2015 MARS LANDER CHALLENGE MEDIA DAY ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

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Antonia Newman
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1 2015 MARS LANDER CHALLENGE MEDIA DAY ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS MATERIALS (Bold type items should be in color.) Cardstock (5 x8-1/2 ) Plastic Straws Small transparent plastic cup (9oz) Pipe Cleaners (Fuzzy Sticks) Index cards (3 x5 ) Toothpicks (round) Styrofoam plate* Rubber Bands #32 (3 x 1/8 ) Bubble Wrap (original and large)** Masking Tape (fastener) Cotton balls Duct Tape (fastener) Foam sheets (5.5 x 8.5 ) *** Glue Sticks (fastener) Graph paper (page 7) Scissors Astronauts (quarter, ping pong ball, pencil top eraser, small marble) Quarters minted before 1965 weigh 6.25 grams; 1965 to present, they weigh 5.67 grams. You will also need a marked target. *Purchase large Styrofoam (8-7/8 ) plates, cut a 4-inch square from each plate ** Original size small bubbles (40 cm x 2 m) 8 x 12 ; Large bubbles (48 cm x4.5 m) 12 x 12 *** Can be peel and stick Note: A transparent cup is recommended so that the campers can observe what the astronaut is doing in the cup as it falls. However, solid colored and/or patterned cups can be substituted for the transparent cup. PRE-MEDIA DAY (Activities) In order to make the best use of the time devoted to Media Day, complete activities 1 5 before Media Day. Do not provide campers with details (except for those included in steps 4 and 5 below) on the Media Day activity. Teams will need pages 6, 7, and 8, which they will turn in at the end of the pre-media activity numbers 4 and 5. Campers should NOT do a dry run before media day. 1. Review your camp instructional program to determine if campers will gain an understanding of the following vocabulary words in their classes - force, potential energy, kinetic energy, acceleration, gravitational force, air resistance, and energy conservation. If not, have campers do force and motion (Newton s Laws of Motion) hands-on activities to gain an understanding of these words. 2. Show the video located at 3. Group campers into teams of 3 or 4 for the pre-media and media day activities. Tell the campers that the Lander they will build will not have a motor. Each team should select a team name. 4. Give the teams a sample of the materials (2 x2 square of the card stock, Styrofoam, bubble wrap and form sheet), except fasteners, of the Mars Lander materials, a copy of the Materials Order Form (p. 6), a copy of the Materials Properties Chart (p. 7) and graph paper (page 8). Tell the campers that they will build a shock-absorbing system for a Mars Lander on media day using the materials they purchase. Show the teams the Lander (the cup) so they will know what the structure they are designing the shock absorbing system for. Teams should decide which Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 1

2 materials they will purchase from the samples they have been given and sketch one or more designs for the shock-absorbing system on the graph paper. The Engineering Design Process ( could be used at this time. For information on the engineering design process, go to 12.html. 5. Have the teams complete the Materials Order Form including the Explain Your Choices. 6. Collect the samples, order forms and sketches. 7. Pre-pack in Ziploc bags the materials ordered by each team. Teams will pick up their order form, sketch and pre-packaged materials on media day. 8. Read the Explain Your Choices and award points prior to media day. These points will be added to the Score Card on media day. Refer to page 3 for Media Day preparations. OTHER SUGGESTED PRE-MEDIA DAY ACTIVITIES 9. If the campers have access to computers in the evening, they can watch one or more of the following videos Conduct an experiment on Newton s first and second laws of motion. 11. Demonstrate Newton s third law of motion. Then, ask the campers how this law is applied in space. 12. Show and discuss the video located at Preview it ahead of time to determine if it is appropriate for your campers. 13. Use a vocabulary strategy such as the Frayer model to review the vocabulary word prior to media day. (The Frayer Model is a graphical organizer used for word analysis and vocabulary building. This four-square model prompts students to think about and describe the meaning of a word or concept by (1) Defining the term, (2) Describing its essential characteristics, (3) Providing examples of the idea, and (4) Offering non-examples of the idea. For more information and a template, go to NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS ADDRESSED MS-PS2-2. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object. MS-PS3-2. Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system. MS-EYS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. COPY DISTRIBUTION Pre-Media Day: Teams will need pages 6, 7, and 8, which they will turn in after they complete the pre-media activity numbers 4 and 5. Media Day: Teams will be given their pre-media day Materials Order Form, sketch, Materials Properties Chart and pages The Score Card, pages 12 and 13, may be set up as an Excel spreadsheet, which will make it easier for the scorers to calculate the totals. Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 2

