Elementary Education Program

General Description

EEP (Elementary Educational Program) is a program whereby Spacesim teaches elementary level students from across the city about space and space sciences. This program, run by our EEP commanders, reaches out to inform people within the area of the existance of spacesim, as well as providing income and educating young people about space and space sciences.

During EEPs, students from various elementary schools visit our facility where they spend either half, or a whole day learning about space in various interactive ways, not limited to stations, contrary to popular belief.

Types of EEPs

there are three major programs offered by sim. These are, in order of sophistication and age group:

Galactic Tours/Pit Demo (K-4)

This program consists of a "tour of the Solar System". in this program, the participants are given a "galactic passport", and will visit various "stations", each with an interactive station which will teach the participant about a planet. This is essentially an elaborate "Pit Demo", with lots more detail and information added, but the terms "Pit Demo", and "galactic tours" can be, and often are used in conjunction, and mean essentially the same thing.

Pit Demo Stations

Mercury- Here, the participants learn about the orbits of the planets

venus- here, the participants learn about the greenhouse effect, using a bright floodlight, and a jug coated in paint, which mimics the atmosphere of Venus.

Earth- We skip this one.

Mars- Here, we teach the participants about meteor impacts. W have a large container of flour, representing the mantle of a planet, with a top layer of coca powder to simulate the crust of the planet. The participants are welcome to throw various objects into the bin, which will simulate an asteroid strike accdurately.

Jupiter- Here, we explain gravity, and how larger planets have much greater gravity than smaller ones. Here, we have the participants jump on a trampoline, representing the G on Earth. We then restrain the participant, to represent the G on a larger planet. Then we use the infameous Jupiter donkey to represent the gravity on Jupiter.

Saturn- Here, we explain the principles of centrifugal force, using a salad spinner and tiny paper stars.

Uranus- No demo present. We are contemplating a demonstration of methane spectra.

Neptune- We demonstrate cold; in a cool, explosive sorta way. We do deomnstrations using liquid nitrogen, and showing the various effects a substance that cold has.

Pluto- We demonstrate the techniques used by astronomers to seperate solar bodies from stars.

Cosmic Sciences (4-6

This program is similar to a Galactic tours, but is more advanced, with many more stations.

Statons:

Pit Demo- (see above)

Electrostatics- Here, we do various activities demonstrating the effects of electrostatics using our van der graff generator, and various objects. unfortunately, i am still awaiting an English version of the Spiel, so I cannot give any more than pure speculation beyond what I have already said.

Newtonian physics- Here, we teach the participants about the basic laws of motion, which are innertia, friction, and momentum. We use our frictionless carts to demonstrate innertia, and our hovercraft to demonstrate friction, or lack of it, and how it applies to space.

Rocketry- Here, the participants learn about the means of propulsion, and of the principles of orbits. In this station, we have a 1:96 scale model of the Saturn V rocket as a demonstrator to how rocket stages work. We also have a piece of fire-resistant ceramic, similar to what the shuttle has, and demonstrate its effectiveness using a propane torch.

Sattelites (7-8)

Here, the participants get to design their own rocket, using a list of pre-determined parts. It is up to them to define the sattelite's purpose, and provide market data that will prove the sattelite's worth. The sattelites are then judged, and the group with the most profitable design will be declared the winner. The intent of this is to teach the participants the basics of designing for profitablilty, and the concept of supply/demand.

Mini-Missions (all ages)

Often confused with "training missions", a mini-mission is a mission conducted solely by participants. Here, the participants undergo a mission similar to out 96 hour main mission. This program is probably the best of all of the programs due to its flexability. We can tailor-make experiments for the age group, or even have the participant make their own experiments. The mission may last from a half-day to as long as we can humanely go (4 days is regarded as the maximum, but we can, and will gladly go over). This activity may be done by one class, or more than one if we have multiple-days, and various dockings with space stations and crew transfers.

The Educational Branch

EEPs, along with the Planatarium program, compose the educational branch of Spacesim. Spacesim typicaly charges $125 for a half-day or $175 for a full day. The half-day programs are cosmic sciences, and galactic tours. for mini-missions, we generally charge 175 for each full day, but the costs are flexable for long-haul missions.

Leadership

Every year, one or two Spacesim members take charge of the EEP program: its organisation, dissemination of information, recruitment of presenters, verification of presentation facts, and making sure no checks bounce (that was a bit of humour). The EEP Commanders occupy places of great importance, and it's thanks to their efforts that Spacesim continues to function.