22 Ways to Bring Earthrise Into Your Classroom

December 29, 2018

Fifty years ago this week, on December 24, 1968, humans saw our planet Earth “rise” over another celestial object for the very first time. The astronauts who got the first look did what anyone today would do—they snapped the picture that would come to be known as the iconic Earthrise image.

This new perspective forever changed our species, and it may have been the most important thing that the Apollo astronauts brought back from their missions. As astronaut Jim Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth."

A half a century later, NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Jim Green says that the impact is still a “wow” for him. “It was the first time we recognized that we, as a species, have the ability to leave our planet and go out into the solar system. What we saw was a bright, beautiful planet full of life, against the deep blackness of space.” So why should teachers consider bringing Earthrise into their classroom? Dr. Green thinks it goes beyond the science and the art of the image, and right to the heart of why many of us teach. “You want your students to be able to dream, and this image allows them to do that.”

Whether your students have never seen the Earthrise image, or you happen to have a poster of it on your classroom wall, consider bringing some of the themes from Earthrise into your instruction with the resources from PBS LearningMedia below. A great place to start is with the Earthrise film, which includes a Discussion Guide for educators.

The “Big Picture”

With the bright blue oceans and white clouds “popping” against the inky blackness of empty space, Earthrise connected Earth to the cosmos. These resources provide a holistic view of Earth as a system and Earth’s place in the universe:

Take a Tour of the Universe (high school, video; Galaxy version for younger students)
Understand the Scale of our Solar System (middle and high school, video)
Build your own Model of the Solar System (middle and high school, interactive)
NOVA’s Earth Systems Science Collection (middle and high school)

Seeing Earth in New Ways

Through new sensors and imaging technologies, we continue to see new and amazing views of Earth. The following resources help bring these up-close and dynamic views of our planet into your Earth and physical science instruction.

The Sun Heats the Earth (middle school, video)
ABCs from Space (elementary school, images)
Global Sea Surface Currents and Temperature (high school, video)
Views of Earth Features from Space (elementary school, interactive)
Precipitation on Earth (elementary school, video) and Global Precipitation (middle school, video)
Global Winds (middle and high school, video)
Views of Water Bodies (elementary school, interactive slideshow)

Living on Earth

Seeing our planetary home for the first time sparked a sense of connection and care that helped inspire the environmental movement. The following stories and resources address topics in ecology and environmental science.

Classroom Activities from Plum Landing (elementary school)
Young Voices for the Planet Film Collection
KQED’s Engineering for Good Collection/Unit (middle school)
Crash Course: Ecology Collection
Design Squad Inventing Green Guide (Grades 4–9)
Where Words Touch the Earth: Native American Perspectives Collection (middle and high school)

Life in the Universe

Powerful telescopes and unmanned space missions are helping scientists expand their ideas about where we could search for life beyond our planet. These resources support student investigation of worlds beyond Earth where life might be discovered.