COURSE: Earth/Environmental Science

I. Grade Level/Unit Number: 9 - 12 Unit 8

II: Unit Title: ASTRONOMY - Part 1 – Tools of the Astronomer - Part 2 – Celestial Motions - Part 3 – The Solar System - Part 4 – Stars - Part 5 – Deep Sky Astronomy

III. Unit Length: 2-2.5 weeks (on a 90 min per day block schedule)

IV. Major Learning Outcomes:

The student will gain an understanding of planetary motion and the physical laws that explain that motion including rotation, revolution, apparent diurnal motions of the stars, sun and moon, and the effects of the tilt of the earth’s axis. They will also gain knowledge in analyzing current theories of the formation of the universe and solar system and how they have evolved into the theories of today.

V. Content Objectives Included (with RBT Tags):

Objective Objective RBT Number Tag 6.01 Analyze the theories of the formation of the universe and solar system. B4

6.02 Analyze planetary motion and the physical laws that explain that A3, motion: A4, B2,  Rotation. B4, C4

 Revolution.

 Apparent diurnal motions of the stars, sun and moon.

 Effects of the tilt of the earth's axis.

6.03 Examine the sources of stellar energies. A3, C3, C4  Life cycle of stars.  Hertzsprung - Russell Diagram. 6.04 Assess the spectra generated by stars and our sun as indicators of B5, C4 motion and composition (the Doppler effect).

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 1 6.05 Evaluate astronomers' use of various technologies to extend their C4, senses: D4,

 Optical telescopes.

 Cameras.

 Radio telescopes.  Spectroscope. Identify questions and problems in the earth and environmental sciences that can be answered through scientific investigations 1.01 Identify questions and problems in the earth and environmental sciences that can be answered through scientific investigations. A5

1.02 Design and conduct scientific investigations to answer questions C6 related to earth and environmental science.

 Create testable hypotheses

 Identify variables.

 Use a control or comparison group when appropriate.

 Select and use appropriate measurement tools.

 Collect and record data.

 Organize data into charts and graphs.

 Analyze and interpret data.

 Communicate findings.

1.04 Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies: A3

 Recognize and avoid potential hazards.

 Safely manipulate materials and equipment needed for scientific investigations.

VI. English Language Development Objectives (LEP) Included (See Appendix for summary of LEP Standard Course of Study): Suggestions for modified instruction and scaffolding for LEP students and/or students who need additional support are embedded in the unit plan and/or are added at the end of the corresponding section of the lessons. These suggestions are presented in italics in a text box. The amount of scaffolding needed will depend on the level of English proficiency of

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 2 each LEP student. Therefore, novice level students will need more support with the language needed to understand and demonstrate the acquisition of concepts than intermediate or advanced students.

LEP Accommodation Considerations

The following are general suggestions for accommodating English second language:

1. Assess the prior knowledge of your LEP student and make sure that he or she has adequate background information in order to execute this activity. 2. Provide graphic organizers or roadmaps illustrating the specific procedures and expectations of each activity. 3. Provide highlighted text which target key vocabulary and concepts. Review this text prior to activity. 4. Elicit verbal response of understanding from student. For, example, “Explain to (or show me) me what you need to do next.” 5. Include marginal notes in activity outline to re-emphasize terms and concepts. 6. Provide visual demonstration in conjunction with verbal instructions 7. Provide immediate feedback and or assessment in order to reinforce objectives. 8. Provide for alternate forms of assessment such as concept maps, graphic organizers, verbal explanations, written explanations, or actual performance rather than strictly pen and paper tests. 9. Provide LEP students the opportunity to peer tutor, pairing those who are on different proficiency levels. 10.Provide opportunities to demonstrate effective test- taking strategies, regularly exposing students to sample questions.

VII. Materials/Equipment Needed:

Activity Materials Tools of the Astronomer FINDING THE SIZE OF THE SUN AND THE MOON 1 - sheet of cardboard 1 - sheet of white paper 1 - piece of aluminum foil approximately 1 x 1 -inch (3 x 3 centimeters). 1 - pin or sharp point 1 - roll of tape 1 - pair of scissors 1 - ruler

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 3 1 - candle MAKING AND USING A SIMPLE ASTROLABE 1 - piece of cardboard, manila file folder, or other stiff paper 1 - piece of dark thread or string 12 inches (30 centimeters) long. 1 - small weight, such as a metal washer 1 - plastic drinking straw 1 - copy of an astrolabe drawing 1 - container of glue or paste 1 - pair of scissors 1 - roll tape 1 - paper hole puncher THE SPECTROMETER spectrometer incandescent light bulb (bulb with a glowing filament) mercury fluorescent light miscellaneous light sources

USING THE SUNSPOTTER 2 sheets of stiff white paper A pin A sunny day Perhaps a friend to help

Celestial Motions SHADOW DANCE and WHERE IS THE SUN? 1 - tube of glue or roll of tape 1 - large piece of poster board 1 - small piece of cardboard or Styrofoam 1 – toothpick 1 - flashlight

MOON PHASE ACTIVITY Light bulb on a stand or clamp (or lamp with its shade removed) Extension cord Styrofoam balls or light-colored spheres Pencils OBSERVING MOON PHASES AND FEATURES Moon phase tables Moon phase data collection sheets EARTH’S MOTIONS LAB (Web Quest) Computers with Internet access LAB ON THE SUN’S PATH (Web Quest) Computers with Internet access

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 4 IMAGINARY PLANET CHARACTERISTICS Car polystyrene balls dowels light source KEPLER’S LAWS OF PLANETARY MOTION computers with Internet access Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion applet Quick fact data sheets Planetary data table The Solar System THE ORDER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM Clue cards Planet printouts

THE SIZE AND DISTANCE OF THE PLANETS 1 - set of clue cards

1 - set of planet image cards

1 - glue stick

1 - pair scissors

1 - piece of construction paper PROJECTING AN IMAGE OF THE SUN 2 sheets of stiff white paper (index cards or card stock) A pin A sunny day

USING THE SUNSPOTTER Sunspotter Copy of recording sheet

SOLAR SYSTEM PROJECT Project outline sheet Students will need to have access to the library and Internet for research Stars HOW OLD ARE THE JEWELS? these instructions, print of the Jewelbox Cluster (Provided by LCD Projector) StarGauge (Provided by LCD Projector) graph sheet, student answer sheet

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 5 STELLAR CHARACTERISTICS Computers with Internet access

LIFE CYCLE OF STARS Computers with Internet access

Deep Sky Astronomy COSMIC CALENDAR Twelve monthly calendars Clothesline and clothespins (optional - to string the calendar across the classroom) Cosmic Cards for each major event with the date of the event written on the back (covered with a piece of paper). HOW BIG IS THE UNIVERSE? Calculator

GALAXY SORTING Student sets of galaxy cards

HOW OLD ARE THE JEWELS? print of the Jewelbox Cluster (Provided by LCD Projector) StarGauge (Provided by LCD Projector) graph sheet, student worksheet and answer sheet IDENTIFYING GALAXIES Set of transparencies

CLASSIFYING GALAXIES USING HUBBLE’S FORK DIAGRAM Diagram of Hubble’s fork Set of transparencies IDENTIFYING UNUSUAL GALAXIES Student worksheet OPEN CLUSTERS VS. GLOBULAR CLUSERS Student worksheet of Venn diagram Set of transparencies

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 6 EVIDENCE FOR HIDDEN MASS Student worksheet

WEIGHING A GALAXY Student worksheet Calculators

THE UNIVERSE AS SCIENTISTS KNOW IT Copy of concept map

VIII. Detailed Content Description:

Please see the detailed content description for each objective in the Earth/Environmental Science support document. The link to this downloadable document is in the Earth/Environmental Science Standard Course of Study at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/25earth

IX. Unit Notes

Overview Of Unit Eight This unit is focused on Astronomy and the fundamental basics of understanding how Earth functions within the Solar System including possible theories of its origin. It also covers star life and the deep sky objects with the tools that astronomers use to study them. Specifically, students will gain an understanding of:

 the motions of the earth cause day and night along with the seasons  the relationship between Earth and other celestial bodies in the Solar System  how the movement of the Earth/Sun/Moon affect tides  the phases of the Moon

 solar and lunar eclipses

 basic mapping of the night sky including the position of each planet in our Solar System and the differences between the inner and outer planets

 the Sun as a star, its life expectancy and how it fits into the Hertsprung Russel diagram

 how stars come into existence and how they die out

 deep sky objects and the variety of stars that we have explored

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 7  how astronomers calculate their distance

In each unit, Goal 1 objectives which relate to the process of scientific investigation are included. In each of the units, students will be practicing the processes of science: observing, hypothesizing, collecting data, analyzing, and concluding.

The unit guide gives an overview of the activities that are suggested to meet the Standard Course of Study Goals for Unit Eight. The guide includes activities, teacher notes on how to weave the activities into the content, and supplementary notes related to other issues such as preparation time and time to complete the activity. If a teacher follows this unit (s)he will have addressed the goals and objectives of the SCOS. However, teachers may want to substitute other activities that teach the same concept.

Teachers should also refer to the support document for Earth/Environmental Science at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/25earth for the detailed content description for each objective to be sure they are emphasizing the specified concepts for each objective.

Essential Questions for Unit Eight: Following are the essential questions for this unit. Essential questions are those questions that lead to enduring understanding. These are the questions that students should be able to answer at some level years after the course. These questions are designed to incorporate multiple concepts. Students will work on answering these questions throughout the unit. Teachers are advised to put these questions up in a prominent place in the classroom and refer to them during the teaching of the unit.

1) How can true north be located using a shadow? 2) How can the time of day be determined using a sundial? 3) How can one determine the path of the Sun in the sky using a clear dome and a shadow? 4) Why does the path of the Sun in the sky change throughout the year? 5) How is the length of a shadow influenced by the angle of illumination from the Sun? 6) How is a skymap used for learning the locations of constellations and stars? 7) Why do the locations of constellations and stars change throughout the night and throughout the year? 8) How does the angle between the earth, sun and moon determine the phase of the moon? 9) Why does each phase of the moon rise and set at specific times of the day or night? 10)What causes the seasons? 11)How does the path of the sun affect the seasons and day and night at different latitudes throughout the earth?

Modified Activities for LEP Students:

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 8 Those activities marked with a  have a modified version or notes designed to assist teachers in supporting students who are English language learners. Teachers should also consult the Department of Public Instruction website for English as a Second Language at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/esl/ to find additional resources.

Computer Based Activities Several of the recommended activities are computer based and require students to visit various internet sites and view animations of various astronomical processes. These animations require various players and plug-ins which may or may not already be installed on your computers. Additionally some districts have firewalls that block downloading these types of files. Before assigning these activities to students it is essential for the teacher to try them on the computers that the students will use and to consult with the technology or media specialist if there are issues. Some of these animations also have sound. Teachers may wish to provide headphones if possible.

X. Global Content: Aligned with 21 st Century Skills

One of the goals of the unit plans is to provide strategies that will enable educators to develop the 21st Century skills for their students. As much as students need to master the NCSOS goals and objectives, they need to master the skills that develop problem solving strategies, as well as the creativity and innovative thinking skills that have become critical in today’s increasingly interconnected workforce and society. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills website is provided below for more information about the skills and resources related to the 21st Century classroom.

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php? option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=120

NC SCS Earth st Science 21 Century Skills Activity Communication Skills Conveying thought or opinions effectively When presenting information, distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information Explaining a concept to others Interviewing others or being interviewed Computer Knowledge Using word-processing and database programs Developing visual aides for presentations

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 9 Using a computer for communication Learning new software programs Employability Skills Assuming responsibility for own learning Persisting until job is completed Working independently Developing career interest/goals Responding to criticism or questions Information-retrieval Skills Searching for information via the computer Searching for print information Searching for information using community members Language Skills - Reading Following written directions Identifying cause and effect relationships Summarizing main points after reading Locating and choosing appropriate reference materials Reading for personal learning Language Skill - Writing Using language accurately Organizing and relating ideas when writing Proofing and Editing Synthesizing information from several sources Documenting sources Developing an outline Writing to persuade or justify a position Creating memos, letters, other forms of correspondence Teamwork Taking initiative Working on a team Thinking/Problem-Solving Skills Identifying key problems or questions Evaluating results

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 10 Developing strategies to address problems Developing an action plan or timeline

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 11 Unit Guide: Astronomy – Part 1 – Tools of the Astronomer

Total: 15 - 90 min days

 Distinguish between the Space Shuttle and International Space Station

 What everyday “non space related” innovations has space technology brought about?

 Describe current and possible future projects in space exploration.

Time: 10 - 15 mins ======EXPLORE: FINDING THE SIZE OF THE SUN AND THE MOON

 Focus Objectives 6.02 Alternative:

Activity Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: The time will vary; Safety: exercise caution if using a flame or use a flashlight in place of the candle http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/index.html

In this activity, you'll learn how to build a simple pinhole viewer. This apparatus can be used to project images from a variety of light sources. When used to project an image of the Sun, the pinhole viewer can be used to determine the diameter of Sun.

Guiding Question: How can astronomers measure the relative size of the sun?

Before the: students must be aware of the variations of size of the planets and the effects on each other’s rotation and revolution. Students need to be able to follow a mathematical equation. Gather all the materials and pre-cut the cardboard.

After the activity: Review their answers and tie in the concept of Kepler’s laws of motion. ======EXPLAIN: MAKING AND USING A SIMPLE ASTROLABE

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 12 Focus Objective 6.02 Activity Time: 45 min

Preparation Time: 30 min

Note: An astrolabe is a device used for measuring altitude, including the height of objects in the sky. These two activities cover the construction of the astrolabe and how to use it.

Guiding Question: How did ancient astronomers measure planetary distance?

Before the activity: gather all the materials for the activity, to shorten time for student prep, precut the astrolabe.

After the activity: ======EXPLAIN: THE SPECTROMETER

 Focus Objective: 6.05

Activity Time: 45 min

Preparation Time: 30 min

Notes: Isaac Newton discovered that when sunlight passed through a piece of glass with non-parallel sides (a prism) the colors of the rainbow (a spectrum) came out the other side. When a prism, used in a device called a spectrometer, is connected to the end of telescope, the spectrum of a star can be studied. The following is just a partial list of physical properties learned about analyzing the spectra of planets, stars, or galaxies: chemical composition, speed toward or away from Earth, rotation speed, temperature, density and turbulence of an atmosphere. Another device for separating the light from a source into its spectrum is a diffraction grating. The grating consists of a transparent material onto which hundreds of lines per centimeter have been etched. As the light passes through these lines, different wavelengths of light (different colors) are bent at different angles. Many modern spectrometers make use of grating instead of prisms. The purpose of this activity is to use a diffraction grating spectrometer to identify various light sources by observing their spectra and recognizing the chemical composition of the Sun.

