Engage and Educate Advanced High School Students
Advanced students require challenging materials to keep them focused on their studies and to help provide them insight into the limitless array of options in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
NASA's Math and Science @ Work project provides challenging supplemental problems for students in advanced STEM classes (grades 10-12), based on space exploration topics. These problems are formatted to practice for the "free response" section of an AP exam. This project engages students by providing real world applications to promote critical thinking and problem-solving while exposing students to careers working in space exploration.
Currently, problems are available for advanced Physics and Calculus courses. Additional problems are scheduled to be developed for Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, and other advanced courses.
SPACE EXPLORATION SERIES:
Calculus
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Lunar Surface Communications
Future outposts on the Moon will require lunar surface equipment to maintain communications with Earth. Students will use differentiation - chain rule to derive a solution to this space exploration problem.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (250 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (147 KB)
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Physics
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Lunar Surface Instrumentation
On the lunar surface, environmental sensors and instruments will need to be placed within proximity of a lunar outpost. Students will work with vector addition to find an answer to this space exploration problem.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (213 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (189 KB)
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Lunar Surface Instrumentation: Part II
Students will analyze two different approaches for completing a task based on a number of constraints and will determine the optimal method. Students will apply vector addition, as well as critical thinking skills.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (230 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (170 KB)
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CELEBRATING APOLLO SERIES:
Overview of Series
NASA’s Apollo Program had a great effect on the recent history and politics of the United States. US History students will be exposed to this rich history as they interpret its meaning and connection with other events in that time period. They will analyze primary and secondary sources to answer document-based essay questions that evaluate their understanding of a particular topic related to the Apollo Program.
In our efforts to better understand space, NASA’s Apollo Program also helped give a greater understanding of the Earth. Students in Human Geography will learn about different aspects of the Apollo program and analyze the social and environmental consequences as they answer a free-response styled question.
U.S. History
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The Presidents and the Development of NASA
Students will interpret primary and secondary sources to evaluate the role that Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon played in the development of the space program. Students will analyze their responses in meeting challenges of the space race and their effectiveness in doing so.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (899 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (681 KB)
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Human Geography
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The Impact of NASA Center Locations
Students will learn about the process involved in determining the location of two NASA centers—the Johnson Space Center and the Kennedy Space Center. Students will answer a free-response question analyzing the human and physical advantages and disadvantages associated with the location of these centers. They will also analyze the political influences involved in the site selection process.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (305 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (185 KB)
+ Download Activity PDF (126 KB)
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Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Students will learn about the collaboration of the United States and the Soviet Union during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Students will analyze the centrifugal and centripetal forces that were evident during the time frame as they explain the relationship the United States had with the Soviet Union regarding Space Exploration.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (310 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (215 KB)
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Immigration and Its Effects on NASA
This problem introduces students to the immigration involvement as NASA’s Apollo program began. Students will analyze the economic and social effect of migration on Eastern Europe and the United States in the mid-20th century as it relates to this topic.
+ Download Educator Edition PDF (71 KB)
+ Download Student Edition PDF (56 KB)
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COMING SOON! (2009-2010 school year)
Mission Control Center Series:
Student will learn how flight controllers in the Space Shuttle Mission Control Center use math and science during a space shuttle mission.
Using advanced high school science and math concepts, along with real NASA data, students will apply their knowledge and critical thinking to solve problems. Students will also gain exposure to
various NASA careers. Problems will target advanced high school Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses.
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Get Involved!
Feedback and suggestions for future problems will come from AP educators – just like you! Please take a minute to complete the feedback form included on the last page of the Educator Edition of each problem. Your input will help improve these products and will help us to create new, useful materials.
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