1. Activity 1: Feel the Force A teaching sequence from the Alien unit
Far Side
Activity 1: Feel the Force
A teaching sequence from the Alien unit
cracking science!
version 1.0 1

2. 7E Learning Cycle 2 Mission Far Side: a telescope for the Moon
Force Training
Mission accomplished: voice-over
Back to Earth
Feel the force: experiencing rocket forces
Mission meeting: take me to the Moon 2 2

3. You’ll love working here. I’m Stella, your new manager.
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Hi. Welcome to SETI.
You’ll love working here I’m Stella, your new manager.
Today is induction day.
First, I’ll tell you about SETI.
Then you’ll get some training from Danni.
Tomorrow, your real work begins –
planning a mission to the Moon!

4. Anyone know what SETI does?
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Anyone know what SETI does?
Watch this to learn more. At the end, summarise SETI’s mission.
SETI’s Mission 4

5. Great. SETI is a special science task force.
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Great. SETI is a special science task force.
Our mission is to discover intelligent life beyond Earth…
…maybe in our Solar System or perhaps elsewhere in the Universe. 5

6. Engage
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These are exciting times for SETI. We’re planning to send astronauts to the Moon.
They will set up a listening telescope on the far side of the Moon. The device will listen for signals sent by extraterrestrial life. 6

7. Mission Far Side is where you come in.
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Mission Far Side is where you come in.
We need skilled staff to plan the mission.
First, some vital basic training.
Here’s Danni. 7

8. SETI Training Phase 1 – Why Far Side? Student Sheet
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SETI Training Phase 1 – Why Far Side?
Student Sheet
Hi guys. I’m Danni. Your training starts NOW!
Why will the listening telescope be on the far side of the Moon?
Sort the statements into true or false.
Now sort the true statements into relevant or not relevant.
Now sort the relevant statements into strong or weak arguments for putting the telescope on the far side of the Moon.

9. SETI Training Phase 2 – Forces Matter
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SETI Training Phase 2 – Forces Matter
In Mission Far Side, forces matter. You mission scientists will work on two vital questions:
How can we use forces to get the astronauts to the Moon and back?
How can we use forces to make the trip safe and comfortable?
Will the astronauts feel gravity?
What will the forces be on take-off? In orbit? On landing? 9

10. SETI Training Phase 3 – Balanced or unbalanced? Student Sheet
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SETI Training Phase 3 – Balanced or unbalanced?
Student Sheet
What do you know about forces?
Let’s start with some chocolate fun!
SETI Training Lab
Two people blow on a malteser with straws from opposite sides. What happens?
Can you make the malteser move faster? Move slower? Stay still?
Can you use one straw to keep a malteser in the air? (There are two ways of doing this.)
Now use forces to explain your observations.
Draw diagrams to support these explanations. 10

11. Scientists use an arrow to describe the direction and size of a force.
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SETI Force Explainer – 1
Scientists use an arrow to describe the direction and size of a force.
One person blows gently. The other blows harder.
The forces are unbalanced. There is a change in motion – the malteser starts moving.
Hazard :Iodine - irritant

12. The forces are unbalanced.
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SETI Force Explainer – 2
One person continues to blow gently. The other person blows harder and harder.
The forces are unbalanced.
There is a change in motion – the malteser moves faster than it did before. It is accelerating.
Hazard :Iodine - irritant 12

13. The malteser does not move. It is stationary.
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SETI Force Explainer – 3
gravity
suck
straw
The malteser does not move. It is stationary.
The size of the upward force is the same as the size of the downward force. The forces are balanced.
Hazard :Iodine - irritant
We’ll come back to the downward force, gravity, later… 13

14. SETI Force Explainer – 3 (continued)
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SETI Force Explainer – 3 (continued)
gravity
blow
straw
Why is the malteser stationary?
What happens if you blow harder? Use force arrows to explain why.
Hazard :Iodine - irritant
What happens if you stop blowing? Use force arrows to explain why. 14

15. The forces are balanced.
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SETI Force Explainer – 4
The forces are balanced.
The malteser moves at a constant speed.
Hazard :Iodine - irritant 15

16. Engage
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Great! You’ve done well! See you tomorrow, when the real work begins: planning our trip to the Moon!

17. Picture credits
Picture page credit