About the Stealth Activity

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Activity Summary:

In the Stealth activity students find out how radar and sonar work. They become acquainted with how waves travel and reflect. In addition, students present their findings on how Stealth designed vehicles avoid detection. The information from team oral reports is used by all teams to design and build their own stealth model. These stealth models are tested for "Stealth" by using a sonic sensor probe connected to a computer. Both IBM EduQuest PSL (Personal Science Laboratory) and AccuLab Macintosh sonic sensor probes are used to test the student designed and created stealth models. The stealth models, hardware, and software are all evaluated by the students.

Note: Since I developed this activity in 1993, several other companies have started producing the sonic sensors. Any brand will work fine.

Purpose of the Stealth Activity:

In keeping with my personal goals as a science instructor, I designed this Stealth Activity to simulate an actual scientific team's problem. There is a definite goal and a reason for all of the reference work. Students are presented with a problem, gather their own data, design from this data, and test a model made from their own plans. Students have been given the power to make decisions for themselves and to take responsibility for their own learning. I have found that when students are allowed to make educational decisions for themselves and to experiment with a problem, they tend to do better work and tend to more fully understand the material being studied. My specific goals for this Stealth Activity are listed below (in no special order).

Organization/class management:

It should be understood that I speak only with the team leaders

(which may be re-elected at any time by the teams).

Day 1 - Introduce and explain the Stealth Activity. Students begin reference work using class library.

Day 2 and 3 - Students do reference work in school library and on the internet. Training and practice on using software and hardware begins.

Day 4 and 5 - Students put together their oral presentation scripts. Scripts are typed on computers. Students make their posters, charts, computerized illustrations/animations, and plan demos. Determination of "cone of sensitivity".

Day 6 - Rehearse oral presentations using written scripts. Final practice for Sonic Sensor, Digitizing, and Video teams.

Day 7 through ? - Begin first presentation with pretest. Class takes notes during presentations. Presentations are videotaped. Graphs of all test scores are made on completion of oral presentations..

After all presentations:

Day 1 - Begin design of stealth models. Videotape planning stage. Sonic Sensor teams develop rules for the competition.

Day 2 - Begin construction of stealth models. Sonic Sensor teams design and type up their data charts for recording competition results.

Day 3 - Finish all stealth models. Digitizing team makes images of the stealth models. Sonic Sensor teams make certain all stealth models conform to rules and fit onto the 1/2" wooden dowel handle for testing.

Day 4 - Begin the competition.

Day 5 - Evaluation, discussion, and announcement of winner(s).


Teachers, I have provided the complete text for all team responsibilities below. Since page formatting for printing (in HTML) can be a problem, I have made links to separate pages for each team. These pages can then be printed as needed. Click on the team name to go to its page. Use your browser's back button to return to this teacher page.


Tasks for all Teams

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

1. Select a team leader. (Your instructor communicates only with these team leaders)

2. Assign tasks to all team members. Divide the work evenly.

3. Organize the team's presentation.

4. Do reference work, take notes, and build bibliography list.

5. Produce your written script for the presentation.

6. Make needed posters, charts, models, computerized illustrations, etc.

7. Create a test to be given as a pretest (to determine what the class knows before your presentation) and to be given as a final test (to determine what the class learned from your presentation).

8. Do presentation. All members of the team are to participate as per your printed script.

9. Grade and record all test scores.

10. Make a graph to indicate the test scores both before and after the presentation (both scores to be on the same graph for easier comparison).

11. Design and create a working Stealth Model for testing. This model must be built to the specifications given to all teams.


Stealth Model Requirements

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

 

One Experimental Stealth Model per Team:

1. The stealth model is to be designed to be "invisible" to the sonic probe. The design should be based upon the information presented by the various groups during their oral reports.

2. The cross-sectional area of the stealth model must be at least 314 square centimeters.

3. The stealth model must fasten on to the end of a 1/2" wooden dowel for testing purposes.

4. The stealth model must be solid enough to be self supporting, must contain a seat to hold an "action figure", and must have a clear windshield.

