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AIAA Educator Academy: Mars Rover Model Celebration

I am Edgar BeringIt is July 31, 2013

Tell us who you are?

Outline

• Academy Overview• The Three Modules• Mars Rover Celebration

Lesson Plan Overview Lesson Details Common Files Details

• Capstone Events

Webinar Objectives

• Target Audience: AIAA Educator Associate Members

• Objectives: Present an Overview of the Mars Rover Curriculum Introduce the Lesson Plans and How to Use Them Suggest Ways of Starting the Program in Your Area

Educator Academy 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.

Regions and Sections

The Layers

Educator Associates and Section Mentors impacting thousands of Students

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

7

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

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.

Lesson Overview

The Mars Rover Celebration lesson plans are a unique blend of hands-on science and practical literacy lessons. The students learn what real scientists do and how careers in Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology can be fun and rewarding as they work in a collaborative team to build their Mars rover.

The lessons set the foundation for students’ successful pursuit of STEM careers and demonstrate the importance of language arts skills in STEM fields.

Science Component

• The science component of each lesson walks students through the steps necessary to successfully create their Mars rover mission.

Language Arts Component

• The literacy component of each lesson teaches key vocabulary and provides mini-lessons on research, writing, and presentation skills crucial to student success

Lesson Sequence

The six week Mars Rover Celebration lesson plans walk students through the process to create a successful mission:

Week 1: Introduction to Mars CelebrationLesson 1: Overview of the Solar System (2 periods)Lesson 2: Introduction to the Mars Celebration Project (2 periods)Lesson 3: Research Tools and Skills

Week 2: Investigating MarsLesson 3 (cont.): Research Tools and SkillsLesson 4: Investigating Mars (2 periods)Lesson 5: Selecting Team Rover Missions (2 periods)

Lesson Sequence

Week 3: Designing the MissionLesson 6: Mission Measurements (2 periods)Lesson 7: How Do I Measure This? (2 periods)Lesson 8: Where is the Best Place to Make These

Measurements?

Week 4: Understanding RoversLesson 9: Spacecraft Structure and Design (3 periods)Lesson 10: Landing, Moving and Surviving Conditions (2 periods)

Lesson Sequence

Week 5: Writing and BuildingLesson 11: Brainstorm and Preliminary Design (2 periods)Lesson 12: Final Design (2 periods)Lesson 13: Construct Mock-up (3 periods)

Week 6: Practicing and Presenting Lesson 14: Manual and Skit (2 periods)

Lesson 15: Present Skits and Models (2 periods)

Obtaining the Lessons

• Two sets of lessons are available: Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8

http://marsrover.phys.uh.edu/LessonPlans.php#LessonPlans

• Once on this page, scroll up to find the general files and down to find the lesson plans

Obtaining the Lessons

• Each lesson comes in a zip file which will contain the following components:

Lesson Plan Science Notebook Vocabulary Cards Literacy Mini-lesson (presentation & notes pages) Essential Question Card Standards Alignment

Using the Lesson Plans

Lesson number and name are on title page

Recommended grade level

Features of the Lesson Plan

Lesson objectives allow teachers to document skills taught in each lesson

Features of the Lesson Plan

The Engagement section sets the stage for learning by piquing student interest. Students learn key vocabulary and crucial background knowledge through the use of engaging, interactive activities

Features of the Lesson Plan

Features of the Lesson Plan

The Exploration section helps students learn critical information through hands-on, active learning, not passive seatwork

Features of the Lesson PlanThe Explanation section allows students to synthesize and integrate their learning. The teacher monitors and reteaches to ensure student understanding. Science notebooks document the learning taking place.

Features of the Lesson Plan

The Elaboration section offers suggestions on differentiating instruction for groups of all ability levels. It also offers ideas for additional activities should time permit.

Features of the Lesson Plan

The Evaluation section offers teachers suggestions for assessing student progress and for obtaining grades for the work completed.

MATERIALS IN THE ZIP FILES

Obtaining the Lessons

• Each lesson comes in a zip file which will contain the following components:

Lesson Plan Science Notebook Vocabulary Cards Literacy Mini-lesson (presentation & notes pages) Essential Question Card Standards Alignment

Vocabulary Cards

Carefully chosen illustrations clarify word meanings and form part of the explanation of the word

Student friendly definitions assist students to understand and learn critical vocabulary words

Vocabulary Cards

New vocabulary is taught using scientifically proven methods…

Student friendly definitions

Examples and Non-examples

Multiple exposures to the target word in different contexts

Word origins and cognates are taught when applicable

Actively thinking about the word in real contexts

Using the word in real-life, practical and personally relevant situations

Literacy Mini-Lessons

Most lessons contain literacy mini-lessons which provide short lessons on essential language arts skills related to their Mars rover project. Topics include…

Internal Dialogues Informational Text Features Note Taking Writing a Scientific Question Making Inferences &

Predictions

Learning New Vocabulary Making Concept Maps Writing Effective Captions &

Labels Writing a Presentation

Science Notebooks

The Science Notebooks contain written questions and activities related to each lesson.

COMMON FILES MATERIALS

Pacing Guide

The Mars Rover Celebration Pacing Guide can help you stay on track as you teach the curriculum. The Pacing Guide outlines how many days each lesson is expected to take and makes recommendations on how much time to spend on the individual components of each lesson.

For each lesson, the Pacing Guide also lists the essential question, the activities available and the key vocabulary words.

Pacing Guide

Strand Map Resources

Mission Patches

Mission Patches allow students to feel like real astronauts. Teachers may print out the templates (on labels) and give these to students each week upon the successful completion of that part of the mission. It is a great way to keep students excited and motivated.

Formative Assessment Strategies

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.

Starting an Educator Academy Program in Your Section

• Contact Your Section Leadership Ask For Help Starting a Program

Insist they schedule a…• Miniworkshop

Section Council plus enough others to make 20 Introduce one module in detail The Institute sends the instructor

Starting an Educator Academy Program in Your Section

Or a …• 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

• 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• Questions?

Thank You for Attending Today!

Additional Questions and Information:• Gar Bering, STEM K-12 Chair, ebering@central.uh.edu• Elana Slagle, elana@starfisheducation.com • Lisa Bacon, AIAA Program Manager, LisaB@AIAA.org

Please join us for our next Educator Academy webinars:Aug 1, 2pm EDT, Educator Academy- Space Weather BalloonSept 5, 2pm EDT, Educator Academy- OverviewCapstone Organizing Details:Oct 1, 2pm EDT, Educator Academy- Electric Cargo Plane CapstoneOct 2, 2pm EDT, Educator Academy- Space Weather Balloon CapstoneOct 3, 2pm EDT, Educator Academy- Mars Rover Celebration Capstone