AIAA Educator Academy: A New Challenge for AIAA Sections
Edgar BeringJune 5, 2013
Outline
• Academy Overview• The Three Modules
Mars Rover Celebration Electric Cargo Plane Space Weather Balloon
• Starting an Academy Program Miniworkshop Full Workshop Capstone Events
• Effectively inspire K-12 students to pursue STEM careers• Engage our Educator Associates with AIAA members
The Problem
Strategic Goals
• Engage 65% of the AIAA membership in STEM K-12 Outreach Market research indicates 52% actively want to help
with outreach right now!• Engage 8 million students per year with an AIAA
volunteer or in an AIAA activity Trivial if Goal 1 is attained
• To reach all kids, need high volume programs that can be run far from our population centers
• Use a series of Curriculum Modules that will teach engineering-related concepts in fields such as aeronautics, astronautics and robotics (STEM)
• This regional program will increase interaction among Educator Associates, AIAA Professional Members, K-12 students, and the local community
One Solution
Regions and Sections
The Layers
Educator Associates and Section Mentors impacting thousands of Students
The Objectives• Publish AIAA-approved, standards-aligned curriculum
modules that convey the wonder and excitement of careers in aerospace. The first three of these have been published.
• Have these curricula adopted on a long term basis in many schools.
• Engagement with the schools that are using the curricula by their local sections.
• Quantitative efficacy assessments from the teachers using the materials.
The Modules
• Mars Rover Originated in Tucson Section Matured by Houston Section
• Tethered Electric Cargo Plane Mid-Atlantic Section
• Space Weather Balloon Houston, Michigan, Northern NJ Sections, with
others
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Mars Rover Celebration
Students design and build a Mars Rover to carry out a specific science mission on the surface of Mars.• Grade Levels:
3-5 and 6-8• Contact:
Dr. Edgar BeringUniversity of [email protected]
Electric Cargo Planes
Students design and build an electric cargo plane that carries the maximum amount of payload• Grade Levels:
6-8 and 9-12• Contact:
Tom Milnes, MSEEJHU Applied Physics [email protected]
Space Weather Balloons
Students design and build a space weather balloon to collect data• Grade Levels:
9-12• Contact:
Dr. Ben LongmierAssistant Professor, University of [email protected]
The Reward
Mars Rover Celebration Curriculum Module
What is the Mars Rover Curriculum Module?
• A six week inquiry based science curriculum for grades 3-8.
• Teams select a specific science mission on Mars.
• 15 5E Lesson Plans.• All Lessons feature an
Essential Question• Science Notebook evaluation• Standards Aligned• Key Words and Reading
Strategy
What is Mars Rover Celebration?
• Primary and middle school (Grades 3-8) students design and build a model Mars rover.
• Teams select a specific science mission on Mars.
• The model is a mock-up of mostly found/recycled objects.
• Option to contain a low-cost solar-powered car kit ($10) or radio-controlled car ($25) may serve as the chassis.
Standards & Skills
• Science process skills• Laboratory experience• Investigation planning• Data collection• Inference• Organization• Communication• Writing• Teamwork
Mars Rover Pedagogy
Cobern, W. W., Schuster, D., Adams, B., Applegate, B., Skjold, B., Undreiu, A., and Gobert, J. D. (2010). Experimental comparison of inquiry and direct instruction in science. Research in Science & Technological Education, 28(1): 81–96.http://www.wmich.edu/way2go/docs/Experimental%20comparison%20of%20inquiry%20and%20direct%20instruction%20in%20.pdf
Conceptual understanding can be delivered through both inquiry and direct instruction.
Inquiry-based science instruction promotes a greater understanding of scientific investigation as a process.
This approach supports the central goal of the Mars Rover Celebration—to promote long-term interest in STEM-related fields and careers.
Mars Rover Pedagogy
• Student choice should drive classroom activities & discourse.• Teachers should act as “guides” & “listeners” whenever
possible.• Active exploration should precede explanation of new material.• Student experience and preconceptions should be recognized
and addressed.• Divergent thinking should be actively encouraged.
Mars Rover Celebration Event
Why an Event?
