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Is Somebody Singing?
A Learning and Teaching Module for Elementary Classrooms
A Project of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada
In Partnership with the Canada Space Agency
To Celebrate Music Monday 2013
Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2
The Reasons for the Seasons, Grade 1 – 4 .............................................................................. 4
Powering the International Space Station ............................................................................ 11
The Need for Spacesuits (Grades 4-6)................................................................................... 13
Staying Cool in Space ........................................................................................................... 19
Donning the Spacesuit ......................................................................................................... 23
Sweet Pee: Grades 4-6 ........................................................................................................ 30
Living on the ISS: Grades 4-6 ................................................................................................ 35
Influence on the Hemic System: Grades 5-6 ......................................................................... 42
Catching Some Rays............................................................................................................. 48
Appendix A: Music Monday Song – I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) .......................................... 51
Appendix B: Suggestions for Music Monday Celebrations.................................................... 52
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Introduction
On December 19, 2012, Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield launched aboard a Soyuz
spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS). In mid-March,
during the second half of his stay, Hadfield will make history by becoming the first Canadian to
command the sprawling orbital laboratory. Hadfield can attribute his life training as a pilot,
engineer and astronaut to preparing him for this scientific mission, but it is his ability as a
musician and story teller that has permitted him to share this experience to the world in a way
that is uniquely his own. An avid guitar player, Hadfield performed on the Russian Mir Station in
1995, and during this current mission, is taking his musical talent and creativity to another level
of intensity.
There is significant research on the connections between music and science, and Hadfield is
committed to demonstrating this. It is no coincidence that well-known scientists, engineers,
and mathematicians such as Leonardo da Vinci and Einstein were scientist-musicians. For
example, Einstein attributed his scientific insight and intuition mainly to music, and is often
quoted as saying that if he did not become a physicist, he probably would have been a
musician. Music has the potential to be an escape as well as an inspiration, and many scientific
discoveries have been associated to a passion for music. There are physical and mathematical
traits of music and composition, and creative, neurological and human development aspects
that connect the two disciplines. It is, therefore, not surprising that Chris Hadfield uses music
to not only comfort himself in orbit, but also to inspire, help him solve problems, and be
creative.
Recently, Hadfield collaborated with Barenaked Ladies songwriter, Ed Robertson, composing
I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) – this year’s official Music Monday song co-commissioned by the
Coalition for Music Education and CBC. Hadfield and Robertson will team up in a joint
presentation of the song on February 8 – Hadfield on the International Space Station and
Robertson in Toronto. The song will later be used to celebrate Music Monday 2013 on May 6
when schools and communities across Canada join together in performing the spirited tune.
To help prepare for Music Monday, the Coalition for Music Education in partnership with the
Canada Space Agency has developed a learning and teaching module that demonstrates the
connections between science and music. Built on science lessons developed previously by
experts across Canada [http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/educators/default.asp], direct links will
be made to music skills and concepts taught in elementary schools in each province and
territory. Science outcomes are based on those in the PanCanadian Science Curriculum (1997),
and music educators and classroom teachers will be able to identify music outcomes from their
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provincial music curriculum. To make the learning integrated and meaningful, music educators
may wish to collaborate with science teachers as you plan the activities in this module.
Although the music activities are directly linked to the science lessons, they can be done
independently and adapted for a range of grade levels. Most of the science activities are
written for upper elementary classes, but the music activities can be modified to suit primary as
well as secondary music classes. Teachers should consider these as suggestions for learning,
teaching and assessment, and should feel free to make adaptations to suit their own particular
classes.
The Music Monday 2013 song – I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) – can be found at the end of the
document in Appendix A. Teachers may wish to visit the Coalition for Music Education Web site
[www.musicmakesus.ca] for additional arrangements of the song, including ukulele, band,
choral, guitar, Orff, string, recorder, jazz ensemble, drumline and steel pan arrangements.
Translations of the lyrics are also available, including French, Inuktitut, Ojibway, Cree, Russian,
Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, and Japanese.
Appendix B contains suggestions for how you may wish to celebrate Music Monday in your
school and community. The Coalition for Music Education welcomes feedback from teachers
across Canada on their experiences with the activities presented and the suggestions for Music
Monday. These can be sent though a “Contact us” form found at www.musicmakesus.ca
All web-links embedded in this curriculum document were taken from the Canadian Space
Agency website, lesson modules, in January 2013. If, for some reason, you are having trouble
accessing these documents online, please feel free to contact the Coalition for Music Education
at [email protected] and we will try to accommodate any web-link related issues.
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The Reasons for the Seasons, Grade 1 – 4
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources/astronomy/module3/lesson1.asp]
Timeframe:
This activity will require approximately three 30-minute classes
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
1 class to introduce the topic, demonstrate the processes with flashlight and globe and
to introduce the applet (activities 1 & 2)
1 class period to have students work with the applet describing the reasons for the
seasons (activity 3)
1 class period for closure activity (activity 4)
Objectives: Pan-Canadian Curriculum Objectives
Observe and explain how the relative positions of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are responsible
for the moon phases, eclipses, and tides.
General Objectives:
Students will observe, sketch and explore the reasons for the seasons via the interactive applet,
in an attempt to better understand the relationships between the Sun, Moon and Earth relating
to the seasons.
Curricular Connections:

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Information and Communication Technologies
o Use of interactive applet
Language Arts
o Descriptive writing
Lesson Overview:
By engaging students in a variety of activities targeting different learning styles (kinaesthetic,
visual, and technological), students will become familiar with the seasons, and will be able to
explain the reasons for the seasons depending on the orientation of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
The lesson plan is divided into four separate activities:
1. Activity 1: demonstration of seasons (students participate)
2. Activity 2: introduce the applet to later be used by students
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3. Activity 3: in the computer lab, students work with the Reasons for the Seasons applet
in groups of two
4. Activity 4: closure activity, teacher uses the applet in a lecture-style delivery format
stopping the animation at key moments and eliciting feedback from the students as to
an explanation for the current seasons in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Materials and Resources:
Nota: This page contains documents for which the access may require a particular software. If
the software is not installed, you can download it from the main link at the top of the lesson
and follow the instructions for installation.
Other Resources

Globe, model of the moon (a simple ball will do), and a bright flashlight
Vocabulary: Astronomy Glossary
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autumnal equinox
vernal equinox
summer solstice
winter solstice
lunar cycle
Developing the Lesson:
Begin with focus questions:




Have you ever wondered why Canadians experience such vastly different weather
patterns during the year?
Do you know why it is warmer in Canada during the summer?
Did you know that when Canadians are experiencing summer, our friends in Australia
are experiencing winter?
Did you know that a winter in the Southern Hemisphere is a fair bit warmer than a
winter in the Northern Hemisphere?
Explain the nature of the activities that will be used to help students become better acquainted
with the reasons for the seasons:

Activity 1: students participate in a visual demonstration of the seasons with globe and
flashlight
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

