Science App for Children’s Museum

Project Description

The LCM would like to have a launch-sequence game or app for the “Mission Control” exhibit where children can enter a series of parameters related to a rocket and their location on the earth and the weather, etc. and attempt to “launch” a rocket (all virtual). The requirement is that the students need to be able to learn from making a prediction and attempting the launch, having the launch “fail” for explicable reasons, re-adjust some parameters and eventually make a successful launch. We have resources to purchase a large touch-screen display for this exhibit.

Goals

Provide an interface for children to learn about physics, rocket science, etc. through play and engagement with the feedback. The display needs to communicate to pre-literate children. The app or game should function direct children to use the “sequence” and follow simple instructions or a pattern..

Impact

This exhibit will be housed in the Lewisburg Children’s Museum for several years and help children learn about rocket launches.

Constraints

The exhibit must be durable, and the game or app must be able to re-set itself so that children do not get error messages when they just press everything at once.

Resources

We have $2000 to buy a low-res touch-screen display. We can provide lots of market feedback (i.e., children to test and try to break the software).

Licensing

Open source

Point of Contact

Contact:

Prof. Erin Jablonski
Lewisburg Children’s Museum
Space & Science
570-577-1644
erin.jablonski@bucknell.edu