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Shannon Maion

Rakhshanda Khan

APOLLO 13
Huston we have a problem..

A Media Study Guide for


Scientific Investigation 9 -10
This media study guide will help
students not only to develop scientific
investigation adeptness essential for
critical thinking and problem solving
skills but also support students to
relate science and technology to
society and environment as well. The
information provided and activities are
designed to meet the standards and to
achieve the learning goals defined in
British Columbia and Ontario grade 9 10 curriculum for Earth and Space
Science

Starring
Tom Hanks as Apollo 13 commander
Jim Lovell
Kevin Bacon as backup Command
Module Pilot Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Lunar Module Pilot
Fred Haise
Gary Sinise as Command Module
Pilot Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris as Flight Director Gene
Kranz

About The Film

Based on Lost Moon (non-fiction


book) by Jim Lovell & Jeffrey
Kluger

Released Date: June 30, 1995


Directed by:

Ron Howard

Produced by:

Brian Grazer

Running Time: 140 Minutes


Rating:

PG

Country:

United States

I don't care about what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what I can do - Gene Kranz

Introduction
Apollo 13 is an American historical docudrama film (a genre
distinguish from film simply based on true events) directed by Ron
Howard. The screenplay was done by William Broyles, Jr. and Al
Reinert.

Gene Kranz

Mission Overview
Apollo 13 (Odyssey &
Aquarius)

Lift off:
Saturn V
April 11, 1970, 2:30 pm
EST, Kennedy Space
Centre

Tank Eruption:
April 13, 1970,
9:08 pm EST

Lunar Landing:
Aborted

Splash down:
April 17, 1970, 1:07 pm
EST, Pacific Ocean

Duration:
5 days, 22 hours, 54
minutes

Apollo 13 was to be the third lunar landing attempt, but the


mission was aborted after rupture of service module oxygen tank.
The mission was categorised as a "successful failure" due to the
experience acquired in rescuing the crew.
After mission termination the real challenge, for both ground
station and space crew, was the survival and safe arrival of
astronauts to Earth. They had to conserve water, oxygen and
power. The space squad moved to the Lunar Module to escape the
decreasing air pressure in the Service Module (SM). To get around
the Moon and then go home, the Lunar and Command Modules
needed to conserve fuel and minimum level of CO. The Ground
team had designed filtering device by using the material available
on spacecraft to minimize the emission. They had also inspected
through schematics to bring current (power) from LM to CM for the
safe re-entry to Earth.
Howard (the director) went to vast extents to create a technically
accurate movie, employing NASA's technical assistance in astronaut
and flight controller training for his cast, and even obtaining
permission to film scenes aboard a reduced gravity aircraft for
realistic depiction of the "weightlessness" experienced by the
astronauts in space.

Jim Lovell

Learning Outcomes
By watching the film and working through activities
students will be able to:

Jack Swigert

Fred Haise

Analyse the major challenges and benefits of


space exploration
Develop skills required for scientific and
technical and technological enquiry for solving
problems, for communicating scientific ideas
and results
Assess some of the costs, hazards, and
benefits of space exploration and considering
the benefits of technologies that were
developed for the space program but that can
be used to address environmental and other
practical challenges on Earth (e.g., radiation
monitors and barriers, sensors to monitor air
and water quality, remote sensing technology,
fire-resistant materials heat shields)
Identify various possibilities and limitations
associated with space travel (e.g., with
reference to factors such as time, essential
human needs, robots, budget choices,
militarization of space)
Debate a range of ethical issues related to
space travel (e.g. appropriateness of
terraforming another planet, exposing humans
to risks

We just put Sir Isaac Newton in the driver's seat - Jim Lovell

Key Concepts
Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM):
One of the two spacecraft, along with Lunar
Module, used for United States Apollo project
which landed astronauts on the moon. It
consists of two sections:
o Command Module (CM): A cabin that
accommodated a crew of three and
equipment needed for re-entry through
atmosphere (to the Earth) and
splashdown. It took astronauts to Earth.
It consisted of Earth landing system. In
Apollo 13, Odyssey was the CM
o Service Module (SM): Responsible to
provide propulsion, electrical power and
storage for various consumables
required during a mission. The Service
Module was cast off and allowed to burn
up in the atmosphere before the
Command Module re-entered and
brought the crew home.
Apollo Lunar Module: Designed for manned
lunar landing and capable for operations only
in outer space. It was transported to lunar
orbit by CSM. It was structurally and
dynamically built to carry two astronauts from
lunar orbit to the surface and back to CSM. It
Successful Failure
was discarded after mission completion. In
Apollo 13, Lunar Module was named Aquarius.
Saturn V: The Saturn V was a rocket NASA built
to send people to the moon