Team is responsible for:

1. The design of their own stealth model.

2. Acquiring the materials for the stealth model.

3. Building the stealth model to the official specifications.

4. Storage of the stealth model.


Wave Motion

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Team Responsibilities:

The answers to the following questions must be explained completely:

1. How do waves travel?

2. What types of waves are there?

3. Define: reflection, angle of incidence, angle of reflection, normal, dampening, frequency, amplitude, wave length, interference, absorption, and echo

4. Explain the differences between the different types of waves.

Your Written Report must include:

1. The script for your oral presentation.

2. The bibliography list for at least 15 sources.

3. A copy of your test questions and answers.

4. A copy of you graph comparing test scores.

Your Oral Presentation must include:

1. Posters, charts, models, computerized illustrations, etc. explaining the answers to the above questions.

2. Participation by all team members.


Sonar

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Team Responsibilities:

The answers to the following questions must be explained completely:

1. What is sonar?

2. How does sonar work?

3. What is the history of sonar development?

4. Explain the uses for various types of sonar (including ultrasound).

Your Written Report must include:

1. The script for your oral presentation.

2. The bibliography list for at least 15 sources.

3. A copy of your test questions and answers.

4. A copy of you graph comparing test scores.

Your Oral Presentation must include:

1. Posters, charts, models, computerized illustrations, etc. explaining the answers to the above questions (one poster should show a timeline for the development of sonar).

2. At least one example of ultrasound use.

3. Participation by all team members.


Radar

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Team Responsibilities:

The answers to the following questions must be explained completely:

1. What is radar?

2. How does radar work?

3. What is the history of radar development?

4. Explain the uses for various types of radar.

Your Written Report must include:

1. The script for your oral presentation.

2. The bibliography list for at least 15 sources.

3. A copy of your test questions and answers.

4. A copy of you graph comparing test scores.

Your Oral Presentation must include:

1. Posters, charts, models, computerized illustrations, etc. explaining the answers to the above questions (one poster should show a timeline for the development of radar).

2. Participation by all team members.


Stealth Bomber, Boats, and Ships

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Team Responsibilities:

The answers to the following questions must be explained completely:

1. How do stealth planes, boats, and ships avoid detection?

2. What are the differences in structure between regular planes, boats, and ships and stealth designed ones?

Your Written Report must include:

1. The script for your oral presentation.

2. The bibliography list for at least 15 sources.

3. A copy of your test questions and answers.

4. A copy of you graph comparing test scores.

Your Oral Presentation must include:

1. Posters, charts, models, computerized illustrations, etc. showing how stealth design helps to avoid detection.

2. Participation by all team members.


Stealth Sonic Sensor Team

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Note: There will be two sensor teams. One sensor team will use the AccuLab Sonic Probe with the Macintosh computer. The other team will use the IBM EduQuest PSL (Personal Science Laboratory) Sonic Probe with the IBM Laptop computer. At the completion of the Stealth activity, the two probes and their software packages will be compared by the two Stealth Sonic Sensor teams.

Team Responsibilities:

1. Determine the effective range of the sonic sensor (in metric units).

2. Determine the dimensions of the "cone of sensitivity" for the sonic probe (in degrees and metric units).

3. Learn to use the sonic sensor and its software with no problems.

4. Set up the rules for the testing of all stealth models (both sonic teams work together on this).

5. Design and print out record sheets (data charts for all tests).

6. Test all stealth models according to rules.

7. Record the results of each test.

8. Report the results of all tests and determine the winner(s).

9. Compare and evaluate the sonic probe and its software for accuracy, ease of use, etc.

10. Test angles of reflection of various materials as requested by other teams.


Digitizing Team Information

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Note: There will be two digitizer teams. One team will use the IBM EduQuest computer and frame capture features plus the Snappy unit. The other team will use the Color MacVision unit with the Macintosh computer. IBM format images will be used in creating a HyperStudio stack and the Macintosh format images will be used in creating a HyperCard stack.

Team Responsibilities:

1. Learn to create digitized images using the hardware/software available.

2. Make a still image of each stealth model.

3. Make several images of the model development, building, and testing phases.

4. Organize these images into a file and format suitable for later HyperStudio, Podium, Web, or HyperCard use.


Video Crew

©1993, 1998 by James P. Riser

Team Responsibilities:

1. Locate a videocamera and tripod.

2. Learn how to properly use the videocamera.

3. Provide a videotape for your class period.

4. Videotape the various team oral presentations (be certain that you have good sound).

5. Videotape the making of the stealth models.

6. Videotape the testing of the stealth models.

7. Label tape with counter numbers for later use as animation sequences in HyperStudio stacks, Podium programs, and HyperCard stacks.