FOGE Grade 3
Lesson 2: Space Suits
The Federation of Galaxy Explorers
Grade 3 | Lesson 2
Space Suits
Key Questions
What they will explore today
What types of space suits are there?
How do space suits work?
Note to Mission Team Leaders
Feel free to modify the presentation below according to the interests of your group of Galaxy Explorers!
Remember that the goal here is to stimulate imaginations and interest, rather than completely describing
all aspects of space suits. Have fun!
Objectives
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What students should be able to know/do by the end of this lesson
Students will understand the different clothes that astronauts wear in space
They will understand why space suits are necessary and how they function
Vocabulary
Key and/or tricky words used
extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), micrometeoroids, extravehicular activity (EVA), manned
maneuvering unit (MMU), neutral buoyancy simulator
Materials Needed
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a set of the “Astronaut Figures and Space Suits” copied on cardstock paper (one set for every
participant)
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scissors (one pair for every participant)
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colored pencils or markers (enough to go around – optional)
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glue (enough to go around – optional)
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a screen or a projector (optional – only needed if you plan to show any of the images or videos
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FOGE Grade 3
Lesson 2: Space Suits
linked in the Resources section at the end of this lesson)
Introduction
Open by discussing the following questions with the whole group:
What kind of clothes would you wear if you were inside a space station or shuttle?
What are some special clothing needs that you would have?
Introduce the key questions that you're going to explore today:
What types of space suits are there?
How do space suits work?
Preassessment
What do they already know about this topic? What do they want to know?
Discuss these two questions with the whole group:
What if you were going outside the station, into space?
What special clothing needs would you have?
How would your space suit meet those needs?
Their answers to these questions will give you an idea of what they already know.
Presentation
Note: An alternate script you could use is the short NASA article “What Is A Spacesuit?” which is
appended to this lesson plan.
Outline
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Script
Temperatures inside and outside the space station
Clothing inside the space station
Clothing outside the space station
Practicing with the space suit in water
While on orbit in the space station, astronauts dress to live comfortably and work safely in the
environment of space. Inside the station, the temperature is between 18.3 and 32.2 degrees Celsius (65
and 90 degrees Fahrenheit) with a relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Outside the station,
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FOGE Grade 3
Lesson 2: Space Suits
temperatures vary from -100 Celsius to 120 degrees Celsius (-148 to 248 degrees Fahrenheit).
Each astronaut is outfitted with the clothing needed for the work that is to be done during his/her 90 day
mission. All the crew members have clothing for cooking, cleaning, relaxing, and sleeping inside the
space station. The astronauts that work in the laboratory module with manufacturing, experiments, or
science activities, have the clothing needed for that job, too. They also have safety goggles and rubber or
fire-retardant gloves. Most of the time, the crew wears slipper socks, but they also have tennis shoes and
boots.
Some of the crewmembers must work outside the space station and they have clothing to protect
themselves. The complicated space suit worn outside the space station is called an extravehicular
mobility unit (EMU). This suit provides correct air pressure, temperature, oxygen, drinking water,
food, and electrical power. It also protects the astronauts from micrometeoroids. Micrometeoroids are
tiny objects (natural or manmade) that are in orbit around the planet thousands of miles per hour. A hit
from one of these fingernail size objects could kill an unprotected astronaut or disable a spacecraft.
Astronauts aboard the space station use improved EMU space suits when they go outside to build,
repair, and resupply the station; check experiments; or fix satellites. The suits have many layers of
materials, and it is very difficult to work while wearing them. Outside the station on an extravehicular
activity (EVA), the crewmember must wear the EMU and MMU (manned maneuvering unit)
equipment that weighs 148 kilograms (about 326 pounds). On Earth, the space suit (EMU) weighs 113
kilograms (about 250 pounds). To practice on Earth, the astronauts work in a huge tank of water called a
neutral buoyancy simulator. This simulator helps the astronaut learn to work while wearing the stiff,
bulky suit. Scientists can float the astronaut and the equipment so that they can practice the tasks they
will do when they are working aboard the space station.
After 90 days, the space station crew will prepare for the arrival of the new crew. Each astronaut will
complete his/her chores, pack up, and get ready to go home. They will put on their flight coveralls for
the return trip to planet Earth.
Activities
Each mission team member will choose an astronaut and dress him or her for the work to be done.
PROCEDURES
Instruct participants to choose two of the following four scenarios, and dress their two astronauts
accordingly. You can read them aloud (they are also in the handout):
1. An astronaut is going outside the space station to repair a satellite. Find the astronaut and the
clothes he or she will need. Cut out each piece of clothing and equipment. Now dress the
astronaut.
2. One astronaut has time off from work, and is going to look out the window and take
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Lesson 2: Space Suits
photographs. Dress this astronaut.
3. One astronaut will be working in the laboratory. This astronaut will check an experiment. What
will he or she wear? Dress this person for work.
4. It is the last day of the 90-day tour of duty. One astronaut is getting ready to return to Earth.
What will this person wear? Dress this astronaut.
(Optional) Mission team members may wish to color the clothing provided for each astronaut. The
space suit and the underwear are white. Space clothing is usually white, light blue, or navy but
Mission Team members may select their own colors.
Circulate among the participants, discussing their choices and their reasoning behind them, and
troubleshooting as needed.
When all students are finished with at least one astronaut, have them write their name on the back
and display each astronaut at a place you have designated – a stand, a board, or a table.
Recap
A chance to summarize and check for understanding
So, to come back to our essential question: What types of space suits are there? And how do they work?
Why is it important that astronauts have the right kind of space suits?
Extensions
Optional homework or next steps
Build your own spacesuit costume
Mission Team Members who are particularly interested in this topic could work with a parent or
guardian to build their own spacesuit costume from one of the many tutorials available online.
Standards
Correlations to educational standards
Not done yet.
They will make connections to the Next Generation Science Standards, and possibly other current
educational standards .
Resources
For building background or for further exploration
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FOGE Grade 3
Lesson 2: Space Suits
▪ NASA Clickable Spacesuit – This interactive webpage lets students learn more about the
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purpose of each piece of the spacesuit.
www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/spacesuits/home/clickable_suit.html
Evolution of the Spacesuit – NASA has this quality slideshow of the spacesuit’s history.
www.nasa.gov/externalflash/spacesuit_gallery/
Spacesuits Pinboard – The “Suited for Space” traveling exhibit, by the Smithsonian Institute,
has its own information-rich board of spacesuit images on Pinterest.
www.pinterest.com/sitesexhibits/spacesuits/
Suited for Space video playlist – The same Smithsonian exhibit has a well-curated collection of
short videos about space suits. You may want to pick one or two to show to the group.
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B854263CE76EC34
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