Audience
Educators
Grade Levels
Grades 5-8, Informal Education
Subject
Computer Science, Mathematics, Physical Science, Technology, Geometry, Measurement and Data Analysis, Energy, Flight and Aeronautics, Robotics
Type
Educator Guides, Lesson Plans / Activities
Four standards-aligned activities help students learn about unmanned aircraft systems in NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
With these activities, students will:
- Use the engineering design process to design and build a propeller that will generate enough thrust to drive a propeller car.
- Investigate the impact of mass on the average speed of a propeller car.
- Learn about the basics of programming while navigating a robotic ball through a maze without hitting any obstacles.
- Combine graphing, problem-solving, creativity and math skills to simulate navigating a drone from a given starting point to an ending point with the shortest flight path while avoiding obstacles.
Next Generation Science Standards: MS-ETS1-1, MS-PS2-2, MS-PS3-1, MS-ETS1-2
Common Core Math Standards: 6.EE.A.2, 7.EE.B.3, 7.EE.B4, 8.F.A.3, 6.NS.C.6, 6.NS.C.6.B, 6.NS.C.6.C, 8.G.B.8
Unmanned Aircraft System Educator Guide
Unmanned Aircraft System Educator Guide (Spanish Version)
Section Links:
Introductory Pages
Activity One: Propeller Design Challenge
Activity Two: Propelling the Payload With Electric Propulsion
Activity Three: Navigate Your Zone
Activity Four: 3, 2, 1 . . . Lunch!
Appendix
This educator guide is part of the “Next Gen STEM Aeronaut-X” series.
Also in this series: Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge