The Cricketsat Project Lesson Plans

Cricksat Project

The Cricketsat Project Lesson Plans Lana Swartz Science Department Head Menifee County High School 606-768-8111 or [email protected]

Title: The Cricketsat Project

Content Area: Physical Science/ Grade: Duration: 1 semester (18 weeks) Space Systems Engineering 11-12th

Project Description SSE students complete The Cricketsat project. The Cricketsat is a small near space satellite that was created in part by Prof. Bob Twiggs, who is a retire Stanford University professor that is currently at Morehead State University. The purpose of the Cricketsat project is for the students to develop an understanding of the design and engineering an electronic device that will read the temperature changes as the device is sent up approximately 5km into the atmosphere. The CricketSat system (Fig. 1) is composed of a single wireless sensor and a receiving station. The CricketSat transmitter contains a simple, 555 timer-based circuits that produces an audio tone that changes frequency in response to changing temperature. This tone amplitude modulates a 434 MHz carrier. Measuring the tone frequency taken at various temperatures performs calibration of the sensor. From the calibration, graphs are produced for converting frequency to temperature during use.

CricketSat Wireless Temperature System

Learner Outcomes LO 1. Students will demonstrate an ability to work as a group to Cricksat Project

(LO) predict and create scale models of the size and distances of planets, orbits, satellites and other objects in space (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3) Quality Core LO 2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the function of Standard (QC) and electrical components and the design of electrical devices and how they work (QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) Objectives LO 3. Students will demonstrate an ability to solder components onto a circuit board and build a small device (QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) LO 4. Students will demonstrate an understanding and ability to measure the electrical values on a protoboard and circuit board using a multimeter (QC: HC-P-C.5) LO 5. Students will demonstrate skills in building electrical devices and be able to describe a circuit with schematic diagrams using appropriate symbols (QC: HC-P-C5) LO 6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of motion and forces with predictions and descriptions of how a satellite stays in orbit (QC: HC-P-B.2) LO 7. Students will be able to collaborate on a team mission to build, calibrate, launch, track, collect, and record data (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; C-5) LO 8. Students will be able to explain how their satellite is tracked via telecommunication devices (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; HC-P-D.1, 2) LO 9. Students will be able to analyze data and prepare and deliver a presentation demonstrating their research and results (QC: HC-P-A, 1,2,3; C5) Resources and  Professor Bob Twiggs, Morehead State University Space Science Materials: Center 235 Martindale Drive  Lab materials for soldering and electronics  Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, Jerry Jon Sellers; Wiley J. Larson; William J. Astore; Robert B. Giffen  Class website: http://menifee.kyschools.us/olc/class.aspx? id=497&s=24  Other sources are listed on the class website Differentiation:  Some students may need to be given a graphic organizer for required information.  Websites can be bookmarked  Choice of presentation type should be available (for example: podcasting, or iMovie or other media that students would like; The type of presentation must be approved by the teacher). Preparing Students  Students should be put into cooperative groups of three or four for the Lesson: making sure the groups consist of mixed abilities. This will be  Transitions the “Mission Team” Students will give themselves names and  Expected each member will receive a job for each step of the way. Behaviors  Students will develop a mission notebook/field guide to keep all materials.  Students are expected to treat each other in a respectful manner.  During the project, students are expected to focus on the goals and objectives. Cricksat Project

Teaching the Lesson (Lesson Sequence/ Activities): Prior to the students’ arrival, have a slide show of different satellite  Motivation/ technology, atmosphere etc. show as the students start the first day. Anticipatory Set Ask students to think about what our world would be like without  Pre- satellites? How would their life change? How do electronic devices Assessment/ receive information to and from satellites? Activating  Students read 3 different Space articles and watch 3 different Background videos about the topic of “Why Space?”; Students then will blog Knowledge about the issue of “why space” on Edmodo class site.

