The Apollo Missions for Kids

Did you know that this year we are celebrating the 50 anniversary of the moon landing?   The Apollo Missions for Kids by Chicago Review Press helps us understand this fascinating piece of history. 

What I am Reviewing

Apollo Missions for Kids: the People and Engineering behind the race to the moon.
21 activities.
Jerome Pohlem
Chicago Review Press.
160 pages, softcover, grades 4-6.
Reviewed for Chicago Review Press.
Moon Landing, Outer space, astronomy, American History, science, geography, history, children’s non-fiction, upper elementary

In 1961, President Kennedy issued a challenge: before the end of the decade, the United States would land a person on the moon and return him safely to Earth—a bold proclamation at the time given that only one US astronaut had ever been to space, for just 15 minutes. To answer President Kennedy’s call, NASA embarked on the Apollo missions: a complicated, dangerous, and expensive adventure involving 400,000 people. Before the missions were over, NASA astronauts had made eleven Apollo flights, six of which landed on the moon, and eight astronauts had lost their lives. The Apollo Missions for Kids tells the story of this pivotal era in space exploration from the perspective of those who lived it—the astronauts and their families, the controllers and engineers, and the technicians and politicians who made the impossible possible.

The Details of The Apollo Missions for Kids

One of the things I love about the 21 activities series by Chicago Review Press is how complete these books are.   

• With experiments to help you understand the science behind the mission
• Colour photos and  illustrations,
• Highlighted learning
• Resource lists
• Timeline

Upper elementary children are drawn into deep understanding of the people, science and places behind important events.  The Apollo Missions for Kids is a well developed yet easy to understand manual. 

Let’s jump into the details shall we?

Full colour images or photos dot every page of this 160 page book.  At 8 x 11.5 inches it’s an easy size to carry around.  I loved seeing all the different mission badges.  100 colour photos and 35 full colour illustrations.

You will not only find photos of the mission and it’s people.  You will also drawings and labeled illustrations.  Be enabled to understand more fully the moon, the spaceships, the command modules and much more. 

21 Activities

The 21 Activities have decent materials lists, and are varied in nature.  Sometimes you’ll be doing a science experiment but other times. you’ll be doing art projects or math.  Some of the activities include:

• Determine your weight on the moon
• Identify the moon’s features
• Demonstrate orbital mechanics with a marble and a shallow bowl
• Calculate how far away the moon is using sports equipment
• Recreate the shape and size of the command module
• Eat like an astronaut and make “space food”
• Designing a mission patch

Highlighted Areas

Yellow highlight boxes scatter the pages. These boxes teach about individuals, places, and other important details.   Some of the highlighted items are “The Command and Service Module”. “The Saturn V”, “The Lunar Roving Vehicle”, “Margaret Hamilton” and “Moon Suit”.

My Thoughts and Recommendations

I love a book that is well-designed and thought out. One that works on feeding the fascination of students.  This book is great for upper elementary aged and older students.   With 21 activities, a timeline, resources for further study, and places to visit, this book brings this pivotal moment in history to life. The Apollo Missions for Kids manual helps us get to know the people and places important to the space race and American History. 

Other Space Books

• Bizarre Space. 
• Earth-Space Colouring Book. 
• Destination Moon. 
• Go for the Moon. 
• The Man who went to the far side of the moon.