Series

NASA Documentaries

8 episodes

Eight documentaries made by NASA itself, running 22 minutes to a feature-length 97. Several are primary-source history: the agency's own account of Apollo 11, a 40th-anniversary look at the whole Apollo program, and Hubble's launch and famous in-orbit repair. Others follow current work, from Perseverance's seven minutes of terror over Mars to the DART asteroid mission and the decades of engineering behind the James Webb Space Telescope. The Color of Space steps away from hardware entirely, with seven Black astronauts describing how they got there. Runtimes vary a lot, so check before you plan; the short ones fit a period, the features need a unit.

what this series covers

What NASA Documentaries covers

8 episodes in the library, tagged for 3rd–6th. Heaviest coverage: Science, Social Studies and Social-Emotional Learning. Between them they line up with 7 distinct standards across 3 frameworks.

Episodes per grade

3rd: 2
4th: 7
5th: 8
6th: 8

Episodes per subject

Science: 7
Social Studies: 3
Social-Emotional Learning: 1

NGSS (Science) 3

3-5-ETS1-1Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-3Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
3-5-ETS1-2Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Social Studies (C3 / NCSS) 2

D2.His.3.3-5Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes and continuities.
D2.His.1.3-5Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments that happened at the same time.

CASEL (Social-Emotional) 2

CASEL.SA.5Show self-confidence — believe you can do hard things and take on a challenge.
CASEL.SA.7Develop interests and a sense of purpose — identify what matters to you and why.

Every episode is vetted and tagged before it goes in. Pick your state in the filters above to see your own state’s codes alongside these.

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