Guiding Question: How did ancient astronomers measure planetary distance?

Before the activity: Be sure to practice the procedures beforehand so that you will be able to streamline the instructions and model the actions that the students will do throughout the procedure.

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 13 After the activity: Have the students share their findings with their group members and discuss the meaning of each procedure. ======ELABORATE: USING THE SUNSPOTTER  Focus Objective: 6.05

Activity Time: initially – 30 min/after sunspotter is made only 5 mins daily

Preparation Time:

Safety: Do NOT look at the sun directly!

Notes: There are several ways you can observe the Sun, and hopefully sunspots, for yourself. The easiest and safest is to project the Sun by building your own pinhole camera. Or, if you have your own telescope, you will need to obtain a solar filter. There are even solar telescopes online, which you can access via the web to observe the Sun. With the pin, punch a hole in the center of one of your pieces of paper. Go outside, hold the paper up and aim the hole at the Sun. (Don't look at the Sun either through the hole or in any other way! ) Now, find the image of the Sun which comes through the hole. Move your other piece of paper back and forth until the image looks best. What you are seeing is not just a dot of light coming through the hole, but an actual image of the Sun! Experiment by making your holes larger or smaller. What happens to the image? What do you think would happen if you punched a thousand holes in your paper, and you put little lenses in front of each hole to refract (e.g. bend) the solar images to all fall on top of each other. What do you think you'd see? In fact, optical telescopes can be thought of as a collection of millions of "pinhole" images all focused together in one place! You can also project an image of the Sun using a pair

Guiding Question: Does the sun’s surface composition change?

Before the activity: It is always a good idea to have practiced the activity before you teach it. Gather all the materials for easy dispersal to students; decide on how they will do their observations, i.e. individually, groups or partners; copy the sunspot record sheet.

After the activity: ======Unit Guide: Astronomy – Part 2 – Celestial Motions

ENGAGE: The teacher may wish for students to answer the following questions in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on. Explain how the motions of the Earth cause day and night and the seasons. Explain how the motions of the Earth affect the

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 14 path of celestial objects in the sky. Explain how the positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon affects tides on Earth. Why are there different phases of the Moon? How do Solar and Lunar eclipses occur?

Time: 20 min ======EXPLORE: Making a shadow plot in the Northern Hemisphere

 Focus Objectives: 6.02 Activity Time: 1 class period Preparation Time: Time will vary ~ 30 min Safety: n/a

Guiding Question: How does Earth’s tilt cause seasons and the day/night cycle?

Before the activity: Find a location on the grounds that is flat and has direct sunlight. Students should be trained to work outside in groups/pairs to take the measurements.

After the activity: Have students explain to one another what they discovered about the activity. ======EXPLAIN: PATH OF THE SUN IN THE SKY

Focus Objective: 6.02 

Activity Time: 60 min

Preparation Time: 15 min

Note: This web site has simple illustrations of the winter and summer solstices, as well as the spring and fall equinoxes. The “observer” is standing under a transparent “dome,” on which the path of the sun across the sky is traced for the aforementioned times of year. In order to do this outdoor activity with students, you will need: transparent domes or hemispheres, vis-à-vis (erasable) markers, cardboard pieces (large enough to mount the dome and thick enough for a thumbtack to hold down the dome) and plain white paper (for a clear shadow). Of course, it must be done on a sunny day.

Guiding Question: How can one determine the path of the Sun in the sky using a clear dome and a shadow? Why does the path of the Sun in the sky change throughout the year?

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 15 Before the activity: Scout out a place on the school grounds where there is plenty of flat ground and open sky. Be sure students are familiar with activity procedures before going outside and that they have parameters for the activity.

After the activity: Students should discuss their findings in their group as well as reporting to the whole class. ======EXPLAIN: LAB ON THE SUN’S PATH (Web Quest)

 Focus Objective: 6.02

Activity Time: 60 min

Preparation Time: 15 min

Notes: This activity can be done individually or with a partner.

Guiding Question: How does the path of the sun affect the seasons and day and night at different latitudes throughout the earth?

Before the activity: Secure computers with Internet access. Students should be tech savvy in navigating through the web quest and familiar with how a web quest is structured. Print off a copy of the questions to guide the students through the web quest.

After the activity: The worksheets can be used as an assessment tool for their understanding of the concepts. ======ELABORATE: IMAGINARY PLANET CHARACTERISTICS

Activity Time: 45-60 min

Preparation Time: 30 min

Safety: n/a

Guiding Question: How does the Sun’s radiation vary depending on the position of the planet?

Before the activity: Students need to have an understanding of degrees

After the activity: Students should either write out answers to the discussion questions as a group and then report to the whole class or individually as a paper report to be graded. ======

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 16 EVALUATE: NEBULAR THEORY MODEL



Activity Time: 45 min

Preparation Time: 15 min

Guiding Question: What forces helped shape our solar system?

Before activity: If possible, introduce the lesson by showing images or computer animations of the formation of the solar system. After images of a nebular cloud or solar nebula are shown, go over the Solar Nebula theory with the students. Concentrate on the role of individual atoms in the collapse of the nebular cloud, and on the force of gravity and the process of accretion, which plays a role in how atoms clump together.

After activity: ======Unit Guide: Astronomy – Part 3 – Solar System

 What are the differences between the inner and outer planets with regard to size and composition?

 Unlike the other planets in our Solar System, why is the Earth capable of supporting life?

 Explain how ocean tides work.

Time: 10 – 15 MINS ======EXPLORE: THE SIZE AND DISTANCE OF THE PLANETS

 Focus Objectives 6.02 Alternative: 

Activity Time: 30-45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Safety: none

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 17 Alternative:

Guiding Question: How do the planets relate to one another?

Before the Be sure to have all the clue cards precut and sorted for students to utilize in groups or with partners.

After the activity: Have students write a summary of how their original perspective of the relative size changed after they did the model. If possible, place one of the models in a location that will help with recall. ======EXPLAIN: SOLAR SYSTEM PROJECT

Focus Objective 6.02 Activity Time: 1 week

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Note: Students will be working in groups of three to present on a celestial body in our solar system. Each presentation will last 10 minutes (+/- 1-2 mins). If you would like to do an activity which will take longer than 12 minutes, let me know. If it’s worth it, your time will be extended. The presentation must be interactive. Communicate with your classmates, don’t just talk to them. You could use PowerPoint, or poster.

Guiding Question: How does motion affect each planet in our Solar System?

Before the activity: Students will need to have a clear vision of the expectations which should include a rubric for their presentations. If technology is expected, be sure to secure what you need for them to use. You may want to bring them to the school media center to do research.

After the activity: Presentations should adhere to the time constraints. Have students reflect on their grade and each other’s participation in the project. If possible, have their presentations housed in the media center for other students to observe. ======EVALUATE: THE DEBATE OVER PLUTO’S STATUS

 Focus Objective: 6.02

Activity Time: 2 class periods of 90 mins each

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Notes: Begin by letting the students know that the next two classes will be devoted to answering the question, is Pluto a planet? A class debate will be used for the students

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 18 to express their views and research findings. The class will have to be briefly informed on the characteristics of a planet and a comet, and given brief examples of arguments which support both beliefs that Pluto is a planet and that it is simply a trapped comet. Ask the students: who believes it is indeed a true planet, who believes it is a comet, and who is not sure. Hopefully there will be enough students who aren’t sure to even out the two groups. Let the students know they have to do their own research, and they will collaborate with their group at the beginning of the next class to organize their debate. Emphasize to the groups that they should compare Pluto to other planets or to comets, in order to support their arguments.

Guiding Question: Is Pluto a planet?

Before the activity: Students must be familiar with the rules of debate. Procedures for debating should be very clear and each student should have the class debate rubric.

After the activity: Have a final class vote about the status of Pluto. The voting could be done collectively or privately. If the students do indeed vote that Pluto is simply a trapped comet, a new name could be created by the class. ======

Unit Guide: Astronomy – Part 4 – Stars

ENGAGE: ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on. In the sixth grade curriculum, there are no specific goals and objectives related to stars and there will be a whole range of experience with this topic. Questions to the class could include:  Why is our Sun a star?

 How do stars come into existence?

 What happens when stars die?

 What types or varieties of stars exist?

 How far away are stars?

Time: 10 – 15 mins ======EXPLORE: HOW OLD ARE THE JEWELS?

 Focus Objectives 6.03

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 19 Activity Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: The time will vary; Safety: sharp objects

Alternative:

Guiding Question: How can astronomers determine the life cycle of a star?

Before the :  In addition to copies of materials in this website, students will need markers and rulers with centimeters marked. If you have a class set of hand lenses, they may be helpful to see and classify the smaller stars on the print, depending on the quality of the print.  Students should be aware of: a) stellar distances, b) stellar color and how it relates to temperature, and c) the relationship between stellar brightness and distance, before they do this activity.  Prints can be reused if they are laminated (note: avoid wax printers whose output can not be laminated). After the Jewelbox image is laminated, use scissors to separate the StarGauge from the image itself.  The size of the data square can be varied according to the attention span of your students. Some teachers have suggested that smaller squares may suffice for younger students, although the limited sample size may result in a more difficult determination of age. To get a better feeling of looking through a telescope at the cluster, students can draw 8 or 10 cm diameter circles on the print instead of squares.  Students will usually start slowly in their measuring but will quickly move through the stars in their square. A fun option is to assign student groups different sections of the cluster to plot. Or have a few groups do 5 cm squares along the edges for the sake of comparison with other groups' results.  The Jewelbox is a young cluster. It's age is only about 12 million years.  It may increase students' interest to show slides of other star clusters either before or after the activity. You can include open (otherwise known as "galactic") clusters and globular clusters if you like. Also, a map of Southern constellations to point out Crux and the location of the Jewelbox helps to orient students.

After the activity:  There are some obvious problems in the color designations for the stellar classes on the StarGauge. In the end, however, almost all groups should successfully arrive at the correct age of the Jewelbox.  You might want to examine other clusters, like the Pleiades or Hyades. A good color printer can be used to create good enough copies for a follow-up lab.  The real name of the StarGauge is "flyspanker." It has been suggested by many teachers that an alternate name be formulated to prevent the snickers and other remarks that may erupt when students hear this term. ======EXPLAIN: STELLAR CHARACTERISTICS

Focus Objective 6.05 Activity Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 20 Note: The blackbody calculator allows for visualization of the spectrum produced by objects of a given temperature.

Guiding Question: How are astronomers able to extend their senses?

Before the activity: The activity is dependent on the use of the Internet so be sure the website is up and running. Secure computers for your students to work in partners or groups. Each student should have the opportunity to use the spectrum viewer.

After the activity: collect their results and analyze for accuracy. Have students write a summary of their findings. ======EXPLAIN: LIFE CYCLE OF STARS

 Focus Objective: 6.03 Activity Time: 90 min

Preparation Time: 15 min

Guiding Question: How does the mass of a star effect its life cycle?

Before the activity: Secure computers for the students. Determine if they will work individually, with partners or in a group. Prepare worksheets and test the website ahead of time.

After the activity: Have students discuss their findings and write a summary. ======

Unit Guide: Astronomy – Part 5 – Deep Sky Objects

ENGAGE: The teacher may wish for students to answer these questions in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on.

 Humans arrived on the scene about 7 minutes before midnight on "New Year's Eve" according to our model. How does this change your perspective of our importance?  Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for almost two hundred million years - from December 25 to December 30 on our time line. How does this change your thinking about dinosaurs?  How old is the Sun compared to other stars? If there are older stars than the Sun out there (and there are many), might they have older life forms on them?  What might we be like today if hominids on Earth had evolved a million years earlier?

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 21 Time: 15 mins ======EXPLORE: COSMIC CALENDAR

 Focus Objectives 6.03 Alternative:

Activity Time: 90 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Safety: none

Alternative:

Guiding Question: What is the modern theory of the formation of the universe?

Before the In "Cosmic Calendar," students scale the evolution of the universe to a one year calendar, with the Big Bang occurring on the first moment of January 1st. Students estimate where on this one year time line significant events (like the formation of the solar system, the appearance of dinosaurs and the emergence of humanity) should be placed. More advanced students can research the dates of significant events and calculate when in the model timeline these events occurred.

After the activity: After students have been introduced to the idea of compressing the events since the Big Bang into a single year, have the students brainstorm about some of the most important events that happened between the Big Bang and now. ======EXPLAIN: IDENTIFYING GALAXIES

Focus Objective 6.05

Activity Time: 45 min

Preparation Time: 30 min

Note: Students will learn to use a critical eye when viewing picture transparencies sent back from Hubble Space Probe.

Guiding Question:

Before the activity:

After the activity: ======ELABORATE: CLASSIFYING GALAXIES USING HUBBLE’S FORK DIAGRAM

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 22 Activity Time: 45 min

Preparation Time: 30 min

Safety: N/A

Notes: Later, astronomers added other classifications. One of these astronomers was Carl Seyfert. In 1943, he discovered galaxies with very bright central regions. Seyfert studied the spectra of these galaxies. The spectra indicated that the central region was bright at all wavelengths. This indicated some enhanced activity, and "Seyfert" galaxies became the first of a range of active galaxies that have been studied at all wavelengths since then.

Guiding Question: How do scientists extend their knowledge?

Before the activity: This activity is a good sequel to IDENTIFYING GALAXIES. You will need to acquire the images from a website. On each page you'll find a link to a "jpg" and a "tif" file, if you would like to print out the transparencies.. The "tif" files are much larger and will take longer to download, but they will give you a clearer image.

