Collated Version of PE Activities - STEM



Mission X – PE Teachers’ Guidelines

Feel free to adapt these guidelines to fit the needs of your students and the equipment you have available. Share your ideas for improving our programme on the Mission X blog.

Find video demonstrations of Mission X activities at training

Mission X Journal

The Mission X Journal helps students organize their physical activities. Students could use a simple notebook to jot down practice times, collect data and reflect on their progress.

They could:

• set weekly physical activity goals

• record data

• make daily observations about their physical performance.

Encourage students to record observations in their Mission Journals before and after each session. They could add photographs, blog entries or graphs to show their progress.

Ask your students:

• Can you name a type of physical activity that became easier to do over time?

• Which body parts did the activity strengthen?

• Why do you think the activity became easier?

• Which daily tasks might become easier if you continue with this activity?

• How might astronauts benefit from this activity?

• How did environmental challenges affect your performance?

• What environmental challenges might astronauts face in space?

Safety

Stress the proper technique for all physical activities.

• Ensure students have enough to drink before and after exercise.

• Watch for signs of overheating.

• Incorporate warm-up/stretching and cool-down periods in each session.

Special Needs

Most of the activities can be adapted for students of varying abilities. You may wish to:

• Pair students with a more able student or adult.

• Shorten the course, reduce the number of repeats, widen the agility course to accommodate wheel chairs etc.

• Stress that astronauts on return to earth have limited mobility

• Note that Stephen Hawking was able to enjoy ZeroG without his wheelchair.

• Use larger or lighter balls.

Find your Heart Rate

Before undertaking the following activities, ask students to find their heart rates (pulses). Students should then calculate their target heart rates and see how closely the two measures tally. Students should record their heart rates and target heart rates in their Mission Journals.

Tell students: “Your heart rate or pulse is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. Your pulse rate may be different to that of your classmates. Your pulse is lower when you are at rest and increases when you exercise. Your pulse goes up because more oxygen-rich blood is needed by the body when you exercise.”

Find a pulse on your wrist

1. Place the tips of your index, second and third fingers on the palm side of your other wrist, below the base of the thumb.

2. Move your fingers to just below the thumb base and press down lightly until you feel a throbbing sensation in your wrist.

3. Use a stopwatch to count the beats you feel for 10 seconds.

4. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate (pulse) per minute.

Find a pulse on your neck

1. Place the tips of your index and second fingers on your lower neck, on either side of your windpipe.

2. Press down lightly until you feel a throbbing sensation.

3. Use a stopwatch to count the beats you feel for 10 seconds.

4. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate (pulse) per minute.

Target heart rate

220 minus your age, multiplied by 0.7 equals your Target Heart Rate (THR)

|What is a normal pulse? |

|Age Group |Normal Heart Rate at Rest |

|Children (Ages 6 to 15) |70 to 100 beats per minute |

Base Station Walk-back

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform a walk to improve lung, heart and other muscle endurance

• record observations about improvements in their physical endurance using data about their lungs, hearts and other muscles.

Introduction

Whether exploring the cratered moon or the rocky terrain of Mars, astronauts need transport. Go-cart like vehicles called rovers assist with carrying sample collections, transporting crew members and other daily operations. NASA sets limits (up to 10 km or 6.2 mi) on how far a rover can be driven from its base station, in case of mechanical problems. Crew members must be capable of walking back to their base station, if necessary.

Before their mission, astronauts undergo training (under the supervision of NASA Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation Specialists) to ensure they can perform mission tasks such as a “walk-back”. Walking or jogging improves muscular endurance, as well as heart and lung endurance (cardio-respiratory endurance). Regular exercise on Earth and in space helps crew members maintain their endurance.

A spacesuit has a major impact on an astronaut’s physical performance in a walk-back. During exercise on Earth, your body heats up, but as perspiration evaporates, you cool down again. In a space suit, perspiration does not evaporate. Astronauts must wear liquid cooling garments under their spacesuits. These contain tubes to circulate water around the body to cool it.

