THE MOON AND MICROGRAVITY

THE MOON AND MICROGRAVITY
HEAD START DOMAINS/EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Language Development: listening and understanding
Mathematics: geometry and spatial sense
Science: science skills and methods
Approaches to Learning: engagement and persistence
Physical Health: fine motor, gross motor, health status

LEARNING GOALS/OBJECTIVES
¾   To learn about the conditions an astronaut has to contend with in outer space
¾   To learn how astronauts train for outer space
¾   To experience simulated microgravity
¾   To discover astronaut tools and how hard it is to manipulate things in space

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Sir Isaac Newton didn’t really discover gravity. Rather, he found a means to describe its effects,
not only on Earth, but in space as well, even without traveling there!

Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward the Earth. Because the moon is a smaller object in
space, the effects of gravity are 1/6th that of Earth. Since there is less gravity on the moon, there
is less force pulling an object downward onto its surface. Because of this, a person can jump
great distances and heights off the surface of the moon. Also, you will weigh 1/6th as much on
the moon as you do on Earth.

Away from a body in space like the Earth or moon, gravity becomes less significant and a
phenomenon known as microgravity occurs. In microgravity one appears to experience a state of weightlessness. One actually is in a
state of falling. There is only a slight amount of gravity pulling on you, so you essentially feel buoyant like you were in water.
However, you are actually falling around the Earth.

Astronauts train prior to a mission to understand and adapt to the conditions they will experience in space. One part of training is to
experience weightlessness in the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator. While wearing a full space suit, astronauts are submerged in a tank
and practice doing daily tasks required in space. They are neither sinking nor floating, but neutrally buoyant. This can confuse your
senses so you don’t know what’s up or down and requires a lot of practice.

Whatever the task at hand, astronauts are trained to use a variety of tools and instruments, some very similar to the kinds of tools we
use on Earth.

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WHOLE GROUP CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
MATERIALS
¾   Apple
¾   NASA photo of Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (see below)
¾   Large tub of water
¾   Playtex gloves
¾   Large nuts and bolts or toy ones that are easy to handle (2 sets)
¾   Snowsuits or coveralls
¾   “Moon boots” or snow boots from a second-hand store
¾   Motorcycle helmet to represent a space helmet

Preparation
1. Set up training area with a very large bucket of water. An aquarium works better, but is extremely dangerous.
2. Place the nuts and bolts separate from one another in the tank. Ideally, large plastic toy nuts and bolts work best, especially if they
   are large enough for kids to handle and are light in weight. (Under true space conditions, these items would float, making the task
   even more difficult!)
3. Gather together whatever clothing items you can think of to create a space suit. Examples include snowsuits, coveralls, motorcycle
   helmets, “moon boots,” etc.

Procedure
1. Hold an apple in your hand and ask students to predict what would happen if you let go of it.
2. Discuss the effects of gravity on Earth and outer space. Ask them what would happen if you dropped the apple in outer space.
   What if you had to work in space? What would it be like to work where everything floats?
3. Show the photo of the astronaut training in the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator and explain to the students that the astronaut is in a
   huge tank of water to help him get a feel for the conditions he’ll experience in space.
4. Have students dress in space suits to prepare for their daily tasks.
5. Give students a pair of Playtex gloves to wear.
6. While wearing the gloves, have students attempt to screw the nuts and bolts together while keeping the hardware and their hands
   submerged in the bucket of water.
7. Have the students try screwing the nuts and bolts together without gloves outside the water for comparison.
Option: Have additional stations with tasks—sorting, matching, classifying, exercising— for the kids to do with a certificate of
completion at the end of their training.

CURRICULUM INTEGRATION
Activity Center #1—Physical Education: Relay Course
Materials
¾ Cooking tongs
¾ Tennis balls
¾ Snow gloves

Procedure
1. Break the kids into relay teams. Half of each team will be located on one side of a field and the other half on the opposite side of
    the field.
2. Each team will line up at the starting line with the first person on each team wearing gloves and holding a pair of tongs, with a
    tennis ball at their feet.
3. Start the race by having the first person on each team pick up the tennis ball using the tongs. Then have them carry it across to
    their teammates on the opposite side. Once they have reached their teammates, have them drop the ball in front of them.
4. The other team member must pick up the ball with the tongs and bring it back to the other side for the next person on the team
    until everyone has had a turn.
Option: You could try it again and make it harder by having them wear big gloves like they would have to wear if they were in space!
If you’re really ambitious, you could have them “suit up” for space in the clothing you have acquired for space suits and attempt the
race that way.

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Activity Center #2—Man on the Moon, Dramatic Play
Materials
¾   Large black sheet or fabric
¾   Pillows
¾   Natural sea sponges
¾   Black, copper, gray, and brown acrylic paint
¾   Hand grabbers (available at toy stores)

Preparation
1. Swish sponges in black paint to get the inside black as well as the outside.
2. Let sponges dry and then spray paint with assorted colors to make them look
   like real moon rocks.
3. Cover your dramatic play area with large pillows scattered on the floor.
4. Cover with a large black sheet.
5. Randomly distribute “moon rocks” to simulate the surface of the moon.

Procedure
1. Have children dress in space suits, backpacks, and big gloves.
2. Have children attempt to grab moon rocks with toy hand grabbers while pretending they are on the moon.

RELATED EXHIBITS TO VISIT AT THE MUSEUM
¾ Space Odyssey on Level 1
¾ Outreach Programs: Out of This World (overview of the solar system for kindergarten and above)

HOME EXTENSION
1. Have parents show students various tools they have around the house and how they are used.
2. Watch “Bob the Builder” at school and talk about the importance of tools.
3. Cut pictures out of magazines of people using tools.

VOCABULARY
Gravity: the force that pulls objects toward the Earth
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator: a chamber designed by NASA that allows astronauts to practice doing daily tasks required in space.

RESOURCES
Children
One Day, Daddy. Frances Thomas. ISBN# 0786807326
Space Suits. Deborah A. Shearer. ISBN# 0736811443
Astronauts at Work. Deborah A. Shearer. ISBN# 0736811427
I Want to Be an Astronaut. Bryon Burton. ISBN# 0064432807
Man on the Moon. Tom Hanks and Andrew Chaikin. ISBN# 0140272011
Bob the Builder (books or videos) In particular: Bob’s Toolbox Mix Up. Kiki Thorpe. ISBN# 0689846347

Teacher
Outer Space, Way Out There! Bill Nye the Science Guy. Walt Disney Home Video. Buena Vista Home Video, 1995, Burbank, CA.

Web Sites
Background information on the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator
http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/background/facts/nbs.htm
Educational materials, including videos with footage from the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator
www.nasa.gov

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Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, Marshall Space Flight Center

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA

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