4 astronomical activities for secondary students to learn about space

Space has always captured the human imagination – from stargazing to exploring galaxies far, far away. But learning about space also plays a crucial role for secondary students developing vital STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills.

Space education encourages young people to ask big questions, think critically and explore creative solutions to complex challenges. Plus, it means they learn to analyse data like scientists, design like engineers and problem-solve like coders. These are all essential skills in careers like aerospace engineering, robotics, environmental monitoring and artificial intelligence.

Take a look at how to blast off into space in your daily lessons.

Classroom activities to help students learn about space

Use the following activities to help students learn about space in accessible and fun ways.

1. Launch model rockets

What better way to get students excited about space than have them build a rocket? Not to mention, making and launching model rocks is a hands-on way for students to grasp fundamental scientific and engineering principles.

Use materials like cardboard tubes, nose cones, fins and small engines for the rocket, following these instructions. Encourage students to experiment with different shapes, weights and fin designs to gain practical understanding of Newton's laws of motion, aerodynamics, centre of gravity and thrust-to-weight ratios.

Along the way ask them to document their design process, make predictions and compare flight outcomes to reinforce how small design changes make a big difference. This reflection helps students focus on team brainstorming, while developing problem-solving and iteration skills.

Remember to talk to students about organisations like NASA and ESA and how they test rocket designs – by conducting countless simulations and launches before sending anything into orbit. This helps students see that their classroom experiments mirror the principles used in actual spacecraft innovation.

Bonus activity: Have students design the straightest-flying rocket possible by adjusting the fin shape and placement to affect the flight path. Use a smartphone to record a video to track the takeoff angle and flight arc, and calculate the deviation from a straight flight path. Finish with a class discussion on aerodynamics and stability.

2. Become radio astronomers

Let students explore the universe through sound! With a simple DIY radio receiver or affordable software-defined radio (SDR) kit, ask students to detect and analyse real signals from space – including meteor pings, Jupiter's radio emissions or satellite transmissions.

Learning about radios introduces students to the electromagnetic spectrum and shows how radio waves travel. By capturing and interpreting data from the radios, students can see (or rather, hear) how astronomers use radio telescopes to study objects that we can’t see. Not all space observation happens through optical telescopes – sometimes the universe communicates through the language of radio waves!

And, by getting to grips with frequencies and data patterns, students can strengthen their maths and computing skills.

Bonus activities: Find the International Space Station’s radio frequency, pick up a meteor ping on your receiver or play ‘signal bingo’ – where you listen for and identify different patterns from local radio sources.

3. Design satellites

Integrate real-world engineering in the classroom and have students design their own satellites. NASA has a simple breakdown for students to build a satellite, as well as to understand how modern satellites are made and what they do. Follow the steps over a series of classes and then ask students what they would do differently if they had more time or different materials – how would their satellites change?

Satellite design introduces key concepts such as orbital mechanics, satellite communication systems and project management. And, as students construct their satellites, they’ll develop a better understanding of how satellites enable GPS, weather forecasting and global communications.

The project also highlights the value of teamwork and problem-solving under real constraints like size, weight and power limitations.

Bonus activity: Design a satellite that monitors an environmental issue such as air quality or deforestation. What data should students collect, how often should they collect it, and what sensors do they need? Use maps or satellite imagery such as Google Earth to model satellite coverage.

4. See more through telescopes

Take to the skies via telescopes or even cameras with telephoto lenses. These tools allow students to see and photograph objects in space in incredible detail.

Both these activities spark wonder and support students’ observation and recording skills. You could also create an astronomy club, or host a stargazing night where students and parents view and name different star constellations through a telescope. Space enthusiasts can even add what they see to international star databases that track asteroids and variable stars.

Using telescopes to explore space facilitates creative thinking and scientific skills as students learn patience and precision. They also learn to visualise abstract concepts, which is a key foundation to understand the universe!

Bonus activities: Get students to sketch or photograph the moon over a full lunar cycle. Can they see differences in illumination, the visibility of craters and other surface features? Turn the data into a class map showing a timeline of lunar phases and compare it to NASA's lunar phase simulator.

An ever-expanding world of discoveries

Learning about space is as vast as space itself! There are countless ways to make space teaching fun, informative, and truly mind-blowing. The most important element is to let students explore, experiment, and ask lots of questions – the more curious they are, the deeper they’ll go into the depths of space.

That said, keep the content and tools you use for your space expeditions appropriate for secondary school students. It can be tempting to get lost in complex theories and technology, but students need to have a strong base knowledge of STEM principles and how they relate to space before they get to quantum physics.

Get innovative and get out of this world!

Further reading

Step into loads more science with your students. Read Enriching Primary STEAM teaching, How to get primary school students interested in science and Nine inspirational STEM role models for International Women’s Day.