NASA’s BEST Activities Beginning Engineering Science and Technology An Educators Guide to Engineering Clubs Grades 3–5 Table of Contents General Supplies List for Activities 1–12 .................................................................... 3 Lesson Plan Cover Page ............................................................................................ 12 Activity #1: Build a Satellite to Orbit the Moon!........................................................ 15 Activity #2: Launch Your Satellite! ............................................................................ 26 Teacher Notes for Activities 3–5:......................................................................... 37 Activity #3: Design a Lunar Rover!............................................................................ 38 Activity #4: Design a Landing Pod! ........................................................................... 46 Activity #5: Landing the Rover! ................................................................................. 55 Teacher Notes for Activities 6–7:......................................................................... 61 Activity #6: Mission: Preparation! ............................................................................. 62 Activity #7: Ready, Set, Explore! ............................................................................... 74 Teacher Notes for Activities 8 and 9: .................................................................. 77 Activity #8: Crew Exploration Vehicle ....................................................................... 78 Activity #9: Launch Your Crew Exploration Vehicle! ............................................... 88 Activity #10: It’s Either Very Hot or Very Cold Up There!....................................... 100 Activity #11: Build a Lunar Thermos! ...................................................................... 108 Activity #12: Powered by the Sun!........................................................................... 117 2 General Supplies List for Activities 1–12 The General Supplies list is only a suggested list of supplies. The intent is to provide a wide variety of simple, readily available; relatively cheap, building supplies. Any particular item may be substituted for, and additional materials will only positively contribute toward supporting the imagination of the students. General Club Supplies Quantity 9-V Battery (for digital balance) 2 Aluminum foil sheets 100 Balance (digital; 1 g limit) 1 Balloons (assorted shapes and size) 100 Binder (1” plastic, 3 ring) 24 Bubble wrap 100 square feet Bulldog clips 1 box, small C-clamps 1 pkg. of 2 (2”) Cardboard 10 square feet Cards (3” x 5”) 100 Clear tape (adhesive) 10 Clothes pins 30 Construction paper 50 sheets Copy paper (multi-use) 2 reams Cotton Balls 50 Craft Sticks 100 Cups— tyrofoam (approx. 8 oz) 20 Cups—paper (3 oz cone) 30 Cups—plastic (approx. 8 oz) 20 Duct tape 1 roll Eggs—plastic 10 Fishing line—20 lb test 1 roll Glue sticks 20 Graph paper 100 Manila folders 20 Masking tape 5 rolls Meter stick 3 Paper bags (small, approx. 1–2 qt) 20 Paper Clips (jumbo) 1 box Paper clips (small) 1 box Pencils 10 Pipe cleaners 100 People or action figures (small, plastic) 20 3 Popsicle sticks 100 Rubber bands (large, No. 33) 1 bag, ¼ lb Rubber bands (regular, No. 16) 1 bag, ¼ lb Ruler 10 School glue 10 Stapler 10 Staples 500 Stirrers—plastic 50 Stopwatch 5 Storage Box (large, approx. 12 gal) 1 Straws (Drinking) 100 String 1 roll Tape Measure 1 Tongue depressors (plain or foam- covered) 50 Wrap—plastic 1 roll Storage bags (1 gal) 50 Storage bags (1 qt) 50 Activity-Specific Materials List: Activity Activity Name Specific Supplies Build a Satellite to Orbit 1 the Moon Mailing tube (4" inside diameter) or Shoe Box ShockTarts SweetTartChews 2 Launch Your Satellite Toilet paper rolls Balloons (assorted size, shape) Fishing line (approx. 20 lb test) Clamps (C-type or other) Binder clips Clothes Pins Rulers or meter sticks Design a Lunar 3 Transporter System "Astronauts" (two 2-cm plastic) Plastic egg Plastic wheels for rover Ramp for LT to Roll Down 4 Pennies Rulers or meter sticks 4 Design a Landing Pod Bubble wrap (not required) 5 The Rover has Landed Bubble wrap (not required) 6 Mission: Preparation Rulers Graph paper Mission: Ready, Set, 7 Explore! Rulers Graph paper Blindfolds 8 Design the New CEV Mailing tube (4" inside diameter) "Astronauts" (two 2-cm plastic) 9 Launch the CEV CEV (built the previous week) Clamps Rubber bands Is it Hot or Cold Up 10 There? Graduated cylinders Hot and cold water Thermometers Stopwatch Cups (plastic, approx. 12 oz) Insulation materials Graph paper Chart paper 11 Build a Lunar Thermos Graduated cylinders Hot and cold water Thermometers Stopwatch Cups (plastic, approx. 