NASA engineers and scientists give crew members plenty of practice at moving in their spacesuits. Trainees practice numerous tasks underwater in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center, to simulate a reduced-gravity environment.

NASA scientists use bed rest – lying down for up to 90 days – as a way to simulate reduced gravity. Bed-rest subjects walk on a vertical treadmill while in a lying-down position, to simulate lunar gravity and walking on the moon.

Timing

15 to 30 minutes

Location

A safe walking surface.

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• Smart phone, pedometer or measuring wheel

• Stopwatch

Procedure

• Sprint 100m (110 yards)

• Walk 100m (110 yards)

• Repeat this four times

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• How far did you get?

• What happened to your heart rate?

• Where does the energy you are using come from?

• What do your legs feel like now compared to the first time you tried this activity?

• How has your breathing changed during the activity?

• How did your body cool itself during the activity?

• How well would your body cool itself if you were wearing a thick coat?

• What challenges might astronauts face on a walk-back to their base station?

• How might these challenges affect their performance?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• heart rate (beats per minute)

• respiration rate (breaths per minute)

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10).

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of how sweaty or thirsty they feel

• a description of how sore they feel in various parts of their bodies.

Crew Strength Training

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform body-weight squats and push-ups to develop upper and lower body strength

• record observations about improvements in strength training in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

NASA researchers are working to lessen hazardous muscle atrophy (muscle wasting) and loss of bone density in astronauts on long space flights. Injured or weak crew members will not perform well, endangering everyone aboard. The crew must be in top physical condition to complete its mission.

Astronauts also need strong muscles and bones to explore a lunar or Martian surface. They must be able to lift, bend, build, manoeuvre and even exercise. If a crew member trips or falls, muscle and bone strength can make the difference between returning to work, or ending the mission and returning to Earth.

On Earth, strong muscles and bones are important to health and physical fitness. Severe muscle atrophy or bone loss in space could mean crew members might fail to recover their pre-flight physical condition back on Earth. Astronauts do regular exercise and strength training before, during and after a mission to keep their muscles and bones strong.

Performing multi-joint weight-bearing exercises, such as the push-up for upper body strength and the squat for lower body strength, helps develop stronger muscles and bones.

Timing

15 to 30 minutes

Location

A flat, dry surface with a wall nearby. Students should be at least an arm’s length apart.

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• Stopwatch

• Balance ball (optional)

Safety

Push-ups should be done with arms extended (but not locked), and level with the chest. Students who cannot do standard push-ups should begin with bent-knee push-ups (knees on the ground).

Procedure

• Complete five squats, holding the last squat for 30 seconds

• Complete five more squats, holding the last squat for 60 seconds

• Rest for 60 seconds

• Do this three times for a total of 30 squats

• Extension: complete 10 to 25 push-ups on a balance ball

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress

• How do you feel?

• How many repetitions did you do?

• How did your upper/lower body feel during the repetitions?

• What do your arms and legs feel like now compared to when you first tried this activity?

• On the moon or Mars, do you think you would feel the same way?

• Where does the energy you are using come from?

• What muscles do you feel you are working?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10)

• how many correct repetitions were performed

• length of rest period

• respirations (breaths per minute)

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of their performance technique

• a description of how sore they feel in various parts of their bodies

• a description of any shakiness or muscle cramps.

Do a Spacewalk

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform “bear crawls” and “crab walks” to strengthen muscles and improve co-ordination

• record observations about their strength and co-ordination in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

In space, astronauts must perform tasks that require muscle strength and co-ordination, including Extra Vehicular Activities (EVAs) or spacewalks. On spacewalks, crew members check the outside of vehicles such as the space shuttle or International Space Station and make repairs or modifications if necessary. They rely on their upper body strength and co-ordination to move around the vehicle

Although safely tethered to the space vehicle, crew members still have to endure long periods of work and tough conditions. Astronauts must manipulate their fingers inside large, thick gloves, perhaps for hours at a time. A spacewalk also involves co-ordinating arm and leg movements to move around, or “translate”. Astronauts prepare for EVAs by practising these strenuous tasks underwater at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center.

