Grenville Christian College says "Thank You!" to Space Explorers, Inc.
The entire Moonlink program has been a valuable and worthwhile addition to the studies of the three senior physics classes here at GCC, and to the entire student body and and staff as well! The Moonlink simulation created a huge awareness of this current NASA misison, and everyone on campus is "in the know" about what's going on. This quote from student Simon Best, Mission Director, really sums it all up. "Instead of just reading about what they're doing, you're doing what they're doing!"
During Phase I of the project, students who where interested in playing one of the roles of the 12 mission positions were required to "apply" for the job. After reading the requirements and responsibilites for each position, each student had to write a paragraph stating why they were the right person for the job. These "applications" were reviewed and the positions were filled. As well, small groups constructed models of the Lunar Prospector spacecraft which were all hung around the classroom. The different sizes resulted from some groups chosing to enlarge the basic plan by a factor of 2 or 3.
Suggestions for running a good TEAM Mission
Here are some ideas we implemented that helped give the group a team identity, and made the setting look like a real mission control room. Check the pictures to see the different items mentioned.
Team shirts
NASA logos
Name tags
Position placards
NASA logo posters
Team shirts: Have each of the six positions get the same color shirt. One color for the space craft controllers, and another for the instrument scientists. We were lucky to be able to get 6 red and 6 white staff shirts from an old school function.
The NASA shirt logos where color photocopied onto full sheet Avery peel-off backing pages. We took a single one inch NASA logo from an old brouchure to our local Mail Boxes Etc. store. Their color copier digitally duplicated it and was able to put 6 images on one page. Total cost for 12 stick-on logos, only $4! :-)
Make up some name tags and slide them into the plastic holders that have a pin on the back. You can find these at most office supply stores.
You can do the same kind of thing to make up position cards, and place them on top of the monitors at each computer station.
Photocopy the NASA logo onto an overhead transparency, and project it onto a wall where you have taped up a piece of poster board. Trace the different parts onto colored paper, cut out and put together a huge NASA logo! You can do the same with the diagram of the Lunar Prospector trip to the moon. They enhance the "flavor" of your mission, and make good classroom attention-getters.
The entire Moonlink program has been a valuable and worthwhile addition to the studies of the three senior physics classes here at GCC, and to the entire student body and and staff as well! The Moonlink simulation created a huge awareness of this current NASA misison, and everyone on campus is "in the know" about what's going on. This quote from student Simon Best, Mission Director, really sums it all up. "Instead of just reading about what they're doing, you're doing what they're doing!"
The NASA shirt logos where color photocopied onto full sheet Avery peel-off backing pages. We took a single one inch NASA logo from an old brouchure to our local Mail Boxes Etc. store. Their color copier digitally duplicated it and was able to put 6 images on one page. Total cost for 12 stick-on logos, only $4! :-)
Make up some name tags and slide them into the plastic holders that have a pin on the back. You can find these at most office supply stores.
You can do the same kind of thing to make up position cards, and place them on top of the monitors at each computer station.
Photocopy the NASA logo onto an overhead transparency, and project it onto a wall where you have taped up a piece of poster board. Trace the different parts onto colored paper, cut out and put together a huge NASA logo! You can do the same with the diagram of the Lunar Prospector trip to the moon. They enhance the "flavor" of your mission, and make good classroom attention-getters.
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