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NGSSLessonPlanningTemplate

th
Grade/GradeBand
:35
grade

Topic:
SpaceLaunchSystem

Lesson#

__3__
inaseriesof
_7___
lessons

BriefLessonDescription
:StudentsupuntilthispointhavethoughtaboutthespacecraftforthemissiontoMarsandthetopographyofthe
planetforasafelanding.NowitistimetoplanthelaunchthatwillgetthemissionoffofplanetEarth
(
http://www.space.com/18596marscolonyspacexelonmusk.html
)StudentswillgrapplewiththeissuesofgettingAstronautsoffthe
planetandthentoMars.
PerformanceExpectation(s):
MSETS14Developamodeltogeneratedataforiterativetestingandmodificationofaproposedobject,tool,orprocesssuchthatan
optimaldesigncanbeachieved.
MSETS13Analyzedatafromteststodeterminesimilaritiesanddifferencesamongseveraldesignsolutionstoidentifythebest
characteristicsofeachthatcanbecombinedintoanewsolutiontobettermeetthecriteriaforsuccess.

SpecificLearningOutcomes:Toengageinthisengineeringchallenge,whichwillhavestudentsstudyingwhichdesignwillgetthemost
lift.Thetestingisiterative.Thestudentswillarticulatetheaspectsofthedesignallowedtherockettoachievetherequireddistance
whilecarryingthegreatestamountofpayload.
LessonLevelNarrative
NowthatyouhavestudythetopographyoftheplanetanddesignedaspacecraftthatcangetfromEarthtoMars,itistimeforlaunch.The
engineersoftheMissiontoMarsexplorationteamneedtocomeupwithcreativeideasforlaunchingheavypayloadsintoorbit.Payloads
includepartsandsuppliesforthespacecraftthatwillcarryhumanstoMarsandelementsnecessaryforaMarssettlement.NASAisalso
interestedinrocketsthatcantransportlargefueltanksthatwillbeusedtopowerdeepspacerockets.Youarechallengedtobuildthemost
efficientheavyliftrocketfromthesamesetofmaterials.Youandyourteamwilltrytocreatearocketthatwillliftthegreatestpayloadinto
space(theceiling).
Science&EngineeringPractices:
Science&EngineeringPractices:
Science&EngineeringPractices:
DevelopingandUsingModelstounderstand DevelopingandUsingModelstounderstand DevelopingandUsingModelstounderstand
whatittakestogetarocketoutofEarths
whatittakestogetarocketoutofEarths
whatittakestogetarocketoutofEarths
orbit.
orbit.
orbit.

Analyzingdatafromtherockettrialsto
Analyzingdatafromtherockettrialsto
Analyzingdatafromtherockettrialsto
determinewhichdesignisbestformodeling determinewhichdesignisbestformodeling determinewhichdesignisbestformodeling
leavingEarthsorbit.
leavingEarthsorbit.
leavingEarthsorbit.
PossiblePreconceptions/Misconceptions:
Elementaryschoolstudentstypicallydonotunderstandinggravityasaforce.Theyseethephenomenonofafallingbodyasnaturalwith
noneedforfurtherexplanationortheyascribetoitaninternaleffortoftheobjectthatisfalling(Obgborn,J.(1985).Understanding
studentsunderstanding:Anexamplefromdynamics.
EuropeanJournalofScienceEducation,7,141150.)
Ifstudentsdonotviewweightas
aforce,theyusuallythinkitistheairthatexertsthisforce.Misconceptionsaboutthecausesofgravitypersisaftertraditionalhighschool
physicsinstruction.Misconceptionsaboutthecausesofgravitycanbeovercomebyspeciallydesignedinstruction.

LESSONPLAN5EModel
ENGAGE:OpeningActivityAccessPriorLearning/StimulateInterest/GenerateQuestions:
HavekidsdrawrocketsWhenyouthinkofarocket,whatdoyouthinkof?.Askprobingquestions:WHatdoesarocketneedtogo?What
odesarocketneedtogotospace?Talkaboutforcenotanenginethatismakingitgo,butitisforce.Airinsideoftheballoonsisthe
force.

Giveademooftheactivity.Balloonistherocket,theairinsideistheforce,thestringisthetrajectory.Ensurethemthatthereisnoone
rightwaytodoitNASAhasdifferentdesignsofrocketsthemselves.
Ifyoucanyoumightwanttoshowstudentsavideothatshowshowrocketsgetthespaceshuttleofftheground.
http://www.space.com/12946nasaheavyliftrocketanimated.html

StudentsareaskedanumberofquestionsaboutthefactorsthatallowtherocketstogetthespacecraftoutofEarthsorbit.
Howdoyouthinktheserocketsareworking?
Whatdoyouthinkhappenedherewhenthisincidenthappened?
http://www.space.com/30955orbitalatkrocketexplosionyearlater.html
Todayyouwillbeengagedindesigningarocketthatwillbesafeandcompletethemission.Provideallthematerialsforthestudentsand
helpguidethemwiththeinitialmodeloftheirrocket.
EXPLORE:LessonDescriptionWhatshouldtheteachersaskanddo?Whatwillthestudentsdo?
Havegroupsbrainstormtheirideasofhowtomakearocketingroupsof5(?).Requestthemtomakeablueprintoftheirmodelsandhave
onepersondotheroleoftherecorder(writedowneverybodysideas).Oncetheyhaveatleasttwodesigns,theymustshowthemtothe
teacherinordertogettheirsuppliesandmovetotheirworkstation.Havethemtesttheirdesigns.Setupgoalsforthem:sendupone
astronautbeforecomingbackformorepaperclips;sendup5paperclipstocomebackfor10,etc.

Havethemlooktoothergroupstoseewhatisworking,whatisntworking.

EXPLAIN:ConceptsExplainedandVocabularyDefined:
Vocabulary:Lift,
Havethemgetbackintogroupsanddiscusswhatworkedandwhatdidntwork.Discusswiththemasyourewalkingaroundtheroom.
Bringthemtogetherasagroupasawholeclassanddiscusswhatworkedandwhatdidn'twork.Teacheraddstothewebthatwestartedin
thebeginning.

ELABORATE:ApplicationsandExtensions:
Usewhattheylearntodesigntonewrockets.Havethemgobacktotheirdesignandedititaccordingtowhattheybelievewillwork.Give
themmoretimetobuildanewrocket.
EVALUATE:
Sharedesignswiththeirclassmatesandwhatworked/didntwork.Askthemagain:Whatistheairintherocket?Whatgetsitoffofthe
ground?
FormativeMonitoring(Questioning/Discussion):

SummativeAssessment(Quiz/Project/Report):

ElaborateFurther/Reflect:Enrichment:

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