NASA Summer of Innovation SOI

• Engineering – Grade 7-9 – Aeronautics, Challenges, Design Process, Exploration, Robotics, Rocketry
• Physical Science – Grades 4-6
• Life Science – Grades 4-6
• Robin Whirlybird story – Chinese, English, Spanish – K-3
• NASA videos – gr 6-9 – electric cars, solar energy, … – .zip – need to download to play ? available streaming

online, simulators

• The Beginner’s Guide to Aeronautics – 12 topics – simulations, guides, lessons – Keywords: Newton’s Laws of Motion, forces of flight, lift, drag, thrust, engineering design process, kites – some too advanced
• Getting Off the Ground into the “Smart Skies”! – ATC simulation
• NASA Simulations, .pdf – use NASA web-based simulators to follow sequenced directions and complete ordered tasks while learning how the shuttle is made ready for flight, how the shuttle docks with the International Space Station, how the shuttle lands, and how NASA retrieves the solid rocket boosters.
  Keywords: simulations, computer simulations, computer-based

hands-on

• Getting the Drop on Flight With the “X” Planes – Ring Wing Glider – really interesting
• Learning the “Wright” Way To Fly! – 3 Wright kites, sled kite
• On Target Challenge – paper cup, paper clip hook, marble, zip line, target release
• Spacecraft Structures – soda bottle launch, sandbag force ? setup with retort stands, structures between bottle and level ?? recording, testing, multiple sessions, 6-9gr
• Touchdown Challenge Students design and build a shock-absorbing system that will protect two “astronauts” when they land.
• Build a Solar Oven solar box cooker, make S’mores.
• Lunar Plant Growth Chamber – Plants in space –Hydroponic Systems Activity (Grades 9-12) one or more hydroponic systems and collect data for a four-week period to determine which system resulted in the best plant growth. – complex lots of interconnected lessons, activities – electricity > lighting
• Make a Balloon-Powered Nanorover – Use cardboard and a balloon to power a rover across the floor.
• Mars Pathfinder Egg Drop Challenge Design, build and drop your “Pathfinder” from a high place and see if your payload (egg) survives.
• Spaghetti Anyone? Building With Pasta Engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load. Gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.

• Heavy lifter lesson, resources – Design and build a crane out of cardboard. Determine methods to reinforce the crane’s arms so it doesn’t collapse under a heavy load. Build a crank handle
  Keywords: engineering, design process, rovers, entry, descent, landing
• Crew Exploration Vehicle Students design and build a crew exploration vehicle, or CEV, that will carry two cm-sized passengers safely and will fit within a certain volume (size limitation).
  Keywords: engineering, design process, rovers, entry, descent, landing
• Landing a Rover Teams’ challenge is to design and build a model of a lunar transport rover that will carry equipment and people on the surface of the moon.
  Keywords: exploration, engineering, design process, rovers, planet surface, energy, force, momentum
• Moon Rovers,.pdf – design and build a rubber band-powered rover that can scramble across the room.
  Keywords: exploration, engineering, design process, rovers, energy, force, momentum

• Spaghetti tower – Spaghetti Anyone? – Building with Pasta – Use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load. Gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces. Spaghetti Anyone? .pdf

reviewed, not suitable

• comets ..on a stick
• X-1 glider .pdf
• heat need propane torch.
• Project X-51 — Water Rocket Construction Students form “rocket companies” and compete in a commercial endeavor to construct a rocket capable of lifting payloads into Earth orbit. requires rocket launcher
• Student Glovebox — Droplet Investigation of Liquids Inquiry-based technology lesson to construct a sealed container with built-in gloves and to explore the properties of liquids. complex, lots of equipment, materials

other resources

• Future Flight included K-4 activities – videos, hands-on activities
• NASA videos– good activities from a variety of sources, some instructions for kids

Learn more…

• Ultimate straw rocket – video instructions, similar to NASA straw rocket with more printing and cutting