This morning we needed to get our experiment ready for approval by the Test Readiness Review committee. The committee includes about 15-20 NASA engineers and scientists. They came around to each team to approve the projects and check for safety . We had to present our experiment to them and then they asked us questions. If you think middle school is the only place you have to do rough drafts, look at all the markings on our presentation!
Our many drafts.
Unexpectedly, minutes before the Testing Readiness Review our experiment broke! The aluminum bar holding the spheres had split in half. Any ideas about why this happened? (comment below if you’d like to share).
Broken Aluminum Bar
As any scientist will tell you, these things happen, so we planned a course of action. When the committee came by, we explained what had happened and they offered to help us by making a new one. Phew!
The Test Readiness Review Committee inspects our experimentMrs. Spiegal explaining the experiment to TRR.
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Even better, we got to meet some astronauts! One of the astronauts will be the first female teacher to do a spacewalk next year. Allen Pointdexter has been the commander on several other shuttle flights. We were definitely thrilled to meet them.
I hope everyone at Two Rivers is doing well and please feel free to ask questions through the comment link below. Some questions I’d like you to think about and answer for me are:
Aside from learning to fly, what other things might astronauts practice in a shuttle simulator?
If you were on the Test Readiness Review committee, what questions would you ask the different teams?
Hi Ms. Tamborini
Sounds like you are having the experience of a lifetime. I’m pleased that you could demonstrate the value of revising rough drafts; the Wolves will be revising their essays (a summative assessment) tomorrow, and you have provided us with a real–life example of the value of this process. I also love the title of your latest blog! Very creative.
You are meeting some incredible people! We are looking forward to speaking to you on Thursday! We are proud of you!
Mrs. Brennan
Ms. Tamborini,
I think I know the answer as to why the aluminum bar broke. Is it because the Yield Strength and Ultimate strength of aluminum is much lower then say, cold rolled stainless steel or Titanium. Based on the photo provided, the hole in the bar obviously removed material causing a failure point. The bar looks like it had weights on each end causing stain on the bar and as the nut was tightened it caused a failure in the bar at the hole. Did I get an “A” for the day?
Looks like you are having an awesome experience, I can’t wait to hear all the stories.
Once quick question, can you describe the effects of a microgravity environment on vomit? Where does it go? Does the mass stay intact or does it disperse as it is not a solid and could possibly have sub masses of different weights? (somewhat inappropriate, but yet a valid question)
…man you’re lucky, I would love to do what you are doing.
M
Hi Miss. Tamborini! I hope the plane ride was a great experience. Lots of us wished we could have gone. A question I have for you is did it actually feel like you were an asturnaunt exploring the non gravity of space? I wish you were still here to teach our science class. We managed to be good for our subsitute without any problems. I cant wait until you come back to tell us all of the things you learned.
Sincerly,
Dianna Crawford