Abstract:

Plant the Moon Challenge (PTMC) is a global science experiment opportunity offered by the Institute of Competition Sciences (ICS) that has engaged 30,000 students from 17 countries and 40 U.S. states in its 5-year history. Elementary through university undergraduate students coached by educators develop and conduct plant growth experiments during an eight-week grow period with lunar soil simulant to help to determine what plants can best be grown in lunar soil. Students work in teams using a lunar soil simulant kit and project guidebook and can interact virtually with experts. Teachers receive virtual professional development. Students prepare a technical report and for higher levels also a video presentation.

This paper will present the externally evaluated, NASA-funded Space Grant PTMC expansion program from 2022 to date showcasing the value of the PTMC and how it can be effectively used globally to engage students in STEM and space exploration. The VSGC-led team of six state Space Grant consortia, including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Puerto Rico, provides enhancements including funding challenge kits, a materials stipend, state coordinators to assist teachers, expanded teacher professional development, and enrichment extensions. Awards are given at the international level; this project added STEM experiential awards for 8 winning teams in each state for Experimental Design, Crop Growth, Evaluation of Results, and Most Innovative Experiment. Awards included immersive field trips. The top regional middle and high school visited NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. To date the project has regionally impacted 11,759 students in 1,310 teams.

Project goals are:
- Provide an authentic hands-on learning activity relating to NASA’s Artemis Mission through the PTMC.
- Enhance students’ STEM knowledge of the experimental design and implementation process, terrestrial and lunar planetary science, and space exploration through learning about NASA’s Artemis program.
- Provide professional development to increase participating educators’ self-efficacy for integrating the Challenge and associated Artemis content in their curricula/programs.
- Collaboratively establish a regional ecosystem through which diverse stakeholders, including six NASA Space Grants, community organizations, industry leaders, public school systems, and informal education programs provide multi-disciplinary educational resources and implementation training.
- Disseminate NASA and project resources through Plant the Moon for increased local, regional, national, and global impacts.
- Increase STEM interest among students from underrepresented and underserved groups by increasing their awareness of, and confidence to pursue STEM careers through interactions with practicing NASA, academic, and industry professionals and weekly engagement activities.

External evaluation results will be shared. Assessment attests to the project meeting and exceeding its goals and the quality of experiential learning offered by project activities. Evaluation results show high perceived value by educators with students reporting increased STEM interest and many reporting now seeing themselves working in STEM. Students find the PTMC experience both educational and engaging and report excitement over contributing to NASA’s exploration of space through better understanding of potential crops that could be cultivated on the Moon.

Keywords:

Education, hands-on STEM learning, global educational opportunity, building student STEM identity, NASA engagement, space exploration, agricultural science, biology.