District News

Students work on rocketry activity

 

May, 2011

 

Based on the critical situation during the Apollo 13 lunar mission, students in the fourth and seventh grades recently completed an activity based on the carbon dioxide removal filters used on the different parts of the spacecraft.

Putting “a square peg into a round hole” briefly summarizes the problem of converting a round tube to a square filter, technology teacher Dr. Greg Pitonza said.

"The 'Rocketry – CO2 Filter Problem Activity' challenges students to use limited materials and tools to make an adapter to save astronauts in a simulated situation. In this activity, a small round tube had to be modified on one end to form a larger square," he said. "In addition to the tube, five inches of masking tape was allowed for assembly along with the use of rulers and scissors for construction."

Following construction, each adapter was tested by blowing into the round end with the square end connected to a test device. The test device contained a ball that had to be lifted by the airflow.

As a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning experience, seventh grade technology classes designed and tested an adapter for the rescue. Science concepts included the process to remove carbon dioxide. Technology and engineering was used through the application of design and problem solving skills, and math was applied to solve measurement problems based on perimeter and area.

"I am always impressed with seventh grade students’ ability to handle a problematic situation and lead others toward success," Dr. Pitonza said.

Based on the design solutions created by seventh grade technology students, they wrote procedures for construction of their adapter. The procedures were then tested by fourth grade classes. Observing the fourth graders allowed the seventh grade technical writers to identify changes needed in their list of steps. Fourth grade students also utilized their knowledge of measurement and reading to implement and test the process documented by the technology students.

Fourth grader Nathan Nasse said he liked how they made the tube. "You had to snip it, make four sections and tape it," he said.

And Lucas Sunderland liked the activity because it was based on an event that actually happened.

“It was cool because it involved carbon dioxide," he added.