Aerospace in Class MOOC Learning Scenario

Abstract

I used the learning scenario which I prepared for Aerospace in Class MOOC in STEM Discovery Campaign 2021. This Learning Scenario encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills by thinking about the conditions necessary for their life (the basic characteristics of life) on the Moon and enables them to model their ideas using technology by Mentimeter, Popplet tools and Minecraft Education Edition. It is targeted at children from 10-12 years of age but may be adapted for older children.

Keywords

Moon; Minecraft world; Think; Design; Manufacture

Table of Summary
Subject	Science, ICT, Arts
Topic	The environment we live in; The basic characteristics of life
Age range of students	10-12 ages
Preparation time	40 min.
Teaching time	3 lessons (40 + 40 + 40  min.)
Online teaching material	Mentimeter: https://www.menti.com/zgoh1411c5 Popplet: https://www.popplet.com/ Minecraft Education Edition (Requires installation on the computer): education.minecraft.net
Offline teaching material	None (Computer required for activities)
Airbus Foundation Discovery Space resources used	Airbus Foundation Discovery Space resources used for this learning scenario: “Architect to the Stars: Building your home on the moon”

Integration into the curriculum

This learning scenario takes a cross-curricular approach and  ties in with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education primary school curriculum as listed below:

Science:

1. Students will be able to recognize the environment which they live in.

2. Students will be able to design an artificial environment.

3.Students will be able to take into account the basic characteristics of life. (nutrition and excretion, growth and development, sheltering, breathing and energy processing, sensitivity or response to stimulus, reproduction, regulation, homeostasis, movement).     

Art: Students will be able to express their ideas creatively through designing a model.

ICT:

1. Students will be able to make designs using the interface of programs.        

2. Students will be able to realize the steps to follow in the problem solving process.

Aim of the lesson / Learning Objectives

The aim of this lesson is to engage and stimulate children to design a habitat on the Moon. I would like to achieve the following with my students in this lesson:

• Discuss the conditions necessary for us to live.
• Design a new living space  
• Create their own artificial world on the Moonbase.
• Use technology in studies effectively
• Use problem-solving steps

Trends

STEM Learning: Increased focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics subjects in the curriculum.

Project-Based Learning: students get fact-based tasks, problems to solve and they work in groups.

Edutainment: playful learning. Learning while having fun.

21^st century skills and Creativity / Design Thinking / Inquiry-Based Science Education

• Depending on Mission to the Moon: Design Thinking

Learning & Innovation Skills: 

• Creativity and Innovation 
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 
• Communication 
• Collaboration 

Information, Media & Technology Skills: 

• Information Literacy 
• Media Literacy 
• ICT (Information, Communications, and Technology) Literacy

Activities

Name of Activity	Procedure	Time
LESSON 1
Warm-up activity	1.1.Students are asked how they would feel if they had to live on a planet outside of Earth. They are expected to express their thoughts using brainstorming. 1.2.They are asked to imagine that they should live on the Moon. They are asked to answer what they will need in order to continue their life as on Earth, using the Mentimeter tool. 1.3. The word cloud created by the answers given to the Mentimeter is examined together.	20 min.  10 min. 10 min.
LESSON 2
Introduction/ Engage	2.1. The introduction can be started by watching the Airbus Foundation Discovery Space videos under “Architect to the Stars: Building your home on the moon”  2.2. It will be explained that students will be asked to design a living space where they can live on the Moonbase.	10 min.
Imagine/Explore	2.3. Students are allowed to imagine the features of the living space they can live on the Moonbase. (which can be placed such as houses, gardens, schools, shopping malls, factories etc.) and organize them in the form of a mind map using the Pooplet tool. They will imagine and plant habitats on the Moon, taking into account the basic characteristics of life (nutrition and excretion, growth and development, sheltering, breathing and energy processing, sensitivity or response to stimuli, reproduction, regulation, homeostasis, movement). 2.4. Mind maps created by students are discussed with other ones.	30 min.
LESSON 3
Main Activity/Elaborate	3.1. They are asked to design their lunar habitats with Minecraft Education Edition, which they planned and detailed with the mind map in the 2nd lesson. 3.2. Students can enrich and improve their Minecraft worlds with homework. 3.3. Students can collaborate and give ideas to each other by visiting each other’s Minecraft worlds.	40 min.

Assessment

The assessment for Lesson 1 of this activity is through peer review: 

• Examining the word cloud created with the Mentimeter tool, discussing the results

The assessment for Lesson 2, and 3 of this activity is done through self-evaluation of the child’s finished project. 

• What went well? Why/Why not? 

•What would you change? Why/Why not?