Description

The Moon C@mpers Project is an engaging interdisciplinary initiative designed for 7-year-old students, integrating science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) principles. Through hands-on activities and teamwork, students explore the mysteries of the Moon, the challenges of space exploration, and the ingenuity required to live and work on the lunar surface. This project is both educational and creative, fostering curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Our habitat is located on a flat, stable area near the Moon's South Pole. This location was chosen because it receives more sunlight than other regions, ensuring a reliable energy source through solar panels. Additionally, the proximity to shadowed craters could provide access to water ice, which is crucial for sustaining life on the Moon.

Key aspects of surviving in space that we took into account when designing our  habitat:

•    Energy: Solar panels ensure consistent power supply.

•    Oxygen: Recycling systems for breathable air inside the habitat.

•    Water: Potentially harvesting water ice from nearby craters and recycling waste water.

•    Insulation and Protection: Shielding against extreme temperatures, radiation, and micrometeorites.

•    Food: A space for growing vegetables and storing essential supplies for nutrition.

The habitat was designed using Tinkercad, a user-friendly 3D modeling tool, and the electronic plaquette Micro:bit was coded with MakeCode. Students used the software to include essential elements like sleeping pods, a vegetable garden, a rocket landing zone, and the robotic elevator for rocket transportation to the base. They ensured the design was both functional and creative, reflecting real-life needs for Moon camping.

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A typical day of an astronaut 

A typical day of an astronaut living in our habitat would look like this

Morning: Begin with a nutritious breakfast made from fresh vegetables grown in the garden. Conduct maintenance checks on the habitat and robotic systems, including the elevator.

Midday: Participate in scientific experiments, such as studying Moon rocks or monitoring water extraction from nearby craters.

Afternoon: Collaborate on projects like expanding the campsite, troubleshooting equipment, or planting new crops.

Evening: Share findings with Earth via communication systems, enjoy recreational time, such as storytelling or drawing, and prepare for the next day’s activities. Life in the habitat would focus on balancing exploration, research, and daily tasks to ensure both productivity and well-being.

The Moon Camp Project combines science, creativity, and teamwork to inspire students about space exploration. They learn about the Moon’s phases through drawings and animations, creating a PowerPoint presentation to showcase transitions. Students explore the Moon’s surface by simulating craters with flour and rocks, fostering curiosity and inquiry. Using GIGO blocks and a Microbit board, they build and program a robotic elevator to transport a rocket, emphasizing perseverance through trial and error. Discussions on astronaut nutrition lead to crafting clay vegetables, introducing sustainability concepts. Finally, students design a detailed 3D Moon camping site using Tinkercad, including tents, rockets, and gardens.

Project's title: Moon C@mpers of B3-6th primary school of Nea Ionia Athens

Objective:

To provide students with an interdisciplinary, hands-on learning experience focused on space exploration, the Moon's environment, and astronaut life, while cultivating creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

Activities

1.   Phases of the Moon (Art and Presentation)

o   Description: Students will explore the Moon's phases through interactive storytelling, followed by creating drawings that depict each phase (new moon, full moon, crescent, etc.).

o   Task:

§  Create a PowerPoint presentation where each slide represents a phase of the Moon, with simple animations to show the transition between phases.

o   Outcome: Students develop an understanding of lunar cycles and practice their artistic and digital presentation skills.

2.   Moon Surface and Crater Experiment

o   Description: A discussion on the Moon's surface characteristics, focusing on its craters.

o   Experiment:

§  Using a tray filled with flour (to simulate the Moon's surface), students will drop rocks of varying sizes and observe how craters are formed.

§  They record observations about the crater size, depth, and patterns based on the rock's size and height of the drop.

o   Outcome: Students learn about physical impact, observation, and recording experimental results.

3.   Building a Robotic Elevator for Rocket Transport

o   Description: Students will build a robotic elevator using GIGO blocks to transport a rocket to its Moon base.

o   Task:

§  Assemble the robotic elevator structure.

§  Program it using the Microbit board on MakeCode:

§  Button A: Moves the ramp upward.

§  Button B: Stops the ramp at the desired height.

§  Test and refine their design through trial and error.

o   Outcome: Students gain a foundational understanding of robotics, coding, and troubleshooting, enhancing their problem-solving skills.

4.   Astronaut Nutrition and Clay Vegetables

o   Description: A discussion on the importance of healthy nutrition for astronauts and Moon campers, emphasizing the role of vegetables in their diet.

o   Task: Students will craft vegetables out of clay, such as carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce, which astronauts could grow in space.

o   Outcome: Students understand the role of nutrition in space survival while expressing creativity through clay modeling.

5.   3D Moon Camping in Tinkercad

o   Description: Students will design their own Moon campsite using the Tinkercad online 3D modeling tool.

o   Task:

§  Include key features such as tents, a rocket, the robotic elevator, and veggie gardens.

§  Discuss the importance of each feature for Moon campers.

o   Outcome: Students develop spatial awareness, creative design skills, and practice using technology for 3D modeling.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Science Knowledge: Understanding Moon phases, surface characteristics, and astronauts' living conditions.

• Technology Skills: Practice coding in Microbit, creating PowerPoint slides, and designing 3D models in Tinkercad.

• Artistic Expression: Develop creativity through drawings and clay modeling.

• Critical Thinking: Solve problems and refine designs in experiments and robotic construction.

• Collaboration: Work in teams to complete projects, fostering communication and teamwork skills.

Pedagogical Value

This project integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) principles in an engaging, age-appropriate way. By combining creativity and hands-on activities, students experience learning as fun and meaningful, making complex concepts accessible and memorable.

Final outcomes

5.    3D Moon Habitat Creation:

o   A detailed 3D design of a Moon camping site, created using Tinkercad, including elements like tents, rockets, and veggie gardens.

6.   Safety during Moon camp:

• Protection against extreme temperatures by using thermal insulation to regulate temperature and shield occupants from the Moon's extreme heat and cold.

• Design smart suits with built-in temperature control for excursions outside the habitat.

• Shielding from Radiation with radiation shielding materials, such as regolith (Moon soil)

• Schedule outdoor activities during times of reduced solar activity.

• Use recycling systems to produce and conserve oxygen, such as electrolysis of water or CO2 scrubbing.

The students gave the relevant prompts in Chatgpt and created the following relevant images, that show how the children imaging camping in Moon.