I have the best job in the world. This month, I’m pushing into 5th grade science classrooms to work with students to develop science experiments that might, just maybe, get to fly to space.
Sound cool? The kids think so, too! Here’s 5 PS2-1: “Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.” We’re exploring the standard by allowing students to work in groups to design experiments that might simultaneously be carried out on the International Space Station (microgravity) and on earth. In these proposed experiments, gravity is the independent variable.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s short videos are an ideal way to get kids started. In “Wringing a washcloth in Space.” Hadfield demonstrates the way water wrung from a washcloth clings to his hands in microgravity conditions. There are audible oohs and aahs as students watch; one class burst into spontaneous applause! Kids then worked in groups to brainstorm about astronaut activities that might also be impacted by microgravity (eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, dressing, bone density, vision, hearing, to name a few). We then extended the brainstorming to think about all needs and challenges faced by astronauts.
The big engineering challenge? Designing an experiment that can potentially solve an astronaut problem while meeting a variety of constraints including that it fit into a small container designed to be carried on a rocket into space. Engineering design standard ETS1A reminds us that “possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints).” The constraints inherent in space travel are intrinsically interesting to young students! We saw this firsthand as our students explored the small containers designed to hold space experiments!
Students will be spending time doing research, including looking at experiments that have previously been sent to space. They will also research the technology that brings student experiments to the space station. Understanding the limits of available transportation, including but not limited to temperature controls, will help young students evaluate the feasibility of their experiments. Literature connections will also be made as the students read astronaut Scott Kelly’s Book, “My Journey to the Stars,” about his year-long experience on the international space station.
Are the students coming up with great ideas? You bet they are! Some want to see if seeds will germinate as well in a microgravity environment. Some want to see the relative effectiveness of moisturizer. Will toothpaste get teeth clean in microgravity? Will soap wash away stains? Will cookies get moldy? Working in teams, students will use all this information to design and sketch models of their experiments, revising based on feedback from classmates.
Our district is lucky to be participating in a program that will allow us to actually fly one of the experiments to space. But regardless of whether their experiment is chosen, all the students will have the opportunity to learn about the force of gravity by designing an experiment that looks at gravity in its most dramatic form – in space.