Educational Product National Aeronautics and Educators Grades 5-12 Space Administration ED-2004-06-001-JSC Video Synopsis Science Standards: Physical Science Title: International Toys in Space: · Position and motion of objects Science on the Station · Properties of objects and materials Length: 33:09 Unifying Concepts and Processes Subject: Toys in microgravity · Change, constancy, and measurement · Evidence, models, and exploration Description: Science and Technology The program demonstrates the actions of a · Understanding about science and technology variety of toys in microgravity for classroom · Abilities of technological design comparison with the actions of similar toys on Earth. Science Process Skills: · Observing Educational Objectives: · Communicating 1. Science: To demonstrate the behaviors of toys in microgravity, thereby allowing stu­ · Measuring dents to determine how gravity affects the · Collecting Data motions of familiar toys. · Inferring 2. Engineering: To modify the way a toy is used · Predicting so that it does function in microgravity, there­ · Hypothesizing by illustrating the methods NASA uses in adapting tools to function on orbit. · Interpreting Data 3. Mathematics: To quantify, graph, and analyze · Controlling Variables the behaviors of toys in microgravity. · Defining Operationally 4. Social Studies: To investigate the origin of · Investigating toys and decide which toys and sports activi­ ties might someday be used by a people living in space. Background On April 12, 1985, the Space Shuttle Discovery carried the first 11 toys into orbit. The STS-54 The International toys have been selected mission in January 1993 returned some of based on the following criteria: these toys and added 29 more to the Toys in A. Likelihood of being environmentally safe in Space program. In May 1996, the STS-77 mis­ the Space Station sion crew returned 10 of the STS-54 toys that B. Familiarity of students with the toy's behavior had not been tested in space. In 2002, the in the 1-g environment Expedition 5 crew tested 16 international toys C. Representational of the partners in the and sports activities on the International Space International Space Station Station where there was more room to perform these experiments. For all four missions, crew D. Reasonably priced or homemade with many members also carried along the questions of suppliers whenever possible curious children, teachers, and parents who E. Likelihood of a different behavior in micro­ had suggested toy experiments and predicted gravity possible results. A few dozen toys and a few F. Ease in taping and documenting behavior hours of the crewmembers' free time have G. Relationship to toys that have flown – no brought the experience of free-fall and an under­ duplication of a behavior. standing of gravity's pull to students of all ages. 2 Education Standards · Students use the data collected in their experiments to predict what the toys do in The National Science Education Standards space. Students must communicate their states that curricula should measure "well- explanations of how the toys work on Earth structured knowledge" and "science reasoning" in order to explain their predictions for space. and should focus on progressive assessment of what students are learning rather than what · Students must then evaluate their predictions they do not know. The Toys in Space program based on the performance on the toys in is based on this approach. Students develop space. They then analyze toy behaviors concepts and structure their knowledge as they based on their understanding of concepts. experiment with different toys. They must use Students must see the relationship between their toy experiences to acquire an understand­ the toy's behavior on Earth and in space in ing of how toys work in order to predict what terms of specific science concepts. these toys will do in microgravity. These predic­ Most importantly, the Toys in Space program tions require scientific reasoning and focus on integrates science, engineering, and technology. student hypotheses about what will happen in The National Science Education Standards space. Such predictions are open-ended and recognize that scientists and engineers often provide opportunities for positive student work in teams on a project. With this program, assessment. Many different predictions can be students are technicians and engineers as they right for each toy's performance on orbit. construct and evaluate toys. They become The National Science Education Standards scientists as they experiment with toys and encourages a focus on systems and the use of predict toy behaviors in space. Finally, they models to understand how things work. return to an engineering perspective as they Whenever possible, toys are presented as think about modifying toys to work in space or miniature mechanical systems that may perform about designing new toys for space. Designing differently in microgravity. Science concepts are for space teaches students that technical introduced to explain the behaviors of these toy designs have constraints (such as the Shuttle's systems. Many of the toys are investigated as packing requirements) and that perfect solu­ models for behaviors of full-size mechanisms. tions are not realistic. Space toys, like space The National Science Education Standards' tools, must work within a new and unfamiliar emphasis on the relationship between form and environment. function is also shared by this program. With But why take toys into space, anyway? Motion many of the toys, especially the paper toys, the toys are well-behaved and their motions on toy's function can be changed by modifying its Earth are easily observed. Without exception, form or shape. these toys obey the physical laws that fill Each toy investigation is structured around stu­ science textbooks. Regardless of their owners’ dent abilities to do scientific inquiry as described wishes, toys will always play by the rules of in the National Science Education Standards: physics. Toys are familiar, friendly, and fun – three adjectives rarely associated with · Students must first evaluate their toy as it physics lessons. Toys are also subject to compares to the toy that the crewmembers gravity's downward pull, which often stops used in space. They learn to ask questions their most interesting behaviors. The that are important to the comparison of toy crewmembers volunteered to perform toy performance on Earth and in space. experiments on orbit where gravity's tug · Students conduct investigations about how would no longer have an effect on toy activi­ toys perform on Earth. They describe and ties. Toy behaviors on Earth and in space quantify toy behaviors whenever possible. could then be compared to show how gravity They also explain what causes each toy's shapes the motions of toys and of all other behavior. moving objects held to the Earth's surface. 3 Introducing the International Students test their hypotheses by watching the video program to see what actually happened Toys in Space Project in space. While not all student questions will be When introducing the International Toys in Space addressed by the orbital experiments, enough program, remind students that the Earth's gravity information can be gained from watching the at the location of the Space Station is nearly as video program to accept, refine, or develop strong as it is on the surface of the Earth. new hypotheses and explanations for their However, the Space Station, along with all observations. objects on it, is actually falling toward the Earth Many of the toys chosen for the experiment are as it orbits. From the viewpoint of objects on the readily available from NASA CORE. Station, there appears to be virtually no gravity because objects are not pushed into the floor of However, other toys, such as the paper the Space Station as they fall since the Space boomerang, origami flipper, and climbing bear, Station itself is falling. Space scientists use the can be made by the students. Construction term “microgravity” to describe this situation. procedures are included in this video The term "free-fall" can also be applied to the resource guide. experience as both crewmembers and their One set of toys can adequately allow all stu­ Space Station "fall" around the Earth in their orbit. dents in the class to experience examining the The video segments show that several of the toys and forming hypotheses if the teacher toys seem not to work as well in space as on keeps the following strategies in mind: the surface of the Earth. This is not surprising, · Students can be organized into cooperative since the toys were designed for use on Earth study groups that specialize in one or more rather than in the microgravity environment of toy and report to the rest of the class. the International Space Station. However, our · Each student can specialize in a particular ability to use a toy effectively on Earth also toy and report to the rest of the class. improves as we gain practice. Try to decide · Each student can experiment with every which toys could perhaps have been demon­ available toy and engage in class discus­ strated more effectively if the crewmembers sions on how the toys will operate in space. had had more time to practice with them in space and which ones were fundamentally changed by the microgravity environment. Video Program Design This video program is Teaching Strategy intended to be shown in segments to the stu­ The International Toys in Space: Science on the dents. The program is Station payload was conceived as an experiment hosted by Astronaut in which the ISS crewmembers and the student Leland Melvin. There is viewers of the video program would be co- also an introduction by investigators. Students begin the experiment by Expedition 5 Science investigating how selected toys function on Earth. Officer Peggy Whitson, To gain the greatest benefit from this video pro­ who provides an gram, students should then develop a set of overview of the toy Astronaut Leland Melvin investigations and experimental questions about how these toys requests the participation of the students as will function in microgravity.