Middle School Level: Space Exploration Project; Math/Science Vignettes 4 of 4

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Science - Middle School Level: Space Exploration Project

The students have been presented with job descriptions for imaginary crew members on a space exploring ship. The assignment is to navigate to and investigate one planet in our solar system.

The students will work in small groups and assume different tasks within those groups by applying for different jobs on the space exploring ship. The job descriptions are listed below:

Science Standards:
C. Nature of Science
Scientists work in teams to tackle big problems, with each team member contributing his or her unique expertise.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS:

Technical Advisor:

set up information in the Digital Chisel program for the group
surf the Internet and download information for crew members
scan diagrams onto program
computer support staff for the crew

Science Standards:
A. Content
D. Application & Technology

Students are using technology to gain access to content information.

Navigator:

describe and produce (with graphic artist) ship design, model, the mechanics, fuel, etc.
map and describe exploration route, compute distances and time required to travel

Science Standards:
B. Inquiry

Math Standards:
B. Problem Solving
D. Reasoning
E. Connections

Students apply the process skills of science, problem solving, and mathematical reasoning to determine routes.

Astronomer:

research current information on planet and stars along the journey to write up in the Digital Chisel program
support navigator and graphic artist with needed information to design ship model

Science Standards:
A. Content
D. Application & Technology

Graphic Artist:

create visual displays of topographic features and life forms encountered along the journey from information about the planet
support navigator with ship design and model display

Math Standards:
D. Reasoning
E. Connections

Graphical representation requires accurate visualization, measurement, drawing to scale, and communication skills.

Students will apply for specific jobs by completing the following application:

Job Application for Space Exploration Project

Name:
Class: A B D E

Job applying for:

1st choice:

2nd choice:

Your skills that support your job choice:

skills for 1st choice:

skills for 2nd choice:

Classes and semester grades that support your job choice:

for 1st choice:

for 2nd choice:

Science Standards:
D. Application

Students will identify the relationships between past experiences and future job-related skills.

After students have successfully been employed as a crew member they will complete the tasks that are outlined in the job descriptions and create a presentation as a group.

Science Standards:
C. Nature of Science

Sample Assessment:

Checklist
(See Observation Checklist)

Student's Names

GROUP CRITERIA

Presentation was informative

Presentation was Creative

INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA

Dependable

Thorough

Cooperative

Math and Science - High School Level: Project Chariot

The students in a North Slope school have been reading Dan O'Neill's book The Firecracker Boys about the political pressures to implement Project Chariot, a failed proposal to test nuclear weapons near Point Hope by blasting a deep water harbor. In the Language Arts classes students are reading the book, choosing key passages, and enacting the drama of political decision-making for middle school and high school students through once-weekly presentations.

In the Social Studies classes students are discussing the political climate that allowed this proposal to blossom and the local strategies that succeeded in protecting their communities from this controversial project. The science classes are looking at concepts of radioactivity and radioactive decay. Math classes will look at concepts of exponential growth and decay. Initially this study is connected primarily to health considerations and radioactive exposure. Students will determine when in the future it would have been safe to re-inhabit the Project Chariot site and consume marine and terrestrial life from the impacted area. Eventually this knowledge will be linked to carbon-dating of significant artifacts found in coastal archeological sites. Students will then take data about newly found artifacts and apply their mathematical knowledge to determine when they originated. Throughout the study students will experience a political and emotional engagement with the issues of radioactivity, hands-on experiments modeling radioactive decay, explorations of this exponential concept using graphing calculators or spreadsheets, and authentic scientific problem-solving by applying these concepts and skills to real objects.

Science Standards:
C: Nature and History of Science

Math Standards:
E: Connections

In their integrated math classes, students are challenged to design a model that shows the exponential growth rates of populations of local hares using colored base-ten units. They then represent their thinking on graphing calculators and/or graphing spreadsheets. Looking at their results, they design word-problems that would reverse this model. Some students envision reverse exponential growth paradigms related to predator-prey relationships. Others describe a pressure-related drain problem. The class discusses their ideas and collectively devise graphs to represent these ideas.

Math Standards:
A: Content
B: Problem Solving
C: Communication
D: Reasoning

The students are connecting concrete, symbollic, and abstract reasoning. They are problem-solving by working forwards and backwords on similar problems. They are debating their reasoning patterns through stimulating communication with peers.

The next day the teacher introduces the radioactive decay dice game from the New Jersey Mathematics Framework (Chapter 1, Pg 2). Students roll fifty dice to simulate collections of radioactive nuclei. A roll represents a day. A 1 represents spontaneous decaying, and the dice is removed from the model. From this model students graph the decay rate of these dice and determine the half-life. They then look at graphs of radioactive decay of a variety of elements with different half-lives and generalize about their observations.

