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November In-Service

Page history last edited by scifair@... 12 years, 2 months ago

 

November 21 at Orchard Hill Observatory

 

Agenda 12:30-3:30

Welcome

Orchard Hill Observatory tour

Introduction to Astrophotography - astronomy in images

Inquiry Projects in Astronomy

Sky Path Project practicing, connecting, extending into the community

 

Bibliography

Lesson Plans

Sky Path Astronomy Unit

 

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html specifically http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/teachers/sun_motion.html

http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/eds/

http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/lessons/lessons_teacherdeveloped.html

http://www.science-teachers.com/winter_constellations.htm

http://www.science-teachers.com/north_star.htm

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/earth.htm

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/skyobservations.htm

 

Primary Resources

http://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/explore-the-sky/your-sky-tonight.html  to make custom star charts

http://www.gigagalaxyzoom.org/B.html  astrophotographic interactive planisphere

http://www.skymapper.co.uk/html/your_sky_now.html    simple virtual planisphere and star maps

http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/star_life/starlife_main.html    rich interactive astronomy lessons on the life cycle of stars

http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2011036 astronomy apps for smartphones

 

Secondary Resources

http://www.spaceweather.com/

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/  general graphic organizers

http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/naep05.html#appendix

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

http://earthsky.org/space/nasas-three-minute-solar-cycle-primer

http://www.go-astronomy.com/constellations.htm

 

 

Overview

 

Telescopes are use to improve and extend our view of space; they let us see things in space we can't see with our eyes, and let us see them in much more detail.  Observatories are special buildings that house large telescopes.  Portions of the roof of these special buildings move so the telescope inside has an unobstructed view of the sky.  Observatories are set up for a variety of purposes, including education/research (astronomy, meteorology) and recreation (amateur astronomy, astrophotography). 

 

There are four important ways to think about our visit to Orchard Hill Observatory. 

I.       Activities to do at the observatory as a standalone visit - tour of observatory,

II.      Coordinated activities to do in the classroom and at the observatory; Sky Path Astronomy unit - magnetic compass & math protractor work

III.     Astronomy inquiry projects; class, group and individual projects.

IV.     Teacher training in Astronomy

 

Astronomy - Life cycle of stars

Teachers should know how to navigate the night sky using the tools of astronomy; magnetic compass, altitude tracker, binoculars, telescope, star maps, planisphere, and online resources, including Google earth,


Inquiry Activities

  • Students ask a question that can be answered by data from the observatory.  Clear Skies Data  - Presentation of the capabilities of the observatory followed by a tour of the facilities to see how the telescope collects the data. Slideshow of some data and final products followed by guided question development. Data is collected by observatory and sent to students for analysis.  Students analyze data to answer question.
  • Data is collected based on the decisions of students - series of photographs are taken with decision points along the way where students make decisions on latest batch of data. finding a pulsar?
  •  

 

Observatory Activities:

  • Use a magnetic compass to find cardinal direction at observatory and lay down a student-made cardboard compass rose mat to describe the horizon view in each of the four major divisions.
  • Use pointer to point to planets and other objects that we can't see because of the sunlight, but are there, using cardinal direction (compass rose) and altitude (student-made altitude tracker).  http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/activity_07.html & http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/activity_08.html 
  • Point to where those same objects would be at 8pm that evening 
  • See the big telescope, explanation on how it works, locating, imaging, motion
  • students learn to to some degree how take photos with telescope to make decisions leading to a photograph of a selected object in the night sky for a report, and Star Path way point.
  • present star path, and display other work, at "spontaneous" star party.

 

Coordinated Activities

  • Make a heavy paper or cardboard compass rose.  Use a magnetic compass to find cardinal direction at locations around the school, and lay down and stand on the compass rose mat to describe the horizon view in each of the four major divisions.
  • Make an astrolabe out of a protractor, string, weight, straw and tape.  Use astrolabe to measure height of school, show method for finding altitude of sun.
  • Learn to read a celestial planisphere and star maps to find constellations in the night sky.  Make a plan for a star path
  •  Black Paper Constellations lamp shade vs. UV Constellation Diorama.   Black paper, bamboo skewers, large cylindrical lampshade (from Goodwill or garage sale), glue, Shoebox, tooth picks, glue, yellow highlighter or yellow post it notes, black light.
  • Sky Path class tour of the night sky; student groups select an object in the night sky to document on a wiki page(s)and present to the public at an evening event.  Students practice using a magnetic compass, student made astrolabe, and star maps and a laser pointer, and a telescope with camera, to find and photograph their object, and other objects in the same area of sky, while learning about the universe, telescopes and astrophotography.