3 WHAT S THE SCIENCE? When you jump down from monkey bars, your knees bend naturally in order to absorb the shock from the landing. When you are holding on to the monkey bars, you have potential energy from the height and as you fall that potential energy is turned into kinetic energy. That kinetic energy comes from the force due to Earth s gravitational pull, making you accelerate towards the ground. When you hit the ground that energy has to go someplace because energy must be conserved. In this case, your knees act as shock absorbers that absorb the energy from your fall. Ask the campers to give other examples of energy conservation (Billiard balls ) Different materials will react differently when they collide. For example, dropping a bouncy ball in a room with hardwood floors will produce very different results than dropping the same ball in a carpeted room. This is because carpet is better at absorbing kinetic energy than smooth wood is. Soft things like cotton balls, foam, and bubble wrap absorb shock from kinetic energy well. Springs made from other materials can also absorb shock well. Another thing that protects you when you re falling towards the ground is air resistance. Air exerts an upward force that opposes (goes against) gravity. This decreases the velocity at which you are falling. Ask the campers to think of objects that take advantage of air resistance (parachutes, hang-gliders, etc ) Things like parachutes work because they increase the surface area of an object without increasing its mass by a large amount. KEY CONCEPTS 1. Potential Energy - The energy of an object due to its position (when at rest). Also known as stored energy. 2. Kinetic Energy - The energy that an object possesses when in motion. It depends on forces acting on an object. 3. The force due to gravity comes from Earth s gravitational pull and causes objects in free fall to accelerate towards the ground. 4. Shock absorbers can convert kinetic energy into potential energy (think of a spring in a squished position). 5. The larger the surface area of an object, the more air resistance will slow down its fall. MEDIA DAY PREPARATIONS 1. Have a materials table and a scoring table. 2. Have a central place for the teams to place unused materials and other supplies after making their Lander. (Tote trays work well for this purpose.) 3. Assign staff/volunteers to the following: a. Material Managers will be responsible for giving the teams the materials they want to purchase and distribute the scissors, pencils, rulers, meter sticks, cabin and astronauts. b. Monitors will walk around the room to monitor the progress of the teams and manage the line to the testing site. c. Rock Star will test each Lander by dropping it from a distance of 2 meters. d. Three Judges will determine the condition of the Lander, astronaut, and Lander s distance from the target and provide those to the scorers. e. Two scorers will determine the teams score or help teams determine their score. Have paper, pencils and calculators available for the scorers. f. Two timekeepers will keep time and announce to the teams how much time is remaining for the building (construction) and will document the time for the descent of the Landers. (The average of the two times will be the time recorded on the score sheet.) Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 3

4 MEDIA DAY (SCENARIO: GIVEN BY THE ROCK STAR OR THE ECD OR DESIGNEE) SCENARIO Dr. Bernard Harris was accepted to the NASA astronaut corps in January 1990, became an astronaut in July 1991 and was assigned as a mission specialist on STS-55, Spacelab D-2, in August In April 1993 Columbia was launched after months of delay because of problems with the spacecraft including the retainers on the three main engines mounted on Columbia. During the ten days flight, Dr. Harris, and his crewmates worked in two shifts around-the-clock to complete investigations into the areas of fluid physics, materials sciences, life sciences, biological sciences, technology, Earth observations, atmospheric physics, and astronomy. On his first flight, Dr. Harris logged over 239 hours and 4,164,183 miles in space. On February 2, 1995, Discover was launched with Dr. Harris and five other astronauts to begin the first flight of a new joint Russian-American Space Program. Their mission was to rendezvous with Mir, the Russian Space Station, to ensure the station could safely dock spacecraft for future missions and to deploy a satellite to gather scientific data. Shortly after 6:00 a.m. CST on February 9 th, Dr. Harris was lifted out of the payload bay on the robot arm to perform a 4 hour, 39 minute spacewalk. After an hour and a half, Dr. Harris had completely orbited the Earth; the temperature dropped from 93 degree Celsius (200 degrees Fahrenheit) to negative 109 degrees Celsius (negative 165 degrees Fahrenheit). It was negative 29 degrees Celsius (negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit) inside his suit! Imagine standing outside in negative 20 degrees weather without a warm coat! This spacewalk made Dr. Harris the first African American to walk in space. The data he collected during this extravehicular activity (EVA) has been used to refine and develop spacewalk techniques and systems for other shuttle and International Space Station EVAs. Dr. Harris logged 198 hours, 29 minutes in space, completed 129 orbits, and traveled over 2.9 million miles on this his second space flight. NASA is planning to send astronauts to Mars in 2025 to establish an outpost and explore the planet for water and minerals. Dr. Harris research in musculoskeletal physiology and osteoporosis will be instrumental in the survival of the astronaut in this environment. Landing on the Mars is tricky. The spacecraft can go as fast as 13,000 km/hour on its way to the surfaces, and it must slow way down to land gently on the surfaces. The atmosphere on Mars requires atmospheric conditions in the landing approach to be considered. The Lander must have a shock-absorbing system to help protect the astronauts and the Lander itself, at the moment of impact. Because of the investigations he completed on his two missions in space, NASA has asked Dr. Harris to work with ILC Dover on designing a shock-absorbing system for a spacecraft that will protect an astronaut when he/she lands on Mars. ILC Dover was selected because of the company s success in making the space suit that the astronaut will wear and the company s work on previous spacecrafts. Your team of space engineers challenge is to design and build a prototype of a shock-absorbing system for a spacecraft that will ensure a safe landing to submit to ILC Dover for their consideration for this project. Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 4

