I am sending a poem (posted Sunday on The Wondering Minstrels site) that I based 2 lessons on this last Sunday.

One lesson was in a 10th grade 1-3 pt. class. I brought the poem and some pictures of Ilan Ramon from the internet.
We translated the poem into Hebrew. I was really amazed at how well they understood the English and could translate it into Hebrew - including rhymes and rhythm.

The second class was a 10th grade 5 pt. group. (Not my class, I was there together with their teacher). I read the poem out loud and told them where it came from. (None of them had heard of Heinlein.)
Then there was a discussion about awe and space flight. (I remember that one of the first astronauts became religious after his flight) and if man should continue spending money and exploring space when there are so many poor here on earth.

As Heinlein fans are doubtless aware, his work includes several examples of verse by fictional poets. "The Green Hills of Earth" [Poem #241] is undoubtedly the best known, but today's poem runs it a close second (helped, no doubt, by the popularity of the Navy Hymn).

I was moved to think of this (and of several other poems and songs) today, and to reflect that, no matter how much one reads about the dangers and perils of spaceflight, it never really strikes home until something like this happens. It is far easier to believe in "those in peril on the sea" - the seventeen years since Challenger have made astronauts safely invulnerable in the public consciousness. No more.