After the activity: Students will have a better appreciation for science as a dynamic field of study as well as the complexity of the sublect. ======

XI. Sample Assessment Questions TOOLS OF THE ASTRONOMER

1. What is the chief purpose of a telescope?

A) it magnifies distant objects B) it collects light from distant objects and brings that light into focus C) it precisely measures the brightness of stars D) it separates light into its constituent wavelengths E) it makes distant objects appear nearby

Answer: B RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.05

2. The resolution of a telescope is A) its ability to see very faint objects

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 23 B) its ability to separate light into its component colors for analysis C) its ability to make distant objects appear much closer to us D) its ability to distinguish two adjacent objects close together in the sky E) its ability to focus more than just visible light for imaging

Answer: D RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.05

3. What is the main disadvantage of refractor telescopes over reflector telescopes?

A) refractor telescopes cannot see through clouds B) refractor telescopes give a fuzzier image C) refractor telescopes have less light-gathering capacity D) refractor telescopes promote chromatic aberration

Answer: D RBT tag: A2 SCOS: 6.05

4. What part of the eye represents the mirror in a telescope? A) Pupil B) Retina C) Cornea D) Iris

Answer: A RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.05

5. Which type of telescope did Galileo use to make his discoveries in 1610?

A) prime focus reflector B) Newtonian reflector C) Cassegrain reflector D) single lens refractor

Answer: D RBT tag: A1

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 24 SCOS: 6.05

CELESTIAL MOTIONS

6. In order for a solar eclipse to occur, this must occur as well

a a full moon phase b. a new moon phase c. the moon is on or close to the ecliptic. d. (A) and (C) e. (B) and (C).

Answer: E RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.02

7. Approximately two weeks after a lunar eclipse, the moon rises and sets with the Sun a. Always true b. Sometimes true c. Never true

Answer: A RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.02

8. A full moon must set at approximately what time? a. sunrise b. noon c. sunset d. midnight e. it depends on the time of year

Answer: A RBT tag: A2 SCOS: 6.02

9. Which of the following statements is true about the celestial coordinates “right ascension” and “declination?”

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 25 a. they were used by the ancient Greeks to determine the path of the Sun b. each can be measured with a protractor c. they change position as the earth revolves around the Sun d. they are measured with respect to the local zenith and horizon

Answer: E RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.02

A “light year” is a measurement of ______a. speed b. distance c. time d. energy

Answer: B RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.04

10.A star overhead will appear to move overhead through what angle in the course of one hour? a. 0.5 degrees b. 1.0 degrees c. 15 degrees d. 30 degrees

Answer: C RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.02

11.Which of the following is the term for the region of the sky near which the Sun, the Moon and the planets can be found? a. the Celestial Sphere b. the Celestial Equator c. the ecliptic d. the zenith Answer: C

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 26 RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.02

12.The phenomenon known as precession is due to a regular, periodic variation in what property of Earth's motion?

a. the direction in which its rotational axis points b. the shape of the Earth’s orbit c. the tilt of the earth’s axis d. the speed of the Earth’s rotation

Answer: A RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.02

e. During the half moon phase, how much of the total Moon’s surface is being illuminated by sunlight

A. none B. one-fourth C. half D. more than half

Answer: B RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.02

13.Which of the following is NOT possible?

a) A waning crescent Moon near the eastern horizon just before sunrise b) A waxing crescent Moon near the western horizon just after sunset. c) A full Moon near the western horizon at sunset. d) A full Moon near the western horizon at sunrise

Answer: C RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.02

14.Which phase of the Moon occurs during a solar eclipse? a. full moon b. gibbous moon

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 27 c. crescent moon d. new moon

Answer: D RBT tag: A2 SCOS: 6.02

SOLAR SYSTEM

15.Which of the following is NOT a pattern of motion for planets established early on in the Solar System?

a) all planets orbit the Sun in the same direction (counterclockwise) as seen from high above the Earth’s North Pole. b) All planetary orbits lie in nearly the same plane c) Most planets rotate in the same direction in which they orbit d) Almost all moons orbit their planet in the opposite direction in which they orbit

Answer: D RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.01

16.In observing Venus and Mercury over the course of a year or so, what would you NOT notice about them a) they each go through phases b) they each have only one moon that is hidden from our view except on rare occasions c) they appear in either the morning sky before dawn in the East OR the evening sky after sunset in the West. d) Mercury is always the planet closest to the Sun when they are in the sky together

Answer: B RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.02

17.What is the main reason why the temperature of Venus’s atmosphere is so hot?

a) it is very close to the Sun

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 28 b) it has an enormous greenhouse effect caused by its thick atmosphere c) it has a constant eruption of volcanoes d) it is heated by radioactivity from its interior

Answer: B RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 5.03

18.Which “ingredient” in the Solar Nebula condenses from a vapor to solid at the highest temperatures?

a) metal b) rock c) hydrogen compounds d) light gases

Answer: A RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.01

19.Which “ingredient” in the Solar Nebula condenses from a vapor to a solid beyond the “frost line?”

a) metal b) rock c) hydrogen compounds d) light gases

Answer: C RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.01

20.Which “ingredient” in the Solar Nebula” never condenses?

a) metal b) rock c) hydrogen compounds d) light gases

Answer: D RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.01

21.Which of the compounds below is NOT one of the hydrogen compounds found in the Solar Nebula?

a) methane b) water c) hydrogen gas d) ammonia

Answer: C

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 29 RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.01

22.Why are the inner planets more dense than the outer planet in the Solar System? a) dense matter from the Sun was readily available during their formation b) metals condensed at the highest temperatures in the Solar Nebula c) the inner planets are the smallest and therefore the densest d) light gases and hydrogen compounds were unavailable for inner planets

Answer: B RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.01

DEEP SKY ASTRONOMY

23.What is the of the prominent band running from the upper left to the lower right of the H-R diagram.

a) spectral lines b) main sequence c) celestial streak d) mass-brightness line Answer: B

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 30 RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.03

24.Stars along the top of the H-R diagram with colors from blue to red that can be 100 to 1000 times the size of the Sun are called ______

a) supergiants b) neutron stars c) main sequence stars d) giant stars

Answer: A RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.03

25.What can we tell about any star from its spectra?

a) its temperature b) its composition c) its position d) both A & B e) both B & C

Answer: A RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.04

26.The size of a star compared to the Sun is shown as powers of ten times the Sun’s radius. On the H-R diagram, the sizes of stars increase going from:

A. lower left to upper right B. upper left to lower right C. lower right to upper left D. upper right to lower left

Answer: A RBT tag: B3

27.The luminosity of a star increases on the H-R diagram as you go from:

A) right to left B) top to bottom C) bottom to top D) left to right

Answer: C RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.03

28.Which stars on the main sequence have the shortest life spans?

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 31 a) The ones in the center b) The ones in the upper left c) The ones in the lower right d) They all have similar life spans

Answer: B RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.03

29.Hot stars that are one one-hundredth the size of our Sun, therefore not very luminous are called

a) brown dwarfs b) neutron stars c) white dwarfs d) companion stars

Answer: C RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.03

30.The amount of light that reaches us from a star is called a) absolute magnitude b) brightness scale c) luminosity d) apparent magnitude Answer: D RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.03

31.An object with a parallax angle of 1 arc-second is a distance of 32.66 light years away. This is also referred to as a) one parsec b) one galactic unit c) one astronomical unit d) one lumina

Answer: A RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.04

32.An accurate measurement of luminosity comparing brightness at a distance of 10 Parsecs from the Earth is called a) apparent magnitude b) parsec magnitude c) absolute magnitude d) one billion watts

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 32 Answer: C RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 604

33.A component of star classification that directly involves temperature a) spectral type b) color range c) thermal scale d) thermograph

Answer: A RBT tag: B1 SCOS: 6.04

34.The observed parallax of a star is a) The apparent shifting of a star’s position relative to its background stars due to the motion of the Earth around the Sun. b) The apparent shifting of a star’s position due to instability in the atmosphere c) The apparent shifting of a star’s position relative to the horizon due to the various combined motions of the Earth d) The apparent shifting of a star’s position relative to the background stars due to the rotation of the earth

Answer A RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.04

35.Which is the order of events in the last stages of the life of a high mass star?

a) red supergiant >>> blue main sequence star >>> supernova >>> black hole or neutron star

b) blue main sequence star >>> red supergiant >>> supernova >>> black hole or neutron star

c) yellow main sequence star >>> red giant > > > red supergiant >>> planetary nebula

d) blue main sequence star >>> blue supergiant > >> supernova >>> white dwarf

Answer: B RBT tag: B3 SCOS: 6.03

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 33 36.This type of star cluster has millions of stars concentrated in an area typically 60-150 light years across. Its innermost region can be packed with 10,000 stars within just a few light years. Most of the stars are old stars that are reddish in color. This describes a(n) a) open cluster b) galactic cluster c) globular cluster d) spectral cluster

Answer: C RBT tag: B2 SCOS: 6.03

37.The Ring Nebula, one of the most spectacular planetary nebulas, is the remnant of a) a large planet b) a high mass star c) a low mass star d) s supernova

Answer: C RGT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.03

38.What lies in the center of a planetary nebula?

a) a black hole b) a neutron star c) a white dwarf d) a low mass main sequence star

Answer: C RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.03

39.What is the Crab Nebula?

a) a planetary nebula from the diffusion of the outer shell of a low mass star. The event was recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD. It was catalogued as M1 and lies in the constellation Taurus. b) a supernova remnant from the implosion of a very high mass star. The event was recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD. It was catalogued as M1 and lies in the constellation Taurus.

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 34 c) a supernova remnant from the implosion of a very high mass star. The event was recorded by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. It was catalogued as M4 and lies in the constellation Scorpius d) a planetary nebula from the diffusion of the outer shell of a low mass star. The event was recorded by Johannes Kepler and helped him develop his ideas about the motions of planets in the Solar System.

Answer: B RBT tag: A1 SCOS: 6.03

AMENDMENT – DETAILED LESSONS

Tools of Astronomers INTRODUCTION

VOCABULARY focus primary mirror gamma ray telescope image secondary mirror radio telescope focal plane imaging interferometry angular resolution spectroscopy earth-orbiters exposure time light pollution flybys CCDs turbulence orbiters pixels infrared telescope probes and landers refracting telescope ultraviolet telescope reflecting telescope x-ray telescope

LEP RESOURCES http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/geology.html The Source of this material is Windows to the Universe developed by the University Corporation fro Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The “Earth’s layers and moving plates” link has three levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced). This web site provides a nice overview of the content covered in this unit. http://www. solarviews .com/ On the home page, choose “site directory” to find the earth science topic. This site provides text in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. http://www.google.com/language_tools

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 35 Launch page for Google Language Tools http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor%C3%ADa:Ciencias_de_la_Tierra Wikipedia – Earth Science topics in Spanish

LEP LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES 1. Explain to a partner how the earth’s tilt causes the seasons as the earth orbits the sun 2. Explain to a partner how to find true north using a shadow 3. Draw a diagram that shows how the positions of the earth, sun and moon determine the phases of the moon. 4. Compare and Contrast the motions of the planets 5. Explain to a partner how to use a skymap to locate constellations and stars

MODIFICATIONS FOR LEP STUDENTS This section includes the construction of several astronomical instruments. Prior to the student activity, show a diagram or model of the instrument, i.e. telescope and identify the “parts,” such as objective lens and focal distance.

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on.  What is NASA and what has NASA accomplished since its inception

 Distinguish between the Space Shuttle and International Space Station

 What everyday “non space related” innovations has space technology brought about?

 Describe current and possible future projects in space exploration.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY: MAKING AND USING A SIMPLE ASTROLABE http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/index.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.05 RBT: B-2

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 36 An astrolabe is a device used for measuring altitude, including the height of objects in the sky. These two activities cover the construction of the astrolabe and how to use it.

ACTIVITY: THE SPECTROMETER The Spectrometer — Measuring the Universe with Color http://www.uky.edu/~holler/msc/discover/spectra/spectra.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.05 RBT: B-2

Isaac Newton discovered that when sunlight passed through a piece of glass with non-parallel sides (a prism) the colors of the rainbow (a spectrum) came out the other side. When a prism, used in a device called a spectrometer, is connected to the end of telescope, the spectrum of a star can be studied. The following is just a partial list of physical properties learned about analyzing the spectra of planets, stars, or galaxies: chemical composition, speed toward or away from Earth, rotation speed, temperature, density and turbulence of an atmosphere. Another device for separating the light from a source into its spectrum is a diffraction grating. The grating consists of a transparent material onto which hundreds of lines per centimeter have been etched. As the light passes through these lines, different wavelengths of light (different colors) are bent at different angles. Many modern spectrometers make use of grating instead of prisms. The purpose of this activity is to use a diffraction grating spectrometer to identify various light sources by observing their spectra and recognizing the chemical composition of the Sun. Function of the Diffraction Grating A diffraction grating is a device that takes light from a source and allows an observer to see what colors are mixed together to produce the color seen by the eye. Your diffraction grating is a hologram that produces a very bright spectrum of a source. Look at an ordinary light bulb (incandescent light) through the grating disk. Rotate the disk such that the spectrum of the light is going to your left and right (not vertical). Before we use the spectrometer, take a diffraction grating mounted in a slide frame and hold it next to your open eye (close the other eye). You will see streaks of color coming from every light and brightly illuminated object in the room. Rotate the disk. As the disk rotates, you should see the streaks of color rotate. Describe and/or draw what you see. Do you see colors? What color is closest to the bulb? Are there colors on both sides of the bulb? Look at a fluorescent light. Describe and/or draw what you see. What you SHOULD have seen...

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 37 The light bulb should produce a continuous line of color from red-orange-yellow-green- blue-violet coming out from the bulb with violet being the color closest to the bulb. This is the SPECTRUM of the light. The width of the line of color should appear as wide as the source of light. This is a CONTINUOUS spectrum blending from Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, to Violet (ROYGBV). Any heated solid produces this kind of spectrum. Materials

 spectrometer

 incandescent light bulb (bulb with a glowing filament)

 mercury fluorescent light

 miscellaneous light sources Procedure Turn on an incandescent light bulb, keep the room lights on, and look at the bulb through the spectrometer. Be careful to aim the slit (on the right side of the spectrometer) at the light bulb and look straight ahead at the spectrum on the scale. You should see a continuous spectrum of colors from red through violet. Mark on the scale below, Figure 1, the colors you see where you see them. Use colored pencils if you have them to shade in the observed colors.

Figure 1 - Slit and scale of the spectrometer Read the number on the scale corresponding to the light farthest to the right that you can see and the number corresponding to the light farthest to the left that you can see. The observed spectrum extends from______nm to______nm. The colors at these places on the scale are:______and______. Now look at a fluorescent light through the spectrometer. Describe the spectrum you see. Is it different from the spectrum that you observed in Steps 5 and 6? Again record the ends of the spectrum. The colored spectrum extends from______nm to______nm.