On Earth, muscle strength and co-ordination are important for physical fitness and many everyday tasks. You can increase your muscular strength and co-ordination with exercises such as the bear crawl and crab walk.

Timing

15 to 30 minutes

Location

A smooth surface, at least 12 m (40 ft) in length. Students should be an arm’s length apart.

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• Tape measure or metre stick

• Ankle weights 0.5 to 1.36 kg (1 to 3lb) ankle weights (optional)

• Stopwatch

Procedure

• Complete a 6 m (20 ft) relay with other classmates.

• Travel the measured distance doing the crab walk

• Return to the starting place doing the bear crawl

• Repeat three times.

• Extension: complete an 18 m (60 ft) relay

• Further extension: repeat the relay using ankle weights

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• How far did you go?

• How does the bear crawl feel compared to the crab walk?

• How do your arms and legs feel now compared to when we first tried this activity?

• Where does the energy you use come from?

• Why might muscular strength and co-ordination be important for a spacewalk?

• Do you think this activity would feel different if conducted in space?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10)

• length of time activity was performed without rest

• distance travelled

• length of rest period.

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of their performance technique

• a description of how sore they feel in various parts of their bodies

• a description of any shakiness or muscle cramps.

Jump for the Moon

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform jump training with a rope, to increase bone strength

• record observations about improvements in their training in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

On Earth, humans experience the effects of gravity as a constant force, pulling on the human body. This constant force is essential for building the healthy, strong bones.

The force can be increased and bones can be made stronger by doing regular weight-bearing activities such as jumping, walking, running or dancing. This is especially important when we are young, as this is when our skeletons are most responsive to exercise.

Astronauts undergo physical training to ensure their bones are strong enough for their mission.

Once in space, bones in the lower torso and legs are most affected by the reduced gravity and are more likely than others to suffer bone loss. NASA engineers “artificially load” astronauts by providing harnesses for them to wear that strap them to treadmills while they exercise.

On returning to Earth, astronauts continue to exercise and eat properly in an effort to build up their bone strength. They have their bone mineral density (BMD) tested up to three years after they return, to ensure their bones are as strong and healthy as they were before they left.

Bone strength can be improved just by jumping – or jumping over a rope.

Timing

15 to 30 minutes

Location

A flat, dry surface with room to travel. Students should be two arm lengths apart.

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• Skipping ropes

• Stopwatch

Safety

Students should:

• use a jump rope appropriate for their height

• bend their knees slightly when landing

• aim to land on the balls of their feet, then sink to their heels.

Procedure

• Skip on the spot for 60 seconds without stopping

• Rest for 30 seconds

• Repeat this activity three times

• Repeat the activity, but travelling forward with each jump

• As above, incorporating jump jacks

• Increase the time to one minute and then to two minutes

• Increase the number of jumps per time period

• Jump on one foot or with both feet together.

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• How long did you jump without stopping?

• How does staying stationary feel different from moving?

• What happened to your heart rate?

• Did you sweat?

• How do you think this activity might help your bone strength?

• Why might maintaining bone strength be a challenge for astronauts in space?

• What muscles do you feel you are working as you jump?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10)

• distance travelled

• length of rest period

• respirations (breaths per minute)

• heart rate (beats per minute)

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of how sweaty or thirsty they feel

• a description of how sore they feel in various parts of their bodies

• a description of any shakiness or muscle cramps.

Mission Control

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• throw and catch standing on one foot to improve balance and spatial awareness

• record observations about balance and spatial awareness in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

On Earth, we use a variety of cues to sense the position of our bodies. We use touch and pressure cues (such as the weight we exert on our feet when standing) and visual cues (such as ceilings and floors) to decide our position. Our sense of being upright is determined by the pull of gravity, sensed by the balance organs of our inner ears.

