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GRADES 9 to 12 | 2024-2025

Challenge 6: Growing Beyond Earth®

YOUR CHALLENGE:

As NASA looks toward a long-term human presence beyond Earth’s orbit, there are specific science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) challenges related to food production in space. Established in 2015 as a partnership between Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and NASA’s Exploration Research and Technology Programs, Growing Beyond Earth enables student community scientists to actively contribute data toward NASA mission planning.

New Schools will conduct the following experiment:

Returning schools will choose one of the following experiments:

Download PDF for this info on one page – COMING SOON!

✓  Entry Requirements:
 

Teachers must register to attend a mandatory workshop led by NASA to receive information on research protocols by September 2, 2024. The in-person workshop will be held on September 14, 2024 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Those teachers registered for the workshop must submit a Lease Agreement if they plan to participate in this challenge.

**If you cannot make it to the mandatory in-person workshop but would still like to participate in this Challenge, please reach out to the Challenge team at challenge@fairchildgarden.org

 Trial 1 + 2 data sheets. – Submitted to GBE portal
 3 – 5 photos of students carrying out their Trial 1 experiment – Science in Action! 
 

Proposal 

  • Student designed, original research project informed by Trial data.
  • Proposal utilizes the provided template with all sections completed.
  • Proposal includes a bibliography citing 3 sources, MLA or APA format.
 

Presentation at GBE Symposium 

  • Presentation is 7 slides MAXIMUM: 1 opening slide, 1 closing/references slide and 5 content slides. See provided template.
  • Presentation opening slide includes a descriptive title, student(s) first name, last initial and school name. Presentation must include an introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusion and at least 5 references following MLA or APA format.
  • All photographs, illustrations, graphs and tables must include captions.
 One submission per school.
 On-time submission. Late submissions will be accepted with a reduction in points.

CHALLENGE RESOURCES:

Enter a Submission

Important Dates

MANDATORY In-person Teacher Workshop at Fairchild: 
Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm

**If you are unable to attend the mandatory workshop, please notify the Challenge team at challenge@fairchildgarden.org

Trial 1 Data and Photos Due: 
Friday, November 22, 2024 by 5:00pm

Trial 2 Proposal Due: 
Friday, December 13, 2024 by 5:00pm

Trial 2 Data Due: 
Friday, March 21, 2025 by 5:00pm

Trial 2 Research Presentation Due:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 by 5:00pm

Research Symposium: 
Saturday, April 19, 2025

Point Breakdown
Participants per submission Group
Maximum number of points per submission

300 max

150 for required Trial 1 data AND Trial 2 proposal

50 for Trial 2 data

100 for submitting a presentation and presenting at the GBE Symposium
Number of submissions per school 1

Evaluation Criteria 
COMING SOON!

Fairchild City in a Garden Standards

Scientific Output

This Challenge Meets these Standards of the
Green Schools Recognition Program

  • Category 3 (Health & Well-Being), Indicator A: Healthy Food & Garden Initiatives

  • Category 4 (Curriculum Integration), Indicator A: Interdisciplinary Approach

  • Category 5 (Community Involvement), Indicator: Community Partnerships in School Activities

This website is based upon the work supported by NASA under grant award No. 80NCCS22M0125. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.