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 38 The spectrum from the fluorescent light should include several bright vertical "lines". These are images of the slit. Indicate the positions of these lines on the scale below, Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Slit and scale of the spectrometer Read the positions of the bright lines on the scale and record them in the table below. Color Position (nm) _

The most common type of fluorescent light will have the mercury emission lines superimposed on a continuous spectrum. The green line of mercury occurs at 546 nm. If your value in the table does not agree with this standard value, adjust the position of the scale in your spectrometer. Ask for help from your instructor if necessary. Point the slit of your spectrometer at a white surface that has fluorescent light shining on it, such as a wall or a movie screen, and measure the ends of the spectrum and the positions of any bright lines that you see. Record your data in the table below. Color Position (nm)

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 39

Compare the results of Step 5 and 6. Was the spectrum that you saw from the fluorescent light similar to or different from the spectrum you saw when you looked at the white surface? Why do you think the spectra were similar or different? Use your spectrometer to observe as many other light sources as you can find. Suggested lights include the red or green LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) on a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) or stereo system; chemical light sticks; and ordinary light bulbs observed through transparent, colored objects. List the object and describe the spectrum you observed. Are there any bright or dark lines in the spectrum? If there are any bright or dark lines, give the positions and the colors of the lines. Object 1:______Description of spectrum: Object 2:______Description of spectrum: Object 3:______Description of spectrum: Object 4:______Description of spectrum: Object 5:______Description of spectrum: Object 6:______Description of spectrum: Object 7:______Description of spectrum: Object 8:______Description of spectrum: The purpose of this activity is to study how certain transparent materials will allow some colors of light through and absorb the others. Locate various pieces of cellophane or a colored liquid. The liquids are made by dissolving various chemical compounds in water in a clear glass container. Don't forget good experimental practice: Check to see if the clear glass absorbs any colors before observing light through a colored liquid in the

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 40 bottle AND observe the light source to make sure that it is producing all colors. Place a transparent colored object (glass, cellophane, liquid) between a bright white light source and the spectrometer. For each object, record in the table below the following data: the type of object and its color, the missing color(s), and the position(s) of the dark bands on the spectrometer scale. The dark bands, called absorption bands, are due to photons of certain wavelengths being absorbed by the object. When the photons are absorbed, the colors corresponding to the photon energies are removed from the spectrum and gaps, or bands, show up in the spectrum where the missing colors would have appeared if there was no absorption. Object and Missing Color(s) Position (nm) Color

You will now identify the spectrum of some unknown lights. Based on your observations of the sources above identify the following types of lights. Which of the spectra of Figure 3 match which type of light.

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 41 Click on the image to see a color version of the spectra. Figure 3 - Known spectra of various sources ______incandescent light bulb (yellow white) ______high pressure sodium (orangish yellow) ______fluorescent light (bluish white) ______low pressure sodium (yellow) ______mercury vapor (blue) Take your spectrometer outside and point the slit toward the bright sky near the Sun. DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN!! IT CAN DAMAGE YOUR EYES!! You should see a spectrum of all the colors with narrow, dark lines superimposed. Measure the ends of the spectrum. The spectrum extends from______nm to______nm. Now measure the position of some of the prominent dark lines that you see, and record the results in the table below. Color Position (nm)

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 42

Compare the absorption lines you observed in the Sun's spectrum with those listed in the table below.

Absorption Lines in the Sun Wavelength, Line Due to Line Due to Wavelength, (nm) (nm) Iron 372.8 Iron 516.8 Iron 382 Magnesium 516.7 Calcium 393.4 Magnesium 517.3 Calcium 396.8 Magnesium 518.4 Hydrogen 410.2 Iron 527 Calcium 422.7 Sodium 589 Hydrogen 434 Hydrogen 656.3 Hydrogen 486.1 Oxygen 759.4 Oxygen 762.1 1. What elements do you conclude are present in the Sun? 2. Do you think that you have found all the elements that are in the Sun? Why or why not? 3. Where do you expect that elements would have to be located in order to cause dark absorption lines in the spectrum of the Sun? Would they have to be located inside the Sun, on the Sun's surface, above the Sun's surface, in space between the Sun and the Earth, or in the Earth's atmosphere? 4. Point the spectrometer slit at a bright, white cloud. Describe the spectrum that you see. How does the "cloud" spectrum compare to the spectrum of the Sun? Does the cloud spectrum have dark lines as the solar spectrum does? 5. Why do you think the cloud spectrum appears the way it does?

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 43 6. (Optional) Look at the Moon through the spectroscope . This activity is best done at night when the Moon is bright compared to the background sky, such as when there is a full Moon visible two or three hours after sunset. Describe the spectrum. How does the Moon's spectrum compare to the spectrum of the Sun? 7. Does the lunar spectrum have dark lines as the solar spectrum does? Are they the same lines? Why or why not? ACTIVITY: USING THE SUNSPOTTER http://solar-center.stanford.edu/observe/ (link to Sunspotter web site) FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: RBT: B-2

If your school owns a SUNSPOTTER device, by all means, take advantage of it! With the SUNSPOTTER, you can project a focused image of the Sun and actually see Sunspots (dark areas on the image). Sunspot patterns change, so consider doing sunspot observations over a longer period of time. Once students are trained, one or pairs of students can do daily or weekly observations and record their data with a sketch showing approximate sunspot location. A recording sheet is provided on the next page.

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 44 Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 45 WEB RESOURCES

How to participate in PROJECT: OBSERVE, a wonderful program offered through UNC’s Morehead Planetarium OBSERVEflyer

All about telescopes http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/light/refracting.html

Lunar Prospector – hands on activities http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/education/activities/index.htm Fun Science Gallery – How to Build a Telescope http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/tele/tele.htm Notes on the building of telescopes http://telescopemaking.org/ Canon Science Lab – Light and lenses http://www.canon.com/technology/s_labo/light/003/02.html How Stuff Works – How telescopes work http://www.howstuffworks.com/telescope1.htm

Mars rover simulation Cassini Probe (Huygens lander)

Earth/Environmental Science- Unit 8 DRAFT 46 Celestial Motions INTRODUCTION Celestial Motions, a very broad topic area that covers quite a bit of ground, is the foundation for building knowledge about the Sun, Moon, Solar System and Stars. Excellent Internet resources are included, some with interactive animations. The fundamental questions, N.C. Standard Course of Study goals and objectives, and revised Bloom’s Taxonomy labels are listed with each activity.

VOCABULARY:

Nicholas Copernicus conservation of escape velocity Tycho Brahe momentum celestial sphere Johannes Kepler angular momentum celestial coordinates Kepler’s Laws of Motion universal law of declination ellipse gravitation right ascension focus (foci) inverse square law Tropic of Cancer eccentricity bound orbits Tropic of Capricorn perihelion unbound orbits Arctic Circle aphelion tidal force Antarctic Circle Galileo synchronous rotation global positioning Newton’s Laws of escape velocity system Motion gravitational encounter

47 LEP RESOURCES http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/geology.html The Source of this material is Windows to the Universe developed by the University Corporation fro Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The “Earth’s layers and moving plates” link has three levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced). This web site provides a nice overview of the content covered in this unit. http://www. solarviews .com/ On the home page, choose “site directory” to find the earth science topic. This site provides text in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. http://www.google.com/language_tools Launch page for Google Language Tools http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor%C3%ADa:Ciencias_de_la_Tierra Wikipedia – Earth Science topics in Spanish

MODIFICATIONS FOR LEP STUDENTS Model/illustrate the basics of planetary motion. Many Internet sites have useful illustrations and animations. Introduce the vocabulary terms in small chunks to increase understanding before the lessons and specific activities to engage ESL students. Build background knowledge of the terms by looking for prefixes and suffixes on vocabulary terms, identifying similar terms in a target language, and interpreting multiple word terms by identifying the specific meaning of each word. Activity length can be reduced depending on the language proficiency of the LEP student by choosing specific questions that focus on the basic objective.

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on. According to the NC Standard Course of Study, these topics and concepts were supposed to have been covered in the sixth grade. http://www.learnnc.org/scos/2005- SCI/0006/05/

 Explain how the motions of the Earth cause day and night and the seasons

48  Explain how the motions of the Earth affect the path of celestial objects in the sky

 Explain how the positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon affects tides on Earth.

 Why are there different phases of the Moon?

 How do Solar and Lunar eclipses occur?

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

LOCATING COMPASS DIRECTIONS (FINDING DUE NORTH) http://www.lmsal.com/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/skydome.html FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How can true north be located using a shadow? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: C-3

Using the movement of a shadow cast by a pencil over time, students will determine true north and thus determine the other cardinal directions. Simple directions can be found on this web link.

MAKING A SUNDIAL FOR THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE http://www.lmsal.com/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/sundials.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How can the time of day be determined using a sundial? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: C-3

Choose from beginner, intermediate and advanced levels (based on level of math). When using the sundial, it is essential that students can determine the direction of true north. (see previous activity)

PATH OF THE SUN IN THE SKY http://www.lmsal.com/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/sunpath.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How can one determine the path of the Sun in the sky using a clear dome and a shadow?

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: Why does the path of the Sun in the sky change throughout the year? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

49 This web site has simple illustrations of the winter and summer solstices, as well as the spring and fall equinoxes. The “observer” is standing under a transparent “dome,” on which the path of the sun across the sky is traced for the aforementioned times of year. In order to do this outdoor activity with students, you will need: transparent domes or hemispheres, vis-à-vis (erasable) markers, cardboard pieces (large enough to mount the dome and thick enough for a thumbtack to hold down the dome) and plain white paper (for a clear shadow). Of course, it must be done on a sunny day.

STUDENT PROCEDURE:

 Before mounting the dome on the cardboard, draw a circle and mark the center with a do or small “X” Mount the dome onto the cardboard with the plain white paper underneath. The “observer” is standing on the “X” and the dome represents the sky.

 Find true north

 Align the dome mounted on cardboard set up and mark the direction of true north on the paper

 Place the tip of the erasable marker on the dome so the shadow cast by the tip lies directly on the dot or “X” you made on the paper (directly underneath the center of the dome). Write the number “1” for the first observation, “2” for the second, etc.

 Do this every 5-10 minutes.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS:

What does this line represent?

What direction are the marks from start to finish?

Why do the marks go from west to east?

Predict how the marks on the dome (reflecting the path of sun in sky) would change throughout the year.

SHADOW DANCE and WHERE IS THE SUN? http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/index.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How is the length of a shadow influenced by the angle of illumination from the Sun? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

AT HOME ASTRONOMY (The Center for Science Education Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley). Experiment with shadows and light sources and to understand the relationship between the angle of illumination and the shadow's length.

50 OBSERVATIONS OF THE NIGHT SKY Since the night sky changes through the year, consider having your students doing several night sky observations spread out through the school year. Excellent online resources for becoming familiar with the night sky are provided below. FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS: How is a skymap used for learning the locations of constellations and stars? Why do the locations of constellations and stars change throughout the night and throughout the year? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2 www.heavens-above.com satellites such as the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle, spectacular events such as the dazzlingly bright flares from Iridium satellites as well as a wealth of other spaceflight and astronomical information.

Heavens-above provides the times of visibility, as well as detailed star charts showing the satellite's track through the heavens. All the pages, including the graphics, are generated in real-time and customized for your location and time zone. You must register for this site. www.skymaps.com This is a free site that anyone can use without registering. Each month, one can download and print a map of the evening sky in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. http://www.stellarium.org/ A free download, this program shows the sky (day and night) as observed from locations throughout the world. Tools include names of stars and constellations, outlines, deep sky objects and pictures of the constellations (you can select the culture from which the character or myth originates). The user can move around the sphere and observe the sky from any cardinal direction, as well as change the speed of earth’s rotation (from “real time”). Background can be selected as well as choosing to look at the sky with or without the atmosphere.

NIGHT SKY OBSERVATIONS key: C = constellation Record what you see S = star as well as its position. Dates: ______P = planet Record the time.

51 1

MOON PHASE ACTIVITY - CLASSROOM http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/pup/act_moonphase.html FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How does the angle between the earth, sun and moon determine the phase of the moon? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

52 This activity allows students to use models of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon to discover why moon phases occur. Students use a Styrofoam ball to represent the Moon, which will be lit by a single light source in the classroom, to observe how different portions of the ball are illuminated as they hold it in various positions. They create a complete series of phases matching the appearance of the Moon. And they relate moon phases to the positions of Earth and the Sun.

OBSERVING MOON PHASES AND FEATURES This activity is adopted from Astro Adventures – 1994 Pacific Science Center

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: Why does each phase of the moon rise and set at specific times of the day or night? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

Find out when the first quarter moon phase will occur and schedule this project two to three days before this phase is scheduled to occur. This phase of the moon is “out” during the day and is a good place to begin one month of moon phase observing. Students may not realize that the moon is visible in the daytime as well as at night. The following pages contain sample worksheets for this project.

A table is included that shows when the various phases rise, are highest in the sky, and set.

PHASE RISES EASTERN SKY HIGHEST IN SKY WESTERN SKY SETS

NEW MOON SUNRISE MORNING NOO N AFTERNOON SUNSET

WAXING JUST AFTER MORNING JUST AFTER AFTERNOON JUST AFTER CRESCENT SUNRISE NOON SUNSET

FIRST QUATER NOON AFTERNOON SUNSET EVENING MIDNIGHT

WAXING AFTERNOON SUNSET NIGHT (pm) MIDNIGHT NIGHT (pm) GIBBOUS

FULL SUNSET NIGHT (pm) MIDNIGHT NIGHT (am) SUNRISE MOON

WANING NIGHT (pm) MIDNIGHT NIGHT SUNRISE MORNING GIBBOUS

THIRD QUARTER MIDNIGHT NIGHT (am) SUNRISE MORNING NOON

WANING JUST BEFORE MORNING JUST BEFORE EARLY JUST BEFORE CRESCENT SUNRISE NOON AFTERNOON SUNSET

53 54 MOON PHASE ACTIVITY DATA SHEET name: ______

sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday

DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____

TIME TIME ____- TIME TIME _____ TIME TIME TIME ______

DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____

TIME TIME TIME TIME _____ TIME TIME TIME ______

DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____

TIME TIME TIME TIME _____ TIME TIME TIME ______

DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____ DATE_____

TIME TIME TIME TIME _____ TIME TIME TIME ______

55 EARTH’S MOTIONS LAB (Web Quest) Created by Daniel Brownstein, Hastings High School, New York

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: What causes the seasons? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

Use the provided web links for each section of the web quest

Reasons for the Seasons http://www.brocktonpublicschools.com/schools/high/planetarium/activities/seasons/seas ons3.html

1. Why does the Sun appear to move through the sky?

2. List three reasons why we have seasons (you will need to click on “next” on the bottom of the page for the 2nd and 3rd reasons):

3. Go back to the first page of this website. Draw a picture of the Earth with a tilt. On your diagram label the North and South Poles, the Equator, and the path of the Earth’s orbit.