In low-gravity environments, the brain must re-learn how to use these sensory signals. In space, astronauts free-float, so there are no pressure cues on the bottoms of their feet. There may be no distinct floors or ceilings in a spacecraft and the balance organs of the inner ear are no longer subject to the familiar gravitational pull.

As they adjust to these new conditions, astronauts may experience disorientation and nausea for the first few days in space. When they return to Earth, they must re-learn the cues of a higher-gravity environment. Driving a car or flying a plane may be off-limits until the astronaut’s sense of balance and spatial awareness adjusts.

Balance and spatial awareness, along with overall fitness, can be improved by simple throwing and catching practice.

Timing

15 to 30 minutes.

Location

Flat, dry surface with access to a solid wall. Students should be an arm’s length apart from the wall and each other.

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• Tennis balls

• Stopwatch

• Small trampoline (optional)

• Balance beam (optional)

Procedure

Students should be barefoot and balance on the ball of one foot as they:

• Bounce a tennis ball off a wall while balancing on one foot. Do this for 60 seconds.

• Without taking a break, change legs and balance on the opposite foot for 60 seconds.

• Take a 30 second break and repeat this routine five times.

• Extension: repeat the activity while balancing one foot on a small trampoline or balance beam.

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• How long were you able to balance?

• How hard or easy was it to balance?

• Did it get harder or easier as you practised?

• Did you ever lose your balance?

• What organs do you use to help you gain your balance?

• What is an ideal setting to practise balancing? What setting is not ideal?

• What might happen if you get really dizzy?

• Which of the following do you think is more difficult? One foot vs. two feet on the ground; flat foot vs. raised foot; or head up vs. head tilted back; eyes open vs. eyes closed; touching nothing with your hands vs. touching the back of a chair; standing on a smooth, even surface vs. standing on a rough, uneven surface.

• Do you think astronauts get dizzy in space?

• Why can’t astronauts who stay in space for a long time practise their balance until they return to Earth?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• how many attempts they made before successfully balancing for 60 seconds

• how many seconds they managed to balance on each attempt

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of their performance technique

• a description of how stable or unstable they felt.

Explore and Discover

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• safely carry weighted objects to improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness

• record observations about improvements in their aerobic and anaerobic fitness in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

Have you exercised your heart today? If you have played football, basketball, hopscotch, skipped, taken a swim or gone for a bike ride, you have exercised your heart.

The heart is a muscle that becomes stronger with regular exercise. Exercise is essential to maintaining a strong heart, strong bones and strong muscles. There are two types of exercise: aerobic and anaerobic.

Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to produce energy. It includes any activity that uses the large muscles of the body such as your arms and legs. These muscles should be moving in repetitive motions, ideally for at least 20 minutes. Aerobic activity reduces stress, increases blood circulation, strengthens the heart and lungs and builds up endurance. It strengthens bones, burns fat, and lowers blood sugar. You will find you have more energy and feel healthier.

Anaerobic exercise makes the body produce energy without using oxygen. It builds agility, as well as strengthening and toning muscles. Though not as beneficial to the heart and lungs as aerobic activities, anaerobic exercise has been shown to lengthen your life-span. It includes resistance training, to increase bone mass, reduce muscle loss and improve balance.

Exercise is important to people on Earth, but it is essential for astronauts. In space, astronauts don’t feel the effects of gravity and don’t have to use their muscles as much they would here. They experience microgravity and feel weightless. Moving around is effortless, so their muscles become weaker. Astronauts also experience decreased bone density, loss of muscle mass, heart and blood vessel changes and shifts in fluids.

To counteract these changes, astronauts must take aerobic and anaerobic exercise in space. Both the space shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) have exercise equipment adapted to work in a microgravity environment.

Timing

30 to 45 minutes

Location

Large floor area, such as a gym

Equipment

• Mission Journal and pencil

• 12 stress balls (a small ball students can squeeze in their palms)

• 30 balls in five different weights and sizes, such as: 6 tennis balls, 6 netballs, 6 footballs, 6 basketballs and 6 rugby balls

• 3 hula hoops

• 6 stopwatches

• Heart rate monitor (optional)

•

Procedure

• Students should check and note their resting heart rate.

• Distribute 30 balls in five different weights and sizes around the exploration area (see diagram). Tell students these balls represent mission samples, to be collected by explorers. Use hula hoops to stop the balls rolling away.

• Identify 6 Base Stations where teams of students should begin and end their mission.

• Challenge students to collect five mission samples in two minutes.

• Students should check their heart rate immediately after the activity.

• Extension: five objects should be hidden and teams challenged to find and collect them all. Time how long it takes each team.

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• Did it get harder as you found more mission samples?

• When did you feel your heart beat fastest?

• When did you feel yourself breathing hardest?

• Which muscles did you use to lift the mission samples?

• What made this activity aerobic?

• What made this activity anaerobic?

• What other activities might be aerobic or anaerobic?

• What challenges did you face exploring for hidden samples?

• What are the challenges astronauts face in exploring for samples?

• How well did you work with your team?

• Would it be easier working alone?

• Would it be easier for astronauts to explore without their crew members?

• Would these objects weigh the same on the moon or Mars? (The mass would remain the same, but gravity determines any object’s weight. Gravity on the moon is about one-sixth of Earth’s. Gravity on Mars is about two-fifths of Earth’s.)

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• number of mission samples found

• time taken to collect mission samples

• size of area explored

• starting and ending heart rates (beats per minute)

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10).

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of any challenges in communication

• a description of how stable or unstable they felt.

Agility Astro-Course

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• complete an agility course to improve movement skills, co-ordination, and speed

• record observations about improvements in agility in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

Agility is the ability to rapidly change direction without loss of speed, balance or control. Agility training reduces your risk of injury, stops you getting out of breath and gives you the flexibility to deal with a range of physical challenges. Just like an athlete, astronauts must do strength and agility training, to perform better in space and on their return to Earth.

Astronauts lose agility while spending time in space because they are floating around and don‘t have to change direction quickly. Astronauts work with NASA’s Astronaut Strength, Conditioning & Rehabilitation (ASCR) Specialists, who provide them with one-on-one pre-flight and post-flight conditioning activities. To help astronauts recover their agility after a mission, they run through an agility course that tests their speed, reaction time and hand-eye co-ordination.

Location

A non-slip flat surface such as a gym floor, outside on dry grass, or on a five-lane athletic track.

Equipment

8 cones

Measuring tape or metre stick

Paper and pencil

Mission Journals and pencil

Swimming noodles placed on the cones (optional)

Stopwatch

Procedure

• Lay out the course as shown in the diagram.

• Run the course to demonstrate to the students the proper path to take.

• Students form a line and complete the course one at a time.

• Students begin by lying on their fronts (similar to starting a push up) with hands by their shoulders.

• Shout ‘Go!’ to start each student running.

• Time the students as they complete one lap.

• Extension: make up a new agility course that is a larger with more cones or shorter with fewer cones. How difficult is each course to complete?

• Extension: do jumping jacks for 30 seconds and immediately try the agility course again. Did your time increase or decrease?

• Extension: decrease rest time between laps.

Diagram

The length of the course is 10 meters (33 feet) and the distance between the start and finish points is 5 meters (16.5 feet). Four cones mark the start, finish and the two turning points. Another four cones are placed down the centre an equal distance 3.3 meters (11 feet) apart.

(Adapted from the Illinois Agility Course)

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• Are you getting more tired each time you complete the course?

• Are you getting better each time you run the course?

• How do you know you are getting better?

• What do you think would be more difficult for an astronaut: completing this course after a 14-day mission or a 6-month mission?

