Think SMALL In A BIG Way

Note: The Stardust Educator's Guide is provided in PDF file format, and you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or later installed on your computer to read the files. The Adobe Acrobat Reader is free, and you can download it from this site:

http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html

• Introduction (PDF File - 729KB - 10 Pages)
  • Acknowledgements
  • About This Guide
  • National Science & Mathematics Standards Matrix

• Think SMALL in a BIG Way (PDF File - 107KB - 12 Pages)
  • Activity: Comet Cratering
    • Student-centered demonstration
    • Models impact cratering

• Comet Basics (PDF File - 127KB - 11 Pages)
  • Activity: Cookin' Up A Comet
    • Teacher-centered demonstration
    • Dramatically and physically models a comet
  • Activity: Incredible Edible Comet
    • Student activity
    • Makes a fun, tasty snack and model
  • Activity: Famous Comets
    • Student research and creative writing activity
    • Offers historically significant perspective on comets

• Comet Origins and Travels (PDF File - 98KB - 16 Pages)
  • Activity: Voyager of Discovery
    • Outdoor teacher-guided activity
    • Models the size of the planets and the distances between them
  • Activity: Elliptical Orbits
    • Student activity
    • Draws geometric shape: the ellipse

• Rendezvous with Wild 2 Comet (PDF File - 49KB - 8 Pages)
  • Activity: Feedback Loop
    • Cooperative student activity
    • Uses communication skills and technology
  • Activity: Navigation Simulation
    • Cooperative student activity
    • Uses communication skills, technology and mapping skills

• Spacecraft Design & Testing (PDF File - 53KB - 7 Pages)
  • Activity: Candy Model Spacecraft
    • Student activity
    • Aids internalization of spacecraft technology, parts with function
  • Activity: Egg Drop Sample Return Capsule
    • Cooperative student activity
    • Designs, builds, and tests a sample return capsule

• Technology for Studying Comets (PDF File - 154KB - 29 Pages)
  • Activity: Aerogel Clay Collector
    • Cooperative student activity
    • Designs an experiment; builds and tests a device; requires peer review of experiment design; and replicates experiment results.
  • Activity: Paint by the Numbers
    • Cooperative student activity
    • Uses binary number system to code and decode images

• Fact Sheets (PDF File - 154KB - 12 Pages)
  • Student Resources
  • Crater Fact Sheet
  • Comet Fact Sheet
  • Kuiper Belt & Oort Cloud Fact Sheet
  • Stardust Mission Fact Sheet
  • Stardust Spacecraft Fact Sheet
  • Aerogel Fact Sheet

• Vocabulary & Resources (PDF File - 166KB - 5 Pages)