Lunar Crater
Challenge
Using the Engineering Design Process
S TEM Activity
VIVIFYSTEM.COM
STEM EDUCATION
Table of Contents
THANK YOU
2
NOTE TO TEACHERS
• Education Standards
• About this Activity
• Teacher Instructions
• Helpful Tips
• Resources for Taking it Further
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ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS DIAGRAM
• Color and Greyscale Versions
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CHALLENGE: POWERPOINT SLIDE
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CHALLENGE: STUDENT PACKET
• Living on the Moon
• Identify the Problem
• Brainstorm
• Design
• Build
• Test & Evaluate
• Reflection Questions
• Taking it Further
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Page 1
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Note to Teachers
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
The Volcano Shelter Engineering Design Challenge follows the NGSS
Engineering Design Standards for Elementary and Middle School.
3-5-ETS1-1
Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes
specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2.
Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on
how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
3-5-ETS1-3.
Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure
points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be
improved.
MS-ETS1-1.
Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient
precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant
scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural
environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2.
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine
how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ETS1-3.
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among
several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can
be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
MS-ETS1-4.
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a
proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be
achieved.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
The Lunar Crater Design including the Extension Activities use the following
Common Core Math Standards:
• Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.1 – 3
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area,
and volume. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.G.A.1 -4
• Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real -world and
mathematical problems. CSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 -3
• Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic
expressions and equations. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.EE.B.3 -4
• Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area,
surface area, and volume. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.B.4 -6
TEKS: 6.2E, 6.3C, 6.8B, 7.2E, 7.3C, 7.7A, 8.2E, 8.6A, 8.6C
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Page 3
Note to Teachers
ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY
The following STEM activity is a great way to incorporate the engineering design process into
your classroom or afterschool program! This hands-on activity is an engaging design challenge
that allows students to work in teams, apply the engineering design process, and connect math
topics to real-world applications. As a student-driven assignment, the purpose of the teacher is to
act as a facilitator. You will provide the structure to the project, but students will take an active
role in designing and building a device to deposit a rover into the lunar crater. Our students have
loved this activity, and we know yours will too!
Lunar Crater Challenge
Students use the engineering design process and explore the forces of motion to place a
ball in a cup at the center of a 6 foot diameter circle without entering the circle. This
challenge represents placing a NASA rover into the middle of the Apollo lunar crater for
exploration as a potential human colony site.
Prior to ACTIVITY
1. READ over the “Note to Teachers” overview on the following pages and the activity
handouts to become familiar with the design challenge. Determine which activities will work
best for your students, space, and time constraints.
2. PREPARE TESTING STATION SUPPLIES listed below. The key is make approximately a 6 foot
diameter perimeter. This circle can be made from masking tape, rope, or other available
materials. Plan for 1 testing station for every 3 teams. If time allows, you can set aside a
testing time for teams to test one by one in front of the whole class.
3. PREPARE STUDENT KITS. Each kit is for a team of 3 – 4 students. Materials should be placed
in paper bag and distributed at the start of the challenge. We recommend providing the ping
pong ball at the testing station to prevent distraction (especially younger students).
TESTING SUPPLIES
STUDENT KIT MATERIALS
• 20-Foot Rope
Use this to make circle, about 6.3
ft. in diameter: Represents Apollo
lunar crater to be explored
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• 8-Ounce Plastic Cup
Represents center of crater to
deposit rover. Weights are to keep
cup from tipping over during
testing. A larger cup can be used to
make the challenge easier.
• Ping Pong Ball
Represents rover with scientific
equipment
Dixie cup
Brown paper bag
4 rubber bands (2 large, 2 small)
6 feet string*
1 piece of copier paper
2 paper clips
Scissors
Testing sheet
1 foot masking tape
*String is intentionally smaller than radius
of circle. If students create a zipline, they will
need to add something to extend the string
so their hands do not cross into the circle.
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Page 4
Note to Teachers
Teacher instructions
1.
Introduce the engineering design process as described in the handout.
2.
Show a real-world example of the engineering design process such as the landing of the
Curiosity rover on Mars: video link (on Resources and Taking it Further page).
