Introduction

Think space and the ocean don’t go together? Think again. Take an amazing journey UP in space and deep DOWN in the ocean to experience far-off places of our planet. Packed with vivid images, comments from real-life astronauts and aquanauts, and activities, this book inspires imagination in all future explorers. Junior Library Guild Selection. NSTA Best STEM book, California Reading Association Gold Award, Florida Book Award.

Extra activities found on my website include: a downloadable quiz, teachers guide, and fun book trailer video.

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

Introduction: Up and Down
Deep space and the deep sea. You might not think they go together. They are two very different places. One is high above the Earth. The other stretches miles deep down below. One is a huge empty vacuum and the other is filled with water. Yet deep space and the deep sea are actually similar in many ways, too. The deep sea is a dark, mysterious environment with colossal mountains and bottomless pits. Places in outer space have those, too. The deep sea is home to volcanoes, earthquakes, and swirling vortexes. So is deep space. Do you know what both of these places don’t have? Noise. They are both eerily silent. When you are actually diving deep underwater or in walking in space there is no noise at all, except maybe the sound of you breathing inside your suit. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

a)Question: Why are suits needed in both space and deep under the ocean?
Answer: In both places, humans need to bring their own oxygen tanks just to survive. They had also better wear a warm, protective suit. Space can be cold! The vast depths of the ocean aren’t any warmer. A few minutes unexposed in either place and a person could freeze to death.

b) Question: If you drop something in space will it fall?
Answer: Yes. But if you drop that same hammer while in space, it floats next to you. Why? You are falling at the same speed as the hammer. To your brain, it appears as if both of you are floating.

c) Question: Do astronauts and aquanauts have similar experiences when traveling to their destination?
Answer: They are both completely different. Blastoff in a spaceship is an intense, violent force going straight up. Descending through the water is more of a peaceful, settling feeling. But once you get to both places, the sense of things while there is similar. You feel natural, calm, and comfortable.—Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA Administrator, and the first American woman to walk in space.

d) Question: Why is the ISS pressurized?
Answer: When your body is used to atmospheric pressure, not having it is not good. Without pressure pressing down on your body from all sides, your body insides would expand from the inside out (your internal organs would want to move apart) since there is no force holding it all together in. Kind of like a cake rising. That’ is why all of the spacecraft and space suits are pressurized.

e) Question: Why must a submersible be round?
Answer: As you go dive deeper in the ocean the pressure pushes in on the submersible from all sides. If one side feels a greater pressure, the whole vehicle could collapse in on itself. Having a rounded vehicle means that all sides feel of the pressure forces are equally.

Weblinks

»	Author's website

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.

Member Reviews

There are no user reviews at this time.
Rate this book