NASA Discussions

Hello Everyone,

I was wanting to check in to see if everyone has selected the challenge(s), completed the student forms, and submitted the technology forms.  Please post your status.  Thanks…Johanna

Johanna,

We have selected the CEV challenge. I am working on my students forms to get them completed.  I have spoken with someone from Synergy and I have my Fed EX shipping label to send in my release forms.  We have scheduled our first chat with NASA/astronaut for November 15th.  We will be joined by a school from Rhode Island, which is very exciting!! Please let me know if I need to do anything else right now…..thanks, Sherry & Gabby

Johanna,

Our students officially started on STEP 1 of the CEV challenge. There are four teams currently comprised of 5th-7th graders. Also the majority of our release forms have been signed and this will be completed soon. Our students are very excited and parents have a schedule of Kinetic Minds NASA STEM Challenge sessions. A student chat with NASA will take place once we hear from y4y about our webcam request. Thanks for the updates by email!

-Eskabonna-

Johanna,

Our students have been working on STEPS 1 & 2 of the CEV challenge. During our last session before Thanksgiving the students worked on their research and the questions in the first two steps. Students did some hands-on measurements with a ruler and digital scale to better understand the constraints and criteria of the challenge also. I still haven’t heard from y4y about the webcam request yet.

-Eskabonna-

Our students have each completed their first design of their CEV last week.  They will test their design this week and then go back to the design process and work to make change to make their vehicle better.  We also have each student (team) doing a video diary/journal of their activities. We are very pleased with the progress of the students. 

-Sherry & Gabrielle-

Educators,

    Our teams have finished Step 3 of the challenge. They are taking pictures of their progress as well in preparation for the final video. The progression of our sessions is ensuring that students understand the purpose of NASA and its history, the CEV challenge, as well as the engineering design process.

-Eskabonna-

Hello Fellow Educators!!

Greetings from Above and Beyond Students!!  We have two sites participating in the Challenge: Eastway Middle and Sedgfield Middle in Charlotte, NC Both sites are working on the Packing Up the Moon Challenge.  We have 3 teams total between the two sites.  The other day I quizzed the students on the Engineering Design Process and most of them knew all of the steps by heart!! Wow, they blew me away!! All of our team are now on Step #5 with working on their first prototype.  The students are having a ball!!

Educators,

    The students are now on Step 5 of the CEV challenge. Its very interesting listening to the teams as they discuss the design as well as build their prototypes based on the criteria and constraints. Groups are taking plenty of photos as well as doing short videos for the final product.

-Eskabonna-

Thanks everyone for the updates.

Remember January 31, 2017 is our state’s submission date. 

We also have to start thinking about what we want our statewide culmination event to look like.

Our next call is scheduled for 12-22 at 12 pm Eastern.  I will be on the call, if you cannot email me or post updates including
1. likelihood of submitting by 1-31-17 ( 80%, 95%, 100%, etc.)
2. in person or virtual culmination event in the spring ( if in person we need to think about locations!!!)

Thanks
Johanna

Johanna,

1) I’m pretty sure that we are 95%-100% sure of submitting on January 31st 2017. We became more comfortable with the project once we got everything going.

2) We had a meeting about the NASA STEM Challenge this morning and discussed these ideas:
    a) NC A&T in Greensboro and NCSU both have engineering programs so would they consider hosting our celebration. Looking at it as a collaboration as well as allowing our students to learn more about the STEM Career of engineering at these fine institutions.
 
    b) Create a mural or story board of photos from each programs teams so that students could see each others
    work as they progressed. Would need a big room for this.

    c) Video presentation of snippets from all the videos submitted.

    d) Are the students getting a certificate or award for their participation?

Just putting some ideas out there.
-Eskabonna-

Morning Educators,

    The students are working through Steps 5 & 6. They have become fixated on making minor adjustments to their prototypes but we have moved on because of redesign in Step 8. Depending on the topic we do mini lessons to increase their understanding, one such topic is independent/dependent variables. Also we’re focusing on helping them calculate the volume of the fuel tank of the CEV. During the Engineering Design Process the students are putting their problem solving skills to work as well as enjoying their group roles. We have an upcoming live event with NASA in January as well.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone!

-Eskabonna-

Afternoon Educators,

    After a brief break in January the students have completed step 7 now.  An interesting part of the prototypes was getting them to understand the volume of the fuel tank.  Each group was shown how to calculate the volume of different types of everyday items that are cylinders using the formula in their journals.  At the conclusion of the activity students understood whether or not their fuel tanks met the criteria and constraints for the initial prototype.  In addition an experiment on independent and dependent variables was also included for them to understand the questions from step 6.  The next step is for them to complete their redesigns and work on their videos.

-Eskabonna-