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Activity 2: teacher uses computer with projection system to display the Reasons for the
Seasons applet. Teacher explains how the applet works and what students will do with
the applet in Activity 3
Activity 3: teacher demonstrates the applet and distributes the Reasons for the Seasons
handout to the students. The students are given approximately 30 minutes to complete
the handout using the applet.
Activity 4: simply mention to the students that there will be a final activity that will help
to reinforce what they have learned about the seasons (Activity 4 should follow
approximately 2 days after the completion of Activities 1, 2 and 3.
Commence the activities and remember to have fun.
Activity 1
1. arrange students into a large circle (students will need a piece of paper and a black
marker)
2. place a light source at the centre of the circle
3. darken the classroom and turn on the light source
4. students will pass a globe around the circle being careful to maintain the tilt of the Earth
5. instruct students to observe the globe as they pass it to their classmates and to draw on
their paper the shape of light impacting on the globe's surface
6. initiate a short discussion as to why the light appear to impact the globe differently as it
is passed around the circle
7. have students write the season they observed on their diagrams (summer, fall, winter or
summer)
Activity 2: Applet:
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources/astronomy/applets.asp#module3
1.
2.
3.
4.
with the classroom back in order, the teacher begins demonstrating the applet
identify the key elements (Moon, Earth, and Sun)
play the applet animation straight through at least two times
have the students focus first on the Sun's rays impacting the Earth bottom right of the
applet
5. then have the students focus on the progression of the Earth around the Sun.
6. run the animation a few more times stopping at key stages (Winter Solstice, Vernal
Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumnal Equinox)
Activity 3:
1. provide students with a brief review of the applet's functionality
2. distribute the Reasons for the Seasons worksheet
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3. explain that students will be required to complete the handout by the end of the
current class time
Activity 4:
1. repeat steps as per Activity 2
Closure:
As a closure to the activities, the teacher uses the applet in a lecture style delivery format,
stopping the animation at key moments and eliciting feedback from the students as to an
explanation for the current seasons in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Evaluation:
Evaluate both student participation as well as the completion of the Reasons for Seasons
worksheet. Student participation can be evaluated during activities 1, 2 and 3, even when the
students are working with the applet. Students could also be presented with a short quiz in
which they would have to correctly identify and explain the reasons for the seasons.
Music Connections:
The Tilt of the Earth (sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
(Arts Activities from: http://www.fi.edu/time/Journey/JustInTime/seasons2.html)
Chorus:
Earth's tilt makes the seasons change,
Season's change, seasons change,
Earth's tilt makes the seasons change,
They change all through the year.
Verse 1:
Near the sun it's summertime,
Summertime, summertime,
Near the sun it's summertime,
The days are hot and bright
Verse 2:
Far away it's wintertime,
Wintertime, wintertime,
Far away its wintertime,
The days are cold and gray.
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Verse 3:
Spring and fall are in-between,
In-between, in-between,
Spring and fall are in-between,
The days are cool or warm.
EXTENSION
Have the students create a movement pattern that represents the earth spinning on its
axis, and the resulting seasons that occur. Begin by doing some movement warm ups to
recorded music: flex, stretch, shoulders high, shoulders low, sway arms, etc. Move
freely around the room taking into consideration levels (high, medium, low),
directionality (forwards, backwards, sideways), and tempo. Consider the music you will
play for the warm-ups. Because the earth moves so slowly on its path around the sun,
the music should probably be slow.
Brainstorm ideas for each phrase of the chorus experimenting with the words line by
line. Notice the repetition in words. Will this determine repetition in movement? Once
the movement pattern is ready, sing the song again but this time each time the chorus is
sung, have the students do the movement with it.
Divide the class into three groups, each group representing a different verse (verse 1:
summertime; verse 2: wintertime; verse 3: spring and fall). Have each group interpret
their verse in a short soundscape the depicts the season. After the students have had
sufficient time to work on their soundscape, have them present them to the class. As
each student presents, ask for feedback from the other students. Following this step,
some groups may want time to revise their soundscape based on the feedback. This is
an important step in the process. When each group is ready, “assemble” the piece:
 Chorus with movement
 Verse 1 followed by the summertime group presenting their soundscape;
chorus with movement
 Verse 2 followed by the wintertime group presenting their soundscape
 Chorus with movement
 Verse 3 followed by the spring/fall group presenting their soundscape; chorus
with movement
 Chorus with movement
This science lesson provides an opportunity to reinforce the concept of timbre in music. Have
a selection of pitched and non-pitched instruments around the classroom. The students should
have had plenty of experience with producing a sound on each using a range of techniques –
hit, shake, rub, rattle, drop, blow, etc. Have each student select an instrument and ask them to
experiment with as many ways to produce a sound as possible. Encourage them to explore
dynamics while producing a sound.
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In pairs, have students improvise a conversation between their two instruments. The “tone” of
the conversation should determine the timbre and dynamics used. Reinforce the fact that for
this exercise, just like in a conversation, one person “speaks” at a time while the other listens
and then responds
ASSESSMENT: You may wish to have some demonstrate what they have created, and as each
does, elicit feedback from the others. What did you like about the conversation? Could you tell
what the conversation was about? What was the mood? What suggestions would you make
for this conversation when the students next work on it?
When they have had sufficient time creating their conversations, ask each pair of students to
work with another pair so there are groups of four. Continue in the same way as they did with
a partner.
Tell the students that instruments can also represent ideas, such as the seasons, or particular
events in each season, e.g., Hallowe’en, Christmas, April showers, summertime play, etc. Ask
each student to select another instrument and sit in a circle. Go around the circle asking each
student in turn to produce a sound on the instrument and explain the season that it reminds
him/her of. For example, chimes or a triangle might represent summer, a tambour or bass
drum might represent winter. Ask the students to explain and justify their choices.
Put the students in groups of 4 – 6 and ask each group to create a soundscape entitled, The
Four Seasons. The soundscape should have four movements, one representing each season. In
advance of them developing their soundscapes, lead the students in discussions as they
develop criteria for a rubric that will be used to evaluate of the assignment. As the teacher, you
can decide if this will be a self-assessment, peer assessment, or teacher assessment. Encourage
them to consider tempo, dynamics, and contrast between the movements, with a transition
between each movement. When they begin their composition, the students should be free to
make decisions that best suit their soundscape. For example, some instruments might overlap
at times. Have them notate their compositions using invented notation.
ASSESSMENT: Mid-way through the process, organize a songwriters circle. Each group will
perform their work in progress and elicit feedback from the other students. Have them
consider what worked well, what might improve the overall effect, how they are meeting the
criteria of the rubric they developed, etc. Allow more time following the songwriters circle for
the students to refine their soundscapes. When they are completed, organize a presentation of
the soundscapes for a specific audience: their classmates, another class, seniors in a
neighbourhood senior’s home, etc.
Play for the students excerpts from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. As you play an excerpt from a
particular movement, ask the students if they can identify the season based on the
instrumentation and overall effect. It is important to remember that not everyone interprets
things the same way. Therefore, although they may not provide the correct answer, as long as
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they can justify the answer, they are using deeper meaning-making. Before moving on to
another movement, identify the title of each as Vivaldi named them.
EVALUATION: Complete the rubric and assign a grade based on the criteria that the class
decided on when developing the rubric.
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Powering the International Space Station
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/sts-097/kid_powering.asp]
How will the International Space Station be powered up? It will run with the Sun! Yep, solar
power will be used to generate electricity for life support systems, daily operations and
scientific equipment.
Start Me Up!
The Sun is the only available source of energy that can power up the Space Station. So, four
pairs of solar panels will be secured to the ISS to gather its rays.
They’ll be set up beyond the Station’s main body so they look like the wings of a bird in flight.
They measure 70 metres by 10 metres from tip to tip. They’ll generate enough energy to power
55 houses! Approximately 40% of that energy will be used for research experiments within the
ISS.
To generate this amount of power, the panels convert sunlight into energy via an enormous
number of photovoltaic cells within each individual solar panels. Energy is then stored in
rechargeable nickel hydrogen batteries. This guarantees that the Station gets continuous
power, even when it is in the shadow of the Earth.
Energy storage in these replaceable batteries is important because the Station spends a lot of
time in darkness. Why? The Station circles the Earth at a speed of almost 30 000 km per hour,
which means it sees 16 sunrises and sunsets within a day! The Earth blocks the rays of the Sun
to the Space Station so that the Station is in darkness for 36 minutes of each 90-minute orbit.
Feel the Heat
This constant change from light to dark also presents another challenge: extreme temperature
changes from -149°C to 126°C. Yikes! Heat doesn’t circulate in space the same way it does on
Earth. What’s the solution?
Remember, the solar panels gather a lot of light from the Sun and convert it into energy. The
energy powers the Space Station’s equipment. The equipment in turn creates a lot of heat. This
heat is then collected by another set of panels which sends the heat out into space. These
panels form a radiator system that contains ammonia—an excellent substance for transporting
heat and resisting those crazy temperature changes!
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CHARGE!
Even in outer space, the Space Station can experience a power surge! To protect the Station,
the scientists have designed a Plasma Contractor Unit. Ooh! Ah! Sounds like a space toy to play
with, but it’s pretty serious stuff!
Space plasma floats around. These floating bits carry their own electrical charge. If they make
contact with the Space Station, they can produce a power surge which could hurt not only the
Station, but also the crew and equipment on board!
The job of the Plasma Contractor Unit is to take away the electric charge carried by the space
plasma. The unit converts the possibly harmful gas (space plasma) into ions and electrons which
are then released harmlessly into space – problem over!
Music Connections:
Refer to the science lesson and the description of the vast temperature changes that occur on
the space station. Have them speculate the type of music that would represent -149°C for
example, or +126°C. Ask them to justify their responses by making connections between the
music and the temperature. Now play excerpts from a range of instrumental music and ask the
students to describe how this music makes them feel. In relating this to the science lesson, ask
them if they were feeling the different “temperature changes” as described above. Can they
relate these feelings and emotional connections to the music?
Play Dante’s Inferno and have students write down the emotions they feel while the song is
playing. Have students write how they felt at the beginning of the song, during the song and at
the end of the song. What mental images did this song create in their minds?
Play Grieg’s Morning Mood. Have students repeat the steps above and answer the same
questions. Did this song provoke different feelings? What about this song made their feelings
different and/or the same?
Play excerpts from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi without announcing the title of each movement.
Are there drastic changes that are evident from movement to movement of the piece? If so,
have the students express how these changes made them feel. Now, play excerpts once again
from The Four Seasons and tell students whether the music playing reflects summer, fall, winter
or spring. Ask the students how they felt this was reflected in the music. For example, some
might say that winter has more short plucked string sounds that could represent snowfall,
whereas summer has loud crashing sections and these mighty represent a thunderstorm.
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The Need for Spacesuits (Grades 4-6)
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources/spacesuit.asp]
This mini-package is intended to complement your existing space studies’ unit, particularly on
the topic of spacesuits and the hazardous conditions in space, which requires them. It includes
a Student Fact Sheet, describing the adverse environment found in space, along with 3 creative
activities and 1 scientific demonstration for students who wish to further explore this
fascinating topic.
Web-link Includes:


Spacesuit Fact Sheet
Activities
o Build a Wearable Spacesuit
o Build a Wearable Space Helmet
o The Paper Spacesuit
o The Atmospheric Pressure Demonstrator
o Space Suit Colouring Activity
This publication may be reproduced without permission, provided the source (Canadian Space
Agency) is fully acknowledged.
Information provided courtesy of NASA.
The Need for Spacesuits
Although inside the space shuttle temperature and atmosphere are controlled, outside is a
completely different story. Outer space is a very hostile environment, requiring special
equipment and clothing if one is to venture out into it. Let’s take a look at some of the qualities
of space.
The principal characteristic of space is the vacuum. The gravitational attraction of large bodies
in space such as planets and stars pulls gas molecules close to their surfaces leaving the space
between quite empty. Some stray gas molecules are found between these bodies, but their
density is so low that they can be thought of as practically non-existent.
On Earth, the atmosphere exerts pressure in all directions. In the vacuum of space, where there
is no pressure from the outside, the air inside our lungs would immediately rush out; dissolved
gases in body fluids would expand, pushing solids and liquids apart. The skin would expand like
an inflating balloon.
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Bubbles would form in the bloodstream and render blood ineffective as a transporter of oxygen
and nutrients to the body's cells.
Furthermore, the sudden absence of external pressure balancing the internal pressure of body
fluids and gases would rupture fragile tissues such as eardrums and capillaries. As you can see,
the effect of being in space without protection would be devastating. And there are other
problems too, such as the temperature range. If you are facing the Sun the temperature can be
as high as 120 degrees Celsius, while if you are on the shaded side it can drop to about -100
degrees Celsius!
Other environmental factors encountered include radiation of electrically charged particles
from the Sun, ultraviolet radiation and micrometeoroids (very small bits of rock travelling at
high velocities). Though usually small in mass, these particles travel at such high velocities that
they could easily penetrate human skin and thin metal.
The Extravehicular Mobility Unit, worn by Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield
represents more than 50 years of development and testing. It consists of 12 layers to protect
astronauts during EVA's. The two inner layers comprise the liquid-cooling and ventilation
garment. Next comes the pressure bladder layer followed by a seven-layer thermal
micrometeoroid garment.
Activity 1: Build a Spacesuit
In this creative activity, your students will design and build their own, wearable space
spacesuits.
You will need:
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A wearable paper suit from a paint store
Photos of astronauts in their EVA suits
Variety of duct tapes/hockey tapes (all colours)
Dryer hose tubing
Cereal or other flat boxes
Odds and ends
Glue/tape/scissors/felts
Instructions
1. Obtain some kind of wearable “paper suit” from a local paint store or hardware store;
2. Obtain photos of astronauts wearing their Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Suits and note
all the details;
3. Have students decorate their suits using various coloured tapes, dryer hose tubing, and
other kinds of tubes and felts;
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4. Using the cereal box, have students create a control box for their suit;
5. Add lots of pockets and tethers for your suit, so your space tools won’t float away!
6. Through the Canadian Space Agency, you can obtain stickers of the various Canadian
mission patches and logos for students to add to their spacesuits;
7. Divide students into “crews”, and have them create their own mission patches to add to
their suits;
8. Your spacesuits are now ready to wear; good luck on your mission!
Activity 2: Build a Space Helmet
In this creative activity, students will build an accompanying space helmet, to go with their
Spacesuits.
NOTE: allow at least 5 days for this activity.
You will need:

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
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A 16 inch balloon
Paper maché
Newspaper
White paint
White duct tape
A knife
A few pots
Instructions
1. Have each student blow up one 16-inch balloon and tie it off;
2. The balloon needs to “sit” in something hard and stable in order for you to work on it. A
bowl or pot works great for this.
3. Tear the newspaper into dozens of long, narrow strips.
4. Mix the papier maché and have it near you in another bowl.
5. Papier maché the entire balloon twice over. Let it stay in its bowl or pot to dry
overnight.
6. Repeat step 2 to 5, and again, let the balloon dry overnight (the balloon has now been
covered four times).
7. Using a sharp knife carefully cut out a generous hole at the bottom, big enough to be
able to fit your head through comfortably. You may want to do this for your students.
8. Cut out an area for your face (called a visor) so you can see through. Put the cut-out
piece aside;
9. Using white duct tape (easily obtainable at a hardware store) tape over all the edges to
keep the papier maché from wearing away.
10. Paint the entire helmet white, and allow overnight drying.
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Activity 3: The Paper Spacesuit
Group Activity!
This is a great activity where students will work in-groups and create spacesuits, which you can
hang up in the classroom.
You will need:



1 long sheet of paper/group
Pencils/felts
Scissors
Instructions
1. Place students into groups of 5 or 6
2. Have one student lie down on the sheet of paper; have the other students in the group
trace her/him.
3. Onto the traced outline, students will begin drawing the rest of the spacesuit. This
includes parts such as the helmet, gloves, boots, logos, lights, gadgets and dials, etc.
4. Cut out the drawn spacesuit and have students continue 'decorating it' on the backside.
5. Your spacesuits are now ready to be hung up and displayed!
Activity 4: The Atmospheric Pressure Demonstrator
Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the atmosphere pushing down on us. Without it human
beings cannot survive, and for this reason, astronauts' spacesuits are pressurized. This activity
demonstrates the importance of the pressurized spacesuit by demonstrating what happens to a
balloon when the atmospheric pressure is removed from a bottle.
You will need:



1 wine bottle
1 wine pump
A small balloon
Instructions
1. Obtain an empty wine bottle and a wine pump (such as EpiVac; approx. $10.00)
purchasable from most liquor or kitchen supply stores.
2. Put a tiny amount of air into a small balloon, and insert the balloon into the bottle.
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3. Explain to the students what atmospheric pressure is, and that there are equal amounts
of atmospheric pressure inside the bottle, as there is in the room.
4. Field the question 'what would happen to the balloon if we removed the atmospheric
pressure from the bottle?’
5. Place the wine pump on the bottle, and begin pumping. Tell the students to keep their
eyes on the balloon.
6. After 2-3 minutes, students will observe a noticeable difference in the size of the
balloon (it got bigger!).
7. Discuss the importance of the pressurized suit to the human body. What other kinds of
suits are there that need to be pressurized?
Music Connections:
Ask students to describe the sound their voice makes, i.e. high pitched, nasal, low pitched, lots
of vocal inflection (highs and lows), soft, loud. Discuss different types of voices, i.e. speaking
voice, singing voice, playground voice. Now have them cover their ears with their hands and
speak. Does your voice sound as you thought it did when you did not have your ears covered.
Why is this so? Try the same experiment having them touch their ear bone rather than their
entire ear. Is the sound the same? If you speak into a large hollow drum is the sound the same
as if you were speaking on the playground? Ask them to hum. Do you feel the vibrations?
Where are the vibrations the strongest (upper cheek around their eyes)? Professional
musicians usually wear ear pieces so they can hear their own voice in relation to the
accompaniment.
The same effect can be made with ski or skating helmets that cover the ears. Have some
available in the classroom so students can experiment with the variations in sound. What
about sounds in your immediate environment? Do they sound the same as when you are not
wearing a helmet?
ASSESSMENT: Have the students do a journal entry describing what they learned about the
sound of their voice, and how this relates to their environment.
Does sound have an effect on our bodies? Describe how you feel if you are in a room with
excessive noise, or with a loud bass booming, or under water. Does sound have an effect on
balance? Do we rely on sound to secure our balance? Ask the students to research the effects
of sound on the body.
Have the students pretend they are astronauts wearing space suits covering head to toe. Have
them explore how they move wearing a space suit. An important part of the suit is the helmet.
Based on what you know about helmets, as they affect our hearing, how do you think the
astronauts feel when they wear their space suits? Is the sound around you distorted? Taking
this into consideration, what modifications to the helmet need to be made when scientists are
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designing space suits? Are there special communication systems that need to be in place so the
astronauts can hear clearly?
Students can represent the soundscape of space. A soundscape consists of key sounds that
create an environment. Open this activity with playing a sound clip of a busy city and ask
students to identify the different sounds they hear. Ask the students how they knew the
environment based on the combination of sounds. Now, in groups of 3 or 4, have the students
create their space soundscape and present it to another group.
ASSESSMENT: When one group performs for another group, ask those listening to identify one
thing they really liked about the soundscape and one thing they would suggest for the next
time it is performed.
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Staying Cool in Space
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-cooling.pdf]
Background
Working in space takes a great amount of effort. During the first spacewalks or Extravehicular
Activity (EVA), astronauts have relayed how warm it gets while wearing a spacesuit that has a
mass of over 100 kilograms!
To help the spacewalkers stay cool during an EVA, researchers developed the Liquid Coolingand-Ventilation Garment. The garment is a one-piece body suit with a zippered-front. Its soft
nylon lining is covered with an additional layer of Spandex TM and a network of plastic tubing
that surrounds the body. This tubing is used for cooling and ventilating the suit. A set of tubes is
used to circulate cool liquid, while another set of tubes is used to transport sweat, carbon
dioxide, and any other contaminants into the Primary Life Support System to purify the
atmosphere within the suit.
The Activity
Students will use plastic tubing and water to lower their body temperature.
The Objective
This activity teaches students about an astronaut's challenge of working in space and the need
for researchers to devise solutions for real-life problems. Students will have the opportunity to
experience how an astronaut regulates his body temperature while working in space.
Material
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two buckets
3 metres of aquarium tubing
water
ice to fill a bucket to the halfway point
kitchen size plastic garbage bags (one per student)
Method
Understanding Heat Retention
1. Give each student a plastic bag. Students should-roll up one shirtsleeve.
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2. Ask the students to place their bare arms in the plastic bag. Wrap the bag around the
arm (but not too tightly). For a period of two minutes, they should wave their covered
arms.
3. After this time period, ask the students to observe the sensation in the arm once they
remove these bags. The following discussion should explain how the suit, like the plastic,
retains body heat, and why their arms suddenly felt cooler with the removal of the bags.
(Warm air in the bag was released and moisture from perspiration on the arms began to
evaporate to create a cooling effect.)
4. You can now segue into the next part of the exercise. Students will understand how to
circumvent the problem of heat retention within the suit.
A "Cool" System
1.
2.
3.
4.
Set up a bucket of water and ice on a desk.
Set up the empty bucket on the floor.
Ask a student volunteer to sit on a chair in front of the desk and the ice water.
Wrap the tubing around the student's bare arm and place one end of the tube in the ice
water and the other end of the tube in the empty bucket.
5. Start a siphon flow from the ice water to the empty bucket. Ask the student to describe
the sensation for the rest of the class.
More Activities to Stimulate Interest and Learning
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Devise a method that will eliminate the need for the siphons and buckets of water in
this experiment. How can you ensure that water can be continuously circulated?
Set up teams to design and construct liquid cooling garments. Each team can choose
their base garment (e.g. long underwear, thermal undershirt, running tights, bodysuit).
They can also decide on how much tubing to apply for maximum cooling and how it can
most effectively be networked and attached to the suit.
Devise a method to compare and test the effectiveness of each of the suits. Which was
most effective? Which was least effective? Why?
Who else might benefit from these liquid cooling garments?
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Music Connections:
Create different sounds using water. Try putting water to various levels in a number of water
glasses. Rub your finger around the rim of the glasses. Can you hear the different pitches? If
you have 8 glasses with different levels of water, can you adjust these levels to produce a major
scale?
Pose the following question to the students? In the previous activity, do you think the
temperature of the water affects the pitch of each water glass? Have them create an
experiment where they have the same number of water glasses in each group. One group will
use warm water and the other will place ice water to the same levels. Ask each group to play
the notes made by the water and to compare warm and ice water. What did they discover?
Does temperature affect other instruments? If there is a band program in your school, have
some members visit the music class to talk about their experiences in different temperatures.
For example, if some students play brass instruments in a marching band, they will probably
have experienced the effects of cold when they played in a Remembrance Day parade.
Violinists may talk about playing in a very warm venue where the instruments would not stay in
tune. You may be able to create conditions to demonstrate the effects of temperature change
on pitch.
Try this experiment. Fill a water jug with water and pour it from a height of 1 foot into another
glass jar. What did they notice about the sound? They should conclude that the pitch gets
higher as the receiving glass jar gets filled. Ask them, based on their previous experiments, why
they think this is so?
In this science lesson (described above) the objective was for students to identify the challenges
of working in space because of temperature changes and space restrictions. During the current
space mission, Chris Hadfield took along his guitar. What challenges do you think he will
experience playing his guitar? How could he problem-solve to overcome these challenges?
In the audio recording, Mr. Bach Comes to Call (Classical Kids Collection), we hear the launch of
the Voyager II spacecraft. What was very interesting about that mission was that among the
collection of items taken into space, by the astronauts, were samples of Bach’s music. Play the
recording for the children and ask why they think Bach would have been included on that
mission. Now identify some things that Chris Hadfield took into space with him (a guitar,
organic food snacks including special blueberry bars from Nova Scotia, iPods with his favorite
music). Have the students speculate on why these things were chosen, and then invite them to
research on the Internet to see if their hypothesis is accurate.
One of the most important items that Hadfield took with him is a song he co-wrote with Ed
Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies: I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing). Have the students visit the
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Web site for the Coalition for Music Education [www.musicmakesus.ca] to learn more about
the song, and to see Hadfield and Robertson discussing it in the earlier stages of composition.
There are several arrangements available for the students to learn. Choose one that is
appropriate for the class and prepare it for the annual Music Monday Celebrations 2013.
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Donning the Spacesuit
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-donning.pdf]
Introduction
In the movies, you'll sometimes see astronauts throw on a spacesuit, step out into space and
save the Earth--don't believe everything you see in the movies! What they leave out is the
amount of preparation time it takes to get ready for an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) or
spacewalk.
Realistically, it really does only take around 15 minutes to get the suit on, but preparations for a
spacewalk may actually start one day in advance. The crew-members on board the Shuttle start
with routine checks of the equipment that will be used on a mission and they'll also inspect the
spacesuits.
The technical name of a spacesuit is an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). It's like a spacecraft
with the only difference being that it can fit only one person! The suit contains the basic
necessities of life such as oxygen, water, and protection. It also houses a communications
system so the astronaut can stay in touch with Mission Control on Earth.
Just like the cabin of the Shuttle, the suit is pressurized. If you recall, we experience pressure on
Earth. If there were no pressure, the air in our lungs would rush out. The gases in our body
fluids would expand and boil off. That would be the end of us!
The suit is carefully constructed to ensure an astronaut's survival. The EMU is made up of many
parts. The parts must be put on in a particular sequence after a number of preparations are
made. We joined the suit designers in the lab and took some pictures so you can get a good
idea of what has to happen!
Suiting Up
Typically, two astronauts will suit up at the same time because there are usually two
spacewalkers assigned to a mission. They typically dress in the orbiter air-lock. This is an airtight
chamber in which the pressure can be controlled. It sits between the cabin and the Shuttle's
cargo bay.
Here's the step-by-step procedure that all space-walkers have to follow. Prep time takes about
two hours and 20 minutes to get ready for an EVA!
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Step 1: Pre-Breathing to avoid the Bends
“The bends” sounds like a pretty nasty disorder--and it is! People who get “the bends” also
known a Caisson Disease, experience cramping and extreme pain in the joints. Paralysis and
death are also possible in the worst case scenarios. People can get “the bends” if they move
from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure too quickly. People who are likely to
get Caisson Disease are underwater divers who rise to the surface too quickly. Astronauts also
run the risk of getting “the bends“. Here's why:
On Earth, you breathe in air. Air is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and other gases. Your body
tissues are filled with nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen that your body can absorb depends on
the amount of pressure that's being exerted by the atmosphere. The higher the pressure is, the
more nitrogen your body can hold. The lower the pressure is, the less nitrogen your body can
hold. If you moved from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure too quickly or if the
difference between pressures was extreme, your tissues would get supersaturated--or
overfilled--with nitrogen! Nitrogen would be forced out of your tissues as gas bubbles. Ouch!
This causes a lot of pain!
In space, the air within the cabin of the Space Shuttle is at the same pressure as it is here on
Earth. It contains the same mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. The spacesuit, on the other hand,
operates at about one-third of the Shuttle's cabin pressure. That's because the lack of pressure
in space makes the suit act like a rigid balloon. Keeping the pressure as low as possible makes it
easier for the astronauts to bend and move in the suit as they perform their tasks. However, if
