Supernova educator Guide http://glast.sonoma.edu http://xmm.sonoma.edu Content 2 About this Guide 2 Summary of Activities 3 National Science Education Standards for Supernova Activities 4 Mathematics Standards for Supernova Activities 5 What is XMM-Newton? 5 What is the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST)? 6 Introduction to Supernovae 8 Why Stars Explode 10 • Activity 1 - Fishing for Supernovae 14 Student Handout 15 • Activity 2 - The Crawl of the Crab 19 Student Handout 21-22 Crab images 23 Student Worksheet 25 • Activity 3 - Magnetic Poles and Pulsars 27 A. Seeing Magnetic Fields 30 Magnetic Globe Demo 31 Student Worksheet 32 B. Make Your Own Pulsar 33 Student Worksheet 34 Transfer Activity: Comparing the Earth to a Pulsar 35 Student Worksheet 37 • Activity 4 - Neutron Stars in the News 38 Student Worksheet 39 XMM-Newton makes the first measurement of a dead star’s magnetism 40 “Starquake” reveals star’s powerful magnetic field by David Shiga 41 Appendix A - Glossary 42 Appendix B - References and Resources 44-47 Appendix C - Activity 1 Playing Cards Plates Supernova Educator Guide -- Layout and Design by Aurore Simonnet, NASA Education and Public Outreach Group, Sonoma State University, CA Since st udents remember and understand better when ely engage in manipulating the concepts about they activ which they are learning, we have included several hands- on activities to help keep their interest and reinforce their About this Guide comprehension and retention of the scientific concepts Busy educators sometimes have trouble finding ways to behind the current observations of the XMM-Newton help their students feel the excitement of science in ac- mission and the future observations of the GLAST mis- tion. As a part of its educational effort, the NASA Ed- sion. We have also included information about both mis- ucation and Public Outreach group at Sonoma State sions, what kind of objects they will observe, and why as- University has put together an educational guide based tronomers are interested in them. To help you determine on the science of NASA’s Gamma-ray Large Area Space when these activities might be of most use to you in your Telescope (GLAST) and the joint ESA/NASA XMM- science and/or math curriculum, we have included in the Newton Observatory. The science specifically detailed in following pages a list of all of the national math and sci- this guide involves multi-wavelength views of the dramat- ence standards with which each activity is aligned. ic explosion at the endpoint of the life ofpulsar a massive, a rotating star What will my students learn from these activities? This se- – i.e., a supernova. We also present an activity that relates ries of activities uses supernovae – distant explosions from the Earth’s magnetic field to that of a dying stars – as an engagement to teach basic concepts in city-sized collapsed star that can be formed in the super- physical science and mathematics. Below is a summary of nova’s aftermath. There is also the opportunity to improve all of the activities in this guide. your science literacy skills by analyzing two news articles about pulsars. Both news articles are based on discoveries y of A from XMM-Newton observations. Summar ctivities Activity 1 - Fishing for Supernovae Brief overview: ime ame similar to “go fish” in which they Students will play a card g rnova separated in t match multi-wavelength images of different supernova remnants. Activity 2 – Crawl of the Crabupe pansion rate of the ief overview: Science Concepts: Br s use two images of a s • Different physical processes produce light of different wavelengths Student ades to determine the ex velengths of light to determine what is by several decglowing. gas • Scientists use different wa an be observed happening in the Universe ge over time bjects chan Science Conceptsl o ronomical objects c Duration: 1 hour me ast • Astronomica ant can be used to Essential Question: What do supernova remnants look like in differ- • The change in so upernova remn ent wavelengths of light? and measured e Grades: 7 – 8 • The expansion of a s upernova explo- determine its ag g remnant? n the date of a s ndin ion: 1 hour Durat uestion: Howg ca images of the expa Essential Q e determined usin Activity 3 – Magnetic Poles and Pulsars sion b Brief overview: Grades: 9 – 12 Students investigate magnetic fields in two and three dimensions, and compare the magnetic field of a pulsar to that of the Earth and ws -science literacy extension other astronomical objects. Activity 4 - Neutron Stars in the Ne view: out XMM-Newton Science Concepts: Brief over o different articles ab ze tw ic fields. • Magnetic field lines form closed loops in three dimensions. Students read and analy ars and their magnet nvolving neutron st • When the rotation and magnetic axes of a neutron star are not discoveries i aligned, pulsations can result. mately one Science Concepts: tron stars are approxi ic fields no neu t types • Like a pulsar, the Earth’s magnetic and rotation axes are not Even though magnet he Earth’s surface, differen onger than that on t aligned. However, the magnetic field of a pulsar is approximately trillion times str ith strengths that differ by a ave magnetic fields w one trillion times stronger than that on the Earth’s surface. of neutron stars can h factor of 10,000. Duration: 1-2 hours Essential Questions: Duration: 1 hour w do the magnetic fields of different types of - What does a dipole magnetic field look like in three dimensions? Essential Question: Ho - How do neutron stars emit pulses? neutron stars compare? - How do the magnetic fields of the Earth and a pulsar compare? Grades: 8 – 12 Grades: 9 – 12 sonoma.edu/edu/supernova http://xmm.2 sietivitcva Aornepur Sords Fadntan Siotacude Ecniecl SaniotaN Ecniecl Siotacude Fadntan Sords Aornepur sietivitcva Activity 1 — Grades 7-8 Activity 2 — Grades 9-12 Activity 3 — Grades 9-12 Activity 4 — Grades 8-12 Fishing for Supernovae The Crawl of the Crab Magnetic Poles and Pulsars Neutron Stars in the News • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry - Use of technology and mathematics to - Identifying questions • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Science as Inquiry improve, invest, and communicate - Design and conduct investigations - Recognize and analyze alternative - Recognize and analyze alternative - Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models explanations and models explanations • Understanding about scientific inquiry • Understanding about scientific inquiry • Understanding about scientific inquiry Physical Science • Conservation of energy and increase in • Motion and forces • Properties and changes of disorder • Interactions of energy and matter 3 properties in matter Earth and Space Science • Origin and evolution of the universe • Origin and evolution of the Universe • Abilities of technological design - Implement a proposed solution - Evaluate the solution and its • Understanding about Science and Technology consequences science and technology - Communicate the problem, process, and solution • Understanding about scientific inquiry History and Nature of • Science as a human endeavor • Science as a human endeavor • Science as a human endeavor • Science as a human endeavor Science • Nature of science knowledge • Nature of science knowledge • Nature of science knowledge • Nature of science knowledge Activity 4 - Neutron Stars in the News the in Stars 4-Neutron Activity Supernovae for 1-Fishing Activity Activities Supernova for Standards Mathematics Activity 2 Activity 3 The Crawl of the Crab - Grades 9 - 12 Magnetic Poles and Pulsars - Grades 9 - 12 • Understand patterns, relations, and functions • Represent and analyze mathematical situations and struc- tures using algebraic symbols Algebra • Use mathematical models to represent and understand quan- titative relationships : No math standards for this activity. this for standards math : No • Specify locations and describe spatial relationships using • Specify locations and describe spatial relationships using coordinate coordinate geometry and other representational systems geometry and other representational systems activity. this for standards math : No Geometry • Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling • Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve to solve problems problems • Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, • Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and systems, and processes of measurement processes of measurement Measurement • Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to deter- • Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine mea- 4 mine measurements surements • Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and col- lect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them Data Analysis and Probability • Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data • Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data • Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data • Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking • Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through com- through communication munication Communication • Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and • Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to clearly to peers, teachers, and others peers, teachers, and others • Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas • Recognize