Space Place Teacher's Corner

... brings Space Science and Technology to the Classroom
The following classroom activity articles developed by The Space Place staff at JPL have been published in past issues of the International Technology Education Association's (ITEA) journal The Technology Teacher. We are now making them available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format so that all teachers may use them. Acrobat Reader is available free for downloading from the Adobe web site.

Most of the activities can be adapted for grades 4-8. Some may also be of interest to grades 9-12. These activities support the Standards for Technological Literacy, as developed by ITEA.

SHORT DESCRIPTION	DISCIPLINES	TYPE OF ACTIVITY
You've Got Algo-rhythm! How do space scientists program a computer to be smart enough to make up its own mind?	Math, language arts, visual arts	Small groups (3-5), kinesthetic, hands-on, indoor
Ion Drive Your Way through Space How can ions be used to accelerate spacecraft on long missions to explore the solar system?	Physics, engineering design	Groups (7-10), kinesthetic, indoor or outdoor
Design a Spacecraft on a Chip How do engineers keep making spacecraft smaller and smaller, yet more and more capable?	Design, creative thinking, visual arts	Groups (4-7), design, draw, build model. Indoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.
Getting a Feel for Gravity How do space mission planners use gravity to help their spacecraft reach their destinations?	Physics, Earth science	Small and large groups, kinesthetic, outdoor
Watching the Waves How can wave behavior help us find planets around distant stars?	Physics, Earth science, astronomy	Small groups (2-4), hands on, indoor
Comets: Very Eccentric Characters Drawing a scale model of the orbits of the planets and some short-period comets.	Math, physics, astronomy	Individual and large group, hands on, indoor and outdoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.
Making the Parts Fit Together How do engineers design a machine so that all its functions work together smoothly?	Design, analytical reasoning, visual arts	Small groups (3-5), hands-on, indoor. Adaptable to grades K-12.
Two Approaches to Formation Flying Comparing approaches taken by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and multiple autonomous formation-flying spacecraft.	Math, Earth science	Groups (4-6), kinesthetic, outdoor
De-twinkling the Stars How do astronomers remove the distortion in starlight caused by Earth's atmosphere?	Physics, math, Earth science, astronomy	Large group, kinesthetic, outdoor
Be Glad You're Not a Cyclops! What is stereoscopic vision and why do we need it?	Biology, math	Pairs (in turn within large group), hands-on experiment, indoor
50 Ways to Torture a What?! How do scientists and engineers know that their spacecraft and instruments will withstand the harsh environment of space?	Chemistry, physics, scientific method, language arts	Individual or small group, hands-on, indoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.
Getting in Touch with Your Inner Spacecraft How can we explore "space weather" using multiple spacecraft?	Earth science, team work	Small groups (3-4), outdoor, kinesthetic
Enose is Enose is Enose How scientists and engineers study biological systems to develop artificial systems, in this case artificial olfaction.	Biology, chemistry, electronics, teamwork	Entire class, indoor, hands-on
Design and Build Your Own Spacecraft Use found objects and materials to design and build a model spacecraft.	Design, engineering, art	Individual or teams, indoor, hands-on
Put Your Own Spin on Technology Understand how technologies developed for space can be used to create beneficial new products and materials for everyday life.	Design, engineering, technology and society	Individual or teams, indoor, hands-on

SHORT DESCRIPTION

DISCIPLINES

TYPE OF ACTIVITY

You've Got Algo-rhythm!: How do space scientists program a computer to be smart enough to make up its own mind?

Math, language arts, visual arts

Small groups (3-5), kinesthetic, hands-on, indoor

Ion Drive Your Way through Space: How can ions be used to accelerate spacecraft on long missions to explore the solar system?

Physics, engineering design

Groups (7-10), kinesthetic, indoor or outdoor

Design a Spacecraft on a Chip: How do engineers keep making spacecraft smaller and smaller, yet more and more capable?

Design, creative thinking, visual arts

Groups (4-7), design, draw, build model. Indoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.

Getting a Feel for Gravity: How do space mission planners use gravity to help their spacecraft reach their destinations?

Physics, Earth science

Small and large groups, kinesthetic, outdoor

Watching the Waves: How can wave behavior help us find planets around distant stars?

Physics, Earth science, astronomy

Small groups (2-4), hands on, indoor

Comets: Very Eccentric Characters: Drawing a scale model of the orbits of the planets and some short-period comets.

Math, physics, astronomy

Individual and large group, hands on, indoor and outdoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.

Making the Parts Fit Together: How do engineers design a machine so that all its functions work together smoothly?

Design, analytical reasoning, visual arts

Small groups (3-5), hands-on, indoor. Adaptable to grades K-12.

Two Approaches to Formation Flying: Comparing approaches taken by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and multiple autonomous formation-flying spacecraft.

Math, Earth science

Groups (4-6), kinesthetic, outdoor

De-twinkling the Stars: How do astronomers remove the distortion in starlight caused by Earth's atmosphere?

Physics, math, Earth science, astronomy

Large group, kinesthetic, outdoor

Be Glad You're Not a Cyclops!: What is stereoscopic vision and why do we need it?

Biology, math

Pairs (in turn within large group), hands-on experiment, indoor

50 Ways to Torture a What?!: How do scientists and engineers know that their spacecraft and instruments will withstand the harsh environment of space?

Chemistry, physics, scientific method, language arts

Individual or small group, hands-on, indoor. Adaptable to grades 9-12.

Getting in Touch with Your Inner Spacecraft: How can we explore "space weather" using multiple spacecraft?

Earth science, team work

Small groups (3-4), outdoor, kinesthetic

Enose is Enose is Enose: How scientists and engineers study biological systems to develop artificial systems, in this case artificial olfaction.

Biology, chemistry, electronics, teamwork

Entire class, indoor, hands-on

Design and Build Your Own Spacecraft: Use found objects and materials to design and build a model spacecraft.

Design, engineering, art

Individual or teams, indoor, hands-on

Put Your Own Spin on Technology: Understand how technologies developed for space can be used to create beneficial new products and materials for everyday life.

Design, engineering, technology and society

Individual or teams, indoor, hands-on

We invite feedback from teachers on any of these activities.
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