• Do you think astronauts could successfully complete this course the day they landed after a 6-month mission? Could they do it a week later? A month later?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• time taken to complete a lap

• number of laps

• length of rest period

• number of penalties (knocked over cones)

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10).

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of how they prepared (e.g. stretches, warm-ups, diet, rest)

• a description of how sore specific parts of their bodies feel after exercise.

The Speed of Light

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform a time reaction activity using a ruler to practice concentration and improve reaction times

• record observations about improvements in reaction time in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

Each time you practise a sport, you improve your reaction time. Your reaction time is a measure of how fast you can respond to a stimulus. A stimulus can be a noise or something you feel or see. NASA has a variety of environments where astronauts practise their reaction times and improve their concentration.

Astronauts preparing for Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVAs) or robotic arm operations, test their skills in the Virtual Reality Laboratory (VR) at Johnson Space Center, in a virtual reality microgravity environment. Wearing special gloves, video-display helmets, chest packs, and controllers, astronauts learn how to orient themselves in space, where ideas of up and down are meaningless and even a minor tweak with a thruster can send you spinning into the void.

The Jake Garn Training Center at the Johnson Space Center is where astronauts prepare for space shuttle operations. A motion-based trainer simulates the vibrations, noise and views that the astronauts experience during a shuttle launch or landing.

The Center houses a functional space station simulator, to familiarise astronauts with the laboratory systems of the International Space Station (ISS). Instructors introduce the astronauts to various situations they may face. Pilots practise on the simulator for many hours, exploring various landing situations and depending on their reaction time and concentration to land successfully.

Timing

10 to 15 minutes

Location

Classroom

Equipment

Mission Journal and pencil

Metric rulers

Small rubber ball

Copy of distance / time chart (see page 20)

Procedure

• Students should face each other, in pairs.

• One student holds a ruler at the zero mark, between the thumb and forefinger of the other student.

• The first student drops the ruler and the second tries to catch it.

• The students record how far the ruler fell between thumb and forefinger before it was caught.

• Each student practises trying to catch the ruler as many times as possible.

• Ask students to squeeze a stress relief ball (a small rubber ball) for 30 seconds and then try the Speed of Light activity. Does this affect their reaction time?

• Do 20 jumping jacks and repeat the Speed of Light activity. What effect does this have?

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their progress.

• Are your trial scores improving as you are practising?

• Were your first and last trials different? If so, why?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• trial scores

• number of trials conducted.

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• a description of how tired they became, or how quickly they lost concentration

• a note of any environmental factors that may have distracted them from the task.

• a description of the effect squeezing the stress relief ball or doing jumping jacks had on their performance.

Speed of Light– Educator Guide

Building an Astronaut Core

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• perform exercises to improve abdominal and back muscle strength

• record observations about improvements in core muscle strength during in their Mission Journals.

Introduction

Core strength powers all your movements. Your abdomen and back muscles work together to support your spine when you sit, stand, bend over, pick things up and exercise.

Astronauts must have strong core muscles to move in the microgravity of space. On spacewalks or EVAs, they may work in their spacesuits for six hours or more, bending, twisting and lifting. Astronauts perform workouts to their keep core muscles strong in space. On Earth, we are always moving against the force of gravity, as our muscles and bones support our bodies. In the microgravity of space, the body does not need the support of muscles and bones. With lack of use, the core muscles become weaker.

Astronauts who stay on the ISS for several months work out a minimum of six days a week for at least two hours a day. NASA has designed specialised exercise equipment for the ISS, including the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) and the Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT.

Each astronaut has a customised workout on the ARED to exercise the upper and lower body. The COLBERT is a new generation treadmill on the ISS. It is designed to work out the walking and running muscles that otherwise go unused in space. COLBERT has data collection devices that show how successful exercise on the treadmill is at reducing bone and muscle loss.