Focus Questions
Pre-viewing
1. Why humans should have a presence in
space travel?
2. What are the hazards and benefits of space
exploration?
3. What if the Apollo Program had never
resulted in a landing on the Moon?
4. Write an opinion paper on whether or not
they believe that taxpayer money should be
spent on space exploration.
Post-Viewing
5. Why the mission was called the successful
failure?
6. Do you think successful failures happen
in other areas of science? (Hint: think about
the scientific method) Are there any benefits
to successful failures?
7. What was the most remarkable
achievement by mission control?
8. Identify some of technologies that are used
to address environmental and practical
challenges on Earth?
9. Debate the value of a manned mission to
Mars. Support your opinion with specifics

Ken Mattingly

Pre-viewing Activity
Part 1. Tell me about the moon.
To help increase your students understanding of missions to the moon,
have them research facts about the Moon and space. You might ask
students:

How far away is the Moon? About 240,000 miles


How fast will the vehicle have to go to escape Earths gravity? 25,000
mph
How long will it take to get to the Moon? 2.5 days from Earths orbit
to the Moons orbit
What is the relative gravity of the Moon? 0.17 That of Earth
How much does a person weigh on the Moon? To calculate, multiply
a weight by 0.17 or divide by 6.
What is the atmosphere on the Moon? There is no atmosphere on
the Moon, so there is no wind or weather.

Encourage students to research additional facts about the Moon and the
other Apollo Missions.

Part 2. What does it take to become an astronaut?

Have students work in small groups to brainstorm some skills it


might take to become an astronaut or a member of NASA mission
control?
Students will then brainstorm what type of areas of study would
help a person prepare for a career at NASA? (Astronaut, engineer or
scientist)
Share these ideas as a class.
Resources that may be useful to students include:
www.nasa.gov and www.spacefoundation.org

Part 3. Problems and Solutions


Have students brainstorm possible problems that could occur on a Mission
to the moon.
Students can then create a table, which they will fill in during viewing the
movie that includes the problems that Apollo 13 faced as well as the
solutions for those problems. Students can also highlight any problems that
Apollo faced that were the same as their brainstorm.
Description of problem faced by
Apollo 13

Solution to that problem

Adapted from http://static.imax.com

Moons Gravity
The moon is 1/4 the size of
Earth, so the moon's
gravity is much less than
the earth's gravity, 83.3%
(or 5/6) less to be exact.
Finally, "weight" is a
measure of the
gravitational pull between
two objects. So of course
you would weigh much less
on the moon. If you weigh
100 lb on Earth you will
weigh 17lb on Moon.
Retrieved from:
http://www.moonconnection.com
/moon_gravity.phtml

Viewing Activities
1 - Video Worksheets
Have students fill out a video worksheet as they watch the movie. This will scaffold their understanding of
the events that take place. There are a number of worksheets available online from the New York Science
teacher website at http://moviesheets.com/site/sheets.php?id=17
These worksheets vary from multiple choice, fill in the blank and short answers. Each worksheet is
tailored to a specific grade level.

2 - Discuss the context and significance of each of the quotes from the Apollo 13 movie
Quote

Context & Significance

Gene Kranz:
I don't care about what anything was
DESIGNED to do,
I care about what it CAN do
Jim Lovell:
We just put Sir Isaac Newton in the driver's
seat.
Jim Lovell:
We just lost the moon
Technician:
We've got to find a way to make this
Technician: fit into the hole for this
Technician:
... using nothing but that

Extension Activities: Reach out and start a conversation with astronauts on Twitter

Chris Hadfield @Cmdr_Hadfield, First Canadian Astronaut to walk in space, operate Canadarm, and command the
International Space Station. He shared his mission on the international space station through twitter. He tweeted
photos, commentary and even made a music video in space with the band Barenaked Ladies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvAnfi8WpVE

Buzz Aldrin - @TheRealBuzz, Lunar module pilot for Apollo 11 and second man to walk on the moon