Essential Question: How can I engineer a device to send approximately 5km into the atmosphere to determine the temperature change in the  Lesson atmosphere as altitude increases? /Activities Units of study during semester with objectives and outcomes: I. Introduction to engineering and scale modeling. 1. I can work with a group to predict and create a scale model of the size and distances of the Earth, Earth’s interior layers, Earth’s atmospheric layers, Moon, low Earth orbit, middle Earth orbit, Geosynchronous orbit, the International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope, and Dish Network satellite. (QC: HC-P- A.1, 2, 3) II. Orbital Motion and Satellite Orbits (LO 6) 1. I can identify the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere and specific environmental factors and characteristics of the Earth’s atmosphere. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2, 3) 2. I can identify and explain the different environmental hazards in the near space environment. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; QC: HC-P-B.2) 3. I can explain how a satellite gets into and stays in orbit. (QC: HC- P-B.2) 4. I can predict when a satellite will be in a certain place and describe its motion. (QC: HC-P-B.2) 5. I can describe the types of satellite orbits and their applications. (QC: HC-P-B.2) III. Introduction to electronics components, circuitry and soldering. Design and build a small “Cyclops” (LO 2, LO 3, LO 4, LO 5) 1. I can predict the design of an electrical device that performs a certain job. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) 2. I can predict the function of different components of an electrical device. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) 3. I can successfully solder components onto a circuit board. QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) Cricksat Project

4. I can successfully solder and build a small “Cyclops” buzzbot. QC: HC-P-A.1, 3) IV. Introduction to voltage and current concepts. Stop light and resistor lab (LO 2, LO 3, LO 4, LO 5) 1. I can use a multimeter to measure the resistance and power in an electrical circuit. (QC: HC-P-C.5) 2. I can draw a schematic of a simple circuit. (QC: HC-P-C.5) 3. I can use a multimeter to measure electrical values on a protoboard and a circuit board. (QC: HC-P-C.5) 4. I can describe a circuit by drawing a schematic using appropriate symbols. (QC: HC-P-C.5) 5. I can successfully build a three light switch electrical device to be used to signal my progress in lab. (QC: HC-P-C.5) 6. I can use other sources of power other than batteries, like lemons, to create an electrical circuit to light bulbs V. Electromagnetic waves: Characteristics, behavior, and interactions (LO 8) 1. I can identify the different characteristics of a wave. (QC: HC- P- D-2.a, b) 2. I can calculate the frequency of a wave. (QC: HC- P-D-2.a, b) 3. I can explain the relationship between the frequency and wavelength of a wave. (QC: HC- P-D-2.a, b) VI. Cricketsat Engineering, Design, Launch, data collection, analysis, and presentation. 1. I can build and explain how a cricketsat measures the ambient temperature using a IC 555 timer and a radio receiver to communicate to the ground station. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; HC-P- D.1, 2) 2. I can calibrate the cricketsat. (QC: HC-P-A.2) 3. I can work with a cricksat mission team to launch, track, collect, and record data from the cricksat. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; C-5) 4. I can analyze the data collected from the cricksat mission. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3; C-5) 5. I can collaborate with the cricksat team to prepare a professional presentation using excel and power point to share the research and results with fellow scientists. (QC:HC-P- A.1,2,3) 6. I can create an abstract of the cricksat mission. (QC: HC-P-A.1, 2,3) 7. I can deliver a presentation of the cricketsat mission. (QC: HC-P- A.1, 2,3)

Assessment: Check for Understanding: Cricksat Project

1. Ask the students specific questions related to the topic to determine if they “got it” before proceeding. 2. Students will be completing different basic electronic tasks as well as content formative assessments. 3. Using the cooperative group “Mission Team” research, Mission Notebook, as well as the data collected during the launch each student should create a creative way to present to the class the Cricketsat Project research, engineering design, electronic components and functions, data analysis, interpretation of temperature to frequency, and how the temperature change with increasing altitude. 4. Students will work with their cooperative groups (Mission Teams) to receive peer feedback and editing critiques. 5. Performance based assessments will be integrated throughout the semester for demonstration of learning. 6. Pre, mid, and posttest will be used to monitor progress and student growth. 7. Rubrics will be used for Final Cricketsat Project. Notes & Teacher will ask the following questions: Reflections: Have I made an effort to connect the concepts to the students’ lives? How will I know if the lesson was successful? What went well or could make the lesson better? What will I do differently next time I teach this lesson?