Astronomy and Space Science
Page 1
Space Science
Your Shadow and the Sun
Sundial Wristwatch
Measuring Madness
A Rocket to the Sun
Ride the Toilet Paper Roll to the Planets
The Star Globe
Make Your Own Constellation
Creature Feature
Moon on a Stick
The Seasons and the Earth’s Orbit
Photon Detectives
The Planisphere
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
12
12
12
Appendix
Fair Game Curriculum Frameworks
Graphics Templates
13
14
16
Astronomy and Space Science
Page 2
Your Shadow and The Sun
Materials Needed: Volunteer, sunny sidewalk, chalk.
Concepts: Your shadow changes with time of day and day of year.
Activity: Pick a sidewalk location which will be sunny all day. Have your volunteer stand there.
Trace the outline of the volunteer's feet and shadow with chalk. Measure the height of the
shadow. Use a compass to measure the direction the shadow is pointing (foot to head). Repeat
periodically throughout the day. Fill in the following table. Add more rows to the table if
necessary.
Time
Length
Direction
Time
Length
Direction
Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. Earth is a moving planet having unique features. Use a variety of methods, forms, and
technologies to describe the earth.
*Grade 8. Earth rotates on a tilted axis as it revolves around the sun, causing sunlight to hit at
different angles. The revolution and tilt produces seasonal variations in weather and climates.
Further Investigation: Do this on different days during the year and compare the results.
Make a graph of height versus time on a single day. Make a graph of maximum height versus
time of year for a number of days during different seasons of the year. Make graphs of direction
versus time for different seasons and compare.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Sundial Wristwatch
Materials Needed: Wristwatch pattern, scissors, tape, compass to determine north.
Concepts: Shadows change with time of day and indicate the postion of the sun in the sky.
Activity:
1. Using the forms provided, cut out a
watch face and a gnomon for the latitude nearest
ours (Rolla is about 38 degrees north).
2. Cut into the gnomon along the heavy
line. Fold the gnomon along the dashed lines.
Cut into the watch face along the line labeled
“N.”
3. Slide the gnomon into the watch face
slit, as shown in the picture to the right. Make
sure the vertical side of the gnomon is by the
outer edge of the watch face. You can use a
calibrated or uncalibrated watch face (see step 7
below).
4. Tape down the flaps under the watch
face, trimming extra paper from the flaps.
5. Tape the watch to a wristband 2 or 3
cm wide and about 1½ times the diameter of
your wrist, as shown in the picture.
6. Put your sundial watch on your left
wrist and tape the ends together. Go outside and
face west, holding your arm with the watch level
in front of you so that the vertical edge of the
gnomon points north. Use the shadow on the watch to read the time.
7. Calibration: the calibrated watch face is “set” for early summer months, so it is marked
using local daylight savings time hours (noon sun time is one clock time). It is good for several
months, until shorter days set in. If you want to calibrate your own watch, place it on the ground
(sidewalk works well) with N facing north, and mark off the shadows at different times of the day.
I first saw this activity in a “Ranger Rick’s Naturescope” magazine. It was one of the pages
that teachers have permission to copy. I got this off the web, at http://www.kyes-world.com.
Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. Earth is a moving planet having unique features. Use a variety of methods, forms, and
technologies to describe the earth.
*Grade 8. Earth rotates on a tilted axis as it revolves around the sun, causing sunlight to hit at
different angles. The revolution and tilt produces seasonal variations in weather and climates.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Measuring Madness
Materials Needed: Inch-long pieces of string.
Concepts: Scientists use appropriate units for measuring different quantities.
Activity:
1. Divide the class into teams of two or three students each.
2. Provide each team with an inch-long piece of string.
3. Using only the string (and perhaps their ingenuity), teams are to measure the length of
the room.
4. Each team reports their result to the class.
5. Optional: assign a “Room-Length Standards Committee” to determine, using only the
reported results, the “best” value for the length of the room, and the uncertainty in this
value.
6. Class discussion: was this the best way to measure the length of the room? Are inches
an appropriate unit for giving the length of the room? What units would be better? Can
anybody think of better ways to measure the length of the room? Do we believe our
result, as determined by the Standards Committee, for the length of the room?
7. Ask: how long would it take you to run (or walk) 63,600 inches (or 158,400) cm? An
inch is so small that it would be better to ask how long it would take you to run one
mile.
Comments:
It is important to use appropriate units when measuring physical quantities, and to report
those units when you report your results.
