Moon Adventure Game

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Moon Adventure Game Welcome Sign

Living in an outpost on the Moon is dangerous. Survival on the Moon will require teamwork! 
Players will work together to solve a series of challenges grounded in real science about living and doing research on the Moon.

The premise of the game is a fictional story grounded in actual NASA science and research about what people might need in the future to live and work on the Moon. The challenges are based on real scientific concepts connected to lunar exploration. Players will assume the role of astronauts living and doing research in an outpost on the Moon. As players conduct research, a moonquake causes significant damage to the life support systems on the outpost. Survival on the Moon requires teamwork. Can players work together to quickly restore the necessary systems to survive? 

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Moon Adventure Game players pouring liquid into graduated cylinder

Download the Digital Materials

The Moon Adventure Game is included as part of the Explore Science: Earth & Space 2020 Part B toolkit shipping in Fall 2020 to 350 NISE Network partners. Applications for physical Explore Science: Earth & Space 2020 toolkits were due November 1, 2019.  Applications have now closed.

Digital versions of toolkits are available as a free download:

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Moon Adventure Game stock image

Training Videos 

Training Videos - including: activity & content training videos, professional development videos 

Extensions

Ways to extend the game for different audiences, longer experiences, and more players

Promotional Photo Gallery

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Moon Adventure Game players unlocking the Data Rover Bank box

Learning Objectives 

As a result of participating in the game, learners will:

  • 1) Strengthen 21st century skills related to collaboration, innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving
  • 2) Increase their interest in Moon and space exploration
  • 3) Develop a sense of science identity and confidence related to learning about the Moon and space science
  • 4) Learn new content knowledge about the Moon and/or space exploration

Audience

The Moon Adventure Game is designed for families with children and students grades 4–8. 

Players

  • Best for 3–6 players
  • For more than 6 players, check out the Adaptations and Extensions sections of this guide as well as sections on how to create your own additional game sets

Time 

  • Setup: 10–15 minutes
  • Gameplay: about 25 minutes (approx. 5 minutes per challenge)
  • Resetting the game between groups: 5–15 minutes (depending on sanitizing needs)
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Moon Adventure Game Progress Tracker graphic with outline

CHALLENGES

Game Flow and Content
Facilitators read through the game Facilitator Narrative Script, provide cues for players to move on to the next challenge, and lead a reflection once the game is completed. There are five challenges that players must work together to overcome. Each challenge explores different scientific content while drawing on various skills.

  • Welcome
    The facilitator introduces the story and invites participants to play the game. The facilitator begins a conversation about what humans would need to live and do research on the Moon.

  • Challenge 1: Make a Travel Plan for Your Rover 
    Players will identify specific locations on the lunar surface where they will send their remote-controlled rover to collect data. Players will write the coordinates on the Rover Travel Plan. Players will then use the map coordinates to unlock the rover data bank.

  • Challenge 2: Match Rover Data to Locations on the Map
    Outpost sensors have detected strange seismic readings in the area. Using the coordinates from Challenge 1, players will unlock the rover’s data bank to access the seismic data their rover has collected. Players will accurately position the data location overlays on the lunar surface map. Players will then match the data blocks on the lunar surface map to reveal a message.

  • Challenge 3: Extract Water from Frozen Lunar Material
    A moonquake cracked the outpost oxygen tanks, so players will need to produce oxygen using water extracted from frozen lunar material. The frozen lunar material is dangerously cold, so players must use the grabber tools to search the cold storage bin and find the ice. Players will then insert the icy material into the water extractor. Once all icy material blocks have been inserted, three vials of water will be released for use in the next challenge.

  • Challenge 4: Fill Your Oxygen Tanks
    Players will open the Emergency Oxygen Supply Kit and use the process of electrolysis to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Players will be able to observe tiny bubbles, indicating oxygen molecules are being released from the water. 

  • Challenge 5: Reconnect the Power Supply
    The moonquake damaged the connecting wires to the power supply and the outpost is running on backup batteries. Players will use conductive materials to complete the circuit and restore power to the damaged outpost. Players will hear the equipment restart, indicating power is restored to the outpost.

  • Wrap-up and Reflections
    Players celebrate their team’s accomplishments! Players have worked together to survive the moonquake and restore power to the outpost. The facilitator will engage players in a conversation about living on the Moon and discuss how NASA scientists and engineers are working to send humans to the Moon.

Learn More

Acknowledgements

This material is based upon work supported by NASA under Grant Number 80NSSC18K1219. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).