Interactive activities for schools via a live link with the ISS

The loss of biodiversity, environmental damages, the use of non-regenerative resources, climate change and the habits of consumption make self-sustainable developments crucial. To find a balance between economic increase, resource consumption and destruction, nature and social developments, a future sustainable development strategy is required. If a change in perceptions and behaviours shall be achieved, then these have to be tackled by experience, learning and life. The EPO Earth Guardian activity aimed to introduce concepts of environmental observation, realisation of increasing problems and the opportunity of protecting. The education support team to the EPO Earth Guardian was a joint endeavour between the German Aerospace Center (DLR), German schools, German universities and ESA´s Human Spaceflight directorate education team. The in-flight experiment had a very strong connection with the ground activities during the mission. To do this material on ISS/Gerst (pictures, Videos, LiveCalls) were made available for use in schools; project work in teams was developed with respect to different aspects of the subject; learning by doing was encouraged with practical and real examples, and the pupils were stimulated to develop awareness and importance of attitudes and values.