# Kindergarten (Easy)
## Very Simple, why aren't there trees on the moon?
**Objective:** Introduce the kids to the idea that trees need certain things to grow, and the moon doesn’t provide them.

1. **Introduction (Simple, bold text with pictures):**
    - **What do trees need to grow?** (Big colorful images of the sun, soil, water, and air)
        - Sun for warmth and light ☀️
        - Air for breathing 🌬️
        - Water for drinking 💧
        - Soil for standing and food 🌱
2. **What’s different on the Moon?** (Visual comparison between Earth and Moon)
    - No air (simple “X” over a cloud of air)
    - No water (simple “X” over a water droplet)
    - Too much sun with no protection (UV rays image)
    - Different soil (moon dust vs. Earth soil image)
3. **Activity:**
    - **Challenge:** How can we help a tree grow on the Moon?
        - Example solutions (visual): Build a bubble, bring soil, give the tree a space helmet.
    - **Cut and paste activity:** Provide basic shapes (bubble, helmet, water droplet, etc.) for them to cut out and paste on their tree drawing.

## Handout
### What do trees need to grow?
*Big pictures of trees, water, air, sun, and soil*

### What's different on the Moon?
*Big x's over the water, air, sun, and soil*

### Activity: Help these trees grow on the moon!
They cut out different stuff and glue it onto a moon.
1. perhaps a cloud or two
2. some rain drops
3. trees
4. dirt
---
# 3rd Grade (Medium)
## More In-Depth Problem-Solving

**1. Introduction:**
- **What do trees need to grow?**
    - **Sunlight** 🌞 – Trees need light to make their own food through photosynthesis.
    - **Water** 💧 – Water helps trees drink and grow.
    - **Air** 🌬️ – Trees breathe air (specifically carbon dioxide).
    - **Soil** 🌱 – Trees need soil to hold their roots and get nutrients.
- Include small pictures/icons next to each item to make it visual and engaging.

**2. What’s different on the Moon?**
- **No air:** The Moon has no atmosphere, so there is no air for trees to breathe.
- **No water:** There is no liquid water on the Moon.
- **UV Rays:** The Sun’s rays on the Moon are much stronger without Earth’s atmosphere to protect plants.
- **Different soil:** Moon soil, called “regolith,” is very dusty and doesn’t have the nutrients trees need.

**3. Activity:**
- **Challenge:** How can we help trees grow on the Moon?
    - Provide a few prompts for them to think about:
        - **How will the tree get air?**
        - **How will the tree get water?**
        - **How can we protect the tree from the Sun’s strong UV rays?**
    - They should try to **come up with their own solutions** by thinking about:
        - Building a special **container** to give the tree air and water.
        - Designing a **shield** or using glass to protect the tree from UV rays.
        - Mixing special **soil** to help the tree stand tall and grow.

**4. Sketching Their Ideas:**
- Provide a large box where they can **draw** their idea for how they would help the tree grow on the Moon.
    - Encourage creativity: “Can you build a dome around the tree? Or give it space boots? Maybe it needs a special watering system?”
    - Include fun ideas like **bubbles** or **domes** that could help them visualize.

**5. Additional prompts (Optional):**
- **How would astronauts care for these trees?**
    - Have them think about how people living on the Moon could check on their trees and water them.

## Handout
### Trees on the Moon - Can you help?
#### What do trees need to grow?
   - **Sunlight** 🌞 – Trees need light to make their own food through photosynthesis.
   - **Water** 💧 – Water helps trees drink and grow.
   - **Air** 🌬️ – Trees breathe air (specifically carbon dioxide).
   - **Soil** 🌱 – Trees need soil to hold their roots and get nutrients.
#### What is different on the Moon?
- **No Air:** There is no air for trees to breath!
- **No Water:** There is little water on the Moon.
- **Different Soil:** The Moon is made of *regolith*. Regolith is dusty, and doesn't have the same nutrients as Earth's soil.

#### So how do we make the Moon a happy home for trees?
Make a design that addresses the following issues:
1. Air - How will the tree get air?
2. Water - How do we keep the tree from getting thirsty?
3. Soil - How do we keep the tree well fed?

---
# 5th Grade (Hard)
### **Handout for 5th Grade (Engineering Design & Problem Solving)**

**1. Introduction:**
- **The problem:** Trees need sunlight, air, water, and soil, but the Moon doesn’t have these things.
    - Briefly recap each element:
        - **Air:** The Moon has no air (it’s a vacuum).
        - **Water:** No liquid water is available.
        - **Sunlight/UV Rays:** The Moon has no atmosphere, so the Sun’s UV rays are too strong.
        - **Soil:** Moon dust (regolith) is different from Earth soil—no nutrients for trees.
    - Provide short, scientific explanations next to simple visuals.

**2. Engineering Challenge:**
- **Your Mission:** You are an engineer designing a system to help trees grow on the Moon.
    - Ask them to think about **three main problems**:
        1. **Providing air** – How can we make sure the tree has enough air to breathe?
        2. **Providing water** – How can we give the tree water in an environment where there is none?
        3. **Protecting from UV rays** – How can we protect the tree from the Sun’s strong rays?

**3. Engineering Design Requirements:**
- Introduce the idea of **requirements** and **constraints**:
    - **Requirements:** Things the design must do. Example: The tree must be able to breathe air.
    - **Constraints:** Limitations to the design. Example: It must use materials that astronauts can bring to the Moon.

**4. Activity:**
- **Sketch Your Design:**
    - Provide a large space for them to draw their solution to the problem of growing trees on the Moon.
    - Encourage them to think about:
        - **What materials would you use?**
        - **How will the tree get water and air?**
        - **Can you create a system to recycle air and water for the tree?**
    - Prompt them with ideas like a **bubble dome**, a **watering system**, or using **solar panels** to power the tree's environment.

**5. Write About Your Solution:**
- Add a small section where they can write 2-3 sentences about **how their design works**.
    - Example questions to prompt them:
        - “How does your tree get air?”
        - “How does your system protect the tree from UV rays?”
        - “What materials will you use to build your solution?”

**6. Bonus:**
- **What if something breaks?** (Optional prompt for advanced thinking)
    - Ask them to think about how astronauts or engineers could **fix** the system if something stops working.
## Handout
### Design a Tree Habitat on the Moon
#### Our problem
| Trees Requirment: | Moon Issue                                                                                              |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Air 🍃            | The Moon is a vacuum!                                                                                   |
| Water 🌊          | There is little water on the Moon.                                                                      |
| Sunlight 🌞       | The sun is too strong with no air! The sun's UV rays will give the trees a sunburn.                     |
| Soil 🪴           | The moon's soil is called *regolith.* Regolith is not like Earth's soil. It is rocky, dusty, and sharp! |
#### Your mission:
You are an engineer! Your job is to design a system to help trees grow in these conditions. 

### Part 1: Requirements and Constraints:
#### Requirements
What **must** your design do to be successful?
Example: The tree must have enough air to breath.

#### Constraints
What **limits** your design?
Example: Astronauts have to be able to build this on the moon.

### Part 2: Sketch / Create your Design
Using the materials provided, create a prototype of your design!

### Part 3: Explain your Design
How does your design work?

Is there anything you wish you could do different?

What if something breaks?