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SKILLS FOR TOMORROW, INSPIRATION FOR A LIFETIME

We use the interesting and inspirational nature of space science to give our students practice in the fundamentals of physics, algebra, arithmetic, statistics, geometry, and other subjects. We also introduce them to ideas and exercises in programming and experimental techniques to build practical skills and experience.

How many lessons are there in the Phoenix Space Program?

There are 30 theory lessons and 10 programming and electronics lessons. Some lessons have been split into two by teachers depending on the time available to teach so the exact length of the program varies slightly based on teacher, cohort, and location.

What does a lesson entail?

Each lesson is approximately 1-1.5 hours of teaching time. This includes covering learning objectives, an introduction, examples, exercises, extensions, summaries, and homework, as well as a practical exercise that can be completed at home with very little equipment.

How are lessons delivered?

Lessons are currently delivered remotely via web meetings due to government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes were in person prior to the pandemic, and will resume being in-person once it is safe to do so. Balloon camps and the satellite experiment will be in-person. Onsite lessons are presented at partner locations, community centers, and refugee camps in several locations in the Middle East.

Curriculum for the Phoenix Space Program

Our curriculum covers a variety of topics and learning objectives. Each topic is usually covered one week at a time and has homework and project work associated with it.

Click to expand each area for more details

  • Students will understand why they are in the course and what to expect
  • Get them used to the format of the class and test their basic logic and arithmetic skills
  • Understand the basic input —> processing —> output model of a computer and the idea of commands.
  • Be able to create a basic program on Scratch
  • Understand the application and importance of equations to a real life situation.
  • Be introduced to common equations and gain experience manipulating them and substituting in values.
  • Understand how computers are useful for automating repetitive tasks described by equations and create examples of this in Scratch.
  • Understand the key features of electricity: it carries energy and can be easily controlled in size and direction, which makes it useful for controlling machines
  • Understand that for electricity to flow it needs complete circuits and different arrangements of components produce different flows.
  • Gain experience in trial and error and experimentation when developing circuits.
  • Be introduced to the Arduino and understand how it takes inputs (things we plug in), processes (how we tell it to), and produces outputs (all with electricity)
  • Become familiar with the Arduino IDE and the use of the breadboard to attach components.
  • Become familiar with the idea of reusing and adapting pre-existing code to create own projects.
  • Follow detailed diagrams to create Arduino circuits
  • Understand how electrical circuits can use buttons, LDRs, and thermistors to take input in binary, digital and analog form.
  • Follow detailed diagrams to create Arduino circuits.
  • Learn to send input to the serial monitor.
  • Understand what a light gate is, and make an Arduino circuit that uses two light gates to measure the time between two events.
  • Understand that the true power of computers is combining input and output, and identify them in a few choice cases.
  • Learn to troubleshoot code, looking for small mistakes like unclosed brackets, missing semicolons and mistyped variables.
  • Learn to add comments to sections of code to make them easier to read.
  • Follow detailed instructions to create a simple Arduino input/output project like a distance calculator.
  • Learn the purpose of a spreadsheet as a way to collect, display, and process data.
  • Use a basic formula to generate functions that complete simple tasks like sums, differences, and products.
  • Learn how to display data as a graph to answer questions about it.
  • Collect time series data from an Arduino experiment, process it, and draw a conclusion from it.
  • Understand and/or revise the structure of the atom and know the four important terms: electrons, neutrons, protons, nucleus.
  • Be able to interpret the periodic table to determine the number of each particle.
  • Understand that radiation is a form of energy and particles that leave the nucleus at high speed.
  • Have a basic understanding of how different forms of radiation are blocked.
  • Discussion of the harmful and useful effects of radiation.
  • Understand the idea of background radiation – the natural level of radiation.
  • Calculate and appreciate half-lives.
  • Understand that certain rocks, leftover nuclear material, and particles from space all contribute towards radiation.
  • Understand we can count the number of particles using technology like a camera left on long exposure. Count the number of particles.
  • Know that radiation counts can be measured using a Geiger counter and that we must measure the count rate.
  • Understand the structure of the earth from the core to outer space, and at what we encounter along the way.
  • Understand that gravity is a force that keeps the atmosphere bound to the planet.
  • Understand that forces acting against gravity can cause objects to rise, like thrust or buoyancy.
  • Know the basic ways that humans have reached the top of the atmosphere: rockets, balloons, planes, guns, and how we might get there in the future.
  • Learn the principle of density and that hot fluids expand, reducing their density.
  • Make a (tethered) mini-hot air balloon using a very small bag and candle or maybe steam.
  • Understand the physics of thrust and make a matchhead rocket which can be optimized for distance.
  • Making a parachute to get these things back down to earth safely
  • Explain and appreciate the utility of high-altitude balloons.
  • Understand how they rise, burst, and fall back to earth.
  • Understand that we will combine our skills in data collection, graphing, radiation, and atmospheric structure to collect radiation levels at many points.
  • Develop skills in explaining these ideas to siblings, parents, and peers.
  • Understand that geometry is the measurement of space, distance, volume, and area.
  • Know there are 360° in a circle, 180° in a half turn, 90° in a right angle and apply these facts to solve problems.
  • Use Pythagoras’ theorem to calculate distances in two dimensions.
  • Learn to use the formula for speed, use 2pi*r for orbit, and Pythagoras for distance.
  • Carry out calculations on all three forms of the equation equally well.
  • Apply these problems to orbital situations.
  • Calculate speeds of each planet and investigate why it is so cold on Pluto
  • Using an Arduino sensor, graph the inverse square law.
  • Calculate acceleration using a formula.
  • Understand that unbalanced forces create acceleration
  • Calculate acceleration using empirical data.
  • Understand the idea that energy is something which is related to movement, and cannot be created or destroyed.
  • Learn that energy is being transferred between two forms: potentials and kinetic.
  • Learn the formula behind kinetic energy and use it to compare the kinetic energy of various objects.
  • Learn the formula for GPE.
  • Calculate the mean, mode, median, range, and outliers from a source of data.
  • Apply these to real life data sets.
  • Understand that statistics is important to sum up data beyond the scope of our memories.
  • Collect data and process it.
  • Calculate the areas of squares, rectangles triangles, circles and compound shapes based on these.
  • Calculate the volumes of cubes and cuboids.
  • Apply this to physical and described objects.
  • Understand the concept of optimization – maximizing strength and volume, reducing heat loss, and minimizing weights.

We routinely incorporate additional, and update current, topic areas and lessons, to assure that the curriculum is effective and up to date.

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