|
Learning Lab Descriptions Voyages into Space: Science and the Space Shuttle New! Level 1: Grades 3-5 Description: How is the environment in space different from the environment on earth? How did rocket science take the shuttle into space? What does it take to live and work in space? What is next for the U.S. space program? Students will explore the answers to these questions through a series of hands-on activities. With the knowledge of 30 years of the space shuttle program and the Discovery shuttle at Udvar-Hazy Center, students will examine the challenges of exploring space.
Grades: 6-12 Description: Discover the four basic principles of flight: weight, lift, thrust and drag. Demonstrations and activities bring to life the principles of gravity, air pressure, air resistance and Newton's Third Law. Students work in groups to design, build and test a simple propeller using the scientific inquiry model.
Grades: Pre-K-K Availability: Tuesdays and Thursday Mornings Only Description: Imagine learning about the first trip to the Moon, how the Wright Brothers came up with their idea to build the first powered controlled airplane, hearing the tale of Bessie Coleman, or learning about what planes can do and how different they can look. Our youngest visitors can learn these accomplishments by hearing a story and by participating in a hands-on activity. Class size is limited to 20 individuals. Please indicate the age of students attending and preferred focus in the special needs/notes section of the reservation form so that an age appropriate activity can be prepared for the group.
Grades: 6-12 Description: From the first pictures of Mars from Mariner in 1964 to the landing of the latest rover in August 2012, we have been on a quest to learn about the Red Planet. Explore the challenges of unmanned exploration in space as we discover the climate and geology of Mars. Students work as mission design teams that use budget and science guidelines from NASA to create a spacecraft to fly to Mars.
Grades: 3-8 Duration: 60 minutes Description: How do airplanes fly? Using paper airplanes and the scientific method, explore the relationship between an airplane's center of gravity and flight stability. Students will make and test their paper airplanes, collect and graph their findings and reach conclusions on how to improve the designs.
Grades: 3-6 Description: Explore the history of space travel and the science of landing on the Moon. The phases of the Moon, its relationship to Earth and astronauts' lunar exploration are presented with vivid images and hands-on activities. Students will work as mission design teams to create a habitat that could support human life on the Moon.
Grades: K-3 Description: A lively story and hands-on activities take students on a flight showing the basics of how an airplane flies. The four forces of flight demonstrate how a plane gets into the air. Students will create their own flying device based on these principles.
|
|