Post Viewing Activity


A. An opinion paper
As an introduction to the post viewing activity, show the original footage of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Footage
of Neil Armstrong first walking on the moon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4
Instructions:
1. Students will read the excerpt below
No Bucks for Moon Rocks
No Bucks for Moon Rocks was one of the slogans used by protesters in the 1960s campaigning against the space
programme. Their argument was simple: it cost too much, and it achieved too little. Given the sheer majesty of
Project Apollo - given its significance in the history of human civilisation - its sad to think that such achievement
should be belittled. But the protesters had a point. The cost of the space race, simply in financial terms, was
enormous. The bill to send a man to the Moon was an estimated 24 billion dollars. As ever, there were plenty of
Earthly problems that the money could have helped fix: the perennial problems of unemployment, poor housing
and food supply, in America and elsewhere. And then there was the human cost. In fact, given the immensely
risky adventure undertaken by the American and Soviet space programmes, its amazing that more lives werent
lost. But accidents did occur, and every fatality tested the publics conscience.
Retrieved from http://www.filmeducation.org/pdf/film/Apollo13.pdf)
2. The discovery of water ice under the moons South Pole has renewed interest in moon exploration. Do you
think we should go back to the moon? Why or why not? Write an opinion paper on whether or not you believe
that taxpayer money should be spent on space exploration.
To answer this question students should research some of the disasters that have occurred in the space program
and make a list of positive spin offs / benefits from the space program.

B. Evaluating scientific and non-scientific claims


Students should form small groups and research and come up with a set of criteria for evaluating the validity of
information found on websites.
Students will then research the moon landing controversy. Students should gather information that refutes the
claim that humans walked on the moon and compare it to the information that supports this claim. Students will
then present this information along with their method of evaluating the information and should conclude with
their belief surrounding the truth behind the moon landing.
Additiona

Supplementary Resources & Multimedia

From the Earth to the Moon - a docudrama mini-series based around the Apollo missions
Gravity - a 2013 film about astronauts escaping from orbit
Marooned - a 1969 film directed by John Sturges, about astronauts marooned in an Apollo

Command/Service Module
The Martian initial release: September 24, 2015 - When astronauts blast off from the planet
Mars..

NASA image gallery of Apollo missions


http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_305.html

BBCs original re-entry and splashdown footage


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JnRZ6LUjzI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA4O8OLCtA8

BBC News: Apollo 13 NASAs Finest Hour?


April 12, 2010 interview with Jim Lovell and an original radio broadcast updating the events of Apollo
13, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8613715.stm

Additional lesson plans

http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/apollo-13.html

References
Apollo 13 (film). (2015). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13_(film)
Apollo 13. (2009). Retrieved from NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo13.html#.Vhm9xPlVikp
Dismukes, K. (2009). Human Space Flight: The Apollo 13 Mission. Retrieved from National Aeronautics and
Spacec Administration: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo13/index.html
Hennig, L. A. (2015). Undestanding Space Travel. Retrieved from Discovery Education:
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/understanding-space-travel.cfm
NASA Goddard Technology Helps Fight Forest Pests. (2015). Retrieved from NASA:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/nasa-goddard-technology-helps-fight-forest-pests
NASA Knows: What Was the Saturn V? (2010, September 17). Retrieved from NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-was-the-saturn-v-58.html
Apollo 13 Poster (believed to belong to Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures) 1995. Retrieved from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13_ (film)#/media/File:Apollo_thirteen_movie.jpg (fair use images of
movie posters)
Mike Peel (uploaded), 2012. Apollo 13 space capsule prop from the film. Retrieved From:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13_ (film)#/media/File:Universal_Studios_Hollywood_2012_58.jpg
Jim Lovell [image]. Retrieved from http://www.boxofficemojo.com/reviews/?id=1769&p=.htm
Fred Haise [image]. Retrieved from http://www.movieactors.com/freezes1/Apollo1312.jpg
Ken Mattingly [image]. Retrieved from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/Apollo13
http://www.shutterstock.com/en/pic.mhtml?id=264316472&utm_campaign=Pixabay&&irgwc=1&utm_source
=44814&utm_medium=Affiliate&tpl=44814-43068 non-commercial use
Film education (n.d.) No bucks for moon rocks. Retrieved from
http://www.filmeducation.org/pdf/film/Apollo13.pdf
Gene Kranz [image]. Retrieved from http://blog.lili.farm/pages/e/ed-harris-gene-kranz/
http://www.shutterstock.com/en/pic.mhtml?id=264316472&utm_campaign=Pixabay&&irgwc=1&utm_source
=44814&utm_medium=Affiliate&tpl=44814-43068
Twitter logo [image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/twitter-tweet-twitter-bird-312464/
Twitter logo https://pixabay.com/en/twitter-tweet-twitter-bird-312464/ Free for commercial use / No
attribution required
Schmalenberg (n.d.). Apollo 13 worksheet [Web log post]. Retrieved from
http://schmalenbergscience9.weebly.com/unit-5-space-exploration.html
New York Science Teacher (2015). Science video worksheets. Retrieved from
http://moviesheets.com/site/sheets.php?id=17
Jack Swigert [image]. Retrieved from http://cscottrollins.blogspot.ca/2015/07/my-separation-from-kevinbacon.html

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