Space shuttle crew members stay in space for 12 to 14 days. Even though their missions are shorter than an astronaut living on the ISS, they are still at risk of losing bone density and muscle mass. Space shuttle crew members also follow an exercise routine, using a cycle called an ergometer, which is similar to an exercise bike. They also use a theraband and theratubing for strength training, similar to lifting weights here on Earth.

Timing

15 minutes

Location

A flat, dry surface, free of obstacles. Students should be an arm’s length apart.

Equipment

Mission Journal and pencil

Stopwatch

Procedure

• Perform sit-ups or “Commander Crunches” for one minute

• Perform “Pilot Planks”. Take one leg and extend to the side. Hold your leg out for 30 seconds. Try this with both legs, one leg at a time

• Perform side heel-touches for one minute. Start in the Commander Crunch position, but with your arms by your sides and your knees bent at around 45 degrees. Tighten your abdominals and raise your left shoulder slightly. Bring your left hand off the floor to touch your left heel. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your right hand and right heel.

Assessment

Ask the following open-ended questions before, during and after the activity, to help students make observations about their physical fitness levels and progress.

• How do you feel?

• What muscles do you feel you are working?

• Which part of the physical activity seems most difficult?

• What are your abdominal and back muscles together commonly called? (Core muscles)

• What happens to muscles in space? (They weaken)

• Why might astronauts need strong core muscles in space?

Students should note the following quantitative data:

• number of crunches performed

• length of time the plank is held

• rate of perceived exertion (on a scale of 1-10)

• trial scores

• number of trials conducted.

Students should note the following qualitative data:

• Additional qualitative data for this physical activity may include:

• a description of any soreness in parts of their bodies

• a description of any shakiness, sweating or shortness of breath they experience.

• Ensure students have enough to drink before and after exercise.

Get On Your Space Bike

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• Try to cycle as far as they can on static exercise bikes.

• Record the distance they cycled and enter in their mission journal.

• Be encouraged to cycle to school for two days. if safe to do so.

• Be encouraged to take pictures of themselves cycling and paste them in their journal.

Introduction

One exercise that has been used by astronauts on the International Space Station for over 10 years is the cycle ergometer (CEVIS). Russian Astronauts have a cycle called VELO. Muscle and bones carry less weigh in weightlessness and get weaker. Training with a cycle improves leg muscles, cardio-vascular fitness and endurance. It also improves co-ordination, posture and balance.

Let’s climb a Martian mountain

Exercise

a) b) c)

Fitness Acceleration 2.

Space Roll - ‘N - Roll

Exercise

_ _ _ _

1) 2)

_ _ _

3)

Fitness Acceleration 1. Fitness Acceleration 2.

Fitness Acceleration 3.

a) b) c)

Planet you go, gravity you find

...line...

3m

Copy ten times using your non-dominate hand and wearing gloves. Circle the best one.

My name is ________________________ and I am a trainee astronaut. I must complete all of my training so that I will be ready to go into space.

My name is ________________________ and I am an astronaut. I must complete all of my training so that I will be ready to go into space.

My name is ________________________ and I am an astronaut. I must complete all of my training so that I will be ready to go into space.

My name is ________________________ and I am an astronaut. I must complete all of my training so that I will be ready to go into space.

My name is ________________________ and I am an astronaut. I must complete all of my training so that I will be ready to go into space.

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|Distance |Time |

|5 cm (2 in) |100 ms (0.10 sec) |

|7.5 cm (3 in) |120 ms (0.12 sec.) |

|10 cm(4 in) |140 ms (0.14 sec) |

|12.5 cm(5 in) |160 ms(0.16 sec) |

|15 cm(6 in.) |180 ms (0.18 sec) |

|17.5 cm(7 in) |190ms (0.19sec) |

|20 cm (8 in) |200 ms (0.20 sec) |

|22.75 cm (9 in) |220ms(0. 22 sec) |

|25.5 cm (10 in) |230 ms (0.23 sec) |

|27.5 cm (11 in) |240 ms (0.24 sec) |

|30.5 cm. (12 in.) |250 ms. (0.25 sec.) |

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