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 HoustonEABering@uh.edu

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 LabThomas.Milnes@jhuapl.edu

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 MichiganLongmier@umich.edu

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 Houstonblongmier@uh.edu281-526-0554

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., blongmier@uh.edu, 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 (lisab@aiaa.org) and me, Edgar Bering (eabering@uh.edu)

• 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