4. What is the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to its orbit? ______5. Draw a picture of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun exactly as you see it in Dia # 3. Include the following:  The proper orientation of the tilt of the Earth.  Mark on Earth for each position where the Sun is shining most directly.  Number each position as shown.  Draw and label the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Equator.

56 6. Based on your drawing in number 5, a) When is the Earth tilted towards the Sun (which position)? ______b) When is the Earth tilted away from the Sun (which position)? ______c) For each numbered position, identify the season for the Northern Hemisphere (remember that it is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).

Position 1______Position 2______

Position 3______Position 4______

Part 2: Open up the file entitled “length of day animation.” http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1573310/LengthofDay %5B1%5D.swf Maximize the screen (on an Apple, drag the window from the bottom corner to the edge of the screen)

Sunrise Hastings

57 Winter:

1. In the bottom left corner, click on the month for December. Using the arrows advance the days and watch the animation in the upper left that shows the Earth revolving around the Sun. Advance the days until the Earth is lined up exactly between the Sun and the word “winter” (the horizontal line extending from the Sun to “winter” should bisect the Earth exactly in half). a) On what day does the Earth line up with that position?______b) Our latitude is 36 degrees N. What time does the Sun rise______and set ______? c) Based on your answer to 1b, approximately how many hours of daylight do we have in North Carolina? ______d) Above which latitude will the Sun never rise on this date? ______

Spring:

2. Click on March. Advance the days until the Earth is directly lined up with the Sun and the line extending from “spring” to the Sun. a) On what day does the Earth line up with that position?______b) Our latitude is 36 degrees N. What time does the Sun rise______and set ______? c) Based on your answer to 2b, approximately how many hours of daylight do we have in our part of North Carolina? ______

Summer:

3. Click on June. Advance the days until the Earth is directly lined up with the Sun and the line extending from “summer” to the Sun. a) On what day does the Earth line up with that position?______b) Our latitude is 36°N. What time does the Sun rise______and set ______? c) Based on your answer to 3b, approximately how many hours of daylight do we have in our part of

North Carolina? ______

58 Fall:

4. Click on September. Advance the days until the Earth is directly lined up with the Sun and the line extending from “fall” to the Sun. a) On what day does the Earth line up with that position?______b) Our latitude is 36 degrees N. What time does the Sun rise______and set ______? c) Based on your answer to 3b, approximately how many hours of daylight do we have in North Carolina? ______

Follow up questions:

1. During which season in our community do we have the most sunlight? ______

2. Why are fall and spring called equinoxes?

3. Explain how the tilt of the Earth influences the amount of daylight that we receive throughout the year:

LAB ON THE SUN’S PATH (Web Quest) Created by Daniel Brownstein, Hastings High School, New York FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: How does the path of the sun affect the seasons and day and night at different latitudes throughout the earth? SCOS: 6.02 RBT: B-2

Part 1: Open the animation entitled “Seasons—both views animation” http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att- 1573305/SeasonsModule_bothviews_.swf  Click on “orbit view” (bottom left)  Orient the orbit as shown below (click and drag)—to get the animation exactly like this, drag the date bar to September 22nd, tilt the orbit until the orbit looks like the picture below. Then drag the Earth until it is aligned like it appears below.

59  check the box for “subsolar” point (bottom left)  On the right side of the screen check the box for “labels”  Click on “sunlight angle”  Drag the observer until he/she is at approximately 36 °N (the latitude of North Carolina)  Slide the date bar (bottom) until it is December 21st

1. Look at the animation to the left of the screen that shows the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. a) On Dec 21st, is the northern or southern hemisphere more lit up (and is therefore receiving more energy)? b) Note the angle of sunlight for the observer (shown in the bottom right window). Drag the observer to the southern hemisphere. Which hemisphere is receiving more direct sunlight? c) Based on your answer to 1b, which hemisphere is experiencing summer? Which is experiencing winter? Winter ______Summer ______d) Is the Earth tilted towards or away from the Sun in this position? ______e) In the space to the right  Draw the Earth’s position relative to the Sun.  Draw in the tilt.  Label the North and South Poles.  Draw in the equator.  Shade in the side of the Earth that is in shadow.

60 2. Look at the animation that has the observer (right side of screen) a) Change the perspective so the view is “from the Sun.” The dot represents the “vertical ray.” Where is the vertical ray shining on Dec 21st? b) Change the perspective back to “view from the side.” Move the observer until he/she is directly on top of the dot. What latitude is indicated (give the name and number of the line of latitude)? Name ______number ______c) What happened to the angle of the Sun’s rays as you moved the observer to that point? d) Describe the Sun’s rays at this location.

3. Change the date using the red bar at the bottom of the screen. Stop the bar when the vertical ray (the little dot) is exactly at the equator. a) On what date does this happen? ______the season is?(n. hemis): ______b) Which location on Earth is receiving the most direct energy from the Sun? ______c) Move the observer to the equator. Describe the angle of the Sun’s rays at the Equator on this date.

4. Move the date bar until the date is June 21st. Look at the animation on the left. a) On June 21st, is the northern or southern hemisphere more lit up? ______b) Move the observer back to 36 °N (North Carolina). Note the angle of sunlight for the observer. Drag the observer to the southern hemisphere. Which hemisphere is receiving more direct sunlight? c) Based on your answer to 4b, which hemisphere is experiencing summer? Which is experiencing winter?

Winter ______Summer ______d) Is the Earth tilted towards or away from the Sun in this position? e) In the space below  Draw the Earth’s position relative to the Sun.  Draw in the tilt.  Label the North and South Poles.  Draw in the equator.

61  Shade in the side of the Earth that is in shadow. 5. Leave the observer at 36 °N. Click on “start animation.” a) Watch the sun’s rays in the bottom right hand corner. When are the rays striking the Earth at this location most directly (closer to vertical) b) When are the rays the least direct? ______c) Does the tilt change as the Earth orbits the Sun? ______d) Explain how the tilt of the Earth influences the amount of energy we receive throughout the year:

6. Move the observer to the North Pole. Click on “start animation” (if it’s not running already) a) Watch the shadow closely. Note that for half of the year the observer is in shadow and the other half it is in daylight. This essentially means that sunrise and sunset happen once a year at the North Pole. Record the dates that the Sun rises and sets, and when there is total darkness at the North Pole. Repeat this process for the South Pole. North Pole: Sunrise______Sunset______Total darkness ______South Pole Sunrise ______Sunset______Total darkness ______b) Open up the “Length of Day” animation. Advance the date until the “shadow line crosses the North Pole. Is the date the same as the one you listed above? c) Set the date to December 21st. Does the sun rise on this date at the North Pole? d) Set the date to June 21st. Does the sun set on this date at the North Pole? e) What time of year in North Carolina results in the greatest amount of daylight?

Part 2: Sun’s Path for North Carolina (36°N) Open up the file entitled “Sun’s Motion Animation.” http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1574287/sunmotions %5B1%5D.swf

When the animation is on the screen, do the following:  Maximize the screen (on an Apple, drag the screen from the bottom corner to the side of the screen)  Set the date for December 21st.  Set the latitude for 36°N

62  Click the following in the boxes to the right of the screen: “show the sun’s declination angle,” and “show stick figure and its shadow.”  “Dragging the Sun’s Disc” should be set to “time of day.”  Make sure no other boxes are clicked.  Click and drag the animation with the stick figure so the “dome” is orientated as shown in the picture below:  Set the time of day to 12:00

December 21 st 1. Click and drag the Sun towards the bottom right until it lines up exactly with the horizon—this is sunrise. a) What time does sunrise happen on this date? ______

b) What direction does the Sun rise on this date? ______

2. Slowly drag the Sun back towards noon until you first see a shadow (about 8am) for the observer (the stick figure). What direction does the shadow point? ______

63 3. Continue dragging the Sun towards the noon position (do not go beyond noon).

a) What happens to the altitude of the Sun as you are doing this? ______

b) What happens to the direction of the observer’s shadow? ______

c) What happens to the length of the shadow? ______

d) What direction does the shadow point directly at noon? ______

e) What direction in the sky would the observer look to see the noontime Sun? ______

4. Click and drag the globe so that you are now looking at the western horizon

a) Drag the Sun towards sunset. What time does the

Sun set on this date? ______

b) What direction does the Sun set? ______

c) As you drag the Sun from noon until sunset, what happens to the length of the observer’s shadow?

d) What happens to the length of the shadow from noon until sunset?

March 22 nd and Sept 22 nd

Answer the questions below for both months (make sure you check both months before you answer the questions). Set the time to 12:00 and orient the dome as shown in the diagram on page one of this lab:

1. Does the Sun’s path change when you change the date from March 20th to September 20th?

64 2. Click and drag the Sun towards the bottom right until it lines up exactly with the horizon—this is sunrise. a) What time does sunrise happen on this date? ______b) What direction does the Sun rise on this date? ______3. Slowly drag the Sun back towards noon until you first see a shadow (about 6:20am) for the observer (the stick figure). What direction does the shadow point? ______

4. Continue dragging the Sun towards the noon position (do not go beyond noon).

a) What happens to the length of the shadow? ______

b) What direction does the shadow point directly at noon? ______

c) What direction in the sky would the observer look to see the noontime Sun? ______

5. Click and drag the globe so that you are now looking at the western horizon (as shown in the diagram on page two of this lab)

a) Drag the Sun towards sunset. What time does the Sun set on this date? ______

b) What direction does the Sun set?______

6. How many hours of daylight occur on these dates? ______. Because of this, these seasons are referred to as ______.

June 21st: Rotate the dome so that you are looking from the east again. Set the time to 12:00. 1. Click and drag the Sun towards the bottom right until it lines up exactly with the horizon—this is sunrise.

a) What time does sunrise happen on this date? ______

b) What direction does the Sun rise on this date? ______

2. Slowly drag the Sun back towards noon until you first see a shadow (about 5:15am) for the observer (the stick figure).

What direction does the shadow point? ______

3. Continue dragging the Sun towards the noon position (do not go beyond noon).

65 a) What happens to the length of the shadow? ______b) What direction does the shadow point directly at noon? ______

c) What direction in the sky would the observer look to see the noontime Sun? ______

4. Click and drag the globe so that you are now looking at the western horizon (as shown in the diagram on page two of this lab)

a) Drag the Sun towards sunset. What time does the Sun set on this date? ______

b) What direction does the Sun set?______

Follow-up Questions:

1. Set the time to 12:00. Move the black bar to the month of January (on the bar above the clock). Slowly drag the bar to the right until you reach December.

a) Describe what happens to the altitude of the Sun as you go from January to December: b) During which month is the Sun: lowest in the sky at noon? ______highest in the sky at noon? ______c) During which month does the observer have: the shortest shadow? ______the longest shadow? ______d) Explain why the shadow length has the pattern you describe above:

e) Is the Sun ever directly overhead in North Carolina?

Part 3: The Sun’s path in other locations worldwide

1. Change the latitude to 23.5 °N. Set the time to 12:00. Set the date to June 21st. a) Does the observer have a shadow at this location on this date? What does that tell you about the location of the Sun at noon at 23.5 °N on June 21st? b) Rotate the dome so that you are looking directly down at the observer.

 Now that you are looking directly down on the observer, where is the noontime Sun relative to the observer?

 Were you correct in your answer to 1a? ______

66 c) What season in the Northern Hemisphere is this? ______d) Why is 23.5° a significant number?

2. Set the latitude to 0°. Rotate the globe so you are looking from the east again. Keep the date at June 21st.

a) Is the Sun directly overhead on June 21st at the equator?______

b) Go to the “month” bar and drag the black bar until the Sun’s path is directly lined up with the blue line in the center of the dome (begin at January and drag the bar to towards December). This will happen twice during the year.

 During which months did the Sun’s path line up with the blue line? ______

 Which seasons begin on these dates? ______

 Where is the Sun located at noon relative to the observer on these dates? ______

3. Set the latitude to 23.5° S (you will need to enter in 23.5 and then click on the box to change it from N to S). Keep the time at 12:00. Do not change the date from the last question.

a) What direction must the observer look to see the noontime Sun? ______b) How is this different from the Northern Hemisphere? c) Change the date to December 21st. Rotate the globe so you are looking down on the observer (as you did on the previous page).

 Where is the noontime Sun relative to the observer on this date?

 Does the observer have a shadow?

Follow up questions: 1. The “vertical ray of the Sun” refers to when the Sun is directly overhead. For the dates listed below, identify where the Sun is directly overhead at noon and the season in the Northern Hemisphere for those dates:

December 21st: Vertical Ray ______Season ______March 22nd: Vertical Ray ______Season ______June 21st: Vertical Ray ______Season ______September 22nd: Vertical Ray ______Season ______

2. If our tilt changed, predict how our seasons would change.

67 a) If the tilt increased: Summers would be ______Winters would be ______

b) If the tilt decreased Summers would be ______Winters would be ______3. Open the “seasons interactive” animation. http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1573293/Seasons-- interactive.swf a) Set the “inclination” to Earth (bottom of animation). Click “stop” to prevent the Earth from moving on its own. Move the Earth to the summer position for the northern hemisphere and watch the thermometer. Then click on Venus. Finally, click on Uranus.

 How does the tilt change for each setting?

Venus setting______Uranus setting______

 How did the summer temperatures change for each setting?

