Image of a spaceship flying across moon
xia yuan/Getty Images (Base Camp); Michael Dunning/Getty Images (Meteor); Josh Valcarcel/NASA – Johnson Space Center (Astronauts); NASA (Exploring); peepo/Getty Images (Relaxing); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
Time Machine,

Mission to the Moon!

In the coming years, NASA, the U.S. space agency, is sending astronauts back to the moon. These exciting trips are called the Artemis missions.

By Catherine Schmitt
From the March/April 2024 Issue
Lexiles: 600L-700L, Easier Level
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

Presentation View
See Student View

Lexile® measure

  • On Level
  • Easier Level
Download and Print
Easier Level
Think and Read: Knowledge Building

As you read, think about what it would be like to travel to the moon.

Far, Far Away

Far, Far Away

You peek out the window of your spacecraft. A glowing blue marble with white swirls floats in space. It’s planet Earth, about 250,000 miles away! What are you doing so far from home? You’re an astronaut on one of the most important space trips in history. Next stop? The moon!  

You peek out the window of your spacecraft. You see a glowing blue marble with white swirls floating in space. It’s planet Earth. And it’s about 250,000 miles away! What are you doing so far from home? You’re an astronaut on one of the most important space trips in history. Next stop? The moon!   

One of the Coldest Areas

One of the Coldest Areas

Three days after blasting off from Earth, you see it: the moon’s dusty white surface. The ground is filled with giant rocks and huge holes called craters. You land on one of the coldest areas in our solar system: the moon’s south pole. You’ll be the first astronaut to explore this freezing landscape!  

Three days after blasting off from Earth, you see it: the moon. On the dusty, white ground there are giant rocks. There are also huge holes called craters. You land on the moon’s south pole. It’s one of the coldest areas in our solar system. You’ll be the first astronaut to explore this freezing place!  

Out-Of-This-World Outfit 

Out-Of-This-World Outfit 

Zip! You secure your spacesuit before leaving the spacecraft. The moon is both way colder and way hotter than anywhere on Earth’s surface. Temperatures here swing wildly between -300 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 250 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Luckily, your puffy white suit keeps you safe. (Otherwise,your blood would freeze or boil in minutes!) And don’t forget your helmet and oxygen tank. You can’t breathe on the moon without them!

Zip! You put on your spacesuit before leaving the spacecraft. The moon is both way colder and way hotter than anywhere on Earth’s surface. Temperatures here can be as low as -300 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Or they can be as hot as 250 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Luckily, your puffy white suit keeps you safe. (Otherwise, your blood would freeze or boil in minutes!) And don’t forget your helmet and oxygen tank. You can’t breathe on the moon without them!  

Bounces and BackFlips 

Bounces and BackFlips 

Spaceships have circled it and robots have landed on it. But no human has set foot on the moon for more than 50 years . . . until now! You step out of the spacecraft and . . . Whoa! You bounce 10 feet into the air! On Earth, gravity pulls you to the ground. But there’s much less gravity here. Woo-hoo! You do a backflip with ease. Then you get to work setting up your team’s base camp. This is where you’ll be living and sleeping during your stay. 

Spaceships have circled the moon. Robots have landed on the moon. But no human has set foot on the moon for more than 50 years . . . until now! You step out of the spacecraft. Whoa! You bounce 10 feet into the air! On Earth, gravity pulls you to the ground. But there’s much less gravity here. Woo-hoo! Doing a backflip is easy. Now you get to work setting up your team’s base camp. This is where you’ll be living and sleeping during your stay. 

An Important Mission 

An Important Mission 

There’s no time for rest now though. You’re on an important mission: to determine if humans could one day live on the moon! You’ll be collecting samples and setting up experiments. One of your first tasks? Finding ice. Ice can melt into water, which is key to keeping humans alive. 

There’s no time for rest now though. You’re on an important mission: to see if humans could one day live on the moon! You’ll be collecting samples and setting up experiments. One of your first tasks? Finding ice. Ice can melt into water. Water is key to keeping humans alive.  

All Alone

All Alone

You hop into your space mobile and set out across the bumpy surface to explore. A massive moon mountain rises in the distance. You don’t see any plants or animals though. Besides the astronauts on your mission, there are no living creatures on the moon (that we know of!). But you do find something from astronauts’ past trips here: an American flag!  

You hop into your space mobile. Then you set out across the bumpy surface to explore. You see a giant moon mountain in the distance. You don’t see any plants or animals though. Besides the astronauts on your mission, there are no living creatures on the moon (that we know of!). But you do find something from a past trip here: an American flag!  

Dodging Meteors

Dodging Meteors

Suddenly, you see a burst of light in the distance. Uh-oh. It’s a meteor! These space rocks hit the surface of the moon all the time. Unlike on Earth, there’s nothing to protect the moon from these deadly space rocks. Phew! The meteor crashes far away from you.  

