Today, 10:38 am
Authors:
LSM.lv Children’s content editor
Mission “Mars 2050”
The children’s room invites you to learn the various skills that a future astronaut needs in order to be able to go on a mission to Mars in 2050. With the help of the Space Knowledge Center, we will publish a task every day that will help children become active, independent, critical thinkers – real astronauts.
We will post one challenge every day that will help you develop one of the skills an astronaut needs, you just have to practice hard!
Imagine a situation where an astronaut outside the International Space Station (ISS) has to perform urgent repair work. At such a time, clear and accurate communication with the rest of the team inside the station and the Mission Control Center on Earth is essential. For example, an astronaut may need to change the outer panel of an ISS satellite. This requires precise instructions from the team on Earth to understand which panels need to be replaced and what safety precautions to follow. It should be noted that the description of every movement and action in space must be very clear and precise, because any unclear indication can cause a snag or even endanger the astronaut’s life. Therefore, in this game you will be able to take on the roles of an astronaut and his companion in order to accurately convey the instructions and execute them exactly according to what you heard.
Training “Moon Crater Field”
Photo: Artis Gulbis/LSM.lv
The aim: To promote communication skills – giving clear instructions and listening.
Number of participants: Two or more players.
Materials: Various objects found at home (chairs, boxes, pillows, toys, etc.), blindfolds.
Preparation:
Break into pairs. In each pair, one will be an “astronaut” who will cross the “Moon Crater Field” and the other will be a “companion” who will give instructions. The “astronauts” leave the room for a short time.
Creating a field:
Create a “Moon Crater Field” by arranging home objects from the start to the finish line. These objects are obstacles that the “astronauts” must avoid.
Define clear start and finish points.
After setting up the field, critically evaluate safety hazards, tripping hazards, sharp corners, run-in and crash areas, and more. Create the path to be taken in such a way as to avoid unwanted risks!
Start of training:
One of the players is the “companion”, the others are “astronauts”. Take the “astronauts” back into the room before blindfolding them. “Astronauts” stop at the starting line.
Regulations:
Only the “companions” are allowed to speak, giving instructions to the “astronauts” trying to cross the field. “Astronauts” can only listen and follow directions. The “moons” are not allowed to enter the “lunar crater field”.
End of training:
The training is finished when it has been possible to complete the entire track at least once without touching obstacles and all players have been in the roles of both “astronaut” and “companion”.
To increase the complexity, we can create new tracks and add additional obstacles.
Critically evaluating safety, this activity can also be done while allowing the child to control the parents. Here it is possible to talk about trust and responsibility.
