http://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=collection/cub_/lessons/cub_space8/cub_space8_lesson03.xmllessontext/xmlIntegrated Teaching and Learning Program , asteroidcratermeteorspacesolar systemasteroidcometmeteor

Students learn some basic facts about asteroids in our solar system, mainly about the size of asteroids and how that relates to the potential danger of an asteroid colliding with the Earth. Students are briefly introduced to the destruction that would ensue should a large asteroid hit, as it did 65 million years ago.

Engineers at NASA create technological tools to learn about asteroids. The Near-Earth-Object (NEO) project is aimed at studying how asteroids move so we can predict whether they will hit the Earth. Software engineers design the computer programs to make these predictions. Mechanical and aerospace engineers on this project have created space probes to learn more about asteroids by taking photographs of them and, in the case of the NEAR Shoemaker probe, even landing on a large asteroid. Explain what asteroids are and compare them to other objects in the solar system.State how big an asteroid must be to cause mass destruction on Earth.Understand why engineers design technological tools to predict the movement of asteroids. 20TeachEngineering.orgBrian KayKaren KingJanet Yowellhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_space8/cub_space8_lesson04_transparency1.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_space8/cub_space8_lesson04_transparency2.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_space8/cub_space8_lesson04_transparency1.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_space8/cub_space8_lesson04_transparency2.pdfhttp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/planetary/asteroid/gaspra.jpghttp://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/gallery/Asteroid_Belt.jpgS11425BDColoradoScienceb. Describe methods and equipment used to explore the solar system and beyond 88S11425C1ColoradoSciencef. Recognize that mathematical models are used to predict orbital paths and events88S11416DDInternational_Technology_Education_Association-ITEA_STL_StandardsTechnologyF. Knowledge gained from other fields of study has a direct effect on the development of technological products and systems.68United StatesCopyright 2012 - Integrated Teaching and Learning Program , College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulderhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-03-028Teacher