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Astronomy: Minds-On the Universe. Supplemental Teaching Activities for Grades K-8. INSTITUTION Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, Tex

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Astronomy: Minds-On the Universe. Supplemental Teaching Activities for Grades K-8. INSTITUTION Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, Tex DOCUMENT RESUME ED 406 240 SE 060 154 AUTHOR Marble, Stephen; Fowler, Marilyn, Ed. TITLE Astronomy: Minds-on the Universe. Supplemental Teaching Activities for Grades K-8. INSTITUTION Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, Tex. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Oct 93 CONTRACT RP91002003 NOTE 148p. AVAILABLE FROM Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 211 East 7th Street, Austin, TX 78701-3281. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Astronomy; Elementary Education; Instructional Materials; Interdisciplinary Approach; Measurement; Misconceptions; *Science Activities; Scientific Concepts; Space Sciences; Units of Study ABSTRACT This teachers guide contains activities and materials created to teach astronomy concepts to children from grades K-8. It is organized into four units:(1) Earth and Stars;(2) Spheres and Orbits; (3)Stars and Gravity; and (4) Scales and Measurement. Activities are arranged within each unit around six content topics: (1) Earth; (2) Solar System;(3) Stars;(4) Motions; (5) Special Interests; and (6) Instruments. The Special Interest activities are unique activities that integrate astronomy with other areas of the cu.:2:,culum or deal with special issues. Each unit contains a teacher's guide, a set of required materials, and classroom display items. The activities allow studentsto actively examine their prior knowledge and assumptions about astronomy and to build their conceptual understandings based on explorations ind ele?rssions of their ideas. Contains 19 referehces. (JRH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O - 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement UCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This ument has been reproduced as Ived from the person or organization originating it. Cl Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. ASTRONOMY: Mindsoas1 the Universe Supplemental teaching activities for grades K-8 Created by Stephen Marble, Ph.D., Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Austin, Texas Edited by Marilyn Fowler, Ph.D. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 ASYRONOMY: Mindscz-on the Universe Supplemental teaching activities for grades K-8 Created by Stephen Marble, Ph.D., Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Austin, Texas Edited by Marilyn Fowler, Ph.D. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 3 This publication and accompanying materials kit have been provided to astronomy educators for free use in the classrooms they serve with outreach efforts. Developed through Strengthening Science Partnerships Project Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 211 East Seventh Street Austin, Texas 78701-3281 (512) 476-6861 October, 1993 This publication is based on work sponsored wholly, or in part, by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, United States Department of Education, under Contract Number RP91002003. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of OERI, the Department, or any other agency of the U.S. Government. TABLE OF CONTENTS TEACHER'S GUIDE 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Overview 1 Acknowledgments 1 Meeting teachers' needs 2 Teaching children science 3 HOW TO USE ASTRONOMY 6 Overall organization 6 Objectives 6 Conceptual focus of the units 8 MATERIALS AND RESOURCES FOR TEACHING 10 Overview of the units and their activities 11 The materials kit 15 Time 15 UNIT A 19 THE EARTH AND STARS 19 Introduction 19 Organization and sequencing 20 Conceptual background for the activities 21 Day & Night 24 Day and night charades 24 Day and night around the world. 25 The Sun 28 Where is my house at night? 28 How big is the sun? 30 Constellations 32 Star patterns 32 Spin 35 Sun shadows 35 Whirling and twirling 38 Stories in the Stars 40 Stories on tape 40 Models 42 Building constellation viewers 42 iv UNIT B 47 SPHERES AND ORBITS 47 Organization and sequencing 47 Conceptual background for the activities 47 The Spherical Earth 51 How's it look? 51 Ancient models of the Earth 53 Evidence for a sphere 54 Planets and Moons 56 A cosmic vacation 57 Planets Research Sheet 58 Crazy about craters 59 Modeling Constellations 60 Orbits 63 What's your sign? 63 How old are you? 65 Telescopes 68 Telescopes 68 Lenses 70 Powers of magnification 70 UNIT C 75 STARS AND GRAVITY 75 Organization and sequencing 75 Conceptual background for the activities 75 Which Way is Down? 79 The Earth's shape and gravity 80 Debris 81 The comet game 81 Collecting rocks from space 82 Life History of a Star 85 Birth and death of a star 85 Ellipses and the Planetary Mystery 87 The planetary mystery 87 Just about average 90 The effects of an average what's the ninth planet? 