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Designing a Spacecraft This activity is based on the book: A Ladder to the Stars. New York: Henry Hold and Company. [25 pages; ISBN 0-8050-6783-3].
Summary of the Book
This book is about a young girl who, on her seventh birthday, makes a wish on a star. She wishes that she could go into the sky and dance with a star. The star heard the girl's wish and then asked the sun, moon, and wind for help to grant this wish. After discussing their options, they decided that they would plant a special seed in the girl's yard, hoping that it would grow into a large plant that she could use to climb into the sky. The wind searched the earth and found the seed and planted it. The sun gave the seed energy to grow. After 100 years, on the lady's 107th birthday, the star shined on her and awoke the old woman. The star told her to climb up the tree, and her wish would be granted. The woman told the Star that she was too old to do such a thing, but the star convinced her to climb. After climbing, she jumped into the sky with the Star and danced with it. In the end, she decided to stay with the star and continue dancing.
Student Introduction
We learn from this story that even our wildest and craziest dreams can come true. This girl did not expect, 100 years later, that her wish would finally come true, and after such a long time forgot about her wish. She got to do something that few people in this world can say they have done. She got to go into space-by climbing on a tree, similar to what Jack of Jock and the Beanstalk fame did.
If we wanted to go into space to land on the moon, we would have to do something very different. What would we need to ride in? A space shuttle is used by astronauts to get into space. If we wanted to land on the moon, we would have to create a special spacecraft for that job. The surface of the moon is similar to a desert. There is nothing on it; it is a...