Fort Discovery | Project Discovery Revisited

“Learning by doing” is the theme at Fort Discovery in Augusta, Georgia. The hands-on experiences that students receive at the National Science Center’s learning environment are fun and educational. The mission of Fort Discovery is to motivate and inspire people of all ages to take an interest in science. This program provides a tour of the Math, Motion, and Momentum Gallery. In this gallery are many exciting, hands-on exhibits, such as the Morse code fountain, maglev car, coupled pendulum, air action/reaction chair, moonwalk simulator, tesla coil, virtual reality room, fiberscope, telepresence arm, high-wire bicycle, floating stone, and parabolic golf. Each activity supports basic scientific principles.

This sampling of Fort Discovery’s 250 exhibits illustrates the latest technological advancements. Each display provides instructions on how to interact with the exhibit. The instructions also extend each activity to apply the scientific principle behind each exhibit. To find out more about the National Science Center’s Fort Discovery, call 1-800-325-5445. You can also visit the Web site to schedule a visit with the portable science lab.

Standards

• 5.L.4B.4 Construct scientific arguments to explain how limiting factors (including food, water, space, and shelter) or a newly introduced organism can affect an ecosystem.
  • 5.P.5 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the factors that affect the motion of an object.
    • 5.P.5A The motion of an object can be described in terms of its position, direction, and speed. The rate and motion of an object is determined by multiple factors.
      • 5.P.5A.1 Use mathematical and computational thinking to describe and predict the motion of an object (including position, direction, and speed).
      • 5.P.5A.2 Develop and use models to explain how the amount or type of force (contact and non-contact) affects the motion of an object.
      • 5.P.5A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to test the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the rate and direction of motion of objects.
      • 5.P.5A.4 Analyze and interpret data to describe how a change of force, a change in mass, or friction affects the motion of an object.
      • 5.P.5A.5 Design and test possible devices or solutions that reduce the effects of friction on the motion of an object.
• 8.P.2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion and stability of an object.
  • 8.P.2A Motion occurs when there is a change in position of an object with respect to a reference point. The final position of an object is determined by measuring the change in position and direction of the segments along a trip. While the speed of the...
    • 8.P.2A.1 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to test how varying the amount of force or mass of an object affects the motion (speed and direction), shape, or orientation of an object.
    • 8.P.2A.2 Develop and use models to compare and predict the resulting effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object’s motion in terms of magnitude and direction.
    • 8.P.2A.3 Construct explanations for the relationship between the mass of an object and the concept of inertia (Newton’s First Law of Motion).
    • 8.P.2A.4 Analyze and interpret data to support claims that for every force exerted on an object there is an equal force exerted in the opposite direction (Newton’s Third Law of Motion).
    • 8.P.2A.5 Analyze and interpret data to describe and predict the effects of forces (including gravitational and friction) on the speed and direction of an object.
    • 8.P.2A.6 Use mathematical and computational thinking to generate graphs that represent the motion of an object’s position and speed as a function of time.
    • 8.P.2A.7 Use mathematical and computational thinking to describe the relationship between the speed and velocity (including positive and negative expression of direction) of an object in determining average speed (v=d/t).