1. NASA Teaching From Space: Microgravity eXperience
Convection in Microgravity
Greg McMillan
Christine Kincaid Dewey
Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center
Warren, MI
Rose Cybulski, Tuyen Duddles
Jamie Hilliard

2. Microgravity Flight Week February 5 -11, 2012
Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

3. Microgravity eXperience
30 Parabolas
25-30 seconds
Micro-gravity
(Near zero-g)
35-45 seconds
Hyper-gravity
1.85 g (max)

4. Proposed Research Question
Do convection currents form in a microgravity environment?
If so, do they form at the same rate as they do on earth?

5. Microgravity Flight

6. Microgravity eXperience
Application Window: August – September
(NASA Express, NEON, Twitter, Facebook)
October: Notified of Acceptance
November: Online Community Begins *
December: TEDP Due
Test Equipment Data Package
February: Flight Week
March- April: Final Reports, Outreach

7. NASA Rewards Classroom Posters Astronaut Food Books & Calendars
Space Photos
Classroom Posters

8. Student Driven Process
11th Grade Students Review Topics in Physics Class
Mass vs Weight
Normal Force
Density and Buoyant Forces
Kinetic Theory of Matter
Heat Transfer
Conduct Research and Investigative Experiments
Hot Air Balloon
Nuetral Bouyancy Lab
Convection in a Pan.
Greg & Tuyen discuss

9. Student Driven Process
Students Determine Hypothesis
Students presented their Hypothesis and justification to the rest of the school and at Open House.
Students and Community Voted for the hypothesis they supported
Convection Currents Form?
Yes-42%
No-58%

10. Engineering Design Process

11. Students Design Experiment

12. Experimental Considerations
NASA Mentor assigned to Each Team in October.
Sarah Ruiz (Shuttle Mission Control, ISS Safety)
Every element of experiment must be accounted for in TEDP (Test Equipment Data Package)
40 lb Weight Limit (Including Liquids)
Must Fit within 36”x23”x26” “Glovebox”
All Liquids Must be at least Double Contained
MSDS For EVERYTHING
Schematics for electric circuits
Equipment must remain in “Glovebox” during parabolas.

13. PROCEDURE 12 Convection Tubes
3 x 1.5 in Clear PVC seperated by ball valve
Hot Blue Water in “lower” portion and valve
Clear Ice Water in “upper” portion
Valve is opened during 0-g portion of Parabola
Left open during Hyper-Gravity
Process is Video Recorded.
Vertical velocity of Blue water
is measured using Vernier
Logger Pro Video tools.

14. Procedure

15. Flight Week Activities
Flight Training (How NOT to get sick)
Professional Development (Space Suit)
TRR Presentation (Test Readiness Review)
Worked directly with NASA Astronauts and Engineers

16. Flight Week Activities VIP Tour of Johnson Space Center
Sonny Carter Neutral Buoyancy Lab
Building 9: NASA vehicle simulators

17. Flight Week Activities VIP Tour of Johnson Space Center
ISS Mission Control
Apollo Mission Control

18. FLIGHT DAY

19. In Flight

21. Results

22. Results
Conclusion:
Data analysis shows that there is not a correlation between temperature difference and the rate of convection in either 1 g or microgravity environments.

23. Impact on Students
Engineering Design Process offers a hands-on experience for students that complements & enhances the core curriculum that teachers must teach.
Experience gives context to & makes tangible abstract math & science concepts for students.
MMSTC’s NASA project meets 7 of 8 scientific and engineering practices in the National Research Council’s Next Generation of Science Standards.
Engineering Design Process offers a hands-on experience for students that complements & enhances the common core curriculum that teachers must teach
Experience gives context to & makes tangible what may seem to be abstract math & science concepts to students at times

24. 8 Scientific & Engineering Practices
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking
Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Engineering Design Process offers a hands-on experience for students that complements & enhances the common core curriculum that teachers must teach
Experience gives context to & makes tangible what may seem to be abstract math & science concepts to students at times 24

25. Math Resources: Exploring Space Through Math
Christine

26. Math Resources: Math and Science @ Work
Space Exploration Series
Research Laboratory Series
Stats
Calc

27. How To Get Involved NASA: Teaching From Space
Sign up for NASA Express Update
NASA Educators Online Network (NEON)
Facebook
Twitter

28. Other Resources NASA Explorer Schools NASA.gov For Educators
Education Materials
e-clips (downloadable video series)
ERCN: Educator Resource Center Network Educator Resource Center Network
CORE: Central Operation of Resources for Educators

29. Other Resources SSERD Downloadable Lesson Plans
Science Off The Sphere (Don Pettit/ ISS)
NASA Kids Club
NASA Smart Phone App*
Twitter Feed Asteroid Watch
Image of the Day News and Mission Updates

30. Professional Development
DLN: Digital Learning Network
Virtual Presentations, Webcasts
dln.nasa.gov
AESP: Aerospace Education Services Project
Professional Development
Online, In Person
aesp.psu.edu

31. EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

32. NASA Teaching From Space: Microgravity eXperience

33. CONTACT ME Greg McMillan E-MAIL: mcmillan@wcskids.net Website
Click Students
Click Homework
Click Physics

34. Student Involvement Pre-Flight:
Students will complete the background research on the topic of the experiment “Convection Current Formation in MicroGravity”
Teams of students will present two (2) opposing hypotheses about the effect of gravity on convection current formation to the school
Students will design and trouble-shoot the experiment & its related components to test the “winning” hypothesis
Students will present research project to the community at an open house
Flight Week:
A video conference with the entire school is planned via Skype and Facebook while the flight team is in Houston. Students followed flight on Flight Tracker
Integration:
Each of the flight team members will share what we have learned with our colleagues and we will implement lessons when appropriate & relevant to our curriculum standards
Post-Flight:
Students will analyze the data collected by the flight team & compile a formal research paper and presentation file
Students will present the research results to the community at an open house & at their home schools
Impact:
The experience will reinforce our school’s STEM mission in providing a dynamic, collaborative, and research-based education experience for all of our students

35. Outreach: Post-Flight Week
District Cable Channel – video
Present at Conferences –
MCTM & DACTM/MDSTA
Students present results at their home schools (11 districts)
Local and District Newspaper & Radio
School newsletter - Spring
School web page - updates

36. Thank you WCS, NASA & MMSTC Class of 2013 for an eXperience of a lifetime!