Math Standards:
A: Content
B: Problem Solving
C: Communication
D: Reasoning
E: Connections

The students continue all of the above proacesses and apply their reasoning to local issues.

In the science class, the students review the half-life of a variety of nuclear elements. They create possible graphs to represent this decay rate. They then review O'Neill's book and identify the elements that would have impacted their areas from Project Chariot. They review health implications from various exposure levels and break into small groups to determine the impact of immediate exposure, later exposure, and lingering far-term effects. These speculations are supported with mathematical data about the probability of different exposures levels remaining after "x" years. In their Social Studies class they are evaluating the economic and social merits of the deep-water port issue.

Science Standards:
A: Content
B: Inquiry
D: Application

The students explore the concepts of "Changes and Interactions of Matter" by looking at relevant examples. They strengthen their modes of inquiry by developing models of these concepts. They apply their scientific knowledge to evaluate decisions about the scientific and social merits of public scinetific policy.

The students discuss their findings and decide to contact the author Dan O'Neill and several of the scientists who either opposed or supported the Project Chariot plan. They conducted an audioconference with these authorities, posing hard questions about the interplay of politics, science, and culture. They then wrote a short report about the project for the local newspaper in their Language Arts class.

Science Standards:
C: Nature and History of Science
D: Applications

The students communicate their concerns and try to understand the varying perspectives of the scientists and writers that they interview.

The science teacher decided to follow up this exploration with a related application. She invited a local archeologist to bring into class some artifacts from a recently-discovered archeological site. After an emotional discussion of where and how these artifacts should be protected, the students explored the science behind determining the age of artifacts. The archeologist brought in the raw scores from her carbon-dating assays. The students were then challenged to determine the date of origin of the artifacts. After reasoning through several approaches and results from this process the students determined a range of possible origination dates and compared their results with the results of the archeologist. The students were then challenged to make a Venn diagram about the similarities and differences between the radioactive effects of nuclear testing and the naturally-occurring radioactive labeling found in all natural objects.

Science Standards:
A: Content
D: Applications

The students apply their new inquiry and application skills to the content areas.

The teacher took advantage of the interest generated by this project to have the students refine their inquiry skills. Students reviewed the Cape Thompson environmental studies, critiqued the scientific methods, and proposed follow-up studies or replications to compare what was found at that time to what exists currently.

Science Standards:
B: Inquiry
Students are designing and completing their own experimental studies.

Sample Assessment

1

3

5

Student chose an effective strategy to represent radioactive decay.

Student correctly represented the present-day, half-life, and probable date of origin on a graph.

O'Neill, D. (1994). The Firecracker Boys.St. Martin's Press

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Last modified on: Tue, Jun 11, 1996.

The students will work in small groups and assume different tasks within those groups by applying for different jobs on the space exploring ship. The job descriptions are listed below:		Science Standards: C. Nature of Science Scientists work in teams to tackle big problems, with each team member contributing his or her unique expertise.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS: Technical Advisor: set up information in the Digital Chisel program for the group surf the Internet and download information for crew members scan diagrams onto program computer support staff for the crew		Science Standards: A. Content D. Application & Technology Students are using technology to gain access to content information.
Navigator: describe and produce (with graphic artist) ship design, model, the mechanics, fuel, etc. map and describe exploration route, compute distances and time required to travel		Science Standards: B. Inquiry Math Standards: B. Problem Solving D. Reasoning E. Connections Students apply the process skills of science, problem solving, and mathematical reasoning to determine routes.
Astronomer: research current information on planet and stars along the journey to write up in the Digital Chisel program support navigator and graphic artist with needed information to design ship model		Science Standards: A. Content D. Application & Technology
Graphic Artist: create visual displays of topographic features and life forms encountered along the journey from information about the planet support navigator with ship design and model display		Math Standards: D. Reasoning E. Connections Graphical representation requires accurate visualization, measurement, drawing to scale, and communication skills.
Students will apply for specific jobs by completing the following application: Job Application for Space Exploration Project Name: Class: A B D E Job applying for: 1st choice: 2nd choice: Your skills that support your job choice: skills for 1st choice: skills for 2nd choice: Classes and semester grades that support your job choice: for 1st choice: for 2nd choice:		Science Standards: D. Application Students will identify the relationships between past experiences and future job-related skills.
After students have successfully been employed as a crew member they will complete the tasks that are outlined in the job descriptions and create a presentation as a group.		Science Standards: C. Nature of Science