3.
Pass out Mission Sheet -- Discuss the human exploration of the moon, and that NASA wants
to return to the moon to build a human colony. Before sending humans, they must first
explore possible sits for a colony. In this mission, students are NASA engineers tasked with
exploring the Apollo crater, an enormous impact crater located in the southern hemisphere.
Apollo is named after the NASA Apollo missions.
4.
Show video highlights of Apollo 11 mission to the moon (links provided on Resources and
Taking it Further page).
5.
Discuss the challenge described on student sheet. The main mission is to create a
contraption to deposit a rover in the middle of the Apollo Lunar Crater. Show students the
test set-up, ping pong ball, and materials in kit.
• Discuss design constraints:
• Each team member must have a role in delivering the ball – this means one person
can’t just throw the ball into the cup. Members must contribute by holding onto a piece
of the contraption to work as a team to place the ball in the cup.
• No team member can touch the ball during testing – This also prevents just throwing
the ball in the cup. The ball must be placed in contraption prior to testing the device.
• No body part can cross the circle of the crater – Imagine an invisible cylinder coming
up from the circle that can not be crossed.
• The ball must come to rest inside the cup – The ball can’t bounced out.
• Only the ball must remain in the cup – All other materials must be removed from
circle.
• The ball may not be damaged
• Only provide materials may be used – The materials must be used wisely, especially
the tape, as no additional materials will be provided.
6.
Break students into teams of 3 – 4 students with 3 being the ideal number. Students should
create a team name and carefully review design criteria to complete the Identify the
Problem sheet.
7.
Brainstorm: Students review materials and brainstorm ideas to complete challenge.
8.
Building: Students build a design for testing.
9.
Testing: After the completed initial design, students can go to one of the testing stations.
One student should be recording the trials and design notes. If students fail, they should redesign and return for additional trials. If students succeed, tell them they must now
complete the challenge without one of the materials they used. I recommend removing the
string as this is used in most initial designs. They will think it is impossible at first, but they
will soon realize that they can replace the string by cutting up the paper bag.
10.
Reflection: Students should reflect on the challenges of the design and testing.
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Page 5
Note to Teachers
Helpful Tips
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Like these pictures show, most students will make a zip line or balance the Dixie
cup on the string. The challenge is to release the ball at the correct moment into
the plastic cup. This can be done by tipping into cup, opening a latch, opening a
claw, or other devices.
Students can also make a slingshot device if all members are involved in testing.
This is easier to build, but it is not very accurate.
Make sure to actually try this challenge before having students do it.
Some students will figure it out much faster than others. Make sure to keep them
engaged by increasing the difficulty with taking away a material, such as the
string.
The paper bag or rubber bands can replace the string in the design.
The type of string doesn’t matter, but make sure it doesn’t fray easily (unless you
want that as part of the challenge).
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Page 6
Note to Teachers
RESOURCES FOR TAKING IT FURTHER
Math Connections:
• Measurement of diameter and circumference of crater
• Measurement of volume of crater
Science Connections:
• Forces and motion
• Center of gravity
• Properties of the moon
Engineering and Technology Connections:
• Engineering design process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE-z_TJyziI
• Recognize the importance of materials, environment, and constraints of the design
process
History Connections:
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History of lunar exploration and Apollo missions
Curiosity rover on Mars
First Landing on the Moon 1969: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwZb2mqId0A
Curiosity Rover Landing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwUrxzrvtg
Copyright Vivify ©2016
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Engineering
Design Process
1. Identify the Problem
2. Brainstorm
3. Design
Build
Redesign
Test & Evaluate
Share Solution
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Page 8
Lunar Crater
Challenge
Create a contraption to deposit a rover
(ping pong ball) into the middle of the
Apollo Lunar Crater.
CONSTRAINTS
1. Each team member must have a role in delivering the rover
2. No team member can touch the ball during testing
3. No body part can cross the circle of the crater
4. The ball must come to rest inside the cup
5. The ball may not be damaged
6. Only provided materials may be used
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Page 9
Lunar Crater Challenge
Create a contraption to deposit a rover (ping pong ball)
into the middle of the Apollo Lunar Crater.
CONSTRAINTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Each team member must have a role in delivering the rover
No team member can touch the ball during testing
No body part can cross the circle of the crater
The ball must come to rest inside the cup
The ball may not be damaged
Only provided materials may be used
Team Member Names
Engineering Team Name
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 1
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Living on the Moon
NASA wants to explore the Apollo crater as a possible site for a future
human colony on the moon.
WHAT IS THE APOLLO CRATER?
The Apollo crater is an enormous impact crater
located in the southern hemisphere on the far
side of the moon. Apollo is named after the
NASA Apollo missions.
WHAT ARE THE APOLLO MISSIONS?
The Apollo program is part of the United States
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), which accomplished landing the first
humans on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, during
the Apollo 11 mission, Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Lunar
Module (shown right) and walked on the lunar
surface. The landing was broadcast live on TV
around the world, and Armstrong said the
famous words, "one small step for [a] man, one
giant leap for mankind“ when first stepping
foot on the surface. Five subsequent Apollo
missions also landed astronauts on the Moon,
the last in December 1972. In these six
Spaceflights, twelve men walked on the Moon.
CAN HUMANS LIVE ON THE MOON?
NASA is interested in building a human colony
on the moon. However, there are some
challenges to a lunar colony. First, there is no
air on the moon for breathing. Low gravity will
cause various health problems. Temperatures
can swing from 253 ⁰F to -387 ⁰F in a single
day. Micro-meteoroids pelt the surface, and
since there is no atmosphere, the sun’s UV rays
would be lethal.
To overcome these challenges, NASA must
carefully select a location that can provide the
safest protection from the elements. Craters
provide a natural barrier from UV rays and
meteoroids, as well as help maintain a more
constant temperature.
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 2
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Identify the Problem
Mission
In your own words, describe the overall mission of this challenge.
Constraints
What are the constraints for your design? I.e. What are the rules for this challenge?
Goal
How will you determine a successful design?
Key Topics
Answer the following in your own words.
1.
What were the Apollo missions?
2.
Why is a crater a good building site for a human colony on the moon?
Teacher Check! Show this page to your teacher for approval before moving to the next part
of the engineering design process. Teacher Initials: _______
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Packet: Page 3
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Brainstorm
Carefully review the materials provided. Can you think of different ways to use the
materials to deposit the ball in the cup? Each material may have more than one use to write
down per column. Hint: How will you move the ball inside circle? Will you drop it? Launch
it? Carry it?
Material
Possible use #1
String
Use as a zip line to transfer
ball to cup
Possible use #2
Rubber Bands
Bag
Cup
Masking Tape
Paper
Paper Clips
Teacher Check! Show this page to your teacher for approval before moving to the next part
of the engineering design process. Teacher Initials: _______
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 4
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Design
Review your brainstorming ideas and decide which materials you will
use for the contraption to deposit the rover. Sketch your design and label all parts.
*Reminder: each team member must have a role in testing. No body part can enter the circle.
Teacher Check! Show this page to your teacher for approval before moving to the next part of
the engineering design process. Teacher Initials: _______
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 5
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Build
Time to build your design! Gather your materials, and get to work building
your contraption! Feel free to make changes to your original design as needed.
Sketch your completed design here.
Describe the differences between the design sketch and your finished contraption:
Teacher Check! Show this page to your teacher for approval before moving to the next part of
the engineering design process. Teacher Initials: _______
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 6
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Test & Evaluate
Time to test your contraption! Follow the instructions below and record your testing results.
1. Place your ball (rover) into your contraption.
2. With the help of all team members, move the ball into the cup without passing into circle.
3. Record the results in the table below. Make sure to record design notes that include what works
and what needs improvement in your design.
a) Did your design fail? Brainstorm ways to improve your design and re-test.
b) Did your design succeed? Re-design your contraption using one less material.
TRIAL
DID YOU SUCEED?
