Liberty Science Center 10th Grade:

Liberty Science Center 10^th Grade:

Designing an Underwater Research Base

Grade Levels 10-12
LEARNING STANDARDS
Using appropriate technology.
Relationships and common themes.
Problem solving in the real world.
TOPICS COVERED
Rocks
Weathering
PRE VISIT
PURPOSE
How can we design an under water research base?
OBJECTIVE
Explain rock weathering.
Explain the process of rock weathering.
Design an under water research base.

PRE VISIT LAB
Materials: Pencil 1 tablespoon 915 ml.) Soil, spoon, scissors, modeling clay, 2 paper cups, sheet of black construction paper, paper plate, and tap water (in a pitcher)

Mix soil and salt in the cup use the spoon.
Cut construction to fit the base of the plate.
Use pencil punch 6 holes in the bottom of the paper cup. Place coffee filter inside the cup.
Pour the soil salt into the cup.
Make legs out of the clay to support the soil salt cup.
Pour the water into the cup until drains. Allow draining for one day. Predict what the cup will look like in 24-hours. Let paper dry overnight.
Discuss why are their crystals of salt on the construction paper.
Remove cup and examine it closely. Is it the same shape it was before? Try to scrape the crystals off the paper. What happens? Wet the paper again hang it to dry. What does it look like?
VISIT
1. Torsional wave. Invention floor lower level. Look up into the atrium. Quickly move the lever once to the right and left and then release. Watch the wave rise to the top and come back down. Count how many times it reaches the
top and comes back down. What types of building material might be used to create a structure strong enough to resist the stresses of a torsional wave?
2. Resonance Tube Invention floor lower level. Push the bottom and turn the knob to the right and then to the left. Watch what happens to the little foam balls inside the tube. How will the research base you design be able to cope with the disruptive energy of sound wave motion through an aqueous medium?
3. Ocean Renewable Environment floor third level. Try the activities at the ocean station. Observe the process used to create energy from the water in the tanks. How will the subject being studied affect the design of the base? Will energy for running the research base come from the surrounding ocean?
Assessment traditional A, B, C, scale. Quality and accuracy of information gathered at LSC. Completion of the visit. Creativity.
For the research base answer the following questions.
Who will be using it?
How many people will be in it at a time?
How long will they be in it?
How will supplies get there?
How does the ocean floor assist you in deciding what type of building you will design?
What type of research will be done in the base?
What equipment will be needed? What elements will your facility encounter?

MSTEP Webmaster | NYU home page | School of Education | School of Education Webmaster