science education.

My first lightbulb moment came during the briefing the night before the lunar flyby. I marveled at the Lunar Targeting Plan that would guide the astronauts’ observations and knew I wanted to share this with my students. I strive to help students identify similarities between their work and that of professional scientists—I’ve even written several picture books to help them do so. Here was a clear, real-time example.

A screenshot of Artemis II’s Lunar Targeting Plan, NASA.

More significant realizations came during the lunar observation periods. As I listened to Mission Control and the Science Team interact with the astronauts, I quickly realized I was observing a masterclass in science pedagogy. Here’s just some of what we can all learn (or be reminded of) thanks to Artemis’s Science Team:

Well defined tasks and expectations set everyone up for success.

The Lunar Targeting Plan left no doubt about what the Science Team wants to accomplish on this mission. It spelled out the critical elements of each targeted observation and included background information and visuals to help the crew members succeed.

Repeated practice builds skills and expertise.

During the broadcast, members of the Science Team mentioned the crew’s months of practice in making and recording observations through simulations and out in various field locations. Building that muscle memory of what to do is crucial for anyone, but especially in a high-stakes, high-emotion environment such as this!

Even with a plan, it’s important to be flexible.

The Science Team offered some impromptu modifications to the observation protocol, including reading prompts to the astronauts instead of having them constantly refer back to their devices. Sometimes, even the best plans need real-time tweaks.

It’s critical to leave space for voice and choice.

In addition to the structured observation targets in the Lunar Targeting Plan, the flyby dedicated times for crew choice—periods where the crew members could observe anything they found

Reminders and cueing systems help in the moment.

Even with all the training and manuals, Mission Control gave frequent, gentle, and specific reminders to the crew:

Don’t forget to take your SD cards when you switch observation stations.

Remember to annotate and sketch while it's fresh in your mind.

The broadcasters shared that during crew choice times, the astronauts also had a cueing system to help them remember the components of a quality observation. If the highly-educated, extensively trained astronauts benefitted from reminders and cues, surely our K-12 students do as well.

Positive and specific feedback helps.

One of the first things I noticed during the lunar observation periods was that every single observation offered by the crew was met with a positive validation in return. The replies also were specific and descriptive. Instead of “good job,” Mission Control said things like, “that’s exactly the type of observation that will help us.” It felt good to hear, and I wasn’t the one doing the observing. Of course, sometimes feedback needs to be constructive, but again, specificity is the key. Imagine how our students would soar if all of our feedback to them was like this!

The best descriptions come from students’ own vocabulary.

We learned through the broadcasts that the astronauts had participated in extensive fieldwork and learning in geology and astronomy to prepare for the mission, and it was evidenced by the quality of their observations. Yet the crew also used their own non-scientific vocabulary as well. When observing the coronal structures during the solar eclipse, crew members described what they were seeing as “baby hair” and compared them to the spotlight on top of the Luxor in Vegas. It’s important for us to empower students to describe objects, concepts, and phenomena in their own words, especially as they are engaged in exploration and sensemaking. We can always add the formal vocabulary in later.

Student talk time is essential.

Even though the astronauts made their own individual observations, the protocols also included dedicated time for discussion. Artemis II pilot Victor Glover commented on just how beneficial this was:

“I just want to really emphasize how important the discussion time was. When we started to talk, we not only got better science discussion, we got better human connection. So doing this as a pair, we just learned and grew together and that’s just super important. So thank you for adding this to our plan.”

Our students need both science and human connection. Let’s give them time to talk!

Time to reflect and return to learning often leads to new insights.

While I wasn’t able to listen in (darn teaching schedule), there was planned discussion time the day after the flyby. The intention behind this scheduling was that the crew would have time to reflect and bring even richer ideas to the table. Our students can do the same.

Remember that it’s all about the joy of discovery.

The wonder and awe exhibited not just by the astronauts, but by the scientists on the other end of the calls was what really captivated the country. The mission reminded us that science isn’t a stuffy, static body of facts—it’s an evolving understanding that can be incredibly exciting and even emotional. Watching this mission prompted me to reflect on my classes. Am I consistently providing the experiences and space for students to be joyful discoverers? How can I maximize the joy in my classroom?

Our students may not be aboard a historic spaceflight, but they are experiencing science phenomena for the first time in our classrooms every day. Let’s make our science teaching just as supportive and memorable!

Did you watch (and love) the Artemis II coverage? Did you have any lightbulb moments? Please share a comment—I’d love to hear them!