2020 was a challenging year to say the least! When it all seemed to get too overwhelming, I thought of my grandpa's advice. 'Look up! That light that you see traveled billions of light years to get to you.' It's a great reminder that there is something bigger out there that connects us all. International Space StationContrary to popular belief; agreement and collaboration for the greater good are possible. In fact, last year marked the 20th Anniversary of continuous human presence on the International Space Station. That is a huge feat considering it's an effort of 5 space agencies and 15 countries. Not to mention the fact that it has been constructed and repaired by astronauts who speak different languages all while orbiting the Earth at 17,500 mph. Google Arts and Culture put together an amazing collection of resources to explore. Launch America2020 also marked the beginning of the Commercial Crew Program. We successfully launched two crews on SpaceX Dragon capsules to the International Space Station in May and November. ArtemisNASA also announced the Artemis team. The Artemis mission to land the first woman on the moon in 2024! Learn more about the eighteen men and women who are part of this incredible group of astronauts. Our students are the Artemis generation! There are numerous ways to incorporate the Artemis missions in your classroom with posters, design challenges, and activities. GEt STudents InvolvedRegardless of your grade level, content area or mode of instruction, space exploration is a great fit. It promotes crucial 21st century skills and helps prepare students for a future in STEM! Plant the Moon Challenge Participate in "a global science experiment, learning activity and inspirational project-based learning challenge to see who can grow the best crops using lunar regolith simulant." Register by January 15th!! NASA Moon 2 Mars Tynker partnered with NASA to create space-themed coding adventures from beginner to advanced levels.
Mark Your Calendars27th Annual SEEC Conference February 4 - 6, 2021 It's difficult to believe that this amazing event is only a month away! This year is 100% virtual. So, you won't have to worry about writing sub plans, booking flights or finding a hotel. It is definitely not something you want to miss! Even if you can't attend the sessions live, registration cost covers access to all sessions and virtual tours for a year! Perseverance Landing on Mars February 18, 2021 @NASAPersevere #CountdowntoMars @NASAJPL Better Late Than NEverFull disclosure: I meant to send the following links about a month ago. I still think they're worth sharing despite the timing. Maybe you like to get a head start on next year's shopping, have money saved up or are on the hunt for something special for friends, family members or even yourself, you should check out these collections. Every year, Purdue University's INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering creates an Engineering Gift Guide. This goal of the guide to recommend items for ages 10 months - 18 years that promote engineering practices like coding, spatial reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking. The guide includes toys, games, puzzles and books and you can search by category or age. If you're wanting more space exploration specific items including clothes, books, games and activities, check out my Wakelet collection. Peace, love and space exploration,
- CAPCOM Conrad
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Three great qualities for educators and students, but also the name of three Mars Rovers! In my new and unique position as an Innovation Specialist, I have been able to embark on missions with several 6th Grade teachers and students at my school. We've had a blast with JPL's Mars Rover Races activity! It is a kinesthetic way to introduce coding and involves communication, problem solving and collaboration. This activity was presented in a great session I attended at SEEC. I knew I wanted to do this activity, but I wasn't quite sure how to make it work in my school. After some trial and error along with resources from the PE department and support from Technology and Science/Social Studies Teachers, we did it! This activity is suggested for grades 5 - 9. It can be done in different class settings; homeroom, related arts or part of a specific subject rotation/block schedule. The biggest thing is course set-up. Modifications I made to the Original Lesson Plan:
My Lesson Structure *I worked with the students for 2 class periods, but I know all schools have different schedules and time available.
Session 1 - Background Information I used JPL's Mars in a Minute videos, which are awesome! These short videos are a great way to provide information in an engaging way. > After each video, students had to make a decision about what they just watched and explain their thinking with evidence. **Literacy connection. > Explain roles (Driver, Official and Rover) and assign students to groups (3-4 per group).
Session 2 - Coding the Course >Drivers (1/group) went to their assigned course (we had 2 of equal difficulty level). >They walked through the course and wrote down their code as they walked. Their coding involved directions (forward, backward, right, left) and a number of steps. > While drivers coded the course, I showed Rovers and Officials mission patches and then they designed their own. > Once all drivers finished coding, groups went to the course one at a time. > After completing the course, students evaluated themselves individually by finishing sentence starters and as groups by rating their performance in various areas and answering reflection questions.
Alternatives/Extensions/Additions On Paper or in Digital Format - Using graph paper or Minecraft, your kiddos could design a martian surface. Student A. *They would need to include craters and rock samples, but also leave space to get around the craters. - The design would be given to Student B who would write the code to get the rover from the start to the finish. - Student A would read Student B's directions to Student C. Student C would follow the directions on a blank piece of graph paper (or by pressing the arrow keys the number of times needed). - -The blank piece of graph paper would be placed on top of the martian surface design to see if craters were avoided and rock samples were collected. - - Students could record the data (number of craters hit, course time and number of rocks retrieved.) > Eventually, students could code a robot through the course. The Rover would be replaced by the robot, but the Driver and Rover could work together to code. The Official's role would remain the same. The students really enjoyed this and so did the teachers! It's a great way to get kids engaged and moving. There are so many follow-up activities for language arts, math, science and technology. I included some suggestions in my Mars Rovers overview above. I hope you're able to use this lesson at your school and find the resources helpful!
Peace, Love and Space Exploration, CAPCOM Conrad |
AuthorApollo 13 fan. Educator. Lifelong Learner. Third generation Boilermaker. Space Exploration Enthusiast. Collaborator. Click Subscribe to stay updated!Archives
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