Newton’s Laws – Do-It-Yourself Podcast Blog

Get Involved: Spaced Out Sports

Space + sports = fun. Yes, I am a former math teacher, and I remember what adds up to engaged learning — start with two subjects that most students enjoy.

Hypothesis: Combining the wonder of space and NASA with the thrill of sports will motivate students for greater learning success.

And now the science teacher in me comes out.

Whether you take the mathematical approach or use the scientific method, NASA’s Spaced Out Sports design challenge can get the ball rolling. Okay, I’ll stop.

Students design a game for astronauts to play on the space station.

Students apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to design or redesign a game that astronauts on the International Space Station can play.

The competition is open to students in grades 5-8. Student teams will submit game demonstrations via a playbook and a video. Submissions will be accepted from schools, home school groups, and after-school or enrichment programs.

Watch the video of last year’s winners.

Use the DIY Podcast videos to jump-start students’ ideas and to find background information about Newton’s laws and microgravity.

•   DIY Podcast: Micro-g
•   DIY Podcast: Newton’s Laws
•   DIY Podcast: Sports Demo

DIY Podcast videos
•   Tightrope walking in microgravity
•   Microgravity baseball
•   Football on the station

The deadline for Spaced Out Sports submissions is March 16, 2012.
For details, visit the Spaced Out Sports website.

Teachers, let the games begin!

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The Laws That Govern NASA

From launching rockets and flying airplanes to understanding masses and orbits or planets, NASA depends on Newton’s Laws of Motion. We have great resources for those who teach physical science. Three DIY Podcast modules include videos and audio with astronauts and NASA experts explaining the laws of motion.

Students can combine clips from Newton’s Laws,Sports Demo, and Rocket Science with their own demonstrations to create a podcast episode explaining the laws of motion.

Below I’ve listed some NASA resources that you can use with your class.

Newton's first law of motion Lunar Nautics: Newton’s Laws of Motion Activities

Navigating by Good Gyrations

Why Do the Planets Go Around the Sun?
A Short Introduction to Black Holes

The Spinning World of Spacecraft Reaction Wheels (PDF)

Fundamental Aeronautics Program: Newton’s Laws for Students

“From Stargazers to Starships” Site:

Newton and his Laws

Mass
Mass Measurements Aboard Space Station Skylab
Comparing Masses Without the Use of Gravity

Newton’s Second Law

Newton’s Third Law
Momentum
Work
Work Against an Electric Force: The Van de Graaff Generator

Motion in a Circle

Newton’s Theory of “Universal Gravitation”

DIY Podcast Home

It IS Rocket Science

Our newest Do-It-Yourself Podcast topic module features a launch vehicle systems analyst, aka rocket scientist. Tristan Curry explains the concepts behind launching a rocket. Besides explaining the importance of the basic parts of a rocket, she also explains scientific principles in relation to a rocket. Your students can incorporate clips of Curry explaining Newton’s laws, gravity, thrust and safety. Education specialist Fred Kepner also explains how to find the center of gravity and center of pressure on a rocket and why those points are important to a rocket’s stability.

Although NASA applies these science concepts in building and launching rockets, the same principles apply to model rockets.

The module includes 34 video clips and 10 audio clips. The video clips include footage from space shuttle, Atlas V, and Delta II launches and animations. We’ve also included historical footage of the Saturn V, German rocket launches from the 1940s, and newsreel footage of workers assembling Redstone missiles.

Students can shoot video of themselves building a rocket to mix with the rocket scientist explaining the science.

The Rocket Science module also includes links to images and other resources to support student creativity in building a podcast.

Rocket Science module

DIY Podcast Home

Resources to Put Newton's Laws in Motion

Creating a podcast about Newton’s Laws of Motion gives students an opportunity to show off their understanding of the subject. Students can demonstrate their knowledge while having fun. It’s a good opportunity for them to dust off their old toys and discover how Newton’s laws apply to them. NASA’s Toys in Space educator guides contain activities that will ignite students’ imaginations.

• International Toys in Space Video Resource Guide

• Toys in Space II Video Resource Guide

Students can even see how toys operate in microgravity by watching the Toys in Space videos on the Buzz Lightyear Mission Game 5.

• Buzz Lightyear Toys in Space Activity

Newton’s laws apply to many of the experiments and missions that NASA conducts, like sending rockets into space. Students can use rocket science to demonstrate Newton’s laws. Launching rockets is a great way for participants to demonstrate that they truly understand them.

NASA has plenty of resources to assist you with teaching Newton’s laws:

• Fundamental Aeronautics Program — Newton’s Laws for Students

• Dynamic Design: Launch and Propulsion Science Module

• Beginner’s Guide to Rockets: Newton’s Laws of Motion

• Sounding Rockets Program: Newton’s Laws of Motion

• Beginner’s Guide to Aeronautics: Newton’s Laws of Motion

• Rockets Educator Guide

• Lunar Nautics: Designing a Mission to Live and Work on the Moon Educator Guide

• Adventures in Rocket Science Educator Guide

• Using Math and Science to Plan for the Next Generation of Spacecraft video

• How do shuttles blast off? (Fun example of a demonstration that students can videotape)

• Why can’t an airplane just fly into space? Why do we need rockets?