Family Space Day Overview - Robotics

Family Space Day is a three hour event. The activities are set up so that children
and parents can select the order in which they undertake activities. Parents and
children are encouraged to learn, play, and explore together.

Objectives of the Day

  • Children will:
    learn about some of the types of robots being used in the space program,
    and how they are being used.
  • learn how robots help NASA’s science missions.
  • use robots to undertake tasks, just as NASA scientists and engineers do!

Activities

Station 1: Driving Over Distances
Children learn the difficulties of maneuvering a rover from a remote location
by directing a rover through obstacles while watching it on a monitor.

Station 2: Robotic Arms
Children discover the challenges that astronauts face while completing an
EVA mission on the International Space Station by guiding a robotic arm.

Station 3: Make Your Own Robotic Rover
Children learn about rovers while building their own!

Station 4: What Can My Rover Do?
Children learn about the capabilities of rovers as they design and create
instruments to place on their rovers using craft items.

Station 5: The Robot in Me!
Children synthesize the information they have learned through the activities
to imagine and illustrate a human-sized humanoid robot of their own.

Station 6: Coloring Sheets and Games
Children relax and color and play simple games related to robotics.

Station 7: Reading Room
Children and their parents browse and read a selection of books about
robotics (refer to book list for suggested reading).

Other Materials

Facilitator Information – Robotics
Explore Robotics – Book and Website References
All About Robotics – A Robotics Fact Sheet

 

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