Space Education Resources by Wes Fryer wesfryer.com

These are resources about space exploration & STEM education collected (and sometimes created) by Dr. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer). My current media literacy and STEM/Robotics lessons for middle schoolers (fall 2022 to present) are on lessons.wesfryer.com. My lessons and curriculum from 2013-15 when I taught STEM for 4th & 5th graders at Independence Elementary in Yukon, Oklahoma are available on stem.wesfryer.com. My 2019-22 media literacy lessons for 5th & 6th graders at Casady School in Oklahoma City are shared on this Google Site.

Last updated 8 Feb 2025

SEEC 2025 Notes & Links

I am virtually attending sessions when I can today (7 Feb 2025) & tomorrow at #SEEC2025, which is the Space Exploration Educators Conference at the Johnson Space Center. I just caught the last part of today’s (Friday) opening keynote, “Lessons from Astronaut School!” The entire livestream is archived on Vimeo and publicly available.

I’m going to watch this entire session this weekend with my spouse, but WOW! What great stories and how inspiring, especially for me to hear as a current middle school classroom teacher. “We make a difference as teachers! These astronauts testify to that fact!”

I’m taking notes from the conference in this Google Doc, and will continue to add more today and this weekend:

wfryer.me/seec2025

Check out my "unit inspirations" page, including session notes from inspirational presentations by others about Mars Colonization Projects / Mars Rover Units / etc.

"Coding Mars / Minecraft Mars" is the multi-lesson unit I teach in my middle school computer programming class, using Microsoft MakeCode to build a virtual outpost on Mars in Minecraft as well as Scratch coding software to build space-themed animations.

Connect to these Facebook groups for Space Education resources and connections!

Space Educator Network (Mark Wagner's group)
Space Hipsters
Space Exploration Educator's Conference (SEEC - at JSC)

Space Exploration Links

"Space Club Dreams" (blog post, 26 Aug 2023)

I teach a multi-lesson unit called "Froot Loop Conspiracy Theories" for middle school students focusing on the Apollo Moon Landings, the claims of some conspiracy theorists that the Apollo moon landing was a HOAX, and both the SIFT web literacy strategy as well as lateral reading.

I've collected all the videos I use during this media literacy unit and shared them on "SIFT Lesson Videos."

Highlights from SEEC 2022

Highlights from SEEC 2022 at Space Center Houston

My "Space Exploration" YouTube playlist

Resources from the 2022 Space Exploration Educators Conference at Space Center Houston

Best Ways to Get Involved with NASA Education

Sign up for NASA Express (weekly emails)
Join the NASA STEM Gateway (learning community)

"NASA STEM Gateway" is the new name for "NASA Connects"

I LOVE teaching students about coding and computational thinking by using the FREE Scratch programming language, website and community from the MIT Media Lab! (scratch.mit.edu) My shared Scratch lessons, units, podcasts and presentations include:

Scratch Animation Unit (middle school)
Scratch Maze Unit (5th grade)
May 2021 podcast: "Lesson Ideas and Tips for Language Teachers using Scratch, Minecraft and more!"
September 2016 podcast: "Reflections on a PBS Scratch Jr Coding Camp for Kids"
2013-15 Scratch lesson resources (when I taught in YPS)

I've shared Scratch coding resources also on the OKC Scratch Day website, as I've helped organize and lead "Scratch Day Events" in Oklahoma City over the years. You can also read more about things I've learned using and teaching with Scratch on my SpeedOfCreativity.org blog.

The 12 episode "Moonrise" podcast by Washington Post journalist Lillian Cunningham (@lily_cunningham) is AMAZING and SO GOOD! I learned so much and found lots of references to additional books to read / resources to check out. Lillian has created a great recommended book list from the podcast too: Here is a GIFT link! (no subscription required)

In summer/fall 2020 I worked with my colleague Brian Turnbaugh (@wegotwits) on a media literacy project titled, "Fact or Fiction: Apollo Moon Landings," which grew out of our ongoing work on the media literacy project, "Conspiracies and Culture Wars."

Video backstory: Conspiracy Theories, Apollo Moon Landings and SIFT

Follow my Twitter list for SEEC (The Space Exploration Educator's Conference) at the Johnson Space Center.

Follow my Twitter list for SPACE. This includes companies and people interested in and involved with space exploration, commercialization, militarization, etc.

Follow my Twitter list of STEM teachers.

Follow my STEM Twitter list which includes both people and companies working in STEM areas / fields.