Space innovators
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- design an innovation to enable better or further exploration into space.
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- contribute to discussions about the observable phenomena brought about by the Earth’s orbit and rotation, as well as the technological innovations that have enabled their exploration.
- share and explain their design, how it will enable further exploration of space, and how it builds upon the work of other scientists.
In this lesson, assessment is summative.
Students working at the achievement standard for Science as a human endeavour should have:
- recognised that science is a collaborative discipline, and that advancements and innovations are in some way based on what has come before.
- Refer to students’ contributions to discussions.
- Refer to their design for space exploration and how they have identified the previous innovation or work it is built on.
- described how individuals and communities use scientific knowledge.
- Refer to students’ ideas on what they hope their innovation might contribute to the world.
Refer to the Australian Curriculum content links on the Our design decisions tab for further information.
Class science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Equipment to access the internet and watch suggested video clips and view images
What's inside of the Lunar Module? (7:30)
5 Space inventions we use everyday (3:40)
SpaceX completes world first landing after rocket booster caught by mechanical arms (2:29)
Demonstration copy of the Invention convention Resource sheet
Individual science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Optional: Various materials to build prototypes of their designs
Lesson
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkScience education consists of a series of key ideas and core concepts that can explain objects, events and phenomena and link them to the experiences encountered by students in their lives. The purpose of the Anchor routine is to identify and link students’ learning to these ideas and concepts in a way that builds and deepens their understanding.
When designing the Act phase of a teaching sequence, consider the core concepts and key ideas that are relevant. The Anchor routine provides an opportunity to collate and revise the key knowledge and skills students have learned, in a way that emphasises the importance of science as a human endeavour.
What have we learned so far?
Review the learning that has occurred over the course of the sequence using the class science journal, including concepts relating to:
- where the Sun, Earth and Moon are in relation to one another.
- what causes day and night.
- why day and night are different lengths at different times of the year.
- the phases of the Moon.
- the innovations that have enabled humans to observe and explore space more closely.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkEach student comes to the classroom with experiences made up from science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources in their life. The Connect routine is designed to tap into these experiences, and that of their wider community. It is also an opportunity to yarn with community leaders (where appropriate) to gain an understanding of the student’s lives, languages and interests. In the Act phase, this routine reconnects with the science capital of students so students can appreciate the relevance of their learning and the agency to make decisions and take action.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the everyday occurrences, phenomena and experiences that might relate to the science that they have learned. How could students show agency in these areas?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkLooking back to look forward
Review a timeline of how humans’ understanding of space has changed. Focus on how science knowledge about space has been built over time, and is often based on the work that has come before, as well as the design innovations that have enabled space exploration, and the impacts of these designs.
A suggested timeline of events to review
Ptolemy to Galileo
Review the A history of the heavens Resource sheet and the subsequent notes taken in Lesson 2.
Potential discussion prompts
- Even though scientists today no longer agree with them, the ideas of astronomers like Ptolemy who believed in an Earth-centric model of the solar system are still very important. Why do you think that might be?
- Besides Galileo, who else believed in a sun-centred model of the solar system? Did they have the ideas before or after Galileo?
- If Galileo was not the first scientist to think the sun was in the centre of the solar system, then why is his work remembered so widely today?
- Why was the invention and use of the telescope so important to establish what scientists now understand about space?
Apollo 11
Watch What’s inside of the Lunar Module? (7:30). Through questioning and discussion consider the design choices that were made and why they were made. For example, discuss why the windows were made smaller on the Lunar Module, why its shape did not matter (it didn't have to be aerodynamic), how many designs were tested, why they were tested first without humans aboard, why the legs were retractable etc.)
After Apollo 11
Watch the video 5 Space inventions we use everyday (3:40).