Venus setting______Uranus setting______

b) Move the Earth to the winter position for the northern hemisphere and follow the same directions from 3a. Make note of the temperature differences for each setting.

c) Now that you have used the animation, clearly explain how a change in tilt will affect our seasons:

WHAT IS PARALAX? Instruct students to extend their arm out and view their thumbs. Close one eye at a time, alternating between left and right eye as the thumb is observed. Ask students to state their observations. (The thumb appears to shift as the open eye shifts from left to right and back) Repeat the same procedure with the thumb at half the distance it was in the first trial. Ask students for observations. (The shifting appears to be greater when the thumb is closer). Ask students to generate ideas on how this could apply to stars. (Two opposite positions of the earth’s orbit around the Sun - six months apart - represent closing one eye vs. the other. A star is represented by the thumb). Which stars will experience the greatest shift in parallax? (the closest stars)

68 PARALAX APPLET http://www.astro.ubc.ca/~scharein/applets/#Parallax

This Java applet provides a hands-on approach to understanding parallax as it applies to stars viewed from the earth.

IMAGINARY PLANET CHARACTERISTICS Divide students into small groups. Each group gets a car with characteristics of an exosolar planet. Other materials include: polystyrene balls, dowels, light source. Each ficticious exosolar planet is the same distance from its sun as the earth is around our sun. The star around which the exosolar planet rotates is the same type of star (G-2) as our sun. Using the materials provided, students will manipulate their planet and observe the angle at which the sun strikes at different latitudes.

The following are suggested descriptions for fictitious exosolar planets:

1. A planet without an axis tilt that does one rotation for each orbit around its sun

2. A planet without an axis tilt that does 365 rotations for each orbit around its sun

3. A planet without an axis tilt that orbits its sun without rotating

4. A planet with a 45-degree axis tilt that does one rotation for each orbit around its sun

5. A planet with a 45-degree axis tilt that does 365 rotations for each orbit around its sun

6. A planet with a 45-degree axis tilt that does two rotations for each orbit around its sun

7. A planet with a 90-degree axis tilt that does one rotation for each orbit around its sun

8. A planet with a 90-degree axis tilt that does 365 rotations for each orbit around its sun

9. A planet with a 90-degree axis tilt that does two rotations for each orbit around its sun

10. A planet with a 23.5 degree axis tilt that does 365 rotations for each orbit around its sun

Discussion questions:

1. What would the days and nights, and seasons be like on the equator of your planet?

2. What would the days and nights, and seasons be like on the north or south pole of your planet?

3. What part of the planet would be most habitable? Last habitable?

69 4. What interventions would be necessary for life to exist on your planet?

5. What would the weather be like at various locations on your planet?

6. Would it be possible for “intelligent life” as we know it to thrive on your planet?

7. What types of life forms would have to have evolved in order to thrive on your planet?

KEPLER’S LAWS OF PLANETARY MOTION http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro9/files/html/module4/l essons.html Select lesson plan #3 – Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion Interactive Applet that is necessary for this activity can be found in the Applet drop-down menu.

WEB RESOURCES

THE CELESTIAL SPHERE http://solar.scs.gmu.edu/teaching/ASTR112_2005/Celestial_Sphere_Lab_2_Muffarah.p pt

Powerpoint explanation of the celestial coordinate system and terms such as ecliptic, celestial equator, azimuth, zenith, right ascension and declination http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/celsph.html

Included is an inspection of the zodiac constellations, which lie on the ecliptic http://brahms.phy.vanderbilt.edu/~rknop/astromovies/celsphere1.html

A movie designed for use in a lecture/discussion on the celestial sphere. It requires Quicktime.

HISTORY OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Polaris Project – Evening Star, Iowa State University http://www.polaris.iastate.edu/EveningStar/Unit1/unit1_intro.htm

Unit 1 – The Ancients (ancient understanding of celestial motions through observations) Unit 2 – The History (history of our understanding of how the Solar System works) Unit 3 - The Solar System

70 Unit 4 – Gravity and Orbits

Summary of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo and Newton http://www.uwgb.edu/DutchS/WestTech/suncentr.htm

ANIMATIONS AND MODULES FOR EARTH-SUN RELATIONSHIPS

Seasons module http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att- 1573305/SeasonsModule_bothviews_.swf Length of Day animation http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1573310/LengthofDay %5B1%5D.swf

Earth-Sun relationships http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1573325/Earth- Sun_relationships.swf

Sun Motions http://www3.eboard.com/boards/16/92/94/Brownstein/att-1574287/sunmotions %5B1%5D.swf

Astronomy Lesson Plan links http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classastrolsn.html University of Maryland astronomy http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse/resources/index.html Astronomy Basics http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Cosmos/english/html/astronomybasics.html#a starisborn AMAZING SPACE RESOURCES http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/ History of telescopes Planet Impact – Jupiter pelted with a comet! (interactive) Mission Mastermind Galaxy Hunter (interactive) Comets Galaxies Galore (interactive) No Escape – the Truth About Black Holes (interactive) Solar System Trading Cards Star Light Star Bright

71 Hubble Deep Field Academy

The Solar System in Pictures http://www.the-solar-system.net/ Windows to the Universe http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ Lunar Prospector – hands on activities http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/education/activities/index.htm NASA Stats and Slopes http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/slopes/ss_title.html

NASA Space Place for Kids http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/

The Solar System INTRODUCTION Most students have had previous experience learning about the Solar System and are enthusiastic about this and related topics. The focus of the teacher should be to generate interest and build upon the foundation already in place. An investigation of the nebular theory, or how the Solar System came into existence, should shed light on why each of the planets has its particular characteristics and why the Solar System, as a whole, “obeys” certain rules governing its motion (and why there are exceptions to these rules).

VOCABULARY:

Terrestrial planets giant impact Jovian planets extrasolar planet hydrogen compounds light gases asteroids comets Kuiper Belt Oort cloud nebular theory solar nebula protosun protoplanetary disk condensates accretion planetesimals solar wind magnetic braking

72 FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS How did the Solar System form from a nebula? What factors determined the distinctly different properties of the inner and outer planets? What is the origin and history of asteroids and comets?

LEP LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES 1. Explain to a partner how the earth’s tilt causes the seasons as the earth orbits the sun 2. Explain to a partner how to find true north using a shadow 3. Explain to a partner how to project an image of the Sun onto a piece of paper 4. Draw a diagram that shows how the positions of the earth, sun and moon determine the phases of the moon. 5. Compare and Contrast the motions of the planets 6. Explain to a partner how to use a skymap to locate constellations and stars

MODIFICATIONS FOR LEP STUDENTS Model/illustrate the basics of planetary motion. Many Internet sites have useful illustrations and animations. Introduce the terms before the lessons and activities to engage ESL students. For example, write the Spanish terms for the unit on the board.

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on.  What is the order of the planets from closest to the Sun to most distant

 What are the differences between the inner and outer planets with regard to size and composition?

73  Unlike the other planets in our Solar System, why is the Earth capable of supporting life?

 Explain how ocean tides work.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

NEBULAR THEORY MODEL Students themselves will be used to model the formation of the solar system.

The following text has been adopted from the Canadian Space Agency astronomy resource website: http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro9/files/html/m odule4/lessons/lesson3/solar_nebula.html Introduction If possible, introduce the lesson by showing images or computer animations of the formation of the solar system. After images of a nebular cloud or solar nebula are shown, go over the Solar Nebula theory with the students. Concentrate on the role of individual atoms in the collapse of the nebular cloud, and on the force of gravity and the process of accretion, which plays a role in how atoms clump together. Hands-on Activity Let the students know they will each be a hydrogen atom in the initial nebular cloud. Explain to them that their bodies will be the single proton in the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, and their arms will be the rapidly moving electrons within the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. Allow every student to be an atom, except for one student who will play the role of a supernova, which triggers the collapse of the cloud. Have the students spread out so that there is a fair amount of distance between them. The students who are atoms should be slowly moving around, floating randomly around the designated area. Now have the student who is the supernova act out their role; they should become an energy shockwave, and move through the field of randomly moving atoms with their arms outstretched. They should cross the path of at least one hydrogen atom, and when they do cross paths, have the atoms attach to the student who is the shockwave of energy. Have the shockwave stop moving once there are two or three atoms attached to it and it is near the centre of the area, so that there is now a clump of two or three atoms in the middle of the cloud of atoms. This clump of atoms has become the Sun in its embryonic stage as a protostar. At this point in time, the cloud of atoms should begin to slowly swirl around the protosun in a circular motion. Have the atoms nearest to the protosun slowly collapse into it due to the force of gravity, forming a larger central protostar. The outer atoms should also slowly clump together to form protoplanets; as they continue to swirl around the protosun in a circular orbit, they should continue to slowly bump into other individual atoms and accumulate, growing larger in size. As the sizes of the protosun and protoplanets grow, the remaining objects should act as though they are more attracted to them due to the force of gravity. Eventually, every individual 74 atom should be attached to the protosun or a protoplanet; try to ensure that the protosun is largest clump of atoms with smaller protoplanets in orbit around it. Closure: Talk to the students about the processes behind the collapse of the solar nebula cloud into a solar system. Explain to them that while this is a theory and is not fact, it is based on observational evidence and is most likely the way in which the Sun and the solar system formed. Explain to the students that this is most likely the theory that formed both our own solar system, and extra-solar planetary systems. THE ORDER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/activity_09.html

Using the "clue cards" and printouts of the planets provided, students learn about the order of planets in our solar system.

THE SIZE AND DISTANCE OF THE PLANETS http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/activity_09.html Students investigate the concepts of relative size and distance by creating a basic model of our solar system.

PROJECTING AN IMAGE OF THE SUN (from the Stanford Solar Center web site) http://solar-center.stanford.edu/observe/ You can easily and safely observe the Sun by projecting it through a tiny hole onto a white sheet of paper. This simple device is called a "pinhole camera". You'll need:

 2 sheets of stiff white paper (index cards or card stock works best)

 A pin

 A sunny day With the pin, punch a hole in the center of one of your pieces of paper. Go outside, hold the paper up and aim the hole at the Sun. (Don't look at the Sun either through the hole or in any other way! ) Now, find the image of the Sun which comes through the hole. Move your other piece of paper back and forth until the image rests on the paper and is in focus (i.e. has a nice, crisp edge). What you are seeing is not just a dot of light coming through the hole, but an actual image of the Sun.

This works best when the paper onto which the image is projected is kept in the shade. Experiment by making your holes larger or smaller. What happens to the image? What happens when you punch 2 holes in the piece of paper? Try bending your paper so the images from the 2 holes lie on top of each other. What do you think would happen if you punched a thousand holes in your paper, and you could bend your paper so all the images lined up on top of each other?

75 In fact, optical telescopes can be thought of as a collection of millions of "pinhole" images all focused together in one place! You can also project an image of the Sun using a pair of binoculars or small telescope. USING THE SUNSPOTTER http://solar-center.stanford.edu/observe/ (link to Sunspotter web site)

SOLAR SYSTEM PROJECT

76 Students working in groups of three will present on a body in our solar system. Process and Design (a) Each presentation will last 10 minutes (+/- 1-2 mins). If you would like to do an activity which will take longer than 12 minutes, let me know. If it’s worth it, your time will be extended. (b) The presentation must be interactive. Communicate with your classmates, don’t just talk to them. You could use powerpoint, or poster. Information you could include in your presentation (a) structure, composition, and characteristics of celestial body (b) details of dynamic processes: Geology (Plate Tectonics and associated landforms) and Weather. Since we’ve completed our geology section, this part should be well-explained and emphasized. (c) satellites and orbital path (d) the history of the celestial body (its formation and past events) (e) mythology or other related stories (f) all relevant numerical data (radius, distance form Earth, mass, density, etc.) put into perspective (i.e., It is twice as large as earth, etc.) (g) human relationships with celestial bodies as far as discovery and probes or ships sent to them Bibliography Without the submission of a bibliography, your project will not be graded. You are required to have at least 5 sources, 3 non-internet sources. A list of Assignments Outline of presentation 5 ResearchDate notes Timeline of Project 5 Presentation (information) 35 Write your timeline of the project on the Attentiveness / Participation 5 back of this sheet. interactive aspect 5 Some Websites bibliography 5 planet activities total possible points (will possibly 60 count for more) http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/index.html pics of stuff http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ www.space.com notes on motion lecture http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/~ast201/2004Jan15/Jan15.pdf will the universe rip or collapse? http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2004/Mar/hour2_030504.html water on mars http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2004/Mar/hour1_030504.html

THE DEBATE OVER PLUTO’S STATUS

Ask students the following question: Is Pluto a planet? Information Begin by letting the students know that the next two classes will be devoted to

77 answering the question. A class debate will be used for the students to express their views and research findings. The class will have to be briefly informed on the characteristics of a planet and a comet, and given brief examples of arguments which support both beliefs that Pluto is a planet and that it is simply a trapped comet. Ask the students who believes it is indeed a true planet, who believes it is a comet, and who is not sure. Hopefully there will be enough students who aren’t sure to even out the two groups. Let the students know they have to do their own research, and they will collaborate with their group at the beginning of the next class to organize their debate. Emphasize to the groups that they should compare Pluto to other planets or to comets, in order to support their arguments. Hands-on Activities Activity 1 In their large groups, students will collectively decide on possible questions and comments for both sides of the argument. Upon deciding on which questions to focus, students will then assign research tasks, reflecting those questions, to smaller groups which will then conduct appropriate research strategies. Students should re-assemble in their large groups approximately 15 minutes before the end of the class to debrief, to share their research findings and to plan their side of the debate argument. Students should have the Class Debate Rubric before they begin researching. Activity 2 At the beginning of the second class, the students will get into their two groups and will organize their own arguments and will appoint a lead speaker for the group. Once the groups are organized, the class debate can begin. Be sure to let students know that the debate is not a competition; one side will not “win”. The debate should be run professionally, with systematic arguments followed by rebuttals. After the debate, students should help to create a list of arguments for each side of the debate. The list can be written on the board and then copied by the students into a workbook. The points the students do not list can be added by the teacher. Check for Understanding Listening to both the debate and the listing of arguments is a good measure of understanding. After the debate, further questions regarding other solar system bodies could be posed: 1. Why is Mercury (or any other planet) not regarded as a trapped comet? 2. Could the moons of the outer gaseous planets be trapped comets? Independent Practice

78 After the debate has finished, the students will write up their own paragraph about the debate, stating their point of view on the topic and explaining why they feel that way. They should state whether or not the debate changed their opinion in any way, and they could add the most reputable statement of the opposing point of view. Depending on time constraints, this could be assigned as a homework activity. Closure: Have a final class vote about the status of Pluto. The voting could be done collectively or privately. If the students do indeed vote that Pluto is simply a trapped comet, a new name could be created by the class. Extension: As an extension activity, students could be asked to research what kinds of objects are found in the Kuiper Belt.