The Mars Rover Capstone Event• Helps to prepare children in a way
that traditional classroom lessons cannot fully achieve
• Students learn to work in teams over a period of time, accountability for project completion, presentation skills, and experience the scientific method in a fun and fulfilling activity
• Students can participate in a STEM-based activity encompassing many individual interests.
Getting Ready
The Mars Rover Capstone Event• Designed to be executed in a single
classroom, one grade level, a school-wide competition, or a citywide event.
• Smaller school-level competitions help reduce the number of models in the city-wide competitions.
Tethered electric cargo plane
The 2nd Module is taught regularly.
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Tethered Electric Cargo Plane
• Exposes students to Aerospace Engineering• Students study how to make things fly.• Indoor setting • No expensive Radio Control equipment • A capstone event where the students compete to
see which student or student team can lift the most cargo can be added.
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Electric Powered Flight as a Learning Tool
• Topics for Learning Newton’s Laws, Forces and Torques, Conservation
of Mass, Momentum, and Energy, DC Electronics, Dynamics, Kinematics, Propulsion, Energy Conversion, Aerodynamics, Gravity, Stability, Equilibrium, Drag, Lift, Friction
Why Tethered Flight?• Radio Controlled Airplanes Can Be
Problematic for School Use Expensive Electromechanical Controls Needed Large Airfield and Good Weather Needed
• Tethered Flight Solves These Problems
Tethered Flight Concept
• Constrained Flight Path - Can be done Indoors- Expensive RC Equipment not needed
PowerPole
TetherPowerSupply
FlatSpeaker
Wire
Clear Packing Tape
Electric Cargo Plane Challenge• Must complete one lap of tethered flight with and
without cargo about the power pole Plane must be 8” off the ground at all times
• ScoringMESA MEC
Oral 30 30
Written 55 20
Design 40 20 Performance 55 55 - Most Weight
50 - Next Most …30 30 x Cargo/Best Cargo
TOTAL 180 100
What You Get
MANDATORYKelvin Electronics 850647
3-6V, 17000 RPM, .26Ahttp://www.kelvin.com
$.79 each
OPTIONALKelvin Electronics 990175
$5.75 per set of 8
What’s Needed
• Power Pole - We recommend Kelvin 850747 - $175 http://www.kelvin.com
• Power Supply Model Train Variable DC Transformer
What’s Needed
• Wings - Pink or Blue Foam Board - Home Depot $12
• Fuselage - Basswood or Graphite Kite Stay
Where to Put Cargo
• Don’t Want to Change Trim of Airplane• Should Add Cargo Such that Center of
Gravity (“Balance Point”) Does not move Aerodynamic and Gravity Forces remain aligned so
Airplane Remains Trimmed
Practice, Practice
• Successful teams will have experience flying, adjusting, and repairing planes Unlikely to do well if your plane hasn’t been tested
with power pole• Teachers can use AIAA Grant Program to
Obtain Power Pole and Power Supply
Space weather balloons
Project Aether: AuroraA precursor/test of concept for the new 3rd Module
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Project Aether: Aurora
Benjamin Longmier, Ph.D. Adjunct FacultyPhysics DepartmentUniversity of [email protected]
www.ProjectAether.org
What we did• Send HD cameras up to the edge of the
aurora borealis on our specially designed high altitude weather balloon platforms.
Would like to perform 10-30 launches into the aurora Fairbanks, Alaska Apr 2012 timeframe 14 day trip
• Take simultaneous video/photo data from 0km (ground) , 30km (balloon), and 400km (ISS) altitudes.
• Increase the technology readiness level of several science instruments in a relevant environment.