5 MEDIA DAY (INTRODUCTION OF THE ACTIVITY) The Executive Camp Director or Camp Program Director or camp designee should introduce the activity using the PowerPoint provided. Teams will need the Materials Order Form and sketch they completed in pre-media Day activities, the Materials Properties Chart and pages MEDIA DAY (TESTING THE LANDERS) When it is time for the final testing of the Landers, have all the students gather at the test site and sit with their team members, making sure that they have their Lander and are wearing their goggles. There should be a pre-determined order for each team to do their test, so that the teams always know which team is on deck for the next test. This should prevent unnecessary delays. Each team should designate a statistician who is responsible for making sure that the measurable components are documented for scoring (descent, condition or Lander and astronaut, and distance from the target) MEDIA DAY (POST ACTIVITIES, TIME PERMITTING) What Happened Ask each team to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their design. (If time is limited, have the winning team discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their design.) What forces affected your Lander as it descended? Materials What factors did you consider while constructing your Mars Lander? Landing on Mars If an astronaut were to travel in your Lander, would the Lander be damaged when it lands? Why? Why not? If an astronaut were to travel in your Lander, would he/she land unharmed? Why? Why not? Scientists & Teamwork On a daily basis, scientists use teamwork to come up with ideas and strategies; what were some of the ideas your team came up with and how did you strategize? Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 5

6 TEAM NAME TEAM MEMBERS EXXONMOBIL BERNARD HARRIS SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP MARS LANDER CHALLENGE MATERIALS ORDER FORM Fill out this order form, choosing at least 3 different materials to construct your Lander and one or more fasteners. You will also receive a cup to use as the cabin for your spacecraft. You may not change the cup in any way, including covering the top of it. You may place a purchased material above the cup as long as it is not directly attached to the edge of the cup. Only the bottom of the cup can be fastened to your finished shock-absorbing system. Note: The index card does not have to be connected to the cup. Your team has $ in a bank account to purchase materials for your Lander. Materials must be purchased in full increments. Material Cost per Unit Index Card (each) $5.00 Card Stock (5 x 8-1/2 ) $10.00 Styrofoam (4 x 4 ) $10.00 Bubble Wrap (small bubbles) 8 x 12 $7.00 Bubble Wrap (large bubbles) 12 x 12 ) $10.00 Foam Sheet (peel & stick) (5.5 x 8.5 ) $7.00 Foam Sheet (5.5 x 8.5 ) $5.00 Rubber band (each) (size #32) $3.00 Pipe Cleaner (each) $6.00 Plastic Straw (each) $4.00 Toothpick (each) $1.00 Cotton Ball (each) $2.00 Masking Tape (fastener)/10 cm $1.00 Duct Tape (fastener)/10 cm $3.00 Glue Stick (fastener) each $5.00 Total Amount Purchased Total Cost per Material EXPLAIN YOUR CHOICES ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 6

7 MATERIALS PROPERTIES CHART Use the information on the following table to decide which swatch materials to purchase and the order in which to place each swatch material. MATERIAL Bubble wrap (large and small) Card Stock/Index Card Cotton balls Foam Pipe Cleaners Rubber Straws Styrofoam Wood (toothpicks) PROPERTIES Good shock absorber Flexible Durable Bendable Flexible Easily manipulated Good shock absorber Cushioning potential Shock absorbent Workable Light weight Firm and durable Used to provide cushioning Can be used as an insulator Bendable Durable Cushioning potential Can be stretched Resilient Hard to tear Contracts when heated Withstand impacts due to its strength Provides structure Flexible Light weight Light weight Shock absorption Can be brittle Insulator Drag potential Durable Good electrical insulator Non-corrosive Light weight Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 7

8 TEAM NAME Your team must present a sketch of your design and how it will work to keep the astronauts safe. Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 8