Distances between objects in space are so great that specifying distance in miles is like
giving the distance from here to St. Louis in millimeters. Scientists use light-years instead of miles
to specify distances to stars and galaxies. A light-year is actually the distance light travels in one
year. Light travels 186,000 miles per second. Older students should be able to calculate how many
miles light travels in a year. How long does it take light to get to the earth from the sun?
The nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is about 25 trillion miles away. That distance is equal
to 4.2 light-years. Scientists find 4.2 light-years easier to understand than 25 trillion miles. Your
students will probably find both of those numbers difficult to comprehend.
Older grades should use the metric system for measuring lengths, so hand out centimeterlong (or two centimeter) lengths of string.
Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. The universe is so large that its distances are expressed in special units (i.e., light years,
astronomical units). Interpret and evaluate information related to distances from our solar system to
other points in our galaxy and the universe.
*Grade 12. Because of the vast distances between objects in the universe, light may take billions
of years to reach the earth. Explain the different units used by astronomers to measure distances
and explain why they use them.
Astronomy and Space Science
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A Rocket to the Sun
Materials Needed: Construction paper, pencil, crayons or markers, scissors, tape, paper clips,
string or yarn.
Concepts: Distances between objects in space; time it takes to travel in space.
Activity:
1. Class discussion: how long would it take an astronaut to travel from the earth to the
sun. Does anybody have any guesses?
2. Draw, color, and cut out of construction paper models of the earth, the sun, and a
rocket.
3. Run a piece of string the length of the room, close to the ceiling. Tape the earth to the
wall at one end of the string, and the sun to the wall at the other end.
4. Use the paper clips to attach the rocket to the string at the earth end.
5. Each day, move the rocket the distance that represents how far it would have traveled
towards the sun.
6. Here are some numbers you will need. Metric values are given in parenthesis. A
typical rocket travels at 17,500 miles/hr (28,000 km/hr). In one day a rocket can
travel about 24 x 17,500 = 420,000 miles (672,000 km). The sun is about 93,000,000
miles (150,000,000 km) away. The appendix contains additional calculations.
7. If your room is 30 feet long, the rocket would move about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm each
day). It would take a real rocket 240 days to reach the sun at this speed. It will also
take your paper rocket 240 days to reach the sun, so you should make up a schedule
and assign your students the responsibility of moving the rocket the appropriate
distance each day.
8. If your room is x feet long, the distance the rocket travels each day is just 1.5 times
x/30 inches (or 3.8 times x/30 centimeters).
Comments:
It tales a long time to get anywhere in space, doesn’t it. At this speed, it would take a rocket
more than 175,000 years just to reach the nearest star. Do we have any volunteers for the trip?
Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. The universe is so large that its distances are expressed in special units (i.e., light
years, astronomical units). Use visual and mathematical aids to determine the approximate
locations of planets in the solar system. Create a model in which the same scale is used to depict
the distances between objects and calculate the time required to travel a direct path to them from
Earth. Interpret and evaluate information related to distances from our solar system to other
points in our galaxy and the universe.
*Grade 12. Because of the vast distances between objects in the universe, light may take billions of
years to reach the earth. Explain the different units used by astronomers to measure distances and
explain why they use them.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Ride the Toilet Paper Roll to the Planets
Materials Needed: Toilet paper (industrial-strength institutional toilet paper is good for this),
cards with names of planets and the sun (or pictures of planets brought in by students).
Concepts: Identify the nine planets in the solar system and estimate the distances between
planets.
Activity:
1. Each sheet of paper represents 10 million miles.
2. Tape the sun to the floor at one end of a very long hallway. Tape the end of the toilet
paper to the floor by the sun.
3. Carefully unroll the toilet paper. Count 3.6 sheets from the sun and place the planet
Mercury.
4. Continue as follows:
Venus is 3.1 sheets from Mercury
Earth is 2.6 sheets from Venus
Mars is 3.3 sheets from Earth
Jupiter is 34.3 sheets from Mars
Saturn is 40.3 sheets from Jupiter
Uranus is 90 sheets from Saturn
Neptune is 101 sheets from Uranus
Pluto is 86.4 sheets from Neptune.
5. Double-check: the earth is 3.6 + 3.1 + 2.6 = 9.3 sheets from the sun. Each sheet is 10
million miles, so the earth is 93 million miles from the sun. Yup, it works.
6. Forgot the order of the planets? My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nine
Pizzas.
Comments:
Discuss scientific notation. Each sheet is 107 miles. Make a table of distances from the sun
to the planets and of the distances between different planets.