1
YES / NO
2
YES / NO
3
YES / NO
4
YES / NO
5
YES / NO
6
YES / NO
DESIGN NOTES
Need more trials? Continue this table on the back. How many trials until success? _________
Teacher Check! Show this page to your teacher for approval before moving to the next part
of the engineering design process. Teacher Initials: _______
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 7
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Reflection
Think back to the engineering design process that you used to complete
the Lunar Crater Challenge. With your teammates, discuss the challenges
you faced and answer the questions below. Your teacher may ask for you
to present your results to the class.
1.
Describe your contraption and how you decided on this design.
2.
What was the greatest challenge completing this activity?
3.
If you had more time or more materials, what would you change?
4.
How well did your team work together?
5.
What would happen if you used a heavier ball? What modifications would you need to make?
6.
What was most frustrating during building and testing your design? Please explain.
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 8
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Reflection
7.
What was the most enjoyable part of the challenge? Why?
8.
Think about how many tries it took to complete the challenge. Why is failure important in the
engineering design process?
9.
What challenges did you face working as a team? How did you overcome them?
10. Would you consider living on the moon or another planet? Why or why not?
11. Why do you think rovers are important in exploring and learning about other planets?
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 9
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Taking it Further
1. The Apollo lunar crater is an enormous impact crater located in the southern
hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. Answer the following questions.
a) The crater has a circumference of 1,680 kilometers. Your team of engineers needs to build
a zip line to cross the crater. What is the minimum length of the zip line? Round to
nearest kilometer.
b) A football field is about 100 meters long (actually 91.4 meters). How many football fields
long would the zip line need to be? (1,000 meters in a kilometer)
2. On the moon, astronauts experiences less gravity compared to Earth. Your weight on the Moon is
16.5% what you would experience on Earth. In other words, if you weighed 100 pounds on Earth,
you would weigh a mere 16.5 pounds on the Moon.
a) If you weigh 150 pounds on Earth, what would you weigh on the Moon?
a) If you weight 225 pounds on Earth, what would you weight on the Moon?
3. Because of the lower gravitational force, you can jump six times higher on the moon compared to
the Earth! If you can jump 23 inches on Earth, how high can you jump on the Moon?
Copyright Vivify ©2016
Packet: Page 10
LUNAR CRATER CHALLENGE
Taking it Further
1. The Apollo lunar crater is an enormous impact crater located in the southern
hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. Answer the following questions.
a) The crater has a circumference of 1,680 kilometers. Your team of engineers needs to build
a zip line to cross the crater. What is the minimum length of the zip line? Round to
nearest kilometer.
Assume crater is a circle. The zipline is the diameter across the crater.
Diameter = Circumference / 𝜋
Diameter = 1,680 / 𝜋 = 534.8 = 535 kilometers
b) A football field is about 100 meters long (actually 91.4 meters). How many football fields
long would the zip line need to be? (1,000 meters in a kilometer)
Zipline = 535 km
Football field = 100 meters = 0.1 km
535 / 0.1 = 53,500 football fields
2. On the moon, astronauts experiences less gravity compared to Earth. Your weight on the Moon is
16.5% what you would experience on Earth. In other words, if you weighed 100 pounds on Earth,
you would weigh a mere 16.5 pounds on the Moon.
a) If you weigh 150 pounds on Earth, what would you weigh on the Moon?
150 * 0.165 = 24.75 pounds
a) If you weight 225 pounds on Earth, what would you weight on the Moon?
225 * 0.165 = 37.125 pounds
3. Because of the lower gravitational force, you can jump six times higher on the moon compared to
the Earth! If you can jump 20 inches on Earth, how high can you jump on the Moon?
20 * 6 = 120 inches
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Packet: Page 10
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Vivify’s Overview of STEM Education
Successful STEM education is an empowering interdisciplinary approach that brings math and science
concepts to life through problems that mimic the complexities and excitement of the real world. STEM
revolves around the Engineering Design Process that embraces failure, relies on teamwork, and requires
critical thinking and creativity. While exciting, educators often become intimidated as a search for
curriculum leads to an overwhelming range of activities from index towers to robotics competitions. At
Vivify, we believe that not all STEM is created equal. Educators should adopt a 3 Stages of STEM approach
by progressively building towards more complex projects.
5
To learn more about the 3 Stages of STEM, go here: http://bit.ly/stemstages