I'm stuck and need some ideas...

[Tex]

Hey gang, as the title may suggest I am a bit stuck.

I love science, I love KSP, and I love to teach. I plan to become a science educator when I graduate, but I can't wait until then. I want to put up some videos and explain science, particularly topics concerning space.

So, friend-to-friend, what do you think I should talk about? What would YOU want ME to teach YOU? I want to spread the word! Help me and I will help anyone who cares to listen!

Thanks a million.

[Taki117]

Start with the basics. What is TWR, what is dV, how are they related, how do they change. Then move on to what is terminal velocity and why do we care, what does it take to get to orbit, what's a Hohhmann transfer and why do we care. Then move on to actually going places. Talk about launch windows and why we need them, talk about staging and orbital assembly.

[Tex]

Such lovely ideas, in such perfect order! Looks good, I think I can make that happen!

[TheSedated]

I'd also suggest doing a video about the coriolis force. A well made video on this will make a lot of students hug you. I don't know if it was my professor or if it was me, but I had a hard time understanding how it works. I even bought myself a shiny new globe to play around with until I finally got it back in first semester. Screw you, accelerated reference systems!!!

But hey, fun fact: I did my best homeworks both in maths and physics at university when I had a hang-over. Maybe because I'm only able to think straight forward when I'm suffering from alcohol abuse. ^^

[Taki117]

Such lovely ideas, in such perfect order! Looks good, I think I can make that happen!

You don't even need to do them in that order. you could talk about staging when you talk about dV for example.

[95tiger59]

and of course I know its science but you always got to throw a bit of history behind things so explaining how and why the people came up with these things would be nice

[Daman453]

Your videos on the youtube are the best! View them all! MOAR!

[Tex]

I'm really loving you guys! This is absolutely FANTASTIC.

[cantab]

As far as stuff you can illustrate with KSP goes, basic orbital mechanics. Start with the difference between space and orbit, and why orbits are stable. Then talk about about using rocket thrust to change your path in space; how you need the same amount of fuel whether you want to go 1 km/s faster or 1 km/s slower. From there, discuss orbital manouvres. Point out that an orbit is a loop, so if you make some thrust at some point, your orbit still brings you back to that point; it's from that that you get things like burn at your lowest point (periapsis) to change your highest point (apoapsis).

[Xacktar]

You know, KSP would be a good platform for teaching kids about relative velocity.

[Tex]

I completely agree. I can't wait to start.

[Javster]

You can start with basic physics, as in, forces (add engines to various places and look at effects)

[NASAFanboy]

Speak about space travel and our need for it.

Please!

[brdavis]

I used KSP (Demo version, actually) to design a college-level lab around. Orbital mechanics, yes (I had a prepared game set up with a basic ship already in orbit), including calculating orbital velocities, circular orbits, what thrusting prograde/retrograde/up/down/in/out all do… and while they were at it, figuring out what the thrust of the engine was (very good physics there - do five trials, why is the acceleration different each time, leads to the idea of changing mass, etc.) There's lots more.

[Dispatcher]

Funny vids, Max! Good luck on the educationals (good ideas have already been suggested).

[Pecan]

Videos are a good way to "show" but often don't "tell" very well because they are, usually, time-limited to only one or two concrete* examples. Work on the script of what you want to say and the sound-quality at least as much as the visuals. Also consider just writing (with illustrations) for anything you want to explain in detail - text books exist for a reason. You can write longer articles/tutorials than you can pack into a video, people can take their time reading them, easily flip forwards/backwards to check references and it's easier to translate for all those people in the world that don't happen to speak your language.

Plus an awful lot of us have to pay for the internet and/or don't have a connection that can (reliably) handle video. Keeping the format small and simple means you can reach more people with more content. It's not as much fun of course, but videos and live lectures are supplements, if you're intent on teaching.

[*concrete works for boats - why not rockets!]

[Tex]

Speak about space travel and our need for it.

You got it!

Also, I'd like to point out that Dispatcher is the first of anybody from the internet to call me Max. XD

[Amaroq]

What is terminal velocity?

What is a stall?

What is "Orbital Inclination" and why do I care? (You can use my example, where my first attempt to dock two things together were off by about 135 degrees and it would've taken more dV to get them to match than either vessel actually had)

What is a "Launch Window"? (Script: start yourself a hypothetical ISS at 51.6 degree inclination, and show how its orbital plane only intersects KSC every now and then ... then expand that out on, for example, by explaining a Jool transfer window, where the cost (in dV) can change dramatically depending on the day you want to make the transfer.)