Have your students try to draw on a sheet of paper a picture of the solar system, with the
distances between the planets scaled to agree with the actual distances.
Have your students look up the diameters of the planets, and cut out appropriately-scaled
circles representing each planet.
Use your toilet paper model to hang from the hallway ceiling a scale model of the solar
system. This can be your class project for Space Week.
Is Pluto really a planet?
A light year is 5,880,000,000,000 miles (5.88x1012 miles). A toilet paper sheet is
10,000,000 miles (107 miles). The nearest star is 4.3 light years away. How many toilet paper
sheets away is the nearest star? On this scale, where would the nearest star be located? (See the
appendix for answers.)
Astronomy and Space Science
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Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. The universe is so large that its distances are expressed in special units (i.e., light
years, astronomical units). Use visual and mathematical aids to determine the approximate
locations of planets in the solar system. Create a model in which the same scale is used to depict
the distances between objects and calculate the time required to travel a direct path to them from
Earth. Interpret and evaluate information related to distances from our solar system to other
points in our galaxy and the universe.
*Grade 8. The force of gravity determines the orbital patterns of celestial objects. Conduct an
investigation that demonstrates planetary orbits and apply the processes and knowledge learned to
patterns within the solar system.
*Grade 8. Nine planets, their moons, comets, asteroids, and meteorites orbit the sun. Explain how
mass and gravitational attraction of the planets affect primary orbits and how the orbits interrelate.
*Grade 8. A variety of technological tools are used to provide information concerning the physical
properties and conditions of the solar system. Discuss how information received from space probes
has either confirmed or modified scientific theories concerning conditions on other planets.
*Grade 12. Because of the vast distances between objects in the universe, light may take billions of
years to reach the earth. Explain the different units used by astronomers to measure distances and
explain why they use them.
*Grade 12. Gravitational laws explain planetary motion and tides. Develop a logical description of
how gravitation laws explain the movement of planets and tides.
Astronomy and Space Science
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The Star Globe
Materials Needed: Star globes, scissors, tape, patience.
Concepts: How the stars appear in the sky.
Activity:
Have you ever noticed that when your are riding down the highway in your car, objects
which are near (like telephone poles, houses, and trees by the side of the road) seem to zoom past
you, while objects that are farther away seem to move more slowly than the close ones? You are
moving with the same speed past all stationary objects, but objects which are farther away seem
to not move as rapidly. If you are riding at night and the moon and stars are out, they do not
seem to move at all.
The moon is close enough to the earth that if two people looked at it from different sides
of the USA at the same time, they would see it at different positions in the sky. The stars are so
far away (trillions of miles or more) that all stars seem to be in the same place in the sky no
matter where you look at them from the earth. The ancient people observed this and concluded
that the stars must all be the same distance from the earth. It appeared to them that the stars were
bright lights attached to a big globe out in space.
The star globe is a model of the positions of the stars in the sky. The model works
because stars are so far away that they really do appear to be attached to a globe out in space. In
reality, of course, every star is a different distance from the earth.
The star globe also shows the path of the sun in the sky.
Our star globe is a crude semi-globe shaped model, and you have to imagine yourself in
the center looking out.
If you are interested in more construction projects, you can get icosahedral models of
some of the planets on the web here: http://planetscapes.com/maps/ico.html. Be sure to visit the
author’s main pages at http://www.planetscapes.com/ and www.solarviews.com.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Make Your Own Constellation
Materials Needed: Construction paper, crayons or markers, glue, stars.
Concepts: Constellations are just patterns that stars make in the sky.
Activity:
1. Cut out a square piece of construction paper 20 cm on each side.
2. Hold 10 stars in your hand, 20 cm above the center of the construction paper.
3. Turn your hand over and let the stars fall to the paper. If any stars miss the paper,
pick them up and drop them again.
4. After all the stars have fallen to the paper, glue them in place. No moving allowed!
You have to work with whatever nature gives you.
5. Contemplate your stars for a while. Eventually you will see a pattern or picture
emerge. Use your crayons or markers to draw lines connecting the stars and
illustrating the pattern.
6. Now that you have created a constellation, it needs a name and a story. Give your
constellation a name and make up a short story about it.
7. After everybody has finished, we will show our constellations to the class.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Creature Feature
Materials Needed: Pencils, crayons or markers, construction paper, glue, scissors, tracing paper,
“Creature Feature” copycat page, pictures of a dolphin, polar bear, and cactus.
Concepts: Design a creature that is adapted to living on another planet. Describe adaptations that
would help a creature live on its particular planet.
