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m&ms
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 An Adventure in Design Engineering for Inventive Fourth Graders |
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m&ms
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An Adventure in Design Engineering for Inventive Fourth Graders |
Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Objectives
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On Earth, we have a force known as gravity, measured at 1 G. In space, astronauts are faced with the challenge of zero gravity. This poses quite a few problems for space engineers. The normal everyday inventions such as toilets, chairs, drinking straws, and shelves all depend upon gravity to work normally. Engineers must design equipment to function in a zero gravity environment. A major problem for space engineers is cost. It costs nearly $5,000 per pound to launch a shuttle into space, so weight is a factor when designing shuttles and tools. Other problems for space engineers are: limited power, water, space, and lack of garbage facilities. To address these problems, space engineers use lightweight materials such as dental wire, wet wipes, and battery-powered tools. Packaging is kept to a minimum to reduce waste on the shuttles. The first lunar rover vehicle had to be designed to meet several design challenges - it had to be lightweight and maneuver on the moon. The design team added wheels made of wire mesh to be lightweight, and the vehicle operated on battery power. (Without air on the moon, a gas powered vehicle would not work.) In this Webquest,
students work in teams to design an m&m dispenser that would work in
space to combat the lack of gravity, that is lightweight, and compact in
size.
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Have you ever wondered what life is like on a space shuttle or on the space station? Astronauts do many of the same things you do everyday - such as sleep, eat, wash, play, and even go to the bathroom! The only difference is that in space there is no gravity, so astronauts must use special equipment to do these everyday tasks. Watch this video (Skylab: A Home Above Our Home Planet) to see how astronauts invented ways to cut their hair, shower, sleep, and exercise in the Skylab spacecraft. What is gravity? Watch this BrainPOP movie to find out! Everything on Earth relies on gravity to work properly. Look at your desk. Why is everything laying on it? Gravity holds all your papers, books, and pencils in place. Earth toilets rely on gravity to flush. Space toilets use suction (like a vacuum cleaner). The ink flows out of your pens onto your paper on Earth. Pens are pressurized like spray cans to work in space. You don't need a bed in space - just straps to keep you tied to a wall. Instead of using cups to drink from, astronauts squeeze fluid-filled bags with tubes into their mouths. But what about eating small candies like m&ms in space? You can't dump the bag out into your hand - the m&ms would fly everywhere! So, what would you do? You'd need a zero-gravity dispenser. Where would you get one? You'd need to invent one! Engineers must constantly work to design products that will meet their needs.
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| Space Food
Explore this link to learn more about the history of food in space and the menu options the astronauts have. Food
for Space Flight
Johnson
Space Center The Imaginary World
Ask
the Experts
Preparing
a Meal
Food
Trays in Space
Nutrition
in Space
Food Packaging
Living
in Space: Space Food
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(These are actual food items taken into space. Notice the m&ms in the center. Photo taken at National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. May 16,2008) For this WebQuest, you will follow the Engineering Design Process. 2. Watch the BrainPOP movie to learn about gravity. What questions do you have about eating in space, where there is no gravity? 2. Use the Internet Resources to find the answers to your questions about astronauts and their food in space. Work with your group to record your findings on an Idea Web created using Inspiration software. Be sure to organize your web in a way that makes sense to you. You may choose to jigsaw the research - have group members split up to conduct their research and report back to the group. 3. How do m&ms act? Make observations of the physical properties of m&ms. How might they act in space, a zero gravity environment? 4. How could you design an m&m dispenser that would work in space? Become a member of the "NASA m&m Dispenser Design Team." With your group, research innovative packaging designs. What design aspects are important to consider, when designing a package? With your partner, create a plan for a design of an m&m dispenser that works without relying on gravity. What materials could be used to make your dispenser? Is it lightweight and cost effective? 5. As a class, create a list of attributes for the "perfect" m&m dispenser. Share your design with other design teams. Compare other designs to the list of perfect attributes. Offer suggestions for improvement to other teams. Make improvements to your own design. 6. Build a working prototype of your design. 7. Create
an advertisement for your m&m dispenser recorded as a video or audio podcast "commercial." Be persuasive in your advertisement. Why should NASA designers choose your m&m dispenser? 8. Write
a business letter to NASA to share your invention with space engineers.
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You will be evaluated on the following: 1. Your level of cooperation and participation. 2. The neatness, completeness, and quality of information gathered from your research and displayed on your Inspiration Web. 3. Your ability
to incorporate what you have learned about gravity and space foods to create
a model of an m&m dispenser that would work on the space shuttle. 5. Your advertisement is persuasive and your letter to NASA incorporates ideas from your design and is convincing. A Rubric will be used to grade your project: m&ms in Space Scoring Guide from: www.rubistar.4teachers.org
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Your successful creation of an m&m dispenser that works in a zero gravity environment, puts you well on your way to someday becoming a space engineer. Perhaps NASA will like your idea so much that you will see your invention on the next space shuttle mission or in use in the International Space Station! |
| You can try these
websites Just for fun!
Children's
Museum
M&M's
Homepage
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Missouri Show Me Knowledge Standards: SCI-1, SCI-2, SCI-3, SCI-4 Missouri Show Me Performance Standards: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.1, 2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.8, 4.1 Missouri Grade Level Expectations for Grade 4: Impact of Science, Technology and Human Activity 81C4: Identify how the effects of inventions or technological advances (eg. different types of light bulbs, semiconductors/integrated circuits and electronics, satellite imagery, robotics, communication, transportation, generation of energy, renewable materials) may be helpful, harmful, or both. 83A4: Identify a question that was asked, or could be asked, or a problem that needed to be solved when given a brief scenario (fiction or nonfiction of people working alone or in groups solving everyday problems or learning through discovery.) Scientific Inquiry
IA(3)
Scientific Inquiry
IA(4)
Scientific Relevance Objectives:
2 - Communication and Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. 3 - Research and Information Fluency - Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. 4 - Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making - Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. 5 - Digital Citizenship - Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. 6 - Technology Operations and Concepts - Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Rockwood School District, St. Louis County, MO Objective: Science CCO I.1: Seek answers to questions from reliable sources and/or from observations and investigations. People ask questions and use diverse processes to gain understanding about the world around them. Language Arts CCO IV: The student will apply study and research skills using a variety of resources to gather, organize, and report information. Language Arts CCO V: The student will develop communication skills through participation in informal speaking, listening, and viewing activities.
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