posted 03-14-2005 10:00 AM               

Amazingly a lot of children had already heard of Venus and Mars and Jupiter and Saturn and of course about the Moon.

Ended the 'lecture' with pointing out those worlds where humans or unmanned spacecraft had landed.

posted 03-14-2005 10:00 AM               

1. Don't take yourself too seriously. Third graders can smell fear and they'll eat you alive.
   
2. Go with what you know.
   
3. Make it interactive if at all possible.
   
4. Enjoy yourself, have fun.

posted 03-14-2005 10:04 AM               

Prior to the class, fill some small Ziplock (or other sealable baggies) with a small serving of Tang (or other powdered drink). You distribute the bags while explaining that in space, astronauts have to add water to their foods and liquids and then shake them before eating/drinking You then add a bit of water to each child's bag, seal and let them shake away.

Just make sure to have paper towel handy for the inevitable spill.

If you can get a few bags of freeze dried ice cream to pass around pieces for a taste, that goes over well, too.

Hockey gloves make a good substitute for spacesuit gloves to give kids an idea of how they can handle tools or other items during a spacewalk.

This group may be a bit young to ask the bathroom question, but you might want to have a photo of the shuttle toilet ready just in case.

posted 03-14-2005 11:25 AM               

I've also prepared about 10 different foods in zip lock baggies -- Tang, pre-sweetened KoolAid, iced tea, mashed potatoes, soups, bullion. The food thing can be messy.

You may also want to bring in airplane models and Estes rocket models.

What always amazes me -- explaining the time line (and spacial concept) in getting to the Moon. The Earth is here, the Moon is here. Three days later the Moon is here so we originally had to aim here to be captured by the Moon's 1/6 gravity (of the Earth) and that we had to launch at a certain time at Kennedy Space Center for this to happen.

Explain the purpose of the space shuttle.

posted 03-14-2005 12:41 PM               

The Peecicle: STS-41D

During the third supply water dump of the STS 41-D mission, the supply water nozzle temperature dropped below 50 deg F, indicating ice formation. Video from the RMS (remote manipulator system) television camera (wrist) confirmed that ice had formed around the supply water dump nozzle (appoximately 12 in. in diameter and tapered out to a point about 27 in. in length from the side of the vehicle). All subsequent supply water dumps were deleted from the STS 41-D mission timeline because of the ice formation. A waste water dump was required and attempted using the RMS television camera for observation. The waste water dump was terminated because of rapid ice formation on the waste water nozzle.

The supply water quantity was managed by dumping supply water through the flash evaporator system while the waste water quantity was managed by using bags for urine collection.

The RMS was used to dislodge a major portion of the ice formation from the supply water dump nozzle. Side sun attitude plus repeated heater cycles removed the remaining residual ice from the waste water nozzle prior to the entry phase of the mission.

From what I understand, CDR Hartsfield was elected to act as "Icebuster" because no one else wanted to risk being teased about it forever afterwards.

The Upside-Down Impeller: Mission?

posted 03-14-2005 01:37 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by John K. Rochester:
If your lesson is on Apollo as well, I took a model of the Saturn V to show them out of all that rocket, the only thing returned was the little tiny CM.

---

posted 03-14-2005 01:58 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
I forget who said it, and I could be wrong, but I was told way back when I was in school that the Apollo CM could easily fit into a classroom.

---

posted 03-14-2005 09:51 PM               

For younger kids (grade 6 and lower), I go to the front of the class, sit on the floor and ask the other kids to come up sit with me there. I reach into my box of autographed 8 X 10's that I've had copied from Ofoto (never originals!) from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle mission crews and pass them out. Then I ask "who has an autographed photo of John Glenn? Has anybody ever heard of him?" Then I talk a little bit about Glenn's mission and summarize the Mercury program as America's start into space. I use a similar show & tell approach using the Gemini 4 mission (Ed White's spacewalk) and again with Apollos 8, 11 & 17. I let the kids keep the photos if they want them and order extra copies for those who didn't get a particular one they wanted.