WEB RESOURCES Observing the Sun for Yourself http://solar-center.stanford.edu/observe/ The Stanford Solar Center maintains an informative and easy to use web site on different ways to observe the Sun.

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/ National Solar Observatory http://www.nso.edu/ Hawai’i Solar Astronomy http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/ Scale model of the Solar System http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/Space/SolarSystemModel.htm Build a solar system http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ Views of the Solar System http://www.solarviews.com/ Formation of the Solar System http://www.solarviews.com/cap/misc/ssanim.htm The Sun http://www.solarviews.com/eng/sun.htm Beginning of the Solar System http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep533/SPRING2004/lecture7.pdf

Astronomy Curriculum Resources (Canadian Space Agency) http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro9/files/html/le ssons.html

79 Astronomy Lesson Plan links http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classastrolsn.html University of Maryland astronomy http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse/resources/index.html AMAZING SPACE RESOURCES http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/ History of telescopes Planet Impact – Jupiter pelted with a comet! (interactive) Mission Mastermind Galaxy Hunter (interactive) Comets Galaxies Galore (interactive) No Escape – the Truth About Black Holes (interactive) Solar System Trading Cards Star Light Star Bright Hubble Deep Field Academy

The Solar System in Pictures with quizzes on each planet http://www.the-solar-system.net/ Lunar Prospector – hands on activities http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/education/activities/index.htm MAAS digital MER Landing http://www.maasdigital.com/mervideo-large.html Cassini-Huygens landing on Saturn’s moon, Titan http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/videos/video-details.cfm?videoID=117 Windows to the Universe http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ Cosmic Survey – What are your ideas about the universe? http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CosmicSurvey2003.pdf NASA Stats and Slopes http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/slopes/ss_title.html

NASA Space Place for Kids http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/

Stars INTRODUCTION

80 VOCABULARY

Hertzsprung-Russell diagram flare stars thermal pressure subgiant low-mass stars red giant intermediate mass-stars hydrogen shell burning high-mass stars helium fusion molecular clouds helium flash protostar carbon stars protostellar disk interstellar dust grains protostellar wind planetary nebula close binary CNO cycle jets supernova life track neutron star degeneracy pressure supernova remnant brown dwarfs

LEP LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES 1. Explain to a partner how a star comes into existance 2. Explain to a partner how to use the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram 3. Draw diagrams that show the life cycles of both low and high mass stars

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on. In the sixth grade curriculum, there are no specific goals and objectives related to stars and there will be a whole range of experience with this topic. Questions to the class could include:

81  Why is our Sun a star?

 How do stars come into existence?

 What happens when stars die?

 What types or varieties of stars exist?

 How far away are stars?

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

HOW OLD ARE THE JEWELS? http://www.noao.edu/education/jewels/home.html FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.03 RBT:

In this exercise, you will plot the color and brightness of a sample of stars from the Jewelbox Cluster to determine its approximate age. For this activity you will need:  these instructions,

 print of the Jewelbox Cluster (Provided by LCD Projector)

 StarGauge (Provided by LCD Projector)

 graph sheet,

 student answer sheet, Examine the Jewelbox Cluster on the Projector. 1. Do all the stars appear to be the same color? 2. Can you tell where the edge of the cluster lies? Decide where you think the boundaries of the cluster are. Estimate where the center of the cluster of stars is and draw an imaginary square about this center point. Measure the brightness of the star closest to the upper left hand corner of your square from its size in the image in comparison to the dots on the StarGauge. Have your lab partner estimate the star's color using the color portion of the StarGauge and place a filled-in dot on the graph provided in the box that corresponds to the brightness and color you have measured for your first star. Place a dot with your marker on the star you have just measured and then proceed in some systematic fashion to measure the brightness and color of every star within your 4 cm square. 3. Do the Jewelbox stars on your graph appear to be randomly scattered or do they fall in any kind of pattern?

82 Stars in front of or behind the Jewelbox which are not part of the cluster also appear in the image. Astronomers call these "field stars." If time allows, estimate how many of these stars are included in your measurements by drawing a 4 cm square near the edge of the print and measure the color and brightness of the stars within this square. Mark these stars on your brightness-color diagram using an "x" instead of a dot. 4. Do the field stars appear to fall randomly on your diagram or do they appear to fall in any kind of pattern? 5. Compare your answer to Q3 and Q4. Why do you think the similarities or differences between the two star patterns exist?

Estimating the Age of the Jewelbox Cluster Newly formed stars occupy a band in your graph from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. The most massive stars are hot (blue) and bright. The least massive stars are cooler (red) and dim. This band of stars is called the "main sequence." When stars live out their lives and become old, the gravitational forces which tend to collapse the star and internal heat forces which tend to expand a star get out of balance. This imbalance leads to the "death" of the star. Part of the cycle of stellar life and death is the stage of old age called "red giant." Red giants are bright because they have 10 to 20 times the diameter of our Sun, and they appear red because they are cool. They are classified as either K or M stars on your StarGauge, but they are also very bright. The most massive stars burn their fuel quickly and are the first stars in a cluster to leave the main sequence to become red giants. They expand and cool, to become brighter and redder, and move to the upper right corner of the graph. As the cluster ages, less and less massive stars leave the main sequence to become red giants. Astronomers can tell a cluster's age by determining the color of the brightest, most massive stars still on the main sequence. Many stars in old clusters have progressed beyond red giant to another stage of extreme age: white dwarf. But white dwarfs are so small (equal to the size of our Earth, 12,600 km in diameter) and faint that they cannot be seen in this image of the Jewelbox Cluster. Using the sample graphs on the graph worksheet, estimate the age of the Jewelbox Cluster. Extension Questions: 6. If you have studied the H-R diagram, explain what the three cluster-age graphs above say about the relative lifetimes of O/B stars compared to A/F/G stars compared to K/M stars? 7. Where would our star, the Sun, be plotted on your diagram?

83 Student Answer Sheet - How Old Are the Jewels? 1. Do all the stars appear to be the same color? Describe what you see.

2. Can you tell where the edge of the cluster lies?

3. Do the Jewelbox stars on your graph appear to be randomly scattered or do they fall in any kind of pattern?

4. Do the field stars appear to fall randomly on your diagram or do they appear to fall in any kind of pattern?

5. Compare your answers to Q3 and Q4. Why do you think the similarities or differences between the two star patterns exist?

6. Using the sample graphs on the graph sheet, estimate the age of the Jewelbox Cluster.

Extension Questions: 7. If you have studied the H-R diagram, explain what the three cluster-age graphs above say about the relative lifetimes of O/B stars compared to K/M stars?

8. Where would our star, the Sun, be plotted on your diagram?

STELLAR CHARACTERISTICS Blackbody spectrum user http://www.shodor.org/refdesk/Resources/Models/BlackbodyRadiation/

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.03 RBT:

84 LIFE CYCLE OF STARS http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~javahrd/v071/index.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.03 RBT:

WEB RESOURCES How to participate in PROJECT: Observe, a wonderful program offered through UNC’s Morehead Planetarium OBSERVEflyer Astronomy Picture of the Day http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ http://www.starrynighteducation.com/ Starry Night Education “The leader in space science curriculum solutions” http://www.starrynight.com/ STARRY NIGHT is software that allows the viewer to explore space from a computer – a very worthwhile investment for middle and high school earth science classrooms. Cosmic Survey – What are your ideas about the universe? http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CosmicSurvey2003.pdf Science for all Americans online (great resource for grad school) http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap11.htm#2 NASA Supernova chemistry http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/supernova/supernova_cover.html NASA X-Ray Spectroscopy and the Chemistry of Supernova remnants http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/xray_spectra/spectra_cover.html NASA How Far, How Powerful? http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/swift_grb/how_far_cover.html Windows to the Universe http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ Cosmic Survey – What are your ideas about the universe? http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CosmicSurvey2003.pdf

85 Deep Sky Objects and the Formation of the Universe INTRODUCTION

VOCABULARY: BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSE Planck Time particle era Grand Unified Theory era of nucleosynthesis GUT era era of atoms inflation era of galaxies electroweak era cosmic background radiation

VOCABULARY: STARS AND DEEP SKY OBJECTS Hertzsprung-Russell diagram thermal pressure low-mass stars intermediate mass-stars high-mass stars molecular clouds protostar protostellar disk protostellar wind close binary jets life track degeneracy pressure brown dwarfs flare stars subgiant red giant hydrogen shell burning helium fusion helium flash carbon stars interstellar dust grains planetary nebula CNO cycle supernova neutron star supernova remnant

86 LEP RESOURCES http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/geology.html The Source of this material is Windows to the Universe developed by the University Corporation fro Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The “Earth’s layers and moving plates” link has three levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced). This web site provides a nice overview of the content covered in this unit. http://www. solarviews .com/ On the home page, choose “site directory” to find the earth science topic. This site provides text in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. http://www.google.com/language_tools Launch page for Google Language Tools http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor%C3%ADa:Ciencias_de_la_Tierra Wikipedia – Earth Science topics in Spanish

LEP LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES Explain to the class events that took place in the evolution of the universe. Write a paragraph describing the relative size of the universe. Compare and Contrast galaxies. Compare and Contrast the motions of the planets Explain to a partner how to use a skymap to locate constellations and stars

MODIFICATIONS FOR LEP STUDENTS Teach vocabulary terms in small chunks to increase understanding. Use the vocabulary necessary for students to participate in specific activities by building background knowledge of the terms. This can be accomplished by looking for prefixes and suffixes on vocabulary terms, identifying similar terms in a target language, and interpreting multiple word terms by identifying the specific meaning of each word.

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE The teacher may wish for students to answer these in a journal/log or generate answers in small groups and report out. It is strongly suggested that you take the time to find out what they know before moving on STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY: COSMIC CALENDAR http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/act2/cosmic.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS:6.01 RBT: In "Cosmic Calendar", students scale the evolution of the universe to a one year calendar, with the Big Bang occuring on the first moment of January 1st. Students estimate where on this one year time line significant events (like the formation of the solar system, the appearance of dinosaurs and the emergence of humanity) should be

87 placed. More advanced students can research the dates of significant events and calculate when in the model timeline these events occurred.

This activity was written by Therese Puyau Blanchard and the staff of Project ASTRO. Copyright © 1995, Astronomical Society of the Pacific MODIFICATION FOR LEP STUDENTS Using the website : 1. Create a relative timeline using a roll of paper such as cash register tape showing the evolution of the Universe. Have students illustrate and label the specific events. 2. Have students work in pairs to illustrate specific events in the evolution of the Universe. Ask students to share their illustrations and explain the event that took place.

ACTIVITY: HOW BIG IS THE UNIVERSE?

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT: Calculate the approximate size of the universe given the following scenario: The Milky Way has a radius of approximately 50,000 light years. The visible universe has a radius of approximately 15 billion light years or 300,000 times the size of the Milky Way. If the Milky Way is an 8 centimeter wide coffee cup, how big would the rest of the universe be in kilometers?

The Milky Way has a radius The visible universe has a So if an 8 cm wide of about 50,000 light years. radius approximately 15 coffee cup represents What is the total size of the billion light years or 300,000 the Milky Way, the Milky Way Galaxy? times the size of the Milky visible universe would ______Way. be a sphere approx.______km in radius.

88 MODIFICATIONS FOR LEP STUDENTS Students write a paragraph describing the relative size of the universe compared to familiar objects.

ACTIVITY: GALAXY SORTING http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/act5/gal_sort.html

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT:

When faced with a new kind of object, the first thing scientists usually do is describe what it looks like. Then they identify features that appear the same as or different from other members of the new class. Finally, they try to understand what causes these similarities and differences. The images here are intended for use with the Galaxy Sorting (H-7) activity from Universe at Your Fingertips. Print out the images to make a set of cards for each group of students. The objectives are to have students compare specific similarities and differences among galaxies by examining features visible in the photographs, identify types of features found in galaxies, and discuss what the classification groups they devised might tell them about galaxies. HOW OLD ARE THE JEWELS? http://www.noao.edu/education/jewels/home.html In this exercise, you will plot the color and brightness of a sample of stars from the Jewelbox Cluster to determine its approximate age. For this activity you will need:  these instructions,

 print of the Jewelbox Cluster (Provided by LCD Projector)

 StarGauge (Provided by LCD Projector)

 graph sheet,

 student answer sheet, Examine the Jewelbox Cluster on the Projector. 3. Do all the stars appear to be the same color? 4. Can you tell where the edge of the cluster lies? Decide where you think the boundaries of the cluster are. Estimate where the center of the cluster of stars is and draw an imaginary square about this center point. Measure the brightness of the star closest to the upper left hand corner of your square from its size in the image in comparison to the dots on the StarGauge. Have your lab partner estimate the star's color using the color portion of the

89 StarGauge and place a filled-in dot on the graph provided in the box that corresponds to the brightness and color you have measured for your first star. Place a dot with your marker on the star you have just measured and then proceed in some systematic fashion to measure the brightness and color of every star within your 4 cm square. 4. Do the Jewelbox stars on your graph appear to be randomly scattered or do they fall in any kind of pattern? Stars in front of or behind the Jewelbox which are not part of the cluster also appear in the image. Astronomers call these "field stars." If time allows, estimate how many of these stars are included in your measurements by drawing a 4 cm square near the edge of the print and measure the color and brightness of the stars within this square. Mark these stars on your brightness-color diagram using an "x" instead of a dot. 6. Do the field stars appear to fall randomly on your diagram or do they appear to fall in any kind of pattern? 7. Compare your answer to Q3 and Q4. Why do you think the similarities or differences between the two star patterns exist?

Estimating the Age of the Jewelbox Cluster Newly formed stars occupy a band in your graph from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. The most massive stars are hot (blue) and bright. The least massive stars are cooler (red) and dim. This band of stars is called the "main sequence." When stars live out their lives and become old, the gravitational forces which tend to collapse the star and internal heat forces which tend to expand a star get out of balance. This imbalance leads to the "death" of the star. Part of the cycle of stellar life and death is the stage of old age called "red giant." Red giants are bright because they have 10 to 20 times the diameter of our Sun, and they appear red because they are cool. They are classified as either K or M stars on your StarGauge, but they are also very bright. The most massive stars burn their fuel quickly and are the first stars in a cluster to leave the main sequence to become red giants. They expand and cool, to become brighter and redder, and move to the upper right corner of the graph. As the cluster ages, less and less massive stars leave the main sequence to become red giants. Astronomers can tell a cluster's age by determining the color of the brightest, most massive stars still on the main sequence. Many stars in old clusters have progressed beyond red giant to another stage of extreme age: white dwarf. But white dwarfs are so small (equal to the size of our Earth, 12,600 km in diameter) and faint that they cannot be seen in this image of the Jewelbox Cluster. Using the sample graphs on the graph worksheet, estimate the age of the Jewelbox Cluster. Extension Questions: 8. If you have studied the H-R diagram, explain what the three cluster-age graphs above say about the relative lifetimes of O/B stars compared to A/F/G stars compared to K/M stars?

