An Educator's Guide to the Engineering Design Process Grades
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration An Educator’s Guide to the Engineering Design Process Grades K-2 www.nasa.gov Preface This publication is in the Public Domain and is not protected by copyright. Permission is not required for duplication. EG-2011-3-036-GSFC 2 The NASA BEST Activities Guide has been developed by a team from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Office of Education in support of NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). ESMD develops capabilities and supporting research and technology that will make human and robotic exploration possible. It also makes sure that our astronaut explorers are safe, healthy, and can perform their work during long-duration space exploration. ESMD does this by developing robotic precursor missions, human transportation elements, and life- support systems. Ultimately, this Directorate of NASA serves as a stepping stone for the future exploration of Mars and other destinations The NASA BEST Activities Guides were designed to teach students the Engineering Design Process. Our team created three guides to accommodate three grade groups: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. All follow the same set of activities and teach students about humans’ endeavor to return to the Moon. Specifically, how we investigate the Moon remotely, the modes of transportation to and on the Moon, and how humans will live and work on the Moon. The Engineering Design Process is a series of steps engineers use to guide them in problem solving. Engineers must ask a question, imagine a solution, plan a design, create that model, experiment and test that model, then take time to improve the original – all steps that are crucial to mission success at NASA. What makes this guide different from others is: (1) there are no specific instructions or “recipes” for building the items; and (2) there are no given drawings. The emphasis is for students to understand that engineers must “imagine and plan” before they begin to build and experiment. To successfully complete the NASA BEST Activities, students must draw their ideas first before constructing. Many of the activities have been adapted from others, and then aligned with the theme of efforts to return to the Moon with a focus on using the Engineering Design Process. Each activity features objectives, a list of materials, educator information, procedures, and student worksheets. When appropriate, the guide provides images, charts, and graphics for the activities. All activities are intended for students to work in teams. It is recommended that each team consist of 3 or 4 students. The activities can be used to supplement curricula during the school day or as activities in after-school clubs; as a set or individually. This guide of activities was also designed to keep material costs to a reasonable limit, using items often already found in the classroom or from home. Furthermore, all activities correlate to national science, mathematics, technology, and engineering standard(s). A list of national standards is included at the end of this guide. We appreciate your interest in this product. Remember, let the students have fun! - Susan Hoban, Project Manager BEST guides 3 Acknowledgements 4 PROJECT SPONSOR NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Jerry Hartman, Education Lead AUTHORS University of Maryland, Baltimore County & NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Susan Hoban, PhD Marci Delaney, PhD CONTRIBUTORS BEST EDP VIDEO SERIES Anne Arundel County Production Public Schools, Maryland Chris Smith, Honeywell Don Higdon Maureen McMahon, PhD Written by Tracy Clark-Keegan Chris Smith Don Higdon Columbia Academy, Maryland Brittany Hamolia On camera talent Don Higdon Fallston Middle School, Maryland Victor Perry Students from Anne Arundel County Public Schools University of Maryland, Baltimore County Jamie Gurganus BEST VIDEO SERIES EDITORS Animations and production Marci Delaney Chris Smith, Honeywell Michelle Graf Caitlin Toth Written by Marci Delaney EPD GRAPHIC DESIGN Chris Smith Adam Martin, UMBC Brittany Hamolia BOOK AND VIDEO LIST Voice Talent Rick Varner, NASA GSFC & Diane McKamy, St. Michael’s School, MA Pennsylvania State University 5acknowledgements MATERIALS Standard Measuring Tools Below is a suggested list of materials needed to complete all activities in this guide for a group of 24-32 students (~8 teams). In addition, for your convenience, a NASA BEST Kit is available for purchase from Science Kit/Boreal Laboratories (www.sciencekit.com/ NASABEST/), which supports ~30 students. Digital scale (1) Graduated cylinder (1) Meter sticks (1 per team) Measuring tape (1) Rulers (1 per team) Stopwatches (1 per team) Thermometers (2 per team) 6 Materials for Activities & General Building Supplies aluminum foil mailing tube, 4” diameter or oatmeal canister balloons, assorted mini foil pie plates (1 per team) bamboo skewers modeling clay binder clips, assorted paper bags blindfolds (1 per team) paper clips, assorted bubble wrap pennies (at least 10 