Naples Middle High School Seventh Graders Create Alien Species Through NASA-Inspired Science Project
NAPLES, Italy — Seventh graders at Naples Middle High School recently explored environmental conditions on Europa—one of Jupiter’s icy moons—using data-driven learning and differentiated instruction to design imaginary alien species adapted to extreme environments. The project creatively connected the DoDEA Savvas science curriculum to NASA’s ongoing Europa Clipper mission, giving students the opportunity to apply scientific reasoning, collaboration and artistic expression to real-world concepts.
Ms. Zabinski, seventh grade science teacher at NMHS, partnered with Mr. Macone of the Advanced Academic Program and Services (AAPS) to administer a Savvas pre-assessment and use the results to build differentiated learning pathways for all students. One component included an AAPS learning extension that tied Savvas content directly to NASA’s mission. After close reading and annotating an informational text with visuals, students chose to work collaboratively or independently as they selected randomized environmental conditions—ranging from Europa’s icy surface to its hydrothermal vents.
Using “parallel teaching” and “team teaching,” Ms. Zabinski and Mr. Macone guided students throughout the week as they researched traits of organisms that thrive in Earth’s extreme environments. Students then applied that knowledge to design aliens capable of surviving Europa’s harsh conditions. For their final product, students selected from several options, including a CER paragraph, a narrative vignette showing a “day in the life” of their alien, a poster, or a digital Adobe Express design.
Students responded positively to the experience. One seventh grader said, “I enjoyed the connections to last year’s learning. It made me feel more successful.” Another shared, “I thought the project was pretty cool. I liked making aliens and writing a vignette. I liked getting creative making my alien.”
The project was one piece of a broader, student-centered instructional approach. Ms. Zabinski and Mr. Macone collaborated closely with Ms. Santos, Special Education Aide, to provide scaffolds and additional learning paths based on pre-assessment data. These paths allowed students to choose their starting point—such as beginning with randomized traits and selecting an appropriate habitat—while still demonstrating understanding through CER reasoning. Students were encouraged to switch paths or complete multiple options, ensuring alignment to unit objectives while supporting engagement and ownership of learning.
Ms. Zabinski emphasized the importance of meaningful, flexible learning experiences. “I believe learning should be inquiry-driven, collaborative and connected to real-world scenarios or applications. I also like putting art into the mix because our students have many different talents! My goal is to meet the needs of every learner by creating flexible, differentiated learning experiences that honor individual strengths. I think the work that Ms. Santos, Mr. Macone and I do shows how differentiation can help all students achieve their goals.”
The instructional team remains committed to developing flexible, data-driven learning experiences that connect the curriculum to authentic applications and celebrate the strengths of every learner.
