5. Taking Shape: Finding the Shape of the Land

Setup: Prep Time 30 min

• Set up Materials Table.

*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.

21st Century Skills

• Collaboration
• Creativity

Habits of Mind

• Construct models and simulations.
• Investigate properties and uses of materials.

Learners Will Do

• Use a straw model to gather information about the shape of a surface.

Learners Will Know

• Engineers often use models to represent the technologies or materials they are investigating and test their technologies in model conditions.

Connecting Across Activities

• Activity 4: Finding Minerals: Last time, learners explored the use of filters and scrapers to gather more data about minerals. These tools are a second technology they can use when designing their complete remote sensing technologies.
• Activity 5: Taking Shape: Today, they design straw model LiDAR systems to gather data on topography. These systems are a third technology they can use when designing their complete remote sensing technologies.
• Activity 6: Put it Together: Next time, they will combine tools and systems from previous Activities and use their engineering design process to design and test remote sensing devices.

Related Videos

Using Light to Measure Distance (LiDAR theory)

Using Light to Map Surfaces (LiDAR Uses)

 

Using Light to Measure Distance (LiDAR theory)

Using Light to Map Surfaces (LiDAR Uses)

Level Up!

• In the PLANETS Worlds Apart Science Pathway, learners build three-dimensional topographic models and turn them into two-dimensional topographic maps. After they have a better understanding, they interpret topographic maps of Mars to choose the best landing site for a rover.

• To support understanding of LiDAR and other science topics, see the resources on the Quick Links educator page or the Remote Sensing Learners Resources page.

• After learners have tested their devices and recorded the information once, encourage them to use materials (such as stacks of pattern blocks taped together) to make the test surfaces more complex and challenging. They can also make improvements to their LiDAR models using materials from the table. For example, they can use smaller straws to increase the resolution or improve the model to keep the straws from falling out. (15 min.)
• The PLANETS Worlds Apart Science Pathway goes into more depth about how to interpret topographic maps.
• Refer to the Engineering Design Process poster (PDF). Ask: What steps of the Engineering Design Process did you use today? (We investigated how LiDAR systems work.)