per team) buttons or beads, assorted (~10 per team) pipe cleaners cardboard plastic cups card stock plastic eggs (1 per team) cardboard boxes (1 per team) plastic people (i.e. Lego® or Playmobil®)1 c-clamps (at least two) plastic wrap cheesecloth popsicle sticks and/or tongue depressors clothespins (with springs) rubber bands, assorted cloth swatch, i.e. quilting square scissors coffee filters shoe boxes or similar size boxes colored pencils and crayons staplers and staples cotton balls stirrer sticks empty paper towel tubes straws empty toilet paper tubes string fishing line, ~20 lb. test, 5 m tape: masking, electrical, transparent and duct tapes film canisters wheels: i.e. model car wheels (plastic or glow sticks (2) wood), empty thread spools, or rotelle pasta glue sticks (4-6 per team) index cards 1 If toy plastic people are unavailable, encourage students to make their own “astronauts”. materials 7 Table of Contents Table 8 Table of Contents ACTIVITIES Build a Satellite to Orbit the Moon Teacher Page 12 Student Pages 14 - 23 Launch Your Satellite Teacher Page 26 Student Pages 28 - 35 Prepare for a Mission Teacher Page 38 Student Pages 40 - 49 Design a Lunar Buggy Teacher Page 52 Student Pages 54 - 61 Design a Landing Pod Teacher Page 64 Student Pages 66 - 73 Design a Crew Exploration Vehicle Teacher Page 76 Student Pages 78 - 85 Launch Your CEV Teacher Page 88 Student Pages 90 - 99 Design a Lunar Thermos Teacher Page 102 Student Pages 104 - 113 Build a Solar Oven Teacher Page 116 Student Pages 118 - 125 APPENDIX National Standards 127 Original Sources 129 Recommended Books & Videos 130 Certificate 135 9table of contents 10 Build a Satellite to Orbit the Moon DESIGN challenge To design and build a satellite that will orbit the moon. It must carry a combination of cameras, gravity probes, and heat sensors to investigate the Moon’s surface. The satellite will need to pass a 1-meter Drop Test without any parts falling off of it. OBJECTIVE STUDENT PAGES To demonstrate an understanding of the Design Challenge Engineering Design Process while utilizing each stage to successfully complete a Ask, Imagine and Plan team challenge. Experiment and Record PROCESS SKILLS Measuring, designing, evaluating MATERIALS General building supplies Bag of various sized buttons 11satellite Build a Satellite page Teacher MOTIVATE • Spend a few minutes asking students if they know what engineers do, then show the NASA’s BEST Students video titled, “Engineering”: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10515 • Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP) graphic on the previous page, discuss the EDP with your students • Ask a question first about the goal. • Imagine a possible solution. • Plan out a design and draw your ideas. • Create and construct a working model. • Experiment and test that model. • Improve and try to revise that model. SET THE STAGE: ASK IMAGINE &PLAN • Share the Design Challenge orally with the students (see next page). • As a group, have students ask questions about the Challenge and brainstorm ideas. Then have students break into teams to create a drawing of a satellite. All drawings should be approved before building begins. CREATE • Distribute materials for students to build their satellites based on their designs and specifications. EXPERIMENT • Teams should make observations of the satellite drop and record them in the data tables of their worksheet or report orally to a group leader. 12 DESIGN IMPROVE • Have students inspect their satellite and rework their challenge design if needed. To design and build a satellite CHALLENGE CLOSURE that will orbit the moon. It must carry a combination of Engage the students in a discussion with the following questions: cameras, gravity probes, and • List two things you learned about what engineers do through building your satellite today. heat sensors to investigate • What was the greatest difficulty you encountered while trying to complete the Moon’s surface. The this challenge? How did you solve this problem? satellite will need to pass a 1-meter Drop Test without PREVIEWING NEXT SESSION any parts falling off of it. Ask teams to bring back their satellite model for use at the next session. You may want to store them in the classroom or have one of the club facilitators be responsible for their safe return. Build a Satellite Teacher page 13satellite Build a Satellite Student page NASA’s Lunar Exploration Missions NASA’s lunar exploration missions will collect scientific data to help scientists and engineers better understand the Moon’s features and environment. These missions will ultimately help NASA determine the best locations for future human exploration and lunar bases. 14 SATELLITE INSTRUMENTS DESIGN The information gathered by lunar exploration missions challenge will add to information collected during earlier missions. Some of these missions gathered To design and build a satellite data that caused scientists to that will orbit the moon. It have more questions — questions must carry a combination of they hope to solve with new cameras, gravity probes, and instruments on new satellites.