Activity:
1. Hold up the pictures of the dolphin, polar bear, and cactus. Ask your class what kind
of environments these creatures live in. Ask your class to describe the features that
help each plant or animal live in its own special environment.
2. Suppose other plants had living creatures. Do you think they would look like
creatures on earth? What do you think a creature living on Mercury, which is very hot
and has a rough, rocky surface, would look like?
3. Use reference books to look up characteristics of the planets in the solar system.
Choose a planet and use the body parts on the copycat page to construct a creature
adapted to life on that planet. For example, suction cup legs would be useful on a
planet with low gravity or steep cliffs, and a balloonlike body would might be useful
on a planet with an especially gaseous atmosphere. Use at least three body parts,
glue, construction paper, crayons or markers (to draw in additional body parts or
connect the parts you’ve picked), and a vivid imagination to create your creature.
4. After creatures have been constructed, students show their creatures to the class,
describe the planets the creatures live on, and how they are adapted to their home
planet.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Moon on a Stick
Materials Needed: Styrofoam ball (ping pong ball would work), black paint or marker.
Concepts: Phases of the moon.
Activity:
1. Divide the class into groups of two. Give each group a styrofoam ball.
2. Darken one half of the ball by dipping it in paint or using a black marker. Stick a pencil
(sharp end!) into the ball at the black/white dividing line and let the paint or ink dry.
3. What did the moon look like last time you saw it? Remember, the moon does not emit
its own light, but only reflects sunlight. You can only see the part of the moon facing
you, and only the part of the moon facing the sun will be lit.
4. Draw a large circle on the blackboard and label it the SUN. The styrofoam balls
represent the moon, and each of the partners not holding the “moon” on the stick
represents the earth.
5. Demonstrate first with one pair of students. Have the “earth” student stand and face the
sun on the blackboard. The other student holds the “moon” directly between the earth
and the sun so that the white half faces the sun and the black half faces the earth. Only
the white half is receiving and reflecting light from the sun, and the black half is not, so
the black half is invisible (or nearly so). This represents the “new moon.”
6. Have the student holding the “moon” walk slowly in a counterclockwise direction
around his partner. Always hold the white half of the moon facing the sun (even if the
moon rotates, only the side facing the sun will be lit). The “earth” student should follow
the moon with his eyes and observe the changing appearance (phases) of the moon.
Have the students switch places and repeat.
7. Have your students break into groups and repeat the activity as demonstrated.
Comments:
The new moon is “invisible.” When it is changing from new moon to full moon, it is
“waxing.” When it is changing from full moon to new moon, it is “waning.”
Curriculum Frameworks (* is fair game):
*Grade 8. Moon phases and eclipses result from the angle from which we see the moon. Explain
such phenomena as lunar and solar eclipses and moon phases.
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The Seasons and the Earth's Orbit
Write-up not available. We will develop this during the workshop.
Photon Detectives
Write-up not available. We will develop this during the workshop.
The Planisphere
Cut out and assemble the star chart. Dial in the date and time (use standard time, not daylight
savings time). Notice that east and west appear to be interchanged; this is because you are inside
the celestial sphere looking out and you hold the chart above your head rather than look at it from
above.
This chart lets you dial up what the sky looks like for any time and date. You can identify stars
and see how the sky will change with time and date. This type of chart is must be drawn for a
specific latitude and may not match your latitude. Also, the planets are not shown on this chart.
Astronomy and Space Science
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Appendix
A Rocket to the Sun
Here are the details of the calculation of the daily travel distance, using a 30 foot room as
an example. To do the calculations for your room, just replace 30 feet by the length of your
room.
93,000,000 miles to the sun corresponds to 30 feet of string, so each foot of string
corresponds to 93,000,000/30 = 3,100,000 miles. Divide that by 12 to get the number of miles
per inch of string: 3,100,000/12 = 258,000 miles per inch of string.
If the rocket travels 420,000 miles in a day, it travels 420,000/258,000 = 1.5 inches per
day along the string.
The room is 30x12 = 360 inches long. The total time to travel this distance is 360/1.5 =
240 days. Just right for a whole school year!
For your information, one astronomical unit (AU) is the distance from the earth to the sun
(93 million miles).
Ride the Toilet Paper Roll to the Planets
A light year is 5,880,000,000,000 miles (5.88x1012 miles). A toilet paper sheet is
10,000,000 miles (107 miles). The nearest star is 4.3 light years away. How many toilet paper
sheets away is the nