Phil Plait, Sarah Silva, Tim Graves, Aurore Simonnet, and Lynn Cominsky Sonoma State University E/PO Goal: To use the observations and scientific discoveries of the Swift mission to improve the understanding and utilization of science and mathematics concepts for grades 6-12 and the general public.

Swift is a NASA satellite designed to study colossal cosmic explosions called Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Due for launch in December 2003, Swift will detect the flash of high-energy photons from a distant GRB and “swiftly” spin around to train its telescopes on the rapidly fading wift observations will also be used by explosion, pinpointing the position. The coordinates S amateurs and high school students who of the GRB will also be sent to astronomers on the Sonoma State University are participating in the GLAST Telescope Network (GTN), a students adjusting the robotic ground for follow-up observations. Swift has three telescope, hoping to catch a national association of robotic telescopes which will observe few gamma-ray bursts! such telescopes: High school students prepare to observe the active galaxy Illustration of a Hypernova. MRK 421 at the Elk Creek Observatory, a GTN partner site in targets of interest for high-energy astronomy. The • the Burst Alert Telescope, which initially detects the GRB David Armbrecht, Spectrum Astro Holton, Kansas. GTN will provide an opportunity for students and • the X-ray Telescope, which observes high-energy X-ray others to partner with scientists and perform real photons from the burst and its afterglow science. • the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, which detects lower energy light from the GRB afterglow. The Swift launch will also be filmed by Thomas Lucas Productions as part of PBS NOVA Astronomers hope that Swift will help uncover many characteristics of GRBs, Introduction documentary about the future of high-energy including the underlying mechanisms that drive them, how the gamma astronomy from space. rays are produced, how GRBs change with time, how they fall into different classes, and what they can tell us about the early Universe. • “The Invisible Universe: The Electromagnetic Other Outreach Spectrum from Radio Waves to Gamma Rays” We have partnered with the Great Explorations Gamma-ray burst progenitors? in Math and Science group at the Lawrence One theory for the formation of gamma-ray bursts in- volves a hypernova, the explosion of a super-massive Hall of Science to develop this educator’s guide star. The other leading theory is that bursts are formed which demonstrates the invisible regions of when binary neutron stars merge. the electromagnetic spectrum. It also teaches Illustration of Merging Binary Neutron stars. students about the size and scale of cosmic Aurore Simonnet, Sonoma State University E/PO Overview explosions, ending with gamma ray bursts. Materials

A variety of Swift educational The Swift Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program is an effort to teach the public about materials have been or are the Swift satellite and the science it will generate. Particular focus is given to formal education, Team being developed for use in the stressing standards-based science and math for middle through high school students. We develop Swift educational activities, thoroughly test them, and then disseminate them at educator workshops classroom. across the country. We stress continual assessment of the work to ensure the maximum leverage and effectiveness of the products. Assessment is done internally by the Swift Education Committee, which consists of a group of educators and scientists, and • A Gamma Ray Burst educators externally by WestEd, a non- guide and poster profit research organization. This guide, designed for high school students, will have three activities which promote standards- based learning using the science Swift E/PO is a multi-institutional and international of GRBs. The poster will have a collaborative effort, consisting of: combination of beautiful artwork • Sonoma State University and real images to illustrate GRBs, • NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and one of the guidebook activities • Pennsylvania State University on the back. • The Italian Swift E/PO group • Two Educator Ambassadors; top-notch educators who help develop, test, and • A set of three Newton’s Laws posters disseminate the Swift E/PO materials This is a set of 3 posters with classroom activities to accompany each poster. Each poster illustrates one of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. The activities were created to complement each other as an overall unit.

• A paper model of the Swift satellite Originated by the Italian E/PO group, this model will give students an insider’s look into the components of Swift. • “Waves and Wave Motion” This is a set of 3 activities using the standards-based topic of waves and motion. The set uses mechanical waves as a means to understand electromagnetic waves. • Four annual televised segments about Swift and gamma ray bursts are produced for “What’s in the News,” a news program aimed at middle school students and seen by 5 million children a year. • “The Astronomer and the Swift” This charming story by astronomer Monica Sperandio tells the tale of a curious bird which follows an astronomer and learns about the invisible Universe. The story is available in both English and Italian. Websites The Swift E/PO website has more information on these and other topics, including news updates, detailed information on Swift, tutorials on Swift science, and much more. The website also has a classroom materials area where additional materials are available for downloading or ordering. E/PO Website: http://swift.sonoma.edu/ Classroom Materials: http://swift.sonoma.edu/education/

Mission website: http://swift.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Poster design by Aurore Simonnet, text by Phil Plait.