I usually get some surprisingly great questions and, of course, the bathroom question. Many times someone will ask how far it is from the earth to the moon or how fast does a spaceship go, etc. I try to have snappy tidbits of information for them like "if you were traveling on a Saturn V rocket and you wanted to go from the school here to the mall, it would take less than 1 second to get there." It can be challenging to bring meaningful, age appropriate stuff into the talk, but that 1 second trip statement usually gets more than a few "Wow!'s"!

I love Robert's Tang idea! I'm going to use it next time!

Also, I try to make sure I don't refer to great accomplishments in space as things that only happened in the past. Instead, I try to present human involvement in space as "on-going". By the way, the Mars Rovers are great subjects to discuss!

posted 03-15-2005 08:05 AM               

When you speak with the kids, try to make complex concepts and big numbers more understandable by comparing them to every day things. For example, when you say that the shuttle travels 17,500 MPH, the kids can't relate to that speed. Mention a landmark or mall or something that the kids all know that's 10 miles away from the school. Ask them how long it would take to get there by car. Then say you'll show them how fast you would get there in a shuttle going 17,500 MPH. Look at your watch and say "OK, we're leaving now". In 2 seconds (5 miles per second), say 'We're there". The kids love it.

You can also use Italian salad dressing to teach them about weightlessness.

If you have the big Revell Saturn V and you plan on bringing it in, bring in a little model of an SUV so they can see the relation in size. I actually had a poster of the Statue of Liberty made at Kinkos that's in scale to the Saturn V to show the kids that the Saturn V is bigger.

posted 03-15-2005 10:16 AM               

If you have space food samples, try to get samples of the same real food to show them the distance. I do that with Apollo age orange juice and cookies. I use Chips-A-Ahoy and a small container of OJ as comparisons. If you can get a hold of one of those pictures where a female astronaut's hair is out like Bozo, show them that, too. Talk about having a bad hair day and then show them the picture for a REAL bad hair day. It's funny, but they get the idea that flying in space is hard, too.

Try to remember to refer to astronauts in he and she terms. The little girls get upset if you keep saying "he" and then you lose them.

If you want more, let me know.

posted 03-15-2005 04:26 PM               

He did this by drawing planet earth (a big circle.) "Here is our planet," he said. Then he drew a hugely out of scale mountain.

"Let's pretend, he said, adding a stick figure, "that you're standing on top of a really tall mountain, holding a rock." The boys liked that.

"Now throw that rock," he said. And then he showed how a thrown rock might land, if you used all your strength, downslope about twenty feet. Draw the rock and its pitiful trajectory. Everyone feels bad. The rock didn't get very far.

"Now imagine," Carpenter said, "you have superhuman strength and throw the rock with all your might." Then draw the trajectory of the rock thus thrown. This rock actually circumnavigates the planet . . . (draw the trajectory of the rock). Explain gravity, the rock is always falling, yet the ground is also always falling away (is this right? It's been ten years or so since I saw this demonstration.)

And hits you in the back of the head!

Shrieks of delight, as this is drawn and explained slapstick style. They got it.

posted 03-18-2005 06:14 AM               

Another suggestion would be to check with your daughter's teacher to see if the third grade science curriculum includes a study of either the Solar System or galaxies and constellations. If it does, consider calling the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland. They've generously and swiftly responded to my requests (as a parent and an informal educator) and sent "playing card" size decks of Solar System cards and Galaxy/Constellation cards that I've given to elementary schools to enhance and support teaching of the curriculum. (Last Fall, the Space Telescope Science Institute sent 125 sets to me for distribution to the entire second grade of our local elementary school and five sets of posters for the second grade teachers. A couple of years earlier, they sent card sets for over 600 students in our local elementary school to supplement a space-themed PTA Reading Program). The students and the teachers loved the cards.

posted 03-18-2005 08:09 PM               

My thanks go out to each of you that responded. I was overwhelmed with ideas. It was a BIG help.

posted 01-08-2008 11:21 AM               

So I was wondering if any of you have some advice for me? I'll be speaking for about an hour and I have to cram 50 years of space flight into it. I also have to remember that these kids don't have a huge amount of knowledge in this area so I really could need some help on how to present all this.

posted 01-08-2008 12:14 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by kimmern123:
So I was wondering if any of you have some advice for me?

