Get Outside!

Overview

Learn more about the Earth, the moon, and Mars—the three places the Artemis program will link together—while having fun together outside.

What you need: a volleyball (or other ball of similar size), a tennis ball, and a softball; a baseball bat; 4 bases (or items you can use as bases); and, if desired, baseball gloves for all players.

Where you need to go: a nearby school or park with a 400m track and a baseball or softball field.

Activity 1

Understand sizes and distances of Artemis mission destinations.

1. If Earth were the size of a volleyball, the moon would be tennis ball-sized, and Mars would be as about as big as a softball. At this scale, the moon would be 30 feet away from the volleyball Earth, and Mars would be more than ¾ of a mile away.

2. Step onto the school track, and stand at the beginning of a straightaway. Have a partner walk 30 feet away down the straightaway, and throw him/her the tennis ball. That throw corresponds to an Artemis mission going from Earth to the moon.

3. With your partner staying in the same place, walk toward and then 30 feet past him/her. Now have him/her throw the ball to you. Repeat this all the way around the track. Now circle the track 2 more times. That distance you just traveled is how much farther Mars is from Earth, on a scale in which the moon is 30 feet from Earth.

Activity 2 - Play Earth-Moon-Mars baseball.

1. Rules are the same as baseball/softball with the following changes:

• Pitcher throws balls in this order to batter: Softball (Mars), tennis ball (moon), volleyball (Earth).

• The pitcher must throw each ball until throwing a “strike” (meaning the batter swings and misses) or the batter gets a hit. A batter cannot be “walked” to first base regardless of how many pitches it takes for the batter to swing and miss or get a hit.

• If batter hits the softball, and it goes past the infield before hitting the ground, the batter automatically advances around all the bases, scoring 1 run, and then begins a second trip around the bases, stopping on 3^rd base. Any runners on base when “Mars” is hit beyond the infield, advances to homeplate and scores a run.

• If the batter does not hit the ball beyond the infield before it hits the ground, the “hit” is treated as a “foul ball,” and the pitcher throws the tennis ball on the next pitch.

• If the batter hits the tennis ball beyond the infield, the batter automatically advances to 1st base (any runners on base also advance one base). The batter can try to run to second or third bases, but if this is attempted, he/she can be tagged “out,” according to normal baseball rules. Note: The first female on both teams to get a “hit” with the tennis ball, automatically advances to Homeplate and scores a “run” (as do any runners who are already on base).

• If the batter hits the ball, but it doesn’t go past the infield, it is treated as a foul ball, and the pitcher must pitch the volleyball on the next pitch. To pitch the volleyball, the pitcher may roll it (as is done in kickball) or throw it so that it bounces once before it reaches the batter. In this manner, the pitcher pitches the volleyball until the batter hits a fair ball. The batter is not required to swing at any pitches, but if he/she swings and misses (i.e., gets a strike) or hits a foul ball, one of any runners who are on base must leave the field and return to the batting line up (this, however, does not count as an “out” toward the 3 outs required before the teams switch who is in the field and who is at bat.

• If the batter hits a fair ball with the volleyball, play proceeds as it would with a hit in a standard baseball/softball game with one exception: Runners may be tagged “out” with the ball, but the ball must be thrown “underhand” and may not hit the runner in the head or face (if this happens, this runner automatically advances to homeplate and score a run).

2. Symbolic meaning of E-M-M Baseball’s rules:

• The different balls, of course, represent the different relative sizes of Earth, the moon, and Mars.

• The greater reward for hitting the softball represents the difficulty of sending astronauts to the moon; however, it must be hit beyond the infield because Mars is a long way from Earth!

• The reward for getting a hit with the tennis ball acknowledges the impressive accomplishment of sending missions to the moon (and there is a special reward for sending the first woman to the moon, as the Artemis program intends to do!). The tennis ball must also be hit beyond the infield to “count” as a hit because, even though it’s not as far away as Mars, it’s still a long way to for astronauts to travel!

• The fact that a batter must keep swinging until getting a “hit” represents the fact that even though sending astronauts to the moon and Mars are ambitious and risky goals, setting such goals means being committed to trying as many times as it takes to achieve success!