Questions to accompany PBS NOVA’s Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build. This was season 52, episode 19 of NOVA. Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS.

As of the publication of this resource, the video was available via PBS streaming. Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes. PBS streaming links are embedded in the student document and answer key.

OPERATION SPACE STATION

The size of a football field, the International Space Station hurtles around Earth at 17,000 mph, shielding its astronauts from the most hostile environment humans have ever endured. After 25 years of continuous human presence in space, astronauts and Mission Control insiders reveal the most terrifying moments aboard this remarkable orbiting laboratory, where a single mistake could prove fatal. From ammonia leaks, meteor strikes, and docking disasters, to spacewalk horrors, potentially lethal showers of space junk, and the moment the entire ISS backflipped out of control, follow life-or-death dramas unfolding 250 miles above our planet—and the human ingenuity and teamwork that save the day.

HIGH-RISK BUILD (48 questions)

Witness an unprecedented feat of engineering: the construction of the International Space Station, a habitable space lab hurtling around Earth at 17,000 mph. Every step of this ambitious project unfolds against the backdrop of a merciless vacuum, dangerous radiation, and extreme temperatures. Experience high-stakes drama as astronauts confront life-threatening malfunctions, including a toxic ammonia leak during a critical spacewalk. And see how each time, a combination of quick thinking and nerves of steel help the crew survive and thrive in a hostile environment—a testament to international collaboration and the relentless pursuit of scientific discovery.

This is part 1 of the two-part Operation Space Station documentary. For questions on part 2, see Operation Space Station: Science and Survival.

Participants include Kwatsi Alibaruho, Jennifer Buchli, Bob Castle, Robert Curbeam, Mike Fincke, Renita Fincke, Wendy Lawrence, Michael López-Alegría, and Zebulon Scoville.

Lessons of Phyz advantages:

• The video running time is printed next to the episode title.
• A heavy font ensures high legibility even in dim lighting.
• Questions are designed to be answered while the video plays—quick, simple responses keep students engaged without requiring deep reflection that would take them out of the presentation.
• Question types are mixed: fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and short answer are common; in some cases, matching or simple illustrations are involved.
• Certain moments in a video lesson merit undivided attention. No questions have been placed in those moments.
• "Play to the buzzer": Whenever possible, the last question in the set is answered during the last seconds of the video.
• I am a classroom teacher; I designed these resources for use with my own students.
• If you find competing products online, by all means check them out. They may be cheaper; they may be free. None of them will be as professional, polished, or classroom-ready as this one.

The student Google Docs files linked to in this product are designed for use as Google Docs and/or for printing and photocopying. Use them in the manner that best suits your needs, knowing the lesson is flexible if those needs change.