Student's Names
GROUP CRITERIA
Presentation was informative
Presentation was Creative
INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA
Dependable
Thorough
Cooperative

In the Social Studies classes students are discussing the political climate that allowed this proposal to blossom and the local strategies that succeeded in protecting their communities from this controversial project. The science classes are looking at concepts of radioactivity and radioactive decay. Math classes will look at concepts of exponential growth and decay. Initially this study is connected primarily to health considerations and radioactive exposure. Students will determine when in the future it would have been safe to re-inhabit the Project Chariot site and consume marine and terrestrial life from the impacted area. Eventually this knowledge will be linked to carbon-dating of significant artifacts found in coastal archeological sites. Students will then take data about newly found artifacts and apply their mathematical knowledge to determine when they originated. Throughout the study students will experience a political and emotional engagement with the issues of radioactivity, hands-on experiments modeling radioactive decay, explorations of this exponential concept using graphing calculators or spreadsheets, and authentic scientific problem-solving by applying these concepts and skills to real objects.	Science Standards: C: Nature and History of Science Math Standards: E: Connections
In their integrated math classes, students are challenged to design a model that shows the exponential growth rates of populations of local hares using colored base-ten units. They then represent their thinking on graphing calculators and/or graphing spreadsheets. Looking at their results, they design word-problems that would reverse this model. Some students envision reverse exponential growth paradigms related to predator-prey relationships. Others describe a pressure-related drain problem. The class discusses their ideas and collectively devise graphs to represent these ideas.	Math Standards: A: Content B: Problem Solving C: Communication D: Reasoning The students are connecting concrete, symbollic, and abstract reasoning. They are problem-solving by working forwards and backwords on similar problems. They are debating their reasoning patterns through stimulating communication with peers.
The next day the teacher introduces the radioactive decay dice game from the New Jersey Mathematics Framework (Chapter 1, Pg 2). Students roll fifty dice to simulate collections of radioactive nuclei. A roll represents a day. A 1 represents spontaneous decaying, and the dice is removed from the model. From this model students graph the decay rate of these dice and determine the half-life. They then look at graphs of radioactive decay of a variety of elements with different half-lives and generalize about their observations.	Math Standards: A: Content B: Problem Solving C: Communication D: Reasoning E: Connections The students continue all of the above proacesses and apply their reasoning to local issues.
In the science class, the students review the half-life of a variety of nuclear elements. They create possible graphs to represent this decay rate. They then review O'Neill's book and identify the elements that would have impacted their areas from Project Chariot. They review health implications from various exposure levels and break into small groups to determine the impact of immediate exposure, later exposure, and lingering far-term effects. These speculations are supported with mathematical data about the probability of different exposures levels remaining after "x" years. In their Social Studies class they are evaluating the economic and social merits of the deep-water port issue.	Science Standards: A: Content B: Inquiry D: Application The students explore the concepts of "Changes and Interactions of Matter" by looking at relevant examples. They strengthen their modes of inquiry by developing models of these concepts. They apply their scientific knowledge to evaluate decisions about the scientific and social merits of public scinetific policy.
The students discuss their findings and decide to contact the author Dan O'Neill and several of the scientists who either opposed or supported the Project Chariot plan. They conducted an audioconference with these authorities, posing hard questions about the interplay of politics, science, and culture. They then wrote a short report about the project for the local newspaper in their Language Arts class.	Science Standards: C: Nature and History of Science D: Applications The students communicate their concerns and try to understand the varying perspectives of the scientists and writers that they interview.
The science teacher decided to follow up this exploration with a related application. She invited a local archeologist to bring into class some artifacts from a recently-discovered archeological site. After an emotional discussion of where and how these artifacts should be protected, the students explored the science behind determining the age of artifacts. The archeologist brought in the raw scores from her carbon-dating assays. The students were then challenged to determine the date of origin of the artifacts. After reasoning through several approaches and results from this process the students determined a range of possible origination dates and compared their results with the results of the archeologist. The students were then challenged to make a Venn diagram about the similarities and differences between the radioactive effects of nuclear testing and the naturally-occurring radioactive labeling found in all natural objects.	Science Standards: A: Content D: Applications The students apply their new inquiry and application skills to the content areas.
The teacher took advantage of the interest generated by this project to have the students refine their inquiry skills. Students reviewed the Cape Thompson environmental studies, critiqued the scientific methods, and proposed follow-up studies or replications to compare what was found at that time to what exists currently.	Science Standards: B: Inquiry Students are designing and completing their own experimental studies.

	1	3	5
Student chose an effective strategy to represent radioactive decay.
Student correctly represented the present-day, half-life, and probable date of origin on a graph.