Suddenly, you see a burst of light in the distance. Uh-oh. It’s a meteor! These space rocks hit the surface of the moon all the time. There’s nothing to protect the moon from these deadly space rocks like there is on Earth. Phew! The meteor crashes far away from you.   

Back to Base

Back to Base

You make your way back to base camp and share what you saw with the other astronauts. If your mission is successful, this camp could one day be filled with people! Kids would bounce to school, space mobiles would zoom by on missions, and special gardens would grow fresh vegetables. 

You make your way back to base camp and share what you saw with the other astronauts. If your mission is successful, this camp could one day be filled with people! Kids would bounce to school. Space mobiles would zoom by on missions. And special gardens would grow fresh vegetables. 

The Moon and Beyond!

The Moon and Beyond!

Before bed, you video chat with your family on Earth. Your mission has sparked excitement around the world. And today was just the beginning. These missions are a giant step toward humans living on the moon . . . and beyond. Who knows what you’ll experience tomorrow!  

You video chat with your family on Earth before bed. Your mission has sparked excitement around the world. And today was just the beginning. These missions are a giant step toward humans living on the moon . . . and beyond. Who knows what you’ll experience tomorrow! 

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to go on a mission to the moon? Explain your answer in a paragraph using details from the article. 

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to go on a mission to the moon? Explain your answer in a paragraph using details from the article.

video (1)
Audio ()
Activities (6)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Audio ()
Activities (6) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Blast off to space (again!) in “A Vacation in Space,” a time machine that takes readers on the trip of a lifetime.

What could be cooler than traveling to the moon? Oh, traveling to Mars! Journey to the future and discover what life could be like on Mars one day in “Welcome to Mars.”

Read the incredible true story of three astronauts fighting for survival 240,000 miles from Earth in “Disaster in Space.” Then weigh the pros and cons of visiting space in “Should Regular People Go to Space?”

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. Skill Building

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading

  • Ask students to predict what this article will be about based on the headline, subhead, and image on page 21. Review the predictions after reading.
  • Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 21 and the Think and Write box on page 23.
  • To provide your students with helpful background information on the moon, play the video “What You Need to Know About the Moon.”

Preview Text Features and Vocabulary 

  • Before reading, point out the terms spacecraft (a vehicle used to travel to outer space), solar system (our sun and the planets that move around it), secure (make something safe), gravity (a natural force that causes things to fall toward Earth), determine (decide if something is possible), and meteor (a piece of rock and dust that burns as it moves through outer space) and review their definitions. Go over any other vocabulary terms that may be challenging for your students.
  • Point out the illustration on page 21. Ask students to call out any details they notice about this image.

2. Close Reading

  • Read the article as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the audio Read-Aloud.
  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions using all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck.
  • You may challenge students to either underline or highlight any details that are specific (or unique) to the particular time or place visited in the Time Machine.

Close-Reading Questions

  • Read the section “Far, Far Away.” Where are you and why? You’re in a spacecraft about 250,000 miles from Earth. You’re traveling to the moon on one of the most important space trips in history. (setting, key details)
  • Read the section “Out-of-This-World Outfit.” How does your spacesuit keep you safe on the moon? Your spacesuit keeps you safe on the moon by stopping your blood from freezing or boiling in the moon’s extreme temperatures. Your helmet and oxygen tank help you breathe on the moon. (problem and solution)
  • Read the section “An Important Mission.” What is one of your first tasks? How will that help you on your mission to determine if humans can one day live on the moon? One of your first tasks is finding ice. This helps you on your mission because the goal is to see if humans can one day live on the moon. Since ice can melt into water, it is key to helping humans stay alive. (key details, cause and effect)
  • Read the section “Back to Base.” What details does the author use to describe what life could one day be like on the moon? The details the author uses to describe what life could one day be like on the moon are kids bouncing to school, space mobiles zooming by on missions, and special gardens growing fresh vegetables. (descriptive details)
  • Look at the image in the section “Back to Base.” According to the caption, why are the Artemis missions significant? The Artemis missions will send a female astronaut and a Black astronaut to the moon for the first time. (text features)

Critical-Thinking Questions

  • Would you want to be an astronaut on NASA’s Artemis missions? Use details from the article to support your answer. Answers will vary. Sample responses: Yes, because I want to see if it’s possible for humans to live on the moon one day. I would be able to see wonders like meteors and moon mountains. I would be able to do backflips because of the moon’s low gravity. No, because the moon is extremely far away. I don’t like the idea of being so alone on the moon. The moon is also dangerous because there’s nothing to protect it from deadly space rocks. (supporting an opinion)
  • Look at the photos and images on pages 21-23. How do they help you understand what it’s like on the surface of the moon? Which was your favorite and why? Answers will vary. (text features)

3 Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Knowledge Building

  • Discuss the writing assignment in the Think and Write box on page 23. Our online skill builder will show students how to complete the journal entry.
  • Distribute our Where Should We Go Next? Skill Builder and have students complete it in class or for homework.

Text-to-Speech