5 oz) Cups (plastic, approx. 12 oz) Insulation materials 5 Graph paper 12 Build a Solar Oven Thermometers Timers Cardboard box Plexiglass cover Aluminum foil Materials to heat (ex. "s'mores") Gooseneck Lamp—100 W bulb 6 Alignment to National Standards Each activity in this guide features objectives, a material list, educator information, procedures, and student worksheets. When appropriate, the guide provides images, charts, and graphics for the activities. Each activity correlates to national science, mathematics, technology, and engineering standards. Matrix charts relating activities to national standards are included because many lessons are interdisciplinary. National Standards were obtained from the following Web resources: www.educationworld.com/standards/national/science/index.shtml www.iste.org www.nsta.org National Science Education Standards Standards Strands 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Science and Develop abilities of Technology technological design * * * * * * * * * * * * Develop understanding about * * * * * * * * * * * * science and technology Science as Develop abilities Inquiry necessary to do * * * * * * * * * * * * scientific inquiry. Develop understanding about * * * * * * * * * * * * scientific inquiry. Develop understanding of * * * * * * * * * * objects in the sky. Physical Develop Science understanding of * * * properties of objects and materials. Develop understanding of * * * light, heat, electricity, and magnetism. 7 National Mathematics Education Standards Standard Strand 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Number Compute fluently Operations and make * * * * * * reasonable estimates Analyze change in various contexts * * * * * * * * Geometry Use visualization, spatial reasoning, * * * * * * and geometric modeling to solve problems Measurement Understand measurable * * * * * * * * * * * attributes or objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement Apply appropriate techniques, tools, * * * * * * * * * * * and formulas to determine measurements Connections Recognize and apply mathematics * * * * * * * * * * * * in contexts outside of mathematics 8 Data Analysis Formulate questions and Probability that can be * * * * * addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them Develop and evaluate inferences * * * * * and predictions that are based on data Problem Build new Solving mathematical * * * * * * * * * * * * knowledge through problem-solving Solve problems that arise in * * * * * * * * * * * * mathematical and in other contexts Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate * * * * * * * * * * * * strategies to solve problems Communicate mathematical * * * * * * * * * * * * thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others Analyze and evaluate the * * * * * * * * * * * * mathematical thinking and strategies of others Representation Create and use representations to * * * * * * * * organize, record, and communicate math ideas Use representations to model and * * * * * * * * * * * interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena 9 National Technology and Engineering Standards Standards Strands 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Creativity Apply existing and knowledge to * * * * * * * * * * * * Innovation generate new ideas, products, or processes. Create original works as a means of * * * * * * * * * * * * personal or group expression. Use models and simulations to * * * * * * * * * * * * explore complex systems and issues. Identify trends and forecast * possibilities. Research Locate, organize, and analyze, evaluate, * * * * * * * * Information synthesize, and Fluency ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. Evaluate and select information sources * * * * * * * * and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. Critical Identify and define Thinking, authentic problems * * * * * * * * * * * * Problem and significant Solving, and questions for Decision investigation. Making 10 Digital Advocate and practice Citizenship safe, legal, and * * * * * * * * * responsible use of information and technology. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology * * * * * * * * * that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong * * * * * * * * * learning. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship. * * * * * * * * * Technology Understand and use Operations technology systems. * * * * * * * * * and Concepts 11 NASA’s BEST Activities Beginning Engineering Science and Technology Lesson Plan Cover Page Unit Title: Objective(s): Evaluation procedures: Materials: Instructional procedures: Stage 1: Motivation . Motivate students by telling them how excited you are about the club—let them know that they are very special; they will be learning how to become