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Data Analysis & Measurement: Having a Solar Blast Educational Product Educators Grades 6-8 EG-2002-01-01-LARC ™ Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! A Lesson Guide with Activities in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Find To t al Numb solar flares Jan. Feb. 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! is available in electronic format through NASA Spacelink - one of NASA’s electronic resources specifically developed for the educational community.This publication and other educational products may be accessed at the following address: http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products A PDF version of the lesson guide for NASA CONNECT can be found at the NASA CONNECT web site: http://connect.larc.nasa.gov Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! A Lesson Guide with Activities in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Program Overview Student Worksheets Summary and Objectives . 5 Data Charts A and B. 10 Student Involvement . 5 Data Chart C . 11 Cue Card Questions. 5 Graph Paper . 12 Hands-On Activity . 5 Cue Cards . 13 Instructional Technology Activity. 5 Resources. 5 Teacher Materials Cue Card Answers . 14 Hands-On Activity Summary Flare Counts . 15 Background. 6 National Standards . 6 Resources Instructional Objectives . 7 Books, Pamphlets, and Periodicals . 16 Vocabulary . 7 Web Sites. 16 Preparing for the Activity. 8 Student Materials . 8 Teacher Materials . 8 Time . 8 Focus Questions . 8 Advance Preparation. 8 The Activity . 8 Extensions . 9 Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Michelle Larson, the NOAA GOES Satellite, Chris Giersch, Bill Williams, and NCTM. NASA CONNECT is a production of the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. All Rights Reserved. Broadcast and off-air rights are unlimited and are granted in perpetuity with the following stipulations: NASA CONNECT shall not be used for commercial purposes; used, in whole or in part, to endorse a commercial product; stored, in whole or in part, in a commercial database; altered electronically, mechanically, or photographically without the expressed and prior written permission of NASA.This publication is in the public domain and is not protected by copyright. Permission is not required for duplication. 2001-2002 NASA CONNECT Series 5 Program Overview SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES In Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar and IMAGE.They will also receive information about Blast!, students will learn how NASA researchers HESSI, a satellite that will study solar flares. Students study the Sun.They will learn how satellite will observe NASA researchers using data analysis technology plays a pivotal role in helping NASA and measurement to determine the solar cycle of researchers understand the Sun-Earth connection. the Sun. By conducting hands-on and web activities, Students will learn about three current satellites that students will make connections between NASA monitor the Sun: SOHO, ACE, research and the mathematics, science, and technology they learn in their classrooms. STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Cue Card Questions standards. Students will discover the solar cycle Norbert, NASA CONNECT’s animated cohost, poses through an investigation of solar X-ray flares.They questions throughout the broadcast.These will use data analysis and measurement to plot their questions direct the instruction and findings to help them identify the long-term pattern encourage students to think about the of flare activity on the Sun. concepts being presented.When viewing a videotaped version of NASA CONNECT, Instructional Technology Activity educators have the option to use Norbert’s PBL: Space Weather is aligned with the National Pause, which gives students an opportunity Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) to reflect and record their answers on the Cue standards, the National Science Education (NSE) Cards (p. 13). Norbert appears with a remote to standards, the International Technology Education indicate an appropriate time to pause the videotape Association (ITEA) standards, and the National and discuss the answers to the questions. Education Technology (NET) standards.This online Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activity will engage Hands-On Activity and motivate students to solve a real world The teacher-created, hands-on activity is aligned problem. Students will use the Internet to learn with the National Council of Teachers of more about the Sun and to develop possible Mathematics (NCTM) standards, the National solutions to the problem.To access PBL: Space Science Education (NSE) standards, the International Weather, go to Dan’s Domain on NASA CONNECT’s Technology Education Association (ITEA) standards, web site at http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/ and the National Education Technology (NET) dansdomain.html. RESOURCES Teacher and student resources (p. 16) support, http://connect.larc.nasa.gov, offers online enhance, and extend the NASA CONNECT program. resources for teachers, students, and parents. Books, periodicals, pamphlets, and web sites provide Teachers who would like to get the most from the teachers and students with background information NASA CONNECT web site can visit the “Lab and extensions. In addition to the resources listed in Manager,” located in “Dan’s Domain,” this lesson guide, the NASA CONNECT web site, http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/dansdomain.html. EG-2002-01-01-LARC Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! 6 2001-2002 NASA CONNECT Series Hands-On Activity BACKGROUND The Sun is the nearest star to Earth and our Celsius.The frequency of solar flares varies with the proximity to it allows us to study it in great detail. Sun’s 11-year cycle.When the solar cycle is at a Observations reveal that the Sun is extremely minimum, very few flares occur. As the Sun dynamic, with changes taking place on many approaches the maximum part of its cycle, they timescales. Solar flares are among the fastest and begin to occur more and more frequently. most energetic events on the Sun. The biggest flares are as powerful as billions of Solar flares are the biggest explosions in the solar hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time! We system! A solar flare occurs when magnetic energy still don’t know what triggers them or how they that builds up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly release so much energy in such a short time. Solar released. Charged particles, such as electrons, flares have a direct effect on the Earth’s upper protons, and heavier ions, are accelerated to such atmosphere. For instance, long distance radio high energies that some are traveling at almost the communications can be disrupted by the effect the speed of light. Some of these charged particles flares have on the Earth’s ionosphere. In addition, travel away from the Sun along magnetic field lines. energetic particles accelerated in solar flares that Others move towards the surface of the Sun and escape into interplanetary space are dangerous to emit X-rays and gamma rays as they slow down. astronauts outside the protection of the Earth’s Also, gas in the solar atmosphere is heated to magnetic field and to electronic instruments in temperatures as high as 100 million degrees Celsius. space. Understanding solar flares can aid in This heated gas emits X-rays as well. Flares produce understanding energetic events throughout the all forms of electromagnetic radiation from radio Universe. waves and visible light to X-rays and gamma rays. In the hands-on activity,“X-ray Candles: Solar Flares Solar Flares occur in the solar atmosphere.The solar on Your Birthday”, students will discover the solar atmosphere starts at the photosphere, where the cycle through an investigation of solar X-ray flares. visible light from the Sun originates. It extends Using the Geostationary Operational Environmental through the intermediate layer called the Satellite (GOES) X-ray data, students will record the chromosphere to the outermost layer called the total number of solar flares in their birth month over corona.The gas in the corona normally has a 11 years and will compute the percentage of high temperature of a few million degrees. Inside a flare, class flares which occur for each year. Students will the temperature typically reaches 10 to 20 million graph their findings to help them identify the long- degrees and can be as high as 100 million degrees term pattern of flare activity on the Sun. NATIONAL STANDARDS Mathematics (NCTM) Standards data and collect, organize, and display relevant • Understand numbers, ways of representing data to answer them. numbers, relationships among numbers, and • Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions number systems. that are based on data. • Compute fluently and make reasonable estimates. • Build new mathematical knowledge through • Use mathematical models to represent and problem solving. understand quantitative relationships. • Communicate mathematical thinking coherently • Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas and clearly to peers, teachers, and others. to determine measurements. • Create and use representations to organize, record, • Formulate questions that can be addressed with and communicate mathematical ideas. Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! EG-2002-01-01-LARC 2001-2002 NASA CONNECT Series 7 Science (NSE) Standards • Develop an understanding of the role of society in • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry the development and use of technology. • Understandings about scientific inquiry • Earth in the solar system Technology (NET) Standards • Understandings about science and technology • Select and use appropriate tools and technology •
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