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Space Station Design Project

A 5th Grade STEM Lesson

Susan Matteson

3/18/2023

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Notes for Teachers

This usually takes 2-3 weeks to complete all the parts.

Students should work in groups of no more than 3.

Emphasis should be on completing a model space station with the required parts.

Creativity is encouraged. Students should NOT copy the International Space Station. I’ve had everything from stations designed as cats to robots.

List of Materials

Sticky notes and large paper OR Padlet
Copy paper, rulers, compass or other items to use to create circles
Small boxes, egg cartons, construction paper, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, ANYTHING you can think of! I usually ask families to start saving items a couple weeks before we begin.
Glue, hot glue, tape, masking tape
Video: Departing Space Station Commander Provides Tour of Orbital Laboratory

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Standards

Science

5.E2U1.7: Develop, revise, and use models based on evidence to construct explanations about the movement of the Earth and Moon within our solar system.

Mathematics

5.NF.B.5: Interpret multiplication as scaling (resizing), by: a. Comparing the size of a product to the size of one factor on the basis of the size of the other factor, without performing the indicated multiplication.

Standards

English Language Arts

5.SL.1: c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others

5.SL.5: Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

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Objectives:

We will know the parts of a space station.

We will design a space station.

We will build a model of a space station.

We will present our model to our teacher and classmates, and answer questions.

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Agenda (2-3 weeks)

Day 1: Introduce the project and rubrics. I have students write what surprised them the most about the space station on their sticky note then we discuss it.

Days 2-10: Students design and build their model.

Days 11-15: Student groups present their models to the class.

Video, sticky notes, discussion, blueprint.

Teacher supervises as students work on designing and building their model.

Using the rubric, students present their models to the class.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

Present video: Departing Space Station Commander Provides Tour of Orbital Laboratory

Blueprint: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ISS_blueprint.png

Present project and rubrics:

Space Station Project

Space Station Rubric

Space Station Model Planning Rubric

Space Station Model Presentation Rubric

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Groups not larger than 3.
Students design their space station and create their blueprint.
Once they have their blueprint completed, they should begin gathering materials and building their space station model.
Teacher should supervise the use of hot glue.

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Assessment

Model

Space Station Rubric

Presentation:

Space Station Model Presentation Rubric

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Differentiation

Students struggling with a design: Encourage them to design a part first, such as the solar array, then what will they attach it to? Once they begin with a part, they usually are able to design a station.

Extension/Enrichment

Students who finish their space station model early should write explaining why their design is best and how it will function for astronauts.

Remediation