90 9. Where would our star, the Sun, be plotted on your diagram?

91 Student Answer Sheet - How Old Are the Jewels? 1. Do all the stars appear to be the same color? Describe what you see.

2. Can you tell where the edge of the cluster lies?

3. Do the Jewelbox stars on your graph appear to be randomly scattered or do they fall in any kind of pattern?

4. Do the field stars appear to fall randomly on your diagram or do they appear to fall in any kind of pattern?

5. Compare your answers to Q3 and Q4. Why do you think the similarities or differences between the two star patterns exist?

6. Using the sample graphs on the graph sheet, estimate the age of the Jewelbox Cluster.

Extension Questions: 7. If you have studied the H-R diagram, explain what the three cluster-age graphs above say about the relative lifetimes of O/B stars compared to K/M stars?

8. Where would our star, the Sun, be plotted on your diagram?

ACTIVITY: IDENTIFYING GALAXIES List the five types of galaxies shown on the "The Hidden Lives of Galaxies" poster and write a brief description of each. (see Transparency #1: Types of Galaxies, http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/galaxies/transparencies/)

A.______

B.______

92 C.______

D.______

E.______1. Observe the Deep Survey Image by the Hubble Space Telescope taken between December 18 — 28, 1995. (See Transparency # 2: Deep Survey Image, http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/galaxies/transparencies/). Identify the types of the ten galaxies labeled on the Deep Survey Image.

A.______F.______

B.______G.______

C.______H.______

D.______I.______

E.______J.______

This classification sequence has become so widely used that the basic types, spiral, barred spiral, elliptical, irregular, and peculiar, are still used by astronomers today to classify galaxies according to their visible appearance. Spirals are denoted by "S", and barred spirals by "SB". Letters "a", "b", "c" denote how tightly the spiral arms are wound, with "a" being most tightly wound. The Andromeda Galaxy is an Sb. Elliptical galaxies are denoted by "E", with a number from 0-7 indicating how circular it appears (0 being most circular, 7 being more elongated). An example of this would be M87, which is an E0 galaxy. Irregulars, such as the Small Magellanic Cloud, are denoted by "Irr". Peculiar galaxies, such as Centaurus A, are denoted by "P".

To show how the various classes relate to each other, Hubble organized them into a diagram. A simplified version of Hubble’s Fork Diagram is shown below. Note that this diagram does not represent how galaxies form. Note that this diagram does not represent how galaxies form.

Hubble’s Fork Diagram of Galaxy Classification

93 ACTIVITY: CLASSIFYING GALAXIES USING HUBBLE’S FORK DIAGRAM

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT: 1. Review Hubble’s Fork Diagram of Galaxy Classification (see Transparency #3 — Hubble Fork Diagram). 2. Using the Galaxy Classification Chart, observe the images of each of the galaxies. Determine the scheme and classification of each galaxy. (see Transparency #4 — Galaxy Classification Images).

Transparencies available at http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/galaxies/transparencies/.

Galaxy Classification Chart

Galaxy Image Scheme Classification

Andromeda Spiral Sb

M84, NGC4374

NGC 2997

NGC5383

Large Magellanic

NGC4622

M83

Centaurus A

94 M59, NGC4621

NGC1365

Later, astronomers added other classifications. One of these astronomers was Carl Seyfert. In 1943, he discovered galaxies with very bright central regions. Seyfert studied the spectra of these galaxies. The spectra indicated that the central region was bright at all wavelengths. This indicated some enhanced activity, and "Seyfert" galaxies became the first of a range of active galaxies that have been studied at all wavelengths since then. How Galaxies Get Their Names

Catalogues are used to list galaxies. One of the earliest catalogues of objects in the sky was made by Charles Messier, who denoted objects by using the letter "M." Messier, a comet-hunter in the 1700s, kept finding galaxies and nebulae in the sky because many of them looked like comets. Eventually, he created a catalogue of these objects, listing their positions so he wouldn't be fooled again into thinking they were comets. Although he categorized many brilliant objects in the night sky, his cataloguing system was completed in a random manner.

Another common cataloguing system is the NGC (New General Catalogue) which dates from the 19th century. The NGC numbers objects from west to east across the sky. All objects in the same area of the sky have similar NGC numbers. Several other cataloguing systems are: ESO (European Southern Observatory), IR (Infrared Astronomical Satellite), Mrk (Markarian), and UGC (Uppsala General Catalog). The numbers following the letter designation may indicate either the order in the list or the location of the galaxy in the sky. Some galaxies are given descriptive names (e.g. "Andromeda", "Whirlpool") if they are particularly distinctive in location or appearance. ACTIVITY: IDENTIFYING UNUSUAL GALAXIES

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT:

Match the unusual galaxy on the left with its distinctive name on the right. Justify your reasoning.

a. Polar Ring Galaxy 1._____

b. Siamese Twins Galaxy 2. _____ c. Sombrero Galaxy

3. _____ 95 d. Whirlpool Galaxy 4. _____

ACTIVITY: OPEN CLUSTERS VS. GLOBULAR CLUSERS

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.03 RBT:

Complete the Venn diagram, using Transparency #5: M37/M80 and Section C: The Components of a Galaxy. (See http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/galaxies/transparencies/ for transparency.)

ACTIVITY: EVIDENCE FOR HIDDEN MASS

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT: 1. Finish writing the paragraph by interpreting the data about Solar System planets on the "Evidence for Hidden Mass" graph on the "Hidden Lives of Galaxies". (See Transparency #6: Evidence for Hidden Mass, http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/galaxies/transparencies/)

There are ______solar system planets presented on the graph. The planets, from the closest to the sun to the furthest from the sun, are

96 ______.

Using the graph, the velocities of the solar system planets, from the lowest value to the highest value, are ______.

Using the graph, the distances of the planets from the Sun are, from least to greatest, ______.

In general, the further the planet is away from the sun the ______its velocity. The closer the planet is to the sun the ______its velocity. 2. Write a paragraph interpreting the data for Galaxy F563-1. Include information about distance from the center, velocity, and trends.

______ACTIVITY: WEIGHING A GALAXY FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT:

Using Newton’s Law for gravity, we can determine the mass of an object by measuring the motion of other bodies around it. We can show this by applying Newton’s Law of motion to bodies orbiting around another body.

We start with Newton’s Second Law F = ma

where F is the force exerted on the orbiting body, m is its mass, and a is its acceleration. The force is the gravitational force exerted by the central object, and the acceleration is due to circular motion. So we now have GMm/r2 = mv2/r

where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the central object, r is the distance of mass m from M, and v is the velocity of m. Simplifying gives GM/r = v2

Solving for M gives M = v2r/G Note that G = 6.67 x 10-11 m3/kg-s2.

1. Apply this equation to three of the planets in our solar system, given in the table below.

97 Planet Distance from Velocity (km/s) Mass (kg) Sun (km)

Earth 1.5 x 108 29.8

Jupiter 7.8 x 108 13.1

Neptune 4.5 x 109 5.4

What do you notice about the values of the Mass ? ______

What would you conclude the mass of the Sun to be ? ______

2. Now apply this equation to the galaxy F563-1. Determine the mass M using the equation and the velocity at various distances from the center of the galaxy given in the table below. Each of these resulting mass values gives mass enclosed within that distance. [Note that 1 kiloparsec (kpc) = 3.1 x 1019 meters]

Distance (kpc) Velocity (km/s) Mass (kg)

5.0 95.0

10.0 110.0

15.0 110.0

What do you notice about the values of the mass as the distance increases?

______.

What would you conclude the mass of the galaxy to be ? ______.

How much more massive is this galaxy than our sun ? ______Possibilities for Dark Matter

The three main categories of objects that scientists consider as possibilities for dark matter include MACHOs, WIMPs, and gas. The first two are acronyms which help us to remember what they represent. Listed below are the pros and cons for the likelihood that they might be a component of dark matter.

MACHOs (Massive Compact Halo Objects): MACHOs are the big, strong, dark matter objects ranging in size from small stars to super massive black holes. MACHOS are made of ordinary matter, which is called baryonic matter. Astronomers search for MACHOs. Examples: black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs, brown dwarfs.

98 Neutron Stars and Black Holes are the final result of a supernova. They are both very massive stars. Neutron stars are 1.4 to 3 times the mass of the sun. Black holes are greater than 3 times the mass of the sun.

Pros: They both can be dark. However, black holes emit no light; they are truly black.

Cons: These objects occur less frequently than white dwarfs. As a result of a supernova, a release of a massive amount of energy and heavy elements should occur. However, there is no such evidence that they occur in sufficient numbers in the halo of galaxies. White Dwarfs are what remain of a small to medium sized star after it has passed through the red giant phase. Pros: There is an abundance of white dwarfs in the universe. If young galaxies produced white dwarfs that cool more rapidly and become undetectable, maybe they could be abundant enough to explain dark matter.

Cons: With the production of huge numbers of white dwarfs, in theory, one would expect to see the production of massive amounts of helium. However, this is not observed. Brown Dwarfs have a mass that is less than eight percent of the mass of the sun, resulting in a mass too small to produce the nuclear reactions that make stars shine. The signature of these objects is an occasional brightening. Pros: Astronomers have observed distant objects that are either brown dwarf stars or large planets around other stars. Astronomers believe that the brightening and dimming of brown dwarfs are due to the gravitational lens effect of a foreground star. They also believe the brightening and dimming may provide further evidence for a large population of brown dwarfs in our Galaxy.

Cons: While they have been observed, astronomers have found no evidence of a large population of brown dwarfs that would account for the dark matter in our Galaxy. WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles): WIMPs are the little, weak, subatomic dark matter candidates, which are thought to be made of stuff other than ordinary matter, called non- baryonic matter. Particle physicists search for WIMPs. Examples: Exotic subatomic particles such as axions, heavy neutrinos, and photinos. Pros: Theoretically, there is the possibility that very massive subatomic particles, created in the right amounts, and with the right properties in the first moments of time after the Big Bang, are the dark matter of the universe.

Cons: Observations have been fruitless. No one has observed even one of these

99 particles. Hydrogen Gas Pros: Hydrogen gas, one of the most basic elements, is 70-75% of the visible matter in the universe. Most of the dark matter may exist as small clouds of hydrogen gas.

Cons: Hydrogen is easily detected by radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray telescopes. The necessary amount of hydrogen hasn’t been seen.

ACTIVITY: THE UNIVERSE AS SCIENTISTS KNOW IT

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: SCOS: 6.01 RBT:

Using knowledge gained, fill in the concept map with the following terms: Planetary Systems, Galaxies, Planets, Sun, Venus, Moon, Stars, Sirius, Solar System, Comet, Meteor, Open Clusters, Stellar Regions, Jupiter, Titan, Solar Neighborhood, M80.

100 STELLAR CHARACTERISTICS Blackbody spectrum user http://www.shodor.org/refdesk/Resources/Models/BlackbodyRadiation/

LIFE CYCLE OF STARS http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~javahrd/v071/index.html

101 Star--Gas--Star Cycle

Use the word bank provided to answer questions 6 through 14. Each of the nine words in the word bank are used only once. Please write the correct word on the line provided.

Superbubble Chemical Enrichment Dust Grains

Bubble Ionization Nebulae Interstellar Medium

Cosmic Rays Galactic Fountain Molecular Clouds

______6. Flecks of carbon and silicon minerals that resemble particles of smoke and dust and form in the winds of red giants.

______7. These colorful wispy blobs of glowing gas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot stars. The Orion Nebula is a famous example.

______8. An extra large shockwave from successive (one after the other) explosions of cluster stars forms this.

______9. The coldest, densest collections of gas in the interstellar medium. The common molecules include hydrogen, carbon monoxide and ammonia.

______10. An expanding shell of hot, ionized gas.

______11. Fountains of hot ionized gas that rise from the disk to the halo through the elongated bubbles carved by blow out.

______12. The process of adding to the abundance of heavy metals; a by-product of continual star formation.

______13. Electrons, protons and atomic nuclei that zip through interstellar space at the speed of light

102 ______14. Clouds of gas and dust that fill the galactic disk.

GALACTIC ENVIRONMENTS

In the space, write the letter H, if it describes the Halo

In the space, write the letter N, if it describes our “neighborhood” in the Galaxy

In the space, write the letters HSH, if it describes a “Hot Star Hangout”

______15. Has well-known stars such as Sirius, Vega and Altair.

______16. Hot, massive stars that live fast and die young. Many form in clusters.

______17. Ionization nebulae occur due to molecular clouds becoming irradiated by UV photons from hot, young stars.

______18. Lack of gas caused star formation to cease early on.

______19. Mostly old, dim and red stars; no molecular clouds, however some globular clusters; virtually gas-free in-between

______20. Within 33 light years of our Sun, there are over 300 stars.

WEB RESOURCES

How to participate in PROJECT: Observe, a wonderful program offered through UNC’s Morehead Planetarium OBSERVEflyer http://www.deepskyobserving.com/ Deep Sky Observing http://www.starrynighteducation.com/ Starry Night Education “The leader in space science curriculum solutions” http://www.starrynight.com/ 103 STARRY NIGHT is software that allows the viewer to explore space from a computer – a very worthwhile investment for middle and high school earth science classrooms.

Cosmic Survey – What are your ideas about the universe? http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CosmicSurvey2003.pdf Science for all Americans online (great resource for grad school) http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap11.htm#2 NASA Supernova chemistry http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/supernova/supernova_cover.html NASA X-Ray Spectroscopy and the Chemistry of Supernova remnants http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/xray_spectra/spectra_cover.html NASA How Far, How Powerful? http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lessons/swift_grb/how_far_cover.html Windows to the Universe http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ Cosmic Survey – What are your ideas about the universe? http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CosmicSurvey2003.pdf

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