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STEAM – WEEK 9 November 8th
SATELLITES
C1/C2/C3:
Read book about satellites from library
Taken from http://www.space.com/24839-satellites.html
Ask the class; What is a satellite?
A satellite is an object in space that orbits or circles around a bigger object.
Demonstrate a satellite by having an older child stand in place and have a younger child orbit
around them. Demonstrate different orbits by adding another younger child walking around
the same stationary child in a larger circle.
Define two types of satellites.
There are two kinds of satellites: natural (such as the moon orbiting the Earth) or artificial (such
as the International Space Station orbiting the Earth).
C1 (break-out into a separate class for this activity):
Assemble satellite. Name your satellite and describe what it will do.
Supplies Needed:
Origami paper (for payload)
Construction paper (for solar arrays)
Fold construction paper in half, long ways. Cut along the fold line. Make a large checkered
pattern for the panels on the solar arrays. Then, glue solar arrays onto the body of the satellite.
Color picture of satellite.
http://coloringbookillustrator.blogspot.com/2013/08/satellite-orbiting-earth-coloringpage.html
C2/C3:
Remember back when we talked about the solar system a few weeks ago.
Quick recap on Solar System: Remember the solar system is like the Earth’s neighborhood.
Ask the class who remembers the Earth’s neighbors/other planets in the solar system? What is
their order with respect to distance from the sun? (4 inner smaller planets that are rocky;
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and 4 outer planets that are gas giants; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
and Neptune)
There are dozens upon dozens of natural satellites in the solar system, with almost every planet
having at least one moon. Saturn, for example, has at least 53 natural satellites, and one
artificial one — the Cassini spacecraft, which is exploring the ringed planet and its moons.
Whereas, the Earth has one natural satellite (the moon) and lots of artificial satellites (about
500,000). Only a small portion of these artificial satellites are in use. The rest is just junk
floating around and it’s all tracked by scientists on earth.
Show pictures of artificial satellites
(Google Satellites and show images)
Discuss how even though they all look similar; they all have different functions.
Ask the class; why would anyone want to put a satellite in space?
Imaging (taking pictures), Communication, Sat TV, Sat Radio, Weather Monitoring, GPS
Imaging Satellite with Google Earth
Show interactive perspective.
There are 3 main groups of satellites. Fixed satellite services handle billions of voice, data, and
video transmissions. Mobile satellite systems used for navigation (GPS) and to connect remote
ships, aircraft, etc. Scientific research satellites for meteorological data, land survey images, and
other scientific research functions.
Ask class; How do satellites go into orbit?
Via rockets… Most satellites in orbit today were launched by a Delta II ELV
Why do they have to be in space? Why can’t all this stuff be done from Earth?
Discuss how mountains and buildings make it hard to take pictures and make it hard for signals
to pass through. Use loosing radio stations as you travel to define concept.
C2 (break-out into a separate class for this activity):
Make their own satellite. Name satellite and define what the satellite does. Draw satellite as
shown in the link below.
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/learn-to-draw-space-pictures
Supplies Needed:
Paper
Pencil
Eraser
C3 (only):
What do satellites do?
Draw a picture on the board showing satellite functionality (uplink, downlink). Draw a picture of
Satellite TV or XM Radio function.
Show pictures of Satellites and describe major components;
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/build-a-spacecraft/en/
Show BrainPop video clip on satellites.
Video on how a satellite is designed:
http://nationalgeographic.org/media/so-you-want-build-satellite/
Make a model of the TIMED satellite:
http://www.spaceacademy.jhuapl.edu/shared_files/Activities/TIMED_byosc.pdf
Supplies Needed:
Print-out for TIMED satellite