• Took advantage of low-cost off-the-shelf equipment to perform science work within the plasma environment of the aurora. The conditions at altitude will be
10 Torr (near vacuum) Low temperature (-80 C) Radiation from aurora and cosmic rays
Taken from the International Space Station Taken from the Space Shuttle
Measured Auroral activity, Fall 2010Taken from the ground, Alaska
Taken from the International Space Station
Arctic Circle
We have identified Fairbanks, Alaska as the ideal launch point due latitude, weather, travel costs and logistics, launch locations, and recovery locations
Launch and Recovery: Fairbanks, AlaskaZone of typical Aurora activity
Fairbanks, Alaska
Magnetic North Pole
Landing and Recovery Area
Launch and Recovery Geography
Denali National Park
Stage launches from these road locations (dashed line)
Tanana Valley
Recovery MethodsRecovery zone is largely snow covered arctic tundra
• Few trees, Can be deep powder snow
Method 1: Snow machine• 15 mph, 50 mi range• Plan to use for payloads that land
within 20 miles of roads
Method 2: Dogsled• 5 mph, 15 to 30 mi range• Plan to use for payloads that land within 15 miles of roads.
Method 3: Helicopter• 115 mph, 200 mi range• 4 hr flight time• Plan to use for cameras that land in remote or difficult to reach
areas• Offers impressive views during recovery efforts• Has to be warmer than -20 F for flying, engine is left running
for safety during recovery operations
Method 4: Cross country ski and snowshoe• 1-5 mph, 5 mi range
Schedule• Trip length was two weeks, Mar 30 – Apr 15, 2012• The Aurora in the northern hemisphere exist at some intensity all year round.
However, you can only see them during the night. • The Aurora are also at their peak intensity during the winter/spring months• Weather is a competing factor
Can’t be too cold (must be warmer than -20 F for helicopters)Can’t be too windy (causes difficulty for ground ops)
Map of Auroral activity, Fall 2010
Education • 4 teachers blogged daily from Fairbanks• Daily contact with students via Skype / Google+• Curriculum Development for Grades K-12• Interdisciplinary units aligned to content standards
STEM, Art, Social Studies• Collaboration of teachers involved with the Progressive Science Initiative
Multi-state and International (Japan, Argentina)• Project Aether: Education website development (http://education.projectaether.org)• Student developed science experiments to be launched on payload platforms• Prototype testing for Space Weather Balloon module
Project Aether: Aurora Summary
What: Send 10+ HD HERO2 cameras into the Aurora Borealis on 10-30 high altitude balloon flights into the upper stratosphere.
Where: Fairbanks Alaska and 100 mile surrounding radius.
When: March 31 – April 15, 2012.
Who: Principal Investigator, Benjamin Longmier, Ph.D. (UH); Edgar Bering, Ph.D. (UH); 8 undergraduate and 2 graduate researchers from Texas A&M; 2 high school teachers; 1 NASA astronaut on International Space Station. Support provided by GoPro.
Why: Auroral science, technology development, and exploration-based student outreach.
Contact: Benjamin Longmier, Ph.D., [email protected], 608-225-3173. www.ProjectAether.org
Starting an Educator Academy Program in Your Section
• Miniworkshop Section Council plus enough others to make 20 Introduce one module in detail
• Full Academy Visit 6 hour Teacher Training Workshop Train the Trainers Workshop (leave a legacy behind) Train the Capstone Organizers Workshop This visit is mostly the Institute’s responsibility
Starting an Educator Academy Program in Your Section
• Capstone Regional Competition Provides incentive for teachers to use the whole curriculum Provides increased opportunity for Section-Teacher contact The Section’s job How to Webinar on July 11, 2013
• Mentoring TC and Engineers as Educators members provide content
and teaching support
• Follow Up Evaluations
Curriculum Materials
• Educator Academy Web Pagehttps://www.aiaa.org/AIAAEducatorAcademy/• Each Module has a Curriculum Materials
publication and a Supply List• Links to Additional Resources are Provided
How to Start
• Contact Lisa Bacon ([email protected]) and me, Edgar Bering ([email protected])
• Tell us you want to schedule a miniworkshop visit
• Tell us which modules you are most interested in prioritize
• Give us a range of dates
Special Thanks
• Curriculum modules developed in conjunction with our AIAA partners:
• Special Thanks to our STEM K-12 Development Team: Ben Longmier Elizabeth Henriquez Tom Milnes Paul Wiedorn
Edgar Bering Lisa Bacon Elana Slagle
The AIAA Mid-Atlantic Section The AIAA Houston Section
The University of Houston The AdAstra Rocket Company