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For Educators

 Artemis Moon Trees

Artemis I Mission

Artemis I splashed down on December 11th! The tree seeds have been offloaded and sent to Forest Service nurseries to be planted. Click here to read about the progress of the mission and track the tree seeds! Be sure to check this page frequently for updates on the status of the seeds and information on how to submit a proposal for a future Moon Tree. 

Moon Trees LIVE

Moon Trees LIVE - A Distance Learning Adventure:

Check out this program about past and future Moon Trees, seed science, Artemis I, the Orion Spacecraft, and more! Experts from NASA and the Forest Service answered questions from live viewers and discussed all things Moon Trees. Follow this link to view the YouTube video. 

Additional links for this program:

Moon Trees LIVE 2 

Moon Trees LIVE 2 is finally here! Join us every Friday in April as we release a new episode on our YouTube channel. Each episode explores a different step of the journey. These releases will be followed up with a live Q&A featuring experts from the Forest Service. If you have questions you would like to ask the experts, simply leave a comment on any of the YouTube videos! 

 

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for information on future LIVE programs! 

Moon Trees Introduction 

NASA and the USDA Forest Service are partnering to send tree seeds to space on Artemis I and bring STEM education that connects Artemis I programming to Earth science, conservation education, data literacy, and citizen science to educators and youth nationwide. Seeds orbiting the Moon are from loblolly pine, Douglas-fir, giant sequoia, American sycamore, and sweetgum trees. 

This is the second time tree seeds have gone to space and the first time they will spend about six weeks in space orbiting the Moon. Tree seeds first went to space aboard Apollo 14. 

Upon returning to Earth, the Forest Service will grow the seeds into seedlings. Public and educational institutions across the United States will have the opportunity to submit a proposal to be a custodian of an Artemis Moon Tree. Information about how to submit a proposal for a tree seedling will be released by NASA's Office of STEM Engagement no earlier than 30 days after splashdown. 

You can engage youth in learning about Moon Trees and how to care for and monitor them through the Countdown to Moon Trees Learning Module and our other educational resources. 

To stay up to date on all things Moon Trees visit the Moon Trees Press section. This section will include resources and articles from NASA, the Forest Service, and other educational content. 

Moon Trees History 

Astronaut Stuart Roosa, a former Forest Service smokejumper, carried seeds with him on the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. These seeds returned to Earth and were grown into the first generation of Moon Trees. Find out more about this first generation of Moon Trees on NASA's website. 

FIND Outdoors was fortunate enough to receive one of the first generation moon trees in 1976. This tree then went on to produce a second generation moon tree that was planted at a former NASA site during the Solar Eclipse in 2017. Click here to read more about both of these trees, Stuart Roosa, and where you can visit a moon tree near you.

 

 

Moon Trees Educational Resources

Natural Inquirer is excited to partner with the Forest Service to provide a variety of Moon Trees Educational Resources. We will be updating this site as new education products become available. We will also be adding links to additional NASA educational opportunities.

Introduction To Moon Trees Lesson Plan
 

NASA Moon Tree Toolkit 

Countdown to Moon Trees Learning Module

 

 Moon Trees Press