the pressure were kept too low, the astronauts would be at a higher risk of getting “the bends“.
To prevent "the bends" the spacewalkers slowly remove nitrogen from their bloodstream and
body tissues by breathing pure oxygen. They do this by putting on the helmets from their
launch and re-entry suits that are connected by a tube to a tank of 100% oxygen. They breathe
in pure oxygen, but the air they exhale is a mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. This
procedure is called pre-breathing.
About an hour or so after starting their pre-breathe (and at least 12 hours before stepping into
space), the Shuttle's cabin pressure is lowered from 101 kilopascals to 70.3 and the percentage
of oxygen in the cabin air is increased.
The combined lower pressure and higher level of oxygen means the astronauts can take off
their helmets and breathe the cabin air without the risk of loading any more nitrogen into their
bodies. In fact, they slowly continue to lose nitrogen! This procedure usually occurs at the end
of the day. The astronauts have a good night's sleep. The next morning, they wake up early to
prepare for their spacewalk.
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Step 2: The Urine Collector
This is the day the spacewalk begins! The astronauts start to get dressed. The first thing on is
the urine collector! This does not involve anyone collecting samples from the astronauts!
You can think of urine collectors as materials that absorb or collect urine during the spacewalk.
Male spacewalkers wear a Urine Collection Device while female spacewalkers wear Disposable
Absorption and Containment Trunks. The male version is a pouch. The female version is like a
pair of multi-layered shorts that contain an absorptive powder. Both can hold almost one whole
litre of fluid.
Step 3: Stay Cool!
The astronauts now move into the airlock. They put on the Liquid Cooling-and-Ventilation
Garment. This looks like a pair of long underwear with a series of tubes that run throughout it.
The Spandex TM garment's tubes are used to circulate cool water to keep the body comfortable
while working in the 114-kilogram suit.
Other tubes are used to whisk away sweat, carbon and any contaminants into the Primary Life
Support System to purify the atmosphere in the suit.
Step 4: Harnessing Electricity
Why would a suit need an electrical supply?
A power connection is necessary to hook up medical instruments that monitor the astronaut's
heart rate. It's also necessary run the suit control systems and for radio equipment that serves
as the communications link between space and Earth.
To accomplish this, an electrical harness is hooked up to the Hard Upper Torso (HUT) of the
suit.
Step 5: Putting the Little Pieces Together
A number of little items need to be prepared. An anti-fog mixture is rubbed into the inside of
the helmet. A wrist mirror and checklist are attached to the left arm of the suit.
On the inside of the HUT, a water bag needs to be attached with Velcro TM. The In-suit Drink
Bag is filled with about two-and-a-half cups of water from the galley. A straw reaches up into
the helmet.
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Next--the Snoopy Cap! This is a fabric cap that contains earphones and a microphone for
communication. It gets connected to the electrical harness and is left floating above the HUT
until it's ready to put on.
Step 6: One Leg at a Time
Finally, the rest of the suit goes on. The bottom half of the suit (also known as the Lower Torso)
gets pulled on. The Lower Torso consists of the pants, boots, joints for the ankles, knees, and
hips, and a metal body-seal closure that connects the Lower Torso to the HUT. It also features a
waist bearing which allows the astronauts to twist from side to side if they're locked into foot
restraints while working in space.
Step 7: Dive In!
Or maybe we should say, "Dive Up!"
The HUT hangs on the wall of the airlock. To get into it, the astronaut has to raise his arms and
dive up into the top half and squeeze his head past the neck seal.
Once inside, the Liquid Cooling-and-Ventilation Garment gets hooked up to the Primary Life
Support System. The medical instruments are also hooked up to the electrical harness. Finally,
the body-seal closure rings are locked together with the help of another crewmember.
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The HUT is strong enough to carry the Primary Life Support System which goes on the back and
the Displays and Controls Module which attaches to its front. The module remains plugged into
the Service and Cooling Umbilical. It provides cool water, oxygen, and power from the orbiter.
By remaining plugged into the umbilical, the "consumables" of the Primary Life Support System
are conserved until needed.
Step 8: The Pressure is On!
The final pieces of the suit are put on--eyeglasses, the Snoopy Cap, comfort gloves, the helmet
with lights (and sometimes a TV camera), and gloves.
The helmet is locked on. The suit is now a self-contained unit that is complete with its own
oxygen supply, air pressure, power supply and water. The astronaut is no longer in the
atmosphere of the airlock.
All the seals get manually checked. The pressure in the suit is increased 29.6 kilopascals above
the airlock pressure. The astronauts may feel some discomfort in their ears and sinus cavities.
They have to yawn or swallow to relieve the discomfort.
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The oxygen supply in the airlock is shut off. The astronaut then reads the chest-mounted digital
display which indicates any leakage. A small leak is normal--as long as it isn't more than 1. 38
kilopascals per minute.
If leakage is minimal or non-existent, then the suit is depressurized to the airlock's original
pressure, and the oxygen is turned back on.
For the next few minutes, the atmosphere from the airlock is forced out of the suit. That way,
only pure oxygen is left in the suit. The astronauts continue with the pre-breathing for another
30 to 40 minutes.
Step 9: The Spacewalk Begins
Once everything is checked and pre-breathing is completed, the inner door of the airlock is
sealed and the airlock is depressurized. Its atmosphere is released into space. Once the airlock
pressure drops t o 34.48 kilopascals, depressurization is put on pause.
The astronauts check for seal leaks again. If there is a lot of leakage, then the airlock is
repressurized and the crew and spacewalkers check all of the seals. If there are no leaks, the
final depressurization begins.
Once the airlock is depressurized, the outer airlock hatch is opened and the astronauts are
ready to move into the cargo bay. They hook up their tethers to the orbiter so they don't float
away, and they move around using handholds.
The astronauts then disconnect their HUTs from the Service and Cooling Umbilical and the
Primary Life Support System starts using its own reserves. The astronauts pull themselves
through the outer airlock hatch and the spacewalk begins!
Music Connections:
Using information about “the bends” as discussed in the science lesson, have students simulate
what happens when we move from high pressure to low pressure. Remind them that when this
happens, the body absorbs more nitrogen and this can cause great pain in the joints.
Experiment with moving to demonstrate this. What type of music would be best suited for this
exercise? Why? Experiment with different styles of music and see how this affects the
movement patterns. Does it demonstrate accurately what the bends feel like?
Discuss the production of sound on a wind instrument using air pressure. If you have access to a
brass instrument mouthpiece, demonstrate the embouchure and the effects of various speeds
of buzzing. If there is a band program in your school, you may consider inviting some brass
players to the class to demonstrate this. If you increase the pressure what is the effect on the
pitch?
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In the science lesson the students learned about the possibility of leaks in the oxygen supply. A
slight leak (less than 1.38 kilopascals per minute) is not significant for a space suit. However,
the slightest leak can make a difference in an instrument. Demonstrate this with a recorder.
Describe the sounds that result with various degrees of “seal leaks” just like with the door of
the airlock as described above in the science lesson. Explain that on woodwind instruments,
this can also happen with a faulty pad that is leaking air. Pads on instruments always need to
be kept in the tip-top shape for a good tone and in-tune playing.
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Sweet Pee: Grades 4-6
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-sweet_pee.pdf]
Activity Overview
This demonstration addresses the recycling of water as part of living and working in space. It
illustrates the importance of the need to recycle water. Subsequent discussions can raise the
level of awareness on how the Earth’s environment recycles animal waste.
Time Required
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10 minutes for preparation
10 minutes over a 45 minute class period
Materials
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Simulated Urine
o yellow food colouring
o clear carbonated soft drink
Simulated Biological Active Agent
o 8 raisins
Simulated mixture of Citric and Carbonic Acid
o clear carbonated soft drink
stirring stick or spoon
500ml beaker or appropriate glass jar labelled "Sample Jar"
Two 500 ml clear bottles with sealing top
drinking glass (clear)
knife
coffee filter
small plastic vial or closable plastic bag
Preparation
1. Mix the following liquids in a 500 ml bottle, to simulate urine: approximately 100 ml of a
clear or yellow soft drink (Example Ginger Ale, 7-Up) and 1-3 drops of yellow food
colouring. Some experimentation with the correct size and number of drops may be
required to give the correct appearance. Let this mixture go flat (can be accelerated by
stirring).
2. Chop the raisins into very small pieces, and store in the plastic vial or bag. Label the vial
with "Biologically Active Re-Processing Organism". On the label write an impressive
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looking number (e.g.AF-4366032-B2) and a recent past date. Place the top on the vial (a
film canister works well as a plastic vial). This is the "biologically active agent".
3. Pour 450 ml of clear soft drink in the 500 ml clear bottle with a sealing top. Make sure to
seal the top so that the carbonation is retained. Label this bottle "Citric and Carbonic
Acid".
In Class Demonstration
Remember that this is a simulation, so that if the audience knows what the actual components
the demonstration really are the effect will be lost.
1. Prior to the presentation, place the plastic container with the "biologically active agent
and the Citric and Carbonic Acid Bottles on the desk or some other observable spot.
Beside them place the empty 500 ml beaker (sample jar) and the stir stick or spoon. The
container with the simulated urine should be hidden in a bag or left in a room away
from the audience.
2. Just prior to the presentation, the presenter takes the sample jar and the unseen
"urine" to a private room and pours the mixture from the bottle into the sample
container. The empty "urine" container is then again hidden.
3. Introduce the need to conserve materials such as food and water when living in Earth
orbit. Note that for short missions, all the water that is needed for the mission can be
taken on the flight. Water can be transported from the Earth’s surface to orbit, and all
waste, including human waste, liquid and solid, can be brought back as needed. For
extended missions, not all the water needed for "one time use" can be taken. Water will
have to be recycled. This includes urine. At this point hold up the "urine" in the beaker
and state that you will show them how this will be done. Be careful not to state what is
in the beaker directly. Let the imagination of the audience carry the demonstration.
4. State that the process of "purifying" the water in the beaker to a drinkable state
requires two distinct steps. The first is the dilution of "this" fluid in the "citric and
carbonic acid" – this allows the second step to be more effective. Add the fluid in the
citric and carbonic acid bottle to the mixture. If anyone is observant enough to
comment that the fluid you are adding looks like 7-UP or Sprite, comment that a major
portion of both 7-Up and Sprite are citric and carbonic acid and that they could be used.
5. Next, state that a biologically active agent that converts all the impurities in the
"solution", except the colour, to harmless materials does the purification. It also
removes any odour and any "bad taste". Open the biologically active agent container
and dump the agent into the fluid. The combination of the agent to the fluid to be
purified will result in active bubbling. You can make the statement that "things seem to
be working". State that in normal water purification this process takes some time but
that you can speed it up because of the small amount of solution and the large amount
of reagent. State that stirring helps. Stir the container with the spoon.
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6. State that the process will take about 30 minutes, and ask the students to remind you to
stir the solution about every 5 minutes, to ensure that the appropriate reactions take
place.
7. Over the next 30 minutes or so, stir the fluid and biological active agents. Comment that
things seem to be progressing nicely.
8. When approximately 30 minutes are up, give the fluid one last stir to ensure that the
fluid will be flat. State that you will now separate the fluid and the biologically active
agent by filtering it. Place the filter paper in the drinking glass and slowly pour the
solution through the filter paper.
9. Once the filtering process is complete, you quickly make the statement that "this should
be purified enough to drink" and quickly drink some.
10. State that on long haul missions in space, nothing can be wasted, so that even the
biological agent needs to be recycled. Ask what the audience thinks they would do with
it. Field some answers. Add "eat it" as one possible answer at the end, and quickly eat a
portion of the agent.
11. Drink all of the purified drink and continue with the lesson or discussion.
Music Connections
Discuss with the students the importance of recycling to save the planet. What efforts are used
in the school for recycling? Create a campaign to improve recycling. You may consider having
the class create a poem to be used as a choral speech. Discuss it first in terms of dynamics,
articulations, tempo, etc. A choral speech has similar characteristics of a good musical
presentation.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