91 6 Galaxies 95 What is your galaxy? 95 Colors and Spectra 97 Decoding secret messages 97 The colors in light 99 UNIT D 103 SCALES AND MEASURES 103 Organization and sequencing 103 Conceptual background for the activities 104 PHASES AND PERSPECTIVES 108 Earth/moon model 108 Lunar observer 111 Lunar phases 112 Planetary Scales 113 Planetary scales 113 Is Anyone Out There? 120 Is anyone out there? 120 Speed of Light 127 Light time 127 Lunar Mining 131 Lunar mining 131 Powers of Ten 133 Powers of 10 133 Bibliography 135 Materials Kit Resource List 137 ASTRONOMY Minds-on the Universe INTRODUCTION Welcome to Astronomy, a set of activities and materials created to help you teach astronomy concepts to childrenfrom grades K-8. This teacher's guide is provided to familiarize you with an activity kit Astronomy, which is available to trained teachers through your local planetarium, museum, or other science resource center. Overview This kit has been carefully constructed to assist teachers who may have little or no astronomical experience to teach the exciting concepts of astronomy in their classes, but the activities and materials are equally appropriate for teachers who already feel comfortable teaching these ideas. The materials and activities in this kit will help make the study of the stars and planets a stimulating and rewarding learning opportunity for your students and should increase your confidence about teaching astronomy regardless of your past experience. Please read the information for teachers, as it will explain not only the procedures to follow for the activities, but the concepts they are designed to teach as well. Acknowledgments These activities were collected from a variety of sources, all of which are cited in the applicable lessons and/or provided inthe materials kit. Most helpful in the organization and expert review of these lessons have been astronomy and science educators, including: Dr. Mary Kay Hemenway, University of Texas at Austin Dr. Mel Fuller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Dr. Marilyn Irving, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Austin, Texas Dr. Quincy Spur lin, University of New Mexico in Albuquerque Wayne Wyrick, Kirkpatrick Planetarium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Gary Kratzer, Star lab Planetarium and McAuliffe Fellow, Sulphur, Louisiana John Williams, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Planetarium Harold Van Schaik, Garland Planetarium, Garland, Texas Patsy Trowbridge, Alamogorda Space Center, Alamogorda, New Mexico Museum educators in Arkansas who were crucial to development and coordination of field tests include: 8 2 Lynn Cole, Arkansas Museum of Science and History in Little Rock Linda McDowell, Mid America Museum, Hot Springs, Arkansas Ray Akers, Mid America Museum, Hot Springs, Arkansas Kathy Fuhler, Arkansas Museum of Science and History in Little Rock Thanks also go to these educators in the Crowley's Ridge, Arkansas area for pilot testing the activities in this guide Louis Midkiff, Crowley's Ridge Education Service Cooperative, Harrisburg, Arkansas : Libby Morgan, Bytheville, Arkansas Sandra Hollaway, Wynne, Arkansas Charlene Grtzmier, Osceola, Arkansas Vicki Slaughter, Wynne, Arkansas Julie Wood, Osceola, Arkansas Robyn Ford, Weiner, Arkansas Timothy Bingham, Memphis, Tennessee Martha Senteney, Weiner, Arkansas Ruth Geeter, Memphis, Tennessee Dianne Covington, Weiner, Arkansas Zuddie Waller, Memphis, Tennessee Lindy Craft, Weiner, Arkansas Sheris Richardson, Wynne, Arkansas Meredith Schweighart, Birdeye, Arkansas Educators who have taken part in a field test of teacher training and used the activities in their classrooms have provided most valuable feedback and suggestions.Their creative adaptations can be found throughout the activities in this guide: Shirley Lerz, Lake Hamilton Intermediate Becky Green, Park Elementary School, Hot School, Hot Springs, Arkansas Springs, Arkansas Marcia Stacy, Lake Hamilton Nancy Thornton, Indian Hills Elementary Intermediate School, Hot Springs, School, North Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas Dinah Allen, Indian Hills Elementary Janis Cook, Hot Springs Middle School, Hot School, North Little Rock, Arkansas Springs, Arkansas Wilene Rigsby, Ridgeroad Middle School, Boo Durant, Hot Springs Middle School, North Little Rock, Arkansas Hot Springs, Arkansas Jane Jackson, Ridgeroad Middle School, Lori Howard, Lakeside
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