 

 

 

 

Joe,

We are talking to people who enjoy science; tell us about what you do at Orchard Hill.  What is Astrophotography?  Why do you do it/what got you started?  What new things did you learn about because of this hobby?

 

How do you decide what to photograph?  Do you look for new things?  How do you know what you want to photograph when you can't see it?  How do you know how to get what you want?  What do you want to photograph that you can't/why do you want to photograph this? 

 

What is the specialty of your current equipment?  How did you decide what equipment to buy?  What are the most limiting limitations of your current equipment?  Do you have "proprietary" equipment/custom modifications? 

 

What kinds of questions do you use the observatory to answer?  What kinds of problems do you use it to solve?  What kinds of investigations do you plan and carry out at Orchard Hill?  What does your data look like?  How do you analyze and interpret the data?  Do you use models or math?  How do you communicate your results?

 

We are making teachers aware of eight practices of scientists in particular, listed below:

 

1.    Asking questions and defining problems

2.    Developing and using models

3.    Planning and carrying out investigations

4.    Analyzing and interpreting data

5.    Using mathematics and computational thinking

6.    Constructing explanations and designing solutions

7.    Engaging in argument from evidence

8.    Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

 

Benefits of observatory visit:

The thrill of actually looking through a big telescope. 

The technology... tracking systems, optical and digital viewing, analysis, mapping, imaging, filters & lenses, all about light! 

The concept of using patterns in the movements of heavenly bodies to figure out the sun doesn't go around the Earth, and neither do the other planets;  finding pulsars.

Practice using star maps and locating objects in the sky so students can do it at home.

 

Inquiry projects:  Students visit for a presentation and tour, followed by a question session to identify questions that can be tested by the observatory.  Resulting data and photos shared with students via web and classroom visits.

 

 

 

Common Misconceptions about Astronomy 

Hapkiewicz, A. (1992). Finding a List of Science Misconceptions. MSTA Newsletter, 38(Winter’92), pp.11-14.

  1. Stars and constellations appear in the same place in the sky every night.
  2. The sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west every day.
  3. The sun is always directly overhead or directly south at twelve o'clock noon.
  4. The tip of a shadow always moves along an east-west line.
  5. Changing distance between the earth and the sun causes seasonal changes  (with the two closer in summer and father apart in winter).
  6. The earth is the center of the solar system and is the largest object in the solar system.  All stars are the same distance from the earth.
  7. The moon can only be seen during the night, and its shape always appears the same.
  8. The moon does not rotate on its axis as it revolves around the earth.
  9. The phases of the moon are caused by shadows cast on its surface by other objects in the solar system, particularly the earth or the sun.
  10. The solar system and galaxies are very "crowded."  (Objects are relatively close together.)
  11. The surface of the sun does not have any visible features. 
  12. Stars are evenly distributed through a galaxy or throughout the universe.
  13. All the stars in a particular constellation are near each other.
  14. The constellations form patterns obviously resembling people, animals, or other objects.
  15. Moon and sun are about the same size.  Stars are smaller than sun or moon. 
  16. Night occurs when sun covered by clouds, moon, or atmosphere.
  17. Astronomical movements explain day and night:  Sun goes around earth.  Earth goes around sun.  Sun moves up and down.   
  18. All stars are the same size, the brightness of a star depends on its distance from earth.
  19. One side of the moon is always dark  
  20. Days are shortest in the winter. 
  21. There is no gravity in space
  22. There is no gravity on the moon, if you drop something on the moon it floats in front of your face, or it floats off into space. 

 

Benefits of observatory visit:

The thrill of actually looking through a big telescope. 

The technology... GPS and satellite tracking systems, optical and digital viewing, analysis, mapping, imaging, filters & lenses, all about light! 

using patterns in the movements of heavenly bodies to figure out the sun doesn't go around the Earth, and neither do the other planets.  pulsars

Students visit for a presentation and tour, followed by a question session to identify questions that can be tested by the observatory.  Resulting data and photos shared with students via web and classroom visits.  Content?