9 MARS LANDER CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE: To design, build and test a Mars Lander that will ensure that an astronaut will land safely with minimal damage to the Lander. Your team has $100 in a bank account to purchase materials for your Mars Lander. Money will be automatically deducted from your team s account when you purchase your materials. Materials must be purchased in full increments. MATERIALS: You must use at least 3 different materials from the following list in your Lander: Material Cost Index Card (each) $5.00 Card Stock (5.5 x 8-1/2 ) $10.00 Styrofoam (4 x 4 ) $10.00 Bubble Wrap (large bubbles) 12 x12 $10.00 Bubble Wrap (small bubbles) 8 x12 $7.00 Foam sheet (5.5 x 8.5 ) $7.00 Rubber band (each) size #32 $3.00 Pipe Cleaner (each) $6.00 Plastic Straw (each) $4.00 Toothpick (each) $1.00 Cotton Ball (each) $2.00 Masking Tape (fastener) Duct Tape (fastener) Glue Stick (fastener) each $5.00 $1.00/10cm strip $3.00/10 cm strip OTHER MATERIALS: (to be distributed to each team; no charge) Plastic cup (9oz) - One astronaut (small marble, quarter, pencil top eraser, or ping pong ball) Ruler Meter stick Scissors Pencil Score card Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 9

10 MARS LANDING CHALLENGE RULES: 1. Your team will have 35 minutes to get your materials, construct your spacecraft, test it and make adjustments, before the final test. 2. The cup cannot be changed in any way, including but not limited to punctures, re-shaping, cutting or tearing). 3. The cup cannot be enclosed (covered) or wrapped in bubble wrap, or any of the other materials. 4. You may place a purchased material above the cup as long as it is not directly attacked to the edge of the cup. 5. Only the bottom of the cup can be fastened to your finished shock-absorbing system. 6. Only one astronaut may be placed in the cabin (cup). No padding can be in the cup and the astronaut cannot be wrapped in cotton balls, tape, etc. 7. Your Mars Lander must not cost more than $ for materials and fasteners. MARS LANDER TESTING: Landers will be tested one at a time. Each team Lander will only be tested once. The Lander will be dropped from a distance of 2 meters. Judges will look for: Landers that will not tip over; Landers that show reduced acceleration (time of descent); Astronauts that land unharmed (inside the cabin); Landers that land inside the target area; and Landers that are not damaged. The Judges will fill in your test data on the Judges Mars Lander Information Form. Once your Lander has been tested, take the Lander, Judges Mars Lander Information Sheet and scorecard to the Scoring Table so that the scorers can determine your score. SCORING: Your team will start with 100 points. Points Added: For every $3 remaining in your bank account after buying materials, your team will earn 1 point. Your team will earn 5 points for every second of descent. Your team will gain 20 points if the Lander lands inside a 25 cm diameter of the target, without damage, upright, and the astronaut remains inside the Lander. Up to 5 points will be added for the team s reason for selecting the shock-absorbing materials. Up to 5 points will be added for including a design sketch. Points Deducted: Your team will forfeit 20 points if the Lander tips over and/or the astronaut falls out Your team will forfeit 10 points if there is damage to the Lander Your team will forfeit 1 point for every centimeter any part of the Lander is outside the landing zone, up to 20 centimeters. Your team will forfeit 10 points if you do not include a sketch and a reason for selecting your shock-absorbing materials. Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 10

11 JUDGES MARS LANDER INFORMATION SHEET Record the information requested and return completed sheet to the team s statistician. Instruct him/her to give the sheet to the scorers along with the scorecard. Time of descent Perfect landing (upright, astronaut inside, no damage to the Lander and landed inside of the target) If it was not a perfect landing, check all that apply Lander damaged Lander tipped over. Astronaut fell out of the Lander Number of centimeters Lander landed outside landing zone Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 11

12 SCORE CARD Fill out the table below to calculate your team s score. Good luck! Team Name 100 Points $ = 3 = + Money spent Time of descent X 5 = + Yes= 20, No=0 = + Perfect landing Upright/inside/no damage/inside target 0-5 = + Total points earned for Reason for materials selected 0-5 = + Total points for including Design sketch Yes=10, No=0 = - Damage to lender Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 12

13 1 point/cm = - Distance outside landing zone in cm Yes=20; No= 0 = - Tip over/fallout Yes: 10; No: 0 - Subtract 15 points if your team did not include reasons for selecting materials and a sketch = GRAND TOTAL Celebrating a Decade of Promoting STEM Academic Achievement The Harris Foundation 13

SPACE SUIT CHALLENGE MEDIA DAY ACTIVITY DISCUSSION GUIDE. Copy paper (20 lbs/75gsm weight)

SPACE SUIT CHALLENGE MEDIA DAY ACTIVITY DISCUSSION GUIDE Campers will need the following materials for this activity. Copy paper (20 lbs/75gsm weight) Card stock (110 lb weight) Construction paper (heavy