Using the demonstration copy of Invention convention Resource sheet, discuss and take notes on the five inventions that were originally designed to solve a problem related to space travel that have been adapted for use on Earth.
| Invention | The space problem it solved | Adaption for use on Earth |
| Scratch resistant lenses | To prevent the Moon dust from scratching the astronaut's visors | To prevent scratching on glasses and sunglasses |
| Infrared ear thermometers | To measure the temperature of the surface of the Sun and planets | To measure the temperature of sick people without touching them |
| Cordless tools/drill | Drill into Moon rock to collect samples | To build things when there is no electricity |
| Memory foam | Safer seats for astronauts during lift-off and return | Pillows and mattresses |
| Water filters | Clean/recycling water for astronauts | Clean/recycled water on Earth. |
Optional: Allow students time and opportunity to research other such inventions such as camera phones, athletic shoes (NIKE) shoes, foil blankets, dust buster vacuums, home insulation, the Jaws of Life, wireless headsets, freeze dried food, artificial limbs/robotics, portable laptop, nappies, and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
The now of space travel
Watch SpaceX completes world first landing after rocket booster caught by mechanical arms (2:29).
Consider this innovation in light of previous space missions, and make a list of the parts of a rocket or spacecraft that are jettisoned during a mission and never reused.
Consider that as of 2024 there had been 391 human space flight missions—and this doesn’t count all the unmanned missions that take satellites and other communications equipment into space!
The future of space travel
Discuss what the future of space travel might look like and the problems that it might need to solve. This discussion leads into the first step of the upcoming design process.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhen students use their knowledge and skills in new ways, they also have an opportunity to develop and use their creative and critical thinking skills. With scaffolded support, they can become more confident to work in a team and develop a stronger sense of autonomy. This results in stronger student outcomes, attitudes and sense of empowerment.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider what activity would allow students to showcase their knowledge and skills. Consider the current abilities of your students. What are they capable of explaining? What props could they design or build that would support their explanations? How much information would they need in their design brief to support their thinking? How does this connect with their lives and interests?
Design for the future
Students will design, and potentially create a crude prototype of, an innovation that will enable new or further exploration of space. They might consider new frontiers in space exploration, or making space exploration more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Define
Outline the task in a simple manner such as:
How can we design something that will enable humans to explore a space-related phenomenon more closely/easily?
Outline who the students could be designing for. For example, will they design something to support astronauts travelling into space, for use on the International Space Station, or on the Moon or Mars? Examine the challenges that might be experienced.
Students might also be interested in building more complex working models to demonstrate the phenomena they have investigated throughout the sequence.
Ideate
Brainstorm ideas for space related phenomena students would like to more about. For example, they might like to know how weather satellites work, what astronauts eat, how to colonise Mars, if we could travel to a black hole or the Sun.
At this stage, to support creative thinking, every idea offered by students should be recorded in the class science journal. No idea is discounted, as the practicality/possibility of each idea will be considered later.
As students offer ideas, ask probing questions (What do you already know about weather satellites? What are scientists’ current claims/ideas about the Sun or black holes? Have humans ever made it to Mars, and in what capacity?) to draw out where students may to start their thinking in order to design their innovations.
Optional: It may be appropriate here to allow students some time to research and take a deep dive into one particular area of interest.
Determine the criteria for how students’ designs might demonstrate the scientific concepts explored during the sequence. For example:
- The design should include some information about the phenomenon they seek to further explore.
- The design should reference the science and innovations that have come before/inspired the design.
Prototype
Allow students time to design their innovations. They may work individually or in teams.
They may build a crude (i.e. non-operational) prototype to show their design, or produce a paper-based illustration of their design.
Optional: Students/teams are provided opportunities to share their ideas and receive peer feedback (download AITSL's guide for more on peer feedback).
Supporting creative thinking and ideation
How might you encourage and support creative thinking?
Thinking creatively is a skill that can be taught in the classroom. One of the key aspects is to encourage students to initially suspend any judgement as they list as many ideas as possible (usually on separate pieces of paper or sticky notes). It is the number of ideas that are important. Generating multiple ideas that will be later filtered is a common process for designers. The second stage is to group those ideas into clusters according to their similarity. Once this has been completed, students should identify what their audience may prefer and use evidence to support their ideas.
By asking students to link their ideas with the evidence they have collected, they will begin to think about the reasoning behind their ideas. This, in turn, supports them to think critically later on, when formulating criteria for design, and when making decisions about their designs.
Thinking creatively is a skill that can be taught in the classroom. One of the key aspects is to encourage students to initially suspend any judgement as they list as many ideas as possible (usually on separate pieces of paper or sticky notes). It is the number of ideas that are important. Generating multiple ideas that will be later filtered is a common process for designers. The second stage is to group those ideas into clusters according to their similarity. Once this has been completed, students should identify what their audience may prefer and use evidence to support their ideas.
By asking students to link their ideas with the evidence they have collected, they will begin to think about the reasoning behind their ideas. This, in turn, supports them to think critically later on, when formulating criteria for design, and when making decisions about their designs.
Developing a prototype
What are the advantages of building a prototype?
A prototype can be anything that is used to put an idea into action by experimenting with ideas and modifying and adapting the approach. It can involve sketches of a model, a storyboard, or a 3D construction.
It is important to build more than one prototype. The first prototype should be produced quickly and cheaply to test the initial concept. Simple materials can be used to outline or build the general idea that can be filled in at a later stage (after testing and feedback).
Knowing that it is not the final prototype allows ideas to be held lightly and easily discarded if the prototype does not receive good feedback from the user. Opportunities to address assumptions and alternative concepts occur when modifying the second and third prototypes.
Collecting the multiple prototypes allows them to be used for reflection during the design cycle’s sharing stage.
A prototype can be anything that is used to put an idea into action by experimenting with ideas and modifying and adapting the approach. It can involve sketches of a model, a storyboard, or a 3D construction.
It is important to build more than one prototype. The first prototype should be produced quickly and cheaply to test the initial concept. Simple materials can be used to outline or build the general idea that can be filled in at a later stage (after testing and feedback).
Knowing that it is not the final prototype allows ideas to be held lightly and easily discarded if the prototype does not receive good feedback from the user. Opportunities to address assumptions and alternative concepts occur when modifying the second and third prototypes.
Collecting the multiple prototypes allows them to be used for reflection during the design cycle’s sharing stage.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkA key part of Science Inquiry, the Communicate routine provides students with an opportunity to communicate their ideas effectively to others. It allows students a chance to show their learning to members of their community and provides a sense of belonging. It also encourages students to have a sense of responsibility to share their understanding of science and to use this to provide a positive influence in the community.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider who might be connected to the students that have an interest in science. Who in their lives could share their learning? What forum could be used to build an enthusiasm for science. Are there members of the community (parents, teachers, peers or wider community) who would provide a link to future science careers?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkSharing our designs
Communicate
Students share their designs with the class.
They might share:
- the phenomena their innovation seeks to further/better explore.
- illustrations or prototype models of their designs.
- the previous science and/or innovation on which their work is built.
Students could:
- present their models to the class using appropriate voice, volume and pace skills.
- take photos/videos of their presentations.
- use a ‘Shark Tank’ format with invited judges.
- present their designs during science week activities.
Reflect on the sequence
You might:
- refer to the list of student questions from the TWLH chart begun in Lesson 1. Determine which questions have been answered over the course of the learning sequence, what the ‘answers’ to the questions are, and the evidence that supports these claims. Address questions that have not been answered during the learning sequence, discuss why they might not have been addressed, and consider potential investigations that might support students to answer them.
- review students’ responses to the Claims about the sky activity completed in Lesson 1, comparing students’ initial ideas to what they think now and considering how their thinking has changed.
- consider what students have learnt about the Sun, Earth and Moon, other planets, and the innovations that have enabled space exploration.
- ask students to represent this learning in words, symbols and pictures.
- discuss why it’s important to have a good understanding of the position of the Sun, Earth, Moon and other planets.