 

Standards

 

National Science Education Standards

Science as Inquiry Standards

In the vision presented by the Standards, inquiry is a step beyond ''science as a process," in which students learn skills, such as observation, inference, and experimentation. The new vision includes the "processes of science" and requires that students combine processes and scientific knowledge as they use scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science. Engaging students in inquiry helps students develop

  • Understanding of scientific concepts.

  • An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in science.

  • Understanding of the nature of science.

  • Skills necessary to become independent inquirers about the natural world.

  • The dispositions to use the skills, abilities, and attitudes associated with science.

 

 

Science as inquiry is basic to science education and a controlling principle in the ultimate organization and selection of students' activities. The standards on inquiry highlight the ability to conduct inquiry and develop understanding about scientific inquiry. Students at all grade levels and in every domain of science should have the opportunity to use scientific inquiry and develop the ability to think and act in ways associated with inquiry, including asking questions, planning and conducting investigations, using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data, thinking critically and logically about relationships between evidence and explanations, constructing and analyzing alternative explanations, and communicating scientific arguments. Table 6.1 shows the standards for inquiry. The science as inquiry standards are described in terms of activities resulting in student development of certain abilities and in terms of student understanding of inquiry.

 

 

TABLE 6.4. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE STANDARDS

LEVELS K-4

LEVELS 5-8

LEVELS 9-12

Properties of earth materials

Structure of the earth system

Energy in the earth system

Objects in the sky

Earth's history

Geochemical cycles

Changes in earth and sky

Earth in the solar system

Origin and evolution of the earth system

 

 

Origin and evolution of the universe

 

TABLE 6.5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

LEVELS K-4

LEVELS 5-8

LEVELS 9-12

Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans

Abilities of technological design

Abilities of technological design

Abilities of technological design

Understanding about science and technology

Understanding about science and technology

Understanding about science and technology

 

 

 

 

Next Generation Science Standards

CORE IDEA ESS1: EARTH’S PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE
What is the universe, and what is Earth’s place in it?
The planet Earth is a tiny part of a vast universe that has developed over a huge expanse of time. The history of the universe, and of the structures and objects within it, can be deciphered using observations of their present condition together with knowledge of physics and chemistry. Similarly, the patterns of motion of the objects in the solar system can be described and predicted on the basis of observations and an understanding of gravity. Comprehension of these patterns can be used to explain many earth phenomena, such as day and night, seasons, tides, and phases of the moon. Observations of other solar system objects and of Earth itself can be used to determine Earth’s age and the history of large-scale changes in its surface.

ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars
What is the universe, and what goes on in stars?
The sun is but one of a vast number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of a vast number of galaxies in the universe.
The universe began with a period of extreme and rapid expansion known as the Big Bang, which occurred about 13.7 billion years ago. This theory is supported by the fact that it provides explanation of observations of distant galaxies receding from our own, of the measured composition of stars and nonstellar gases, and of the maps and spectra of the primordial radiation (cosmic microwave background) that still fills the universe.
Nearly all observable matter in the universe is hydrogen or helium, which formed in the first minutes after the Big Bang. Elements other than these remnants of the Big Bang continue to form within the cores of stars. Nuclear fusion within stars produces all atomic nuclei lighter than and including iron, and the process releases the energy seen as starlight. Heavier elements are produced when certain massive stars achieve a supernova stage and explode.
Stars’ radiation of visible light and other forms of energy can be measured and studied to develop explanations about the formation, age, and composition of the universe. Stars go through a sequence of developmental stages—they are formed; evolve in size, mass, and brightness; and eventually burn out. Material from earlier stars that exploded as supernovas is recycled to form younger stars and their planetary systems. The sun is a medium-sized star about halfway through its predicted life span of about 10 billion years.
Grade Band Endpoints for ESS1.A
By the end of grade 2. Patterns of the motion of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, and predicted. At night one can see the light coming from many stars with the naked eye, but telescopes make it possible to see many more and to observe them and the moon and planets in greater detail.
By the end of grade 5. The sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer. Stars range greatly in their size and distance from Earth.
By the end of grade 8. Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models. The universe began with a period of extreme and rapid expansion known as the Big Bang. Earth and its solar system are part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of many galaxies in the universe.
By the end of grade 12. The star called the sun is changing and will burn out over a life span of approximately 10 billion years. The sun is just one of a myriad of stars in the Milky Way galaxy, and the Milky Way is just one of hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe. The study of stars’ light spectra and brightness is used to identify compositional elements of stars, their movements, and their distances from Earth.

ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System
What are the predictable patterns caused by Earth’s movement in the solar system?
The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects of varying sizes and conditions—including planets and their moons—that are held in orbit around the sun by its gravitational pull on them. This system appears to have formed from a disk of dust and gas, drawn together by gravity.
The earth, moon, sun, and planets have predictable patterns of movement. These patterns, which are explainable by gravitational forces and conservation laws, in turn explain many large- scale phenomena observed on Earth. Planetary motions around the sun can be predicted using Kepler’s three empirical laws, which can be explained based on Newton’s theory of gravity. These orbits may also change somewhat due to the gravitational effects from, or collisions with, other bodies. Gradual changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun (over hundreds of thousands of years), together with the tilt of the planet’s spin axis (or axis of rotation), have altered the intensity and distribution of sunlight falling on Earth. These phenomena cause cycles of climate change, including the relatively recent cycles of ice ages.
Gravity holds Earth in orbit around the sun, and it holds the moon in orbit around Earth. The pulls of gravity from the sun and the moon cause the patterns of ocean tides. The moon’s and sun’s positions relative to Earth cause lunar and solar eclipses to occur. The moon’s monthly orbit around Earth, the relative positions of the sun, the moon and the observer, and the fact that it shines by reflected sunlight explain the observed phases of the moon.
Even though Earth’s orbit is very nearly circular, the intensity of sunlight falling on a given location on the planet’s surface changes as it orbits around the sun. Earth’s spin axis is tilted relative to the plane of its orbit, and the seasons are a result of that tilt. The intensity of sunlight striking the earth’s surface is greatest at the equator. Seasonal variations in that intensity are greatest at the poles.
Grade Band Endpoints for ESS1.B
Some objects in the solar system can be seen with the naked eye. Planets in the night sky change positions and are not always visible from Earth as they orbit the sun. Stars appear in patterns called constellations, which can be used for navigation and appear to move together across the sky because of Earth’s rotation.
By the end of grade 2. Seasonal patterns of sunrise and sunset can be observed,
described, and predicted.
By the end of grade 5. The orbits of Earth around the sun and of the moon around Earth,
together with the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause
observable patterns. These include day and night; daily and seasonal changes in the length and
direction of shadows; phases of the moon; and different positions of the sun, moon, and stars at
different times of the day, month, and year.
By the end of grade 8. The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects,
including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun by its
gravitational pull on them. This model of the solar system can explain tides, eclipses of the sun
and the moon, and the motion of the planets in the sky relative to the stars. Earth’s spin axis is fixed in direction but tilted relative to its orbit around the sun; the seasons are a result of that tilt,
as is the differential intensity of sunlight on different areas of the earth across the year.
By the end of grade 12. Kepler’s laws describe common features of the motions of
orbiting objects, including their elliptical paths around the sun. Orbits may change due to the
gravitational effects from, or collisions with, other bodies. Gradual changes in the shape of
Earth’s orbit around the sun, together with changes in the tilt of the planet’s axis of rotation, both
occurring over hundreds of thousands of years, have altered the intensity and distribution of
sunlight falling on the earth. These phenomena cause a cycle of ice ages and other gradual
climate changes

 

Winning Toyota science grant

 

Using Student Interest in Technology to Develop Inquiry Skills
Peggy Greene Staff: Patty McGinnis Arcola Intermediate School 4001A Eagleville Road Eagleville, PA 19403 610-489-5000 mgreene@methacton.org; cpgreenee@verizon.net
The Interpretive Trail project will tap into student interest in technology to act as an impetus for this inquiry-based project. This technological perspective will motivate students to develop investigations that will shape their understanding of ecosystem concepts and inspire curiosity of the natural world. Students will map out an interpretive walking trail along existing pathways on school grounds and apply the technology skills necessary to develop an interactive web site which will host downloadable pod casts for the ultimate walking trail experience. Student-created pod casts will cover topics related to forestry, agriculture, ecosystems, watersheds, and land use to both educate and create an environmental awareness for the community. A class wiki will be utilized to showcase student pages that will house pod casts, video, and interactive Google maps designed to educate the public about the local environment, including suggesting steps that members of the community can undertake to decrease their environmental footprint. Culminating activities will include a "Trail Day" where students will invite elementary-aged students to listen to downloadable podcasts as they walk the trail.

 

 

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