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:
DisciplinaryCoreIdeas:
CrosscuttingConcepts:
DevelopingandUsingModelstounderstand ETS1.B:DevelopingPossibleSolutions
Patternsofchangecanbeusedtomake
whatittakestogetarocketoutofEarths
Thetestthestudentswillconduct predictions.
orbit.
willidentifypointsofstrengthsin

thedesignoftherocketandrefine
Analyzingdatafromtherockettrialsto
theshortcomings.
determinewhichdesignisbestformodeling ETS1.C:Theiterativeprocessoftestingthe
leavingEarthsorbit.
mostpromisingsolutionsandmodifying
whatisproposedonthebasisofthetest
resultsleadstogreaterrefinementand
ultimatelytoanoptimalsolutionwhichisto
getoutofEarthsorbit.
PS2.A:ForcesandMotion
Thepatternsoftherockets
motionduetodifferentstructural
changestothedesigncanbe
observedandmeasured;when
thatpastmotionexhibitsaregular
pattern,futuremotioncanbe
predictedfromit.
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:
Ifyoucanyoumightwanttoshowstudentsavideothatshowshowrocketsgetthespaceshuttleofftheground.
http://www.space.com/12946nasaheavyliftrocketanimated.html

StudentsareaskedanumberofquestionsaboutthefactorsthatallowtherocketstogetthespacecraftoutofEarthsorbit.
Howdoyouthinktheserocketsareworking?
Whatdoyouthinkhappenedherewhenthisincidenthappened?
http://www.space.com/30955orbitalatkrocketexplosionyearlater.html
Todayyouwillbeengagedindesigningarocketthatwillbesafeandcompletethemission.Provideallthematerialsforthestudentsand
helpguidethemwiththeinitialmodeloftheirrocket.
EXPLORE:LessonDescriptionWhatshouldtheteachersaskanddo?Whatwillthestudentsdo?

Itwouldbegoodtogroupupthestudents(depenedingonhowmanywehave)toabout46.Studentsshouldgetintheregroups
andbrainstormormapoutpriortoconstructingtherocketsthemselves

Howtheywanttheirrockettobeshouldbesimilartoeveryoneasfarasbaloons,string,tapeandcups(iftheyneed).Asfaras
howtheywanttotakethepaperclipstoMarsshouldbeuptothem.ThenumberofpaperclipscountasgoingtoMarsiftheyare

3/4thsofthewayuporso.
Somesafteyissuesweshouldtellthemistobecarefulofflyingpaperclipssoiftheyarentsecuringtherepaperclipsmaybethey
canbrainstormonwaysofhowtheycansendthemupexposed.
EXPLAIN:ConceptsExplainedandVocabularyDefined:
Talkabouttheadvantagesanddisadvantagaesofeachrocketdesign.Askstudents:Howmanypaperclipsdidyougetyourrockettocarry?
Howdidyouattachthepaperclipstotheballoon?Whatproblemsdidyouencounterandhowdidyousolvethem?

Vocabulary:
NewtonsFirstLaw
NewtonsSecondLaw
NewtonsThirdLaw
DiiferentTypesofRockets:solidpropellant.liquidpropellant,nuclearthermalandionpropulsion
ELABORATE:ApplicationsandExtensions:

EVALUATE:

FormativeMonitoring(Questioning/Discussion):
Askquestionstoleadthestudentsintounderstandingourprojects:
Whatwasyourideaonmakingyourrocket?
Howdidyouchangeittomakeitbetter?
Whatdifferencesdotheynoticefromothergroups?

SummativeAssessment(Quiz/Project/Report):
HelprellatethistothelessonMissiontoMars
o HowisthisconnectedtoourtriptoMars?
o Whatcanweusefromourprojecttohelpourtrip?

ElaborateFurther/Reflect:Enrichment: