:: NASA Quest > Educators and Parents

Careers

Educational Objectives	National Education Standards	Evaluation of Objectives
1. Students will reflect on the occupations held by the person(s) with whom they chatted and will decide whether the occupation matches their interests, skills or values.	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Occupations Reflection Sheet Create a Venn Diagram comparing the occupation with their own skills, abilities and values. (See NASA Occupations Chat Lesson)
2. Students will identify the occupation that they feel best fits their interests and abilities, the reasons why, the necessary skills and the education required for such a position.	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Occupations Reflection Sheet Create a trading card of chosen occupation (See NASA Occupations Chat Lesson)
3. Students will compare and contrast the backgrounds, interests, talents and personalities of two NASA experts (engineers).	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Create a Venn Diagram showing similarities and differences of two NASA experts.
4. Students will identify the characteristics, skills and abilities of the NASA expert with whom they chatted.	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Design a poster of the NASA expert as a superhero. Label the "super powers" they must have for their position and why.
5. Students will compare and contrast the career paths of various women or minorities and draw conclusions about how to pursue their own career journey.	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Complete the Chat Debrief or Chat Reflection Sheet included in the NASA Occupations Chat Lesson .Create a diagram, flowchart, or storyboard of their own career journey.
6. Students will write a biographical sketch about a person with whom they’ve chatted that will include a description of their occupation, challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them.	NSES G1 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Write a biographical essay about a NASA expert describing their occupation, challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them.
7. Students will define what an engineer is and what they do.	NSES G2 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Create a Four-Door Book Project that describes and illustrates what an engineer is, where they generally work, why there is a need for their work and how they go about doing their work.
8. Students will identify 2 types of engineers and compare and contrast their work.	NSES G2 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Create a Three-Part Book Venn Diagram comparing the similarities and differences between two types of engineers.
9. Students will identify objects, resources, structures or materials that are used on a daily basis and that are created by an engineer and will identify the type of engineer(s) that designed each. 10. Students will categorize objects, resources, structures and materials by the types of engineer that created them.	ITEA 9 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Create a T-table listing 10 objects, resources, structures or materials and matching each with an engineer that would create them. Divide the class into groups. Assign each group a different type of engineer. Have each group brainstorm objects, resources, structures or materials created by their assigned engineer and create a card depicting each. Mix up the class cards, and redistribute cards to each group to categorize by engineer type. Play Engineer Bingo. Have students fill each spot on a Bingo card with types of engineer. (Engineer types can be repeated). Call out objects, resources, structures or materials and have students put markers on the engineer type that would create each. They call "Bingo" when they have 5 in a row.
11. After participating in an engineering event, students will describe how the engineer(s) use the engineering design process in their work. They will describe the specific project(s) the engineer worked on and site specific examples of the steps, tools used and challenges faced during design, development and evaluation phases of the product.	ITEA 8, 9 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Create a Multiple Flap Desk-top Project using the Engineering Design Process Sheet.
12. Students will identify African Americans and/or women who have made significant contributions to science and NASA research, will describe these contributions and why they are important.	NSES G1, G3 ISTE 3, 4, 5, 6	Write a newspaper article or create a poster describing an African American or woman who made significant contributions to science and NASA research, her contributions and why they are important.

Resources

NASA Quest bios: http://questdb.arc.nasa.gov/bio_search.htm

Engineer
Aerospace Engineer
Chemical Engineer
Computer Engineer
Electronics Engineer
Engineering Technician
Materials Engineer
Mechanical Engineer

The NASA Quest Chat Lesson PDF is focused on careers (first 2 objectives) and includes printable student sheets and details of how teachers can brainstorm questions for the chat and prepare for the chat. http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/educators/lessons/ChatLessons.pdf

Discover Engineering Online: http://www.discoverengineering.org/eweek/index.html
(Under the each Cool Stuff- What You Can Do, there is a lesson plan related to that engineering type)

Engineer’s Week: http://www.engineersweek.com/

Questions for each Objective

Educational Objectives	Questions
Students will reflect on the occupations held by the person(s) with whom they chatted and will decide whether the occupation matches their interests, skills or values.	How did you become interested in this profession? What skills are important to have this occupation? What do you like best about your job? What do you like least about your job?
Students will identify the occupation that they feel best fits their interests and abilities, the reasons why, the necessary skills and the education required for such a position.	What kind of education/training is necessary for this job? What kinds of classes do you recommend for this job? What are your interests? What kinds of interests are important for this job?

Educational Objectives	Questions
Students will compare and contrast the backgrounds, interests, talents and personalities of two NASA experts (engineers).	What most prepared you for this job? What talents do you have that have helped with this position? What personality traits do you have that are most helpful for this position?
Students will identify the characteristics, skills and abilities of the NASA expert with whom they chatted.	Questions: 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11
Students will compare and contrast the career paths of various women or minorities and draw conclusions about how to pursue their own career journey.	Describe your career path. What jobs did you have that led up to this position? What challenges did you face in getting this position? What classes did you take that helped prepare you for this position?
Students will write a biographical sketch about a person with whom they’ve chatted that will include a description of their occupation, challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them.	Describe a typical day in your work. What are your responsibilities? How did you overcome challenges that you faced? Questions: 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15
Students will define what an engineer is and what they do.	What does an engineer do? What kinds of projects do engineers work on? Questions: 16, 17, 3, 4
Students will identify 3 types of engineers and compare and contrast their work.	What are some different kinds of engineers? What is the difference between a _________engineer and a _______ engineer?

Educational Objectives	Questions
Students will identify objects, resources, structures or materials that are used on a daily basis and that are created by an engineer and will identify the type of engineer(s) that designed each. Students will categorize objects, resources, structures and materials by the types of engineer that created them.	What are some common things that we use every day that engineers have created? What kinds of engineers have worked on _______(X-38, space shuttle, ISS…)
After participating in an engineering event, students will describe how the engineer(s) use the engineering design process in their work. They will describe the specific project(s) the engineer worked on and site specific examples of the steps, tools used and challenges faced during design, development and evaluation phases of the product.	What project(s) have you worked on? What do you do in the design phase? (What steps do you take?) What do you do in the development phase? (What steps do you take?) What do you do in the evaluation phase? (What steps do you take?) What tools, charts or outcomes are produced or used during each phase? (sketches, blueprints, prototypes, reports…) What challenges have you faced at each stage?
Students will identify African Americans and/or women who have made significant contributions to science and NASA research, will describe these contributions and why they are important.	What do you consider to be your greatest contribution and why? How is your research important to NASA/ to science/ to the world?

(For Objective 8)

How to Create a Tri-Fold Venn Diagram:

(Adapted from Dinah Zike’s book Great Tables, Graphs, Charts, diagrams and Timelines You Can Make!)

Fold a clean piece of chart paper in half like a hot dog (length-wise).
Fold the hot dog into equal thirds.
Write a title on the front of the tri-fold chart book.
Write the date, class and period on the back.
Open the folded chart paper.
Place your hand under the valleys and cut up the two valleys to form three tabs.
On the front, draw 2 overlapping circles, so that they overlap in the center flap.
Write the name of the 2 types of engineers in each circle.
Below the middle flap, list the similarities that both engineer types share.
Below the first and third flaps list the characteristics that describe only that type of engineer.

(For Objective 7)

How to Create a Four-Door Book and Project:

(Adapted from Dinah Zike’s Big Book of Projects)

Make a shutter fold using 11"X 17" or 12"X 18" paper.
(A shutter fold is when you fold the two sides in to the center length-wise or hot dog style.)
Fold the shutter fold in half like a hamburger (width-wise). Crease well.
With the outside of the fold ("mountain") up, write the title of the project on one side,
and the student’s name, date and class information on the back.
Open the project and cut along the two inside ("valley") folds.
These cuts will form four doors on the inside of the project.
Write "What" "Where" "Why" and "How" on the front of each door.
Write descriptions answering the four questions under each door.

(For Objective 11)

How to Create a Multiple Flap Desk-Top Project:

(Adapted from Dinah Zike’s Big Book of Projects)

Fold 3 clean pieces of paper in half like a hot dog (length-wise).
Fold each hot dog into fourths.
Open the folded chart paper. Place your hand under the valleys and cut up the three valleys
to form four tabs or flaps.
Glue these folded sheets onto a large sheet of construction paper.
Write or glue the different sections on the Engineering Design
Process sheet on each of the three folded papers.
For example, the first paper would have "Name of engineer" at top and the Design process described on the first flap.
Each of the following 3 flaps would have the labels for Steps taken, Tools used and Challenges faced.

The Engineering Design Process

Name of engineer:

Type of engineer:

Product developed:

Design

identifying/defining a problem
looking for, generating, brainstorming and researching ideas
identifying criteria and specifying constraints

developing and selecting solutions
developing a design proposal (sketches/ blueprints)

Development

making the item (making a model or prototype)

Evaluation

testing and evaluating the design using specifications
make improvements to the design based on tests
making or creating it
sharing or presenting results

Steps taken

Tools used

Challenges faced (criteria/ constraints)