Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2018
Students, young and old, find the existence of extraterrestrial life one of the most intriguing of all science topics. The theme of searching for life in the universe lends itself naturally to the integration of many scientific disciplines for thematic science education. Based upon the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), the Life in the Universe (LITU) curriculum project at the SETI Institute developed a series of six teachers guides, with ancillary materials, for use in elementary and middle school classrooms, grades 3 through 9. Lessons address topics such as the formation of planetary systems, the origin and nature of life, the rise of intelligence and culture, spectroscopy, scales of distance and size, communication and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Each guide is structured to present a challenge as the students work through the lessons. The six LITU teachers guides may be used individually or as a multi-grade curriculum for a school.