---

posted 01-08-2008 01:37 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by tegwilym:
I think kids these days would be a tough crowd, especially the teenager types. Ugh.

---

Space is a subject that almost no one knows anything about, let alone have an interest in. This is very disappointing and I don't know why the current situation is like this. I actually got a bit angry at my friend the other day when he said that this lecture of mine wouldn't be interesting for the kids at all because space flight was so dull and boring that only the fewest of the few would even find it the least bit interesting. No wonder, this guy hates science and math in school. Other than that he's a great guy, but these remarks by him made me a bit frustrated.

Also (this is based on personal experiences from the last three-four years at least) whenever we're at some sort of lecture at my school, or something where someone from out of town comes to talk, almost no one listens! They don't even pretend to, they just sit there with their mobile phones and mp3-players. Some times I wonder how these people can become the leaders of tomorrows world.

However, there are also many teenagers that actually care about what happens around them and have some respect and politeness towards other people. Many people I know are like that, fortunately, but some still are of the kind I can't stand.

posted 01-09-2008 02:18 PM               

Let us be hands on too! Bring something they can touch and look at, most people I know like it, just as much as younger kids, even if they don't admit it.

Try and talk to them like adults as much as possible, and look at them while you talk, (So many people look everywhere but at us, really annoying!) If they ask a question that you don't know the answer to, don't pretend that you do, it's nice when someone admits they don't know it all!

Try and do something that requires a volunteer to go up to the front, if it's one of us doing it, it's interesting. Try and make a few jokes if you can, and smile as much as possible. Encourage people to ask questions, and if nobody seems to be coming forward try asking something that just involves putting hands up. And if you can correct the teacher on something DO! Might not make you popular with him/her but the kids will love you for it!

posted 03-05-2008 04:23 PM               

I made the decision to make a PowerPoint-presentation, but without any text. Just pictures. I then used the pictures as visual cues for myself to remember what I should say.

I started off mentioning the different space agencies and telling them that Norway is part of ESA. Then I put up a picture of Sputnik 1 and without saying anything, I played a recording of the beeping that Sputnik transmitted. I then proceeded talking about Mercury, Geimini, Apollo and the Soviet space program before I talked about the shuttle and ISS. All the way I kept asking them questions about certain things to keep them interested and awake. I rounded off with showing them the STS-117 launch and the STS-120 landing. They loved it!! I heard from their teacher later that had talked excitedly about the presentation for the entire remainder of the day. Their teacher told me he was impressed that I managed to keep 30 11-year olds interested for 2 hours. I think the key was to not use too much text, keep them involved in what was going on and also showing them pictures and video so they see the real action. I also made a decision to avoid using to many dates and years and stuff. I know from experience that such things are forgotten easily. I kept the important dates, but I didn't for instance say when each and every Apollo-flight lifted off.

posted 03-15-2008 05:27 PM               

I am an inner city high school teacher who likes to teach kids about those who paved the way for society, learning, etc. One area has been astronauts and we have been BLESSED to have had the opportunity to not only learn about the astronauts then follow it up by speaking to a few (Mercury to Shuttle era) via telephone or in person. When listening to an astronaut speak, we are all kids but they really do have a knack of engaging a 7 year old and a 77 year old at the same time.

posted 01-27-2009 08:38 PM               

I plan on taking in a model of the LM, a couple of surface flown flags, and a small lunar meteorite for show.

Also, as they are eight and nine year olds I would like to have an activity of some sort, such as a crossword puzzle or word search.