STEM Kit Lets Students Try Space Station Plant Experiments
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 10/20/20
A
company that creates space-based educational programs has released a
new STEM kit that can be used by students in the classroom or at
home. DreamUp's
new $80 Space
Farmer DreamKit
allows young people to reproduce experiments being undertaken by
astronauts on the International Space Station. This is the second
such kit created by DreamKit; the first one explores germs in space.
The
new kit, which was developed in partnership with chemistry company
BASF,
includes:
-
The
materials needed for experiments: seeds, test tubes, growth medium
and other supplies for growing the plants;
-
A
handbook with instructions, background information on space science
and botany and classroom activities; and
-
Access
to an online portal that shares images from an experiment sent to
the ISS for the Space Farmer DreamKit, allowing students to compare
their results with plants grown in space. The website also has
career talks from scientists and a forum for students to share their
results.
"We
are excited to provide a cost-effective science kit that allows
students to engage with relevant topics in space science and
biology," said Allen Herbert, interim CEO of DreamUp, in a press
release. "We are optimistic that the activities in this kit will
inspire the next generation of explorers, innovators and future space
farmers as they participate in a hands-on learning experience. In
order for people to travel further into space and settle other
planets, we will have to grow our own food!"
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.