Build a Virtual Mission to the Moon with NASA's #VirtualMoonshot

Build a Virtual Mission to the Moon with NASA's #VirtualMoonshot

Fifty years ago this week, astronauts set foot on the Moon for the first time. On Thursday, July 18, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing and the feats of engineering that made the Apollo missions possible by joining NASA and educational centers nationwide to build a virtual mission to the Moon.

Follow #VirtualMoonshot on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to vote on the household materials used to build rockets, landers and rovers. Participating host centers will build the spacecraft using the materials you select. Decide how to improve the designs, then watch the spacecraft take off! Plus, discover how students can make their own lunar spacecraft at home or in the classroom.

Follow #VirtualMoonshot on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter July 18 to take part – or follow along with a host center near you.

› Explore more Apollo 50th events and activities taking place across the country

Related Lessons and Activities

Teachable Moment: Apollo 50th Anniversary

Project: Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator

Teachable Moment: Apollo 50th Anniversary – Explore the incredible history of the Apollo missions and find out what's in store for NASA's next mission to the Moon.

Project: Make a Straw Rocket – Create a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!

Project: Make an Astronaut Lander – Design and build a lander that will protect two "astronauts" when they touch down.

Project: Make a Cardboard Rover – Build a rubber-band-powered rover that can scramble across a room.

Project: Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator– Like a decoder wheel for the Moon, this calendar will show you where and when to see the Moon and every moon phase throughout the year!

Lesson: Observing the Moon (Grades K-6) – Students identify the Moon’s location in the sky and record their observations over the course of the moon-phase cycle in a journal.

Lesson: Moon Phases (Grades 1-6) – Students learn about the phases of the moon by acting them out.

Lesson: Whip Up a Moon-Like Crater (Grades 1-6) – Whip up a moon-like crater with baking ingredients as a demonstration for students.

Lesson: Modeling the Earth-Moon System (Grades 6-8)– Students learn about scale models and distance by creating a classroom-size Earth-Moon system.