[from: https://sites.google.com/site/mleesmiley/useful-links/reduce-reuse-recycle]
Bottles, cans, and tetra packs
Paper, cardboard piled in stacks
Reduce, reuse, recycle!
Kitchen worms they do toil
Turning veggies into soil
Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
These three words I always hear
Now I know to hold them dear
Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
Nature recycles, it's nothing new
From fungus to bears and insects too
Save energy, use it again and again...
...and again and again and again and again
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When you recycle do it with pleasure
One person's garbage is another's treasure!
Ants, worms and bottle flies
Do dirty work it's no surprise
They all recycle in the forest
Bears are very special you see
Recycling nutrients internally
They all recycle in the forest!
Fungi decompose dead trees
Spiders eat their silk with ease
They all recycle in the forest!
Chorus
When you reduce your waste
Your trash will take up less space
Reduce, reuse, recycle!
Reuse in your garden and home
You can borrow or loan
Reduce, reuse, recycle!
To reinforce the concept of recycling, have the students create a rap. Encourage them to
consider the importance of recycling in their daily life, and relate it to the importance of
recycling water on the space station.
Experiment with a rock beat on a keyboard, or in Garage Band to accompany the rap with a
back beat. Alternatively, they could use percussion instruments or their voices to create beat
boxing. When the compositions are ready for performance, arrange a presentation for a
specific audience.
Have the students “recycle” sounds by collecting objects around the classroom, school or
playground. These can be used to create a stomp composition. Before they begin, show the
students examples of various stomp routines as found on You Tube. This should give them
ideas for recycling objects such as empty cans and bottles, paper, garbage bags, etc. These can
be combined with found objects such as garbage can lids, sticks, etc. Arrange a presentation of
the stomp compositions.
Have students make instruments from recyclable material (e.g. make a kazoo out of paper
towel rolls, elastics bands and parchment paper). Students can create mainstream instruments
(e.g. using empty containers as drums) or they can create their own instruments and make their
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own names for them. Students can form a band (groups of four) and create a short melody that
can be played for the class.
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Living on the ISS: Grades 4-6
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-living_iss.pdf]
The International Space Station (ISS) is a remarkable achievement, involving the efforts of 16
countries around the globe including Canada. It is the largest spacecraft in history and will be
launched, one or two pieces at a time, on more than 40 launches using three different launch
vehicles. In total, the International Space Station will take almost 5 years for its assembly onorbit to be complete.
ISS is unique in that it offers astronauts the opportunity to do something quite special; live and
work in the weightless environment of space, longer than ever before. Due to fuel and food
considerations (among other things), Space Shuttle flights generally last no longer than 2
weeks. On the International Space Station, astronauts will remain in Earth’s orbit for up to 6
months at a time, giving them the opportunity to really sink their teeth into some interesting
and important research that otherwise, due to short-duration of shuttle flights, they could just
never do.
However, microgravity (the apparent absence of the effect of gravity), can present some
interesting challenges for astronauts when it comes to living in space. Most “living” activities
will take place in the Habitat Module (or Hab Module) on ISS. Eating, sleeping, recreation and
yes, even going to the bathroom are necessities that astronauts will have to deal with while
they are in space.
Let’s take some time to explore what it’s like for astronauts to live on the International Space
Station.
Astronauts have an astonishing array of food items to choose from. The kinds of foods they eat
are not mysterious concoctions, but foods prepared here on Earth, many commercially
available on grocery store shelves. Most of the food planned for ISS will be frozen (i.e. most
entrees, vegetable, and dessert items), refrigerated (includes fresh and freshtreated fruits and
vegetables, extended shelf-life refrigerated foods, and dairy products) or thermostabilized
(heat-processed, canned, and stored at room temperature) and will not require the addition of
water before consumption. However, many of the
beverages will be in the dehydrated form. Other types of food, such as fresh food and natural
form food (ready-to-eat foods like peanuts), will also be flown. You can visit
http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov/spacefood to see the entire ISS Food List. Astronauts select
their menu approximately five months before their flight. The menus are analyzed for
nutritional content by a dietitian and recommendations are made to correct any nutrient
deficiencies based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances of vitamins and minerals
necessary to perform each day in the environment of space.
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Once the selection is complete, food is individually packaged and stowed for easy handling in
the zero gravity environment of space. Meals are stowed in special pullout drawers, which
allow complete viewing of drawer contents. Food and other supplies will be resupplied every 90
days by exchanging the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM). The MPLM is a pressurized
module carried in space in the Space Shuttle payload bay that is used to transport materials and
supplies.
Food Preparation
Astronauts prepare all of their meals in the galley, a modular unit inside the Hab Module that
contains a water dispenser, a table, an oven, a freezer and 2 refrigerators. When it’s time to
eat, astronauts select packages of food that need to be warmed, and place them in the air
convection oven. Hot and cold water is also available for preparation of foods or beverages.
During a typical meal in space, a meal tray is used to hold food and beverage containers. This
tray can be attached to the table. The meal tray becomes the astronaut’s dinner plate and
enables him or her to choose from several foods at once just like a meal at home.
Conventional eating utensils are used in space. Astronauts use a knife, fork, and spoon. The
only unusual eating utensil is a pair of scissors used for cutting open the packages. Eating
utensils and food trays are cleaned at the hygiene station with pre-moistened towelettes.
When the meal is finished, all the trash is collected into trash bags, and placed into containers
to be brought back to Earth for disposal.
The preparation and consumption of a meal would typically involve the following series of
steps.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Collect meal tray and utensils 9. Retrieve refrigerated foods
Display preselected meal on the computer 10. Place refrigerated food in meal tray
Locate food using location display function 11. Retrieve items from oven
Prepare food items for heating 12. Place heated foods in meal tray
Place items to be heated in oven 13. Eat
Enter cook control codes and press "start" 14. Place used containers in trash
Rehydrate beverages 15. Clean and stow meal tray and utensils
Place beverages on meal tray
Bathroom Break
The toilet (or waste collection system) used in space is very similar to the kind we’re
accustomed to using here on Earth, although there are some unique features. First of all, in
order to remain seated, astronauts must make use of restraints, otherwise they might float
away! Secondly, instead of water to flush away solid waste, this toilet relies on air. When
astronauts need to use the toilet, they seat themselves and make use of the various restraining
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devices (foot loops, thigh restraints etc.). They then activate the air suction system using a
control lever. Air is then sucked downward into the toilet bowl
taking solid waste with it. Solid wastes are then compressed and stored onboard, and then later
removed.
Where urinating is concerned, astronauts make use of a large tube, connected to the bottomfront of the toilet. This tube also has air flowing through it, which carries the urine into a
holding tank.
Anatomically correct “urine funnel adapters” are attached to this tube so both men and women
can use the same toilet.
Bathing
Keeping yourself clean is as important in space as it is here on Earth. Unlike the Space Shuttle,
there is a full body shower unit on ISS. When astronauts want to take a shower, they step into a
cylindrical shower stall, and close the door. Astronauts get themselves wet and wash up just
like you would on Earth, however, because of weightlessness, the water droplets and soap
don’t flow downwards into a drain, they float about! Astronauts use a suction device to get rid
of the wastewater.
Exercise
Living and working in space requires very little physical exertion. Therefore, astronauts must
exercise to stay healthy. Astronauts are required to exercise for 2 hours each day while on the
International Space Station. A stationary bicycle and a treadmill are used in order to exercise
both the lower and upper body muscles. A series of straps and restraints are used to keep the
astronauts secure against the exercise equipment.
Recreation and Sleep
Just as on Earth, recreation and sleep are important to good health in space. Cards and other
games, books and writing material are all available. Astronauts are also allowed to choose the
music they would like to bring with them into space. For this reason, CD players for music are
also provided. Perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring activity for an astronaut, however, is to
simply look out the window at the Earth below. Many astronauts have remarked how they
spent many hours looking down on our planet, noticing how beautiful and fragile it looks from
space. For this reason, photography is a very popular hobby for astronauts during their “offduty” time.
Sleeping takes place in a “personal sleep station”. These are small compartments where an
astronaut can finally get some privacy. It’s a “personal retreat” area, where astronauts stow
and change their clothes and even hang personal pictures. Each sleep station is equipped with a
reading lamp, clothes drawers or nets, a kind of shelf or desktop to work on, and a sleeping bag.
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Sleeping bags (also known as a “sleep restraints”) are really nothing more than a cloth bag with
a stiff pad on the back. When it’s time for bed, astronauts zipper themselves in for a good
night’s sleep. A sleeping mask and earplugs are also available.
A Daily Routine
Since water is a rare commodity in space, astronauts on the International Space Station
will be recycling their water. This includes respiration, perspiration, shower and shaving
water, and even urine. These wastewaters will be purified and then recycled for drinking
and other uses.
Biological treatments are used to purify water on Earth. The microorganisms used in this
process destroy contaminants in the water. The International Space Station will use
physical and chemical processes to remove contaminants, along with filtration and
temperature sterilization to ensure the water is safe to drink.
Water Filtration Activity
Note: This experiment only demonstrates a type of water filtration. The experiment will not
purify water for drinking purposes.
You will need:
Clear plastic soda bottle (2-liter)
Gravel (aquarium)
Sand
Aquarium charcoal (activated)
Cheesecloth (a nylon stocking
can be used instead)
Muddy water
Rubber bands
Step 1. Cut the bottom off the soda bottle. Cover the mouth with several layers of cheesecloth
and secure the cloth with a rubber band. Suspend the bottle upside down with its mouth over a
glass to catch the filtered water.
Step 2. Fill the bottle with charcoal to a depth of 5–8 cm. Place 8–10 cm of sand on top of the
charcoal. Place 5–8 cm of gravel on top of the sand.
Step 3. Stir the muddy water and pour it into the filter. Watch closely as the water seeps down
through the three filtering layers of gravel, sand, and charcoal.
Discussion
1. What happened to the water while it passed through the different layers of the filter?
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2. Compare the muddy water to the filtered water. Is there a difference?
3. Would it make a difference if one of the layers had been left out?
Music Connections:
As a class, create a soundscape of the environmental sounds heard on the space station, or
while walking in space. The use of technology (computers, electronic instruments, sounds
manipulated with technology applications) will be necessary for this assignment. In pairs or
small groups, have the students collect several examples of contrasting sounds that they may
hear on or outside the space station. These should be recorded so they can be presented and
explained to the class.
Once each pair or group has shared their sounds, try to reach a consensus on a general
structure for the soundscape. For example, maybe they will begin their composition with lift
off, followed by travelling through space, arriving at the space station, working, and returning
to earth. Maybe they will want to focus on a typical day on the space station that includes work
and recreation. Once a general plan is decided upon, lead the students into creating the
soundscape. There will be many decisions to be made, such as, will all the instruments start at
once or will they enter at intervals? Will there be some sounds that serve like a drone
throughout the entire composition? Will some be heard alone? Now as a class, create the
composition and notate it using graphic notation. Provide any directions needed for other to
recreate the soundscape, and then perform it as a class.
ASSESSMENT: As teacher, decide in advance the skills you would like to assess and the form of
assessment that you will use. This might be a good activity to assess teamwork, cooperation,
problem solving, etc. You may wish to create a rubric, or you might consider a checklist. Your
decision on the assessment method used will most likely depend on the class, the time
available to do a detailed assessment, prior experience on creating soundscapes, etc.
As a class, discuss “anthems” and their relevance in today’s society. Play and/or sing O
Canada. Discuss it in terms of what we believe in as citizens in a democratic country. Use the
following guided questions:



