An Integrated Model of an ALS System for Use in the High School Classroom

BioBLAST^® is a multimedia curriculum supplement for high school biology classes that incorporates NASA’s Advanced Life Support (ALS) research methods and data. The curriculum culminates with students designing and testing their own ALS system using the BaBS (Build a BLSS System) simulator, an integrated modeling system developed at the Classroom of the Future. BaBS integrates data from a number of research projects currently underway at NASA centers. In designing BaBS, the goal was to develop a teaching tool that balanced complexity and ease of use, while maintaining scientific accuracy.