Summary

This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the NewsHour is highlighting people whose contributions have often been overlooked. In this segment, we explore the legacy of Kalpana Chawla, the first American of Indian descent to travel to space, who gave her life in the pursuit of research, science and exploration. For a transcript of this story, click here . News wrap alternative : Check out this recent segment from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching! You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

Five Facts

1. Who was Kalpana Chawla?


2. Where did Chawla study to pursue her dream of traveling to space?


3. What mission was Chawla assigned to? What were her roles in the mission?


4. When and how did Chawla die? What resulted because of the crew’s deaths?


5. Why is Chawla significant? How has she impacted others?

Focus Questions

Do you think Kalpana Chawla is someone important to learn about? Why do you think NewsHour chose Chawla for this series on overlooked individuals? Do you agree with that decision? News analysis : Did this story allow you to grasp and understand Chawla’s legacy? Was there anything that could have been added? Alternative : See, Think, Wonder : What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?

For More

What students can do : Discuss with a partner: Had you heard or learned about Kalpana Chawla before? If yes, what did you know about her prior to this story? If not, what could be done to give her legacy more attention? STUDENT VIDEO OF THE DAY “Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi on Asian American representation in sports” via Student Reporting Labs

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This lesson was written by Yesly Xante Rivas, NewsHour Classroom's intern, with editing by Vic Pasquantonio. Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.