Review by Debbie Gorrell, Common Sense Education | Updated October 2016
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NASA Visualization Explorer

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  • Download from App Store

Updated stories help kids stay up to speed with space exploration

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Science
Skills
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
3–12
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Price:  Free
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Take a look inside

5 images
Each story is supported by a beautiful main graphic.
Stories include brief text and several supporting visuals.
Some stories include video clips.
A menu on the left of the screen lists story titles and dates of publication.
Kids can easily search for stories by topic.

Pros: Tons of exciting, cutting-edge information for kids to explore, and the stories are supported with beautiful images and videos.

Cons: Some of the content may be difficult for younger audiences to understand without extra support.

Bottom Line: Weekly updates and striking visuals make it easy for kids to stay informed about NASA's most recent discoveries.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

This resource could be a fun way to introduce a unit on space. Have students freely explore the app solo or in pairs for at least 30 minutes, and choose their favorite story. Come together as a class and ask students which story they chose and why.

Continue to use the resource at least once per week or as time allows. Either assign a specific story for kids to explore or have them select their own. Students could use the topics they enjoy as a springboard for a design project or larger writing piece. Allow for additional time so kids can further research topics that truly inspire them.

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Standards:

NASA Visualization Explorer is a database of stories that, according to the developers, are updated on a weekly basis. The stories are highly visual, with satellite imagery, computer-generated models, and videos to support the content.

The app includes the latest information about advanced space-based research. It also includes historical information about some of NASA's missions and discoveries. Students can use a drop-down menu to search for stories by topic; they can also save stories, mark them as "read," and create a Favorites list. Navigation is pretty simple: Students swipe and tap to gain access to the content.

Just knowing that they're tapped into the latest advanced NASA research will inspire many students to learn as much as they can through this resource. The visual support makes the stories much more engaging than a static feed or article.

Compared to some of NASA's other digital reference tools, this one is very nicely organized, which makes it easier for kids to focus on what they're learning rather than just trying to find a topic of interest. One minor downside is that teachers will need to add a lot of their own instructional support, especially for the younger kids.

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

It's exciting and inspiring to be a part of NASA's world of discoveries, and the graphics are amazing.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Students have access to cutting-edge research, and they can learn a lot about space exploration. Younger kids will likely need a lot of instructional support to understand the content.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Unlike some of NASA's other apps, this one is highly organized and less overwhelming. A teacher guide would help provide some needed classroom support.

Common Sense Reviewer
Debbie Gorrell Educator
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Earth and Human Activity

  • MS-ESS3-5

    Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

  • HS-ESS3-5

    Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Earth’s Place in the Universe

  • MS-ESS1-1

    Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.

  • HS-ESS1-4

    Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

Earth’s Systems

  • MS-ESS2-2

    Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

  • HS-ESS2-2

    Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.

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