Students in the Milwaukee Public Museum’s CREATE Program focused on learning astronomy in an afterschool setting. During the school year, students spent one evening a week studying topics such as current astronomical events, stars and their formation, the expanding universe, and comet composition. While studying astronomy, students were coached in professional development skills including public speaking and body language. Students also investigated STEM careers with the help of staff from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. During the final months of the program, student groups used the skills they gained throughout the year and, with the help of the Planetarium Producer and Animator, created a full dome planetarium show for public audiences showcasing some of their favorite topics. Topics covered in the film: o Earth’s Origins o Universal Origins o Sun composition and importance o Water o Black Holes This planetarium show may provide discussion points for the following Next Generation Science Standards/Wisconsin Environmental Education Standards: NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas ESS1.A The star called the sun is changing and will burn out over a lifespan of approximately 10 billion years ESS1.B The solar system appears to have formed from a disk of dust and gas, drawn together by gravity. ESS1.B The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects, including planets their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun byu its gravitational pull on them. ESS2.C The abundance of liquid water on Earth’s surface and its unique combination of physical and chemical properties are central to the planet’s dynamics. PS2.B Attraction and repulsion between electric charges at the atomic scale explain the structure, properties and transformations of matter, as well as the contact forces between material objects. PS3.D Nuclear Fusion processes in the center of the sun release the energy that ultimately reaches Earth as radiation. Environmental Education Performance Standards B.4.1 Describe the flow of energy in natural systems, citing the sun as the source of energy on the earth B.8.9 Explain how the environment is perceived differently by various cultures B.8.10 Explain and cite examples of how humans shape the environment General NASA Resources Current Opportunities for Educators from NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps- index.html NASA Education Brochure: http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nasa- education_brochure_2015-2016.pdf 1. CREATE STUDENT MADE Pop Quiz 1. What two locations in our solar system may be good options for finding water? a. Europa and Mars b. Mars and Jupiter c. Venus and Europa d. Europa and the Moon 2. True or False: The human body consists of approximately 90% water. 3. What happens as light passes the event horizon of a black hole? a. It is bent b. It vanishes c. It cannot escape d. It reflects 4. True or False: The sun is big enough to become a black hole. 5. The beautiful colors of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are a result of what? a. Solar Wind b. Particles of dust in Earth’s atmosphere c. Solar Storms d. All of the Above 6. True or False: Nuclear fusion takes place in the core of the sun. 7. The sun will begin to expand and engulf the planets in: a. 10 billion years b. 6 million years c. 500 years d. 5 billion years 8. True or False: The continents on our Earth are drifting as the molten rock under the crust moves. 9. Which of the following are names of possible futures of the universe (circle all that apply): a. Big Bounce b. Big Crunch c. Big Freeze d. Big Pyramid. 10. True or False: The universe has been getting bigger and colder since the Big Bang. 2. Vocabulary Matching A. Supernova 1. Cloud of gas and dust B. Nebulae 2. Moon of Jupiter with an icy shell C. Multiverse floating on a salt water ocean D. Cambrian Explosion 3. Explosion of a large star E. Planetoid 4. Theory that our universe is one of many in existence F. Spaghettification 5. Particles of dust blown by solar wind G. Corona entering Earth’s atmosphere H. H2O 6. Period of time when life flourished on planet Earth and the number of I. Europa species expanded rapidly J. Aurora Borealis 7. The stretching of an object near a black hole 8. The outermost layer of the sun 9. The chemical equation for water 10. Miniature planet fragments that combined to make the Earth 3. Word Search T X T E C P O S X Y F X P Z A B I G C G K V R E C I V E T B O U R L E S C A M N N O V Q O R C I L W W T P A T Q M L H A C E V T F J V O R I M Z W R Y B U X T B K Y W V K A J R N Q U A J P R S U P C K N E G O R D Y H Y T W O L I M G L S E Y N R E G R H O G N V I Y A F G W S N T H P H O T O S P H E R E N C Z E Y U T L S T R L V R D V H V C E L E B Q K I N A U L C G O W A Y U J S Z S A N Q A R T W P W H H N M B L S P D Z N R N T M A V H E O X Y G E N Y O U I P I Y E L S U X U R P K G I U S W Z S S U M R B V Q Q O Z N E I C V T O T J T W W E V U F I A I O O P G E E F O X X G W Z Z H L F P N E R V F L M R A L O P Q A Q I R A V H H U L A V U P F W A C H S H B G Q H U B P X A R G K B A V A S Z N M X R T E B C J C G X C N A O M Q F P R L D G U Z W F O V A V X U N F Z V W D O G K P M E Z Y I H Z H AQUARIUS BANG BIG PHOTOSPHERE CAMBRIAN OXYGEN POLAR CONTINENTS X-RAYS SOLAR CORE NEBULA SYSTEM SUPERNOVA HYDROGEN GRAVITY UNIVERSE Activities Water Works Wonders 4A: Make Your Own Comet Comets are often referred to as dirty snowballs in space. They are large chunks of ice, dirt and gas that orbit around a star. The orbit of comets can vary widely from long elliptical orbits reaching far out into space to almost circular orbits that resemble those of nearby planets. Whatever their orbit, comets release gas and dust as they near the hot, burning star. The gas and dust is blown by the solar wind coming from the star and makes the comet appear to have 2 “hairy” tails that give comets their name (the word “comet” comes from the Latin word “coma” which refers to hair). Follow the directions below to make your own comet! Materials: Large mixing bowl Garbage Bag Smaller mixing bowl Wooden spoon 2 cups warm water 1 Teaspoon ammonia 1 Tablespoon corn syrup 3 Tablespoons sand or dirt 2 cups of shaved dry ice 1. Line a large mixing bowl with a garbage bag. Combine the shaved dry ice and dirt inside the bag. 2. In another bowl, combine the warm water, ammonia and corn syrup and stir to combine. 3. Slowly pour one half of the liquid mixture into the ice and dirt. Stir. 4. Add additional liquid as necessary. 5. Continue stirring until mixture is almost frozen. 6. Using the bag, lift the comet out of the bowl and shape it into a ball with gloved hands. For other comet investigations, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Comet_on_a_Stick.html#.VeCbTflVikp or http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Comet_Mystery_Boxes.html#.VeCdh_lVikp Let It Shine! 4B: Scale Solar System One of the most interesting things about outer space is that there really is a lot of… well, space! Follow the directions below to make your own solar system to scale using a roll of toilet paper and discover how much space there actually is! Materials: Toilet paper Marker 1. Begin by placing a dot on the seam between 2 sheets of toilet paper and label this the Sun. This will be your starting point. 2. Use the distances in the following table to pinpoint the location of each planet in relation to your sun. 3. Planet Distance Mercury 1.0 Venus 1.8 Earth 2.5 Mars 4 Jupiter 13 Saturn 24.2 Uranus 49 Neptune 76.3 Pluto 100 On this scale, 1 square of toilet paper equals approximately 36 million miles and our entire solar system, including the dwarf planet Pluto, fits into 100 squares of toilet paper.