When do you usually hear our anthem played?
Have you ever heard our national anthem played where it has evoked tears? (e.g. when
a medal is won during the Olympics). Why do you think an athlete will cry when he/she
hears the anthem played and sees the flag raised? Can you think of other examples?
Play an anthem from another country. How is ours similar? Different? What are some
key words that describe it? (e.g., sounds like a hymn; march-like; simple melody with
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

repeated phrases; often not a chorus and verse structure, but rather two distinct
sections; short).
Have the students, either individually or in small groups, research an anthem from a
country assigned by you as teacher. You may wish to limit these to anthems that use
English lyrics, although more advanced students may be able to translate them using a
free translator on the web. On an assigned day, have the students present their
anthems to the rest of the class. They may also wish to show the country’s flag while
the anthem is played. For this activity, you might consider limiting the anthems to those
of the countries represented on this year’s space mission.
Based on what they now know of anthems, have the students work in groups to create
lyrics to an anthem for their school. To begin, as a class brainstorm key ideas that
describe what the basic “belief systems” of the school are. Try to avoid a discussion that
simply describes the “rules” of the school. After enough time to brainstorm, have the
students in their groups create the lyrics for an anthem. Invite the students to share
their ideas with the class.
Extension of the learning


You may wish to create a class composition that will become the school’s anthem.
Select a set of lyrics from the previous activity, or combine ideas from several groups to
arrive at a class set of lyrics. Then, in groups, have the students improvise a simple
melody that works. Work in small sections, and allow time throughout the process for
songwriters’ circles where students are encouraged to give feedback to each other. This
process should be extended over several lessons.
When the melody is complete, record the anthem.
Preparing for the Space Mission: CD project

After the students have read the information on eating in space, have them, either
Individually, or in groups, create a CD or a Playlist of dinner music that they would take
on the mission if they were to travel to the space station. Have them explain their
choices when they present their CD or Playlist. How will the specific recordings help
them adapt to the unique routine for meals on the space station?

The astronauts will have a special sleep routine, and as the information explains, this
will be quite different from what they experience on earth. It may be helpful to have
some music that has personal significance to take along on the space mission. Add to
the CD or create a new playlist that has music that will help you sleep. Again, have the
students justify their choices.

The information provided also includes an explanation of the importance of exercise
while on the space station. Have them add to the CD or create a new playlist of tunes
that they will play as they exercise. They should have a range of music, including both
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fast and slow tunes. Consider the extent of movement that will be possible in zero
gravity, as well as the confined space within which they will exercise.
Assessment: Have each group of students, or each student if the above CD project was done
individually, exchange CDs or Playlists with another group or individual. Ask the students to
listen to this CD and provide feedback to the student(s) who created it. This can be oral
feedback, and should be constructive. You may consider providing criteria for the students to
assess the CD’s and Playlists.
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Influence on the Hemic System: Grades 5-6
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-microgravity_science_edu.pdf]
Activity: Puffy face/bird leg syndrome
Objective: To demonstrate the phenomenon of fluid shift towards the upper body.
Materials:




Camera (preferably Polaroid)
Measuring tape
Erasable marker
Adjustable bench or any inclined plane
Method:





Have a student lie on the bench with the head about 30 cm lower than the feet and
remain in this position for a few minutes.
Take a picture of his or her face at the beginning of the experiment and another at the
end, 5 or 10 minutes later.
Now, note the observable differences: veins more swollen, smoother skin, blood rushing
to the head as in zero g.
To observe the reduced volume of the ankles, measure their girth at a particular spot
(draw a circle on the ankle) at the beginning and end of the subject’s stay on the
inclined plane (5 to 10 minutes).
Discuss these results with your students.
Influence on bone structure
Activity: Stretching of the spine
Objective: To demonstrate that a person grows taller in zero g
Materials:




3 large flexible sponges (to represent the spongy tissue)
4 large books (to represent vertebrae)
1 large rubber band
1 photo of the spine
Method:
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




Stack the books and sponges alternately.
Press down on the book and sponge assembly to compress it. Stretch the rubber band
around the assembly to hold it in that position. The rubber band illustrates the force of
gravity, which compresses the discs in the spinal column when the astronaut is on Earth.
Have the students measure the height of the assembly.
Remove the rubber band while keeping the stack upright.
Have the students take another measurement. Explain to students that the difference in
height results from the removal of the rubber band — or, in real life, the disappearance
of the Earth’s gravity once the astronaut is in space.
Activity: Reduction in a person’s height during the day
Objective: To measure the effect of gravity on a person’s height.
Materials:


Measuring tape
Sticky tape
Method:





Choose two volunteers from the class. They should preferably be the tallest and the
shortest.
Measure each student’s height accurately at the beginning and end of the day. To
ensure that the experiment is accurate, the same student should always take the
measurements. Make sure the volunteer keeps heels and head against the wall and
head level. Take the measure by placing a book flat on the volunteer’s head and a length
of sticky tape just below the book where it meets the wall. That way you will have two
marks to compare.
Compare the results. The students grew shorter during the day. The reason is the effect
of gravity on their spines: when they were in bed, lying horizontal, the vertebrae eased
apart a little, but through the day they were squeezed together again by gravity.
Ask the students to redo this experiment for a few days at home. Compile the results in
class and derive the average height increase for all students.
Hold a class discussion of the possible causes of any variations in the results.
Influence on balance and the sense of orientation
Activity: Astronauts’ balance test
Objective: To demonstrate the importance of the eyes in keeping your balance.
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Materials:



Plank (2” x 4” x 24”)
Chronometer
Blindfold
Method:





Lay the plank flat on the ground. Have two students hold either end to keep it steady.
Have a volunteer stand on the plank with the toe of one foot touching the heel of the
other and arms crossed on his or her chest.
Time how long he or she can balance on the 2x4 with eyes open.
Repeat the experiment and time it again with the person blindfolded.
Explain why the volunteer lost his or her balance more quickly the second time, when he
or she no longer had any visual cues.
Activity: Disorientation test
Objective: To show the importance of the inner ear in keeping your balance.
Materials:



Swivel chair
Blindfold
Volunteers (as monitors)
Method:





Blindfold the chosen volunteer.
Have the student sit on a swivel chair and turn slowly around a few times. Remove the
blindfold and tell the student to open his or her eyes quickly. Note that there is minimal
loss of balance and little dizziness. The fluid in the inner ear’s semicircular canals
stabilizes quickly.
Repeat the experiment by having the student turn faster and for a longer time. When
the subject opens his or her eyes the dizzy feeling is stronger and the subject’s balance
has begun to be more disturbed, as the fluid in the semicircular canals is taking longer to
stabilize.
Repeat the second experiment with the subject’s head forward, chin on chest. His or her
sense of balance will be even more uncertain, since this way the semicircular canals are
turned through 90 degrees (see sketch of inner ear) and the feelings of dizziness are that
much stronger.
Have the volunteer describe his or her sensations and discuss the results.
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Additional activities





Talk with students about real-life experiences that might remind them of some of the
physical symptoms associated with a space mission.
Ask students to list human beings’ biological needs and suggest how they could be
supplied in space. The primary needs are: atmosphere (oxygen, pressure, temperature,
odours), water, food, health and fitness, hygiene and psychological needs. To these may
be added the need for protection from radiation, the vacuum of space, debris and
meteorites.
Ask students how gravity might be simulated aboard a spacecraft to create more natural
conditions for the human body.
Ask students to design a game for astronauts that would take into account the
conditions and environment of microgravity.
Explain to the class the function of the inner ear and its role in controlling balance and
orientation.
Music Connections:
Using concepts and terms students have learned about the hemic system and the scientific
principles related to this topic, students can create an informational song. In teaching how to
create a song you can explain song structure (introduction, pre-chorus, chorus and verse,
bridge, outro).
As a whole class lesson you can use chart paper to illustrate song structure and you can
brainstorm together ideas about the hemic system (common scientific terms, rhyming words,
main ideas or messages from the lesson). You might want to brain storm a verse as a class, to
get the students thinking, or students can create their own verses. An example of a verse might
be as follows:
“The Hemic system is being affected,
My balance feels undirected,
When I spin too fast,
My inner ear fluid is slow to be corrected”
As the chorus is the repeating section of the song, students should focus on putting a key
message in the chorus and relating that specifically to the above science lesson.
As students create their informational songs, they can choose how they would perform these
songs (A cappella, in a group, with instrumentals). Students can perform their song, or record it
and play it for the class. In reflecting, analysing and responding, the rest of the class can explain
how this piece made them feel, and how they felt the facts were presented in regards to the
science connection.
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Movement and Music



Using what the students have learned in this lesson about the Hemic system, have the
students demonstrate through basic movements the effects of gravity on the body.
Remind them that gravity is present on earth, but on the space station, there is no
gravity. How does this affect their movements? Begin by having them walk around the
room, using all the space, and connecting with each other through eye contact and
avoiding running into each other. Experiment with levels, asking them to show high,
medium and low walking movements. They may need to use their arms to define the
various levels. Also have them, experiment with direction (forward, backward,
sideways) and tempo (fast, slow, moderate, getting faster, getting slower). To motivate
the students and to add interest, play pre-selected instrumental music, or use a simple
beat on a tambour, hand drum, bodhran, tambourine, etc.
Add a new dimension to the movement by asking the students to join a partner at a predetermined signal. Once they have their partner, encourage them to interact as they
combine movements, this time not walking but on the spot. Again, at another
designated sound, have them continue on their walk individually. Repeat the process
until they have interacted with several individual students.
Repeat the above sequence, this time as if they were on the space station. Since there
is no gravity, how might this affect their movement patterns? Once again, stress levels,
directionality, tempo. On the space station, floor space might be limited as there will be
many machines, computers, etc. How might this determine the range of movements
possible, either individually or in pairs?
ASSESSMENT: Have a self-assessment rubric ready so students can assess their own progress in
demonstrating the idea of moving with and without gravity, as well as the basic movement
techniques, such as levels, directionality, tempo.
By grade 5 and 6, students should have a good understanding of good breathing techniques for
singing and playing wind instruments, as well as breath control for extending phrases. Using
the experiment of the sponges and books, relate the compression and elongation of the spine
as they relate to good breathing technique.
Have the students experiment with balance as the science lesson demonstrates. Show an
excerpt from a ballet in which the dancers are spinning. If there are students in the class who
take dance or figure skating lessons, ask them what they do to overcome dizziness while
spinning. Under great supervision, select individual students to demonstrate spinning one at a
time. Remember, you must stress safety as this could cause injury, particularly if you are
working in a confined space. Ask each student how they felt when they stopped spinning.
Compare the feeling to what they might imagine if they were doing a dance on the space
station with no gravity. Do you think the feelings are similar?
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Have a range of recorded excerpts available for a listening activity. As you play each piece,
invite students to describe each in relation to what reminds them of gravity, and anti-gravity.
Remember, there are no wrong answers, but it is very important that they justify their choices.
Repeat the previous activity only this time have them describe each piece in terms of sounding
dizzy, calming, unusual, etc.
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Catching Some Rays
[http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources/evarm/grade6/rays.asp]
Directed Reading-Thinking Activity
1. Distribute copies of Reading Selection, Catching Some Rays, to students.
2. Engage students in a step-by-step process to guide them through the informational text,
assessing prior knowledge, noting any misconceptions, explaining and discussing
concepts e.g.
o
Break the reading into small sections, giving the students time to think about,
discuss and process information.
o
Ask students to read the introduction and share what they know about the topic.
o
Ask students to read the first question posed by the text, and share what they
know about the topic.
o
Have students read the corresponding section of the text. Prompt the students
with questions about specific information and explain new vocabulary in context.
Encourage students to ask questions for clarification.
o
Move on to the next question posed by the text and continue in a similar fashion
until students have read and discussed the whole text.
3. Ask students to work with a partner to record key ideas in a graphic organizer such as
the following.
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Step 2
Research
Ask students to research Victor Hess and prepare a short report answering the following
questions:

Who was Victor Hess?

For what discovery is he best known?

What was his hypothesis about the origins of cosmic rays?

How did he test his hypothesis?

What did he observe?

What were his conclusions?
Step 3
Discussion
Divide the class into groups of four. Ask students to share their research reports in their groups
and discuss the answers to the following questions:
1. Name one Canadian community where you would expect exposure to cosmic radiation
to be very low. Name one community in Canada where you would expect exposure to
cosmic radiation to be higher. Explain why you chose these communities.
2. List four occupations where the risk of cosmic radiation exposure would be greater than
normal. Explain your choices.
3. How will the EVARM experiment assist scientists in making space travel safer?
Music Connections:
Discuss different music cultures as a class and the fact that different music cultures are
represented by the environment in which they are created. Connect this to the above lesson.
Have students individually, or in groups, work to describe how music has changed over time,
and how it connects to different cultures.
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You can also have students describe how their music choices might be different from the
choices of their parents. Have them analyse why this might be true and how this connects to
different eras in music cultures. Connect this to the science lessons above by describing how
changes in science creations can be compared to changes in music creations (e.g. how auto
tune has been created as technology has developed).
Have the class create a musical concert that travels from the 1950s to 2010. Assign groups of
students (2-3 students in a group) a specific era of music and have them represent music from
that time period. Students can dress up wearing clothing from that era, use props and bring in
any items that might represent music at this time and the culture that surrounded it (disco in
the 1970s, pop music in the 1990’s). Students may choose to represent a specific group or
individual that they feel represents their specific era (Michael Jackson in the 1980’s, Justin
Bieber in 2010’s).
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Appendix A: Music Monday Song – I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing)
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Appendix B: Suggestions for Music Monday Celebrations
 Add a new dimension to the movement by asking the students to join a partner at a
pre-determined signal. Once they have their partner, encourage them to interact as
they combine movements.
 Collaborate with the science teacher in the school and organize a science/music fair.
Some of the activities described in this module can be displayed and/or performed.
 Organize an “informance” during which you have the students present to parents and
the school community what they learned in this module. If the students have created
soundscapes, raps, or other compositions, you can have them perform them at that
time.
 Create a display that demonstrates the connections between science and music.
 Have your class participate in Chris Hadfield’s log, and in your correspondence
communicate some of the experiences the students are having with the activities in
this module.
 Invite physics students from a neighbouring high school to demonstrate for your
students the physics of sound.
 Have the students work in groups to produce a report Chris Hadfield’s “musical
journey” to the International Space Station.
 Partner with another elementary or middle school in your district as you work through
the activities in this module. Share ideas electronically on a weekly basis, and
arrange to have the students come together to share the projects they have been
working on.
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 Contact the Coalition for Music Education to share your successes with the activities
suggested in this learning and teaching module.
 Organize workshops for other music educators in your district prior to beginning the
activities suggested in this module. Plan how you will organize them, and set up a
communication system to offer support to each other as you work through the
activities.
 Plan to have your students view the presentation on CBC on February 8 during which
Chris Hadfield and Ed Robertson will premier I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing), with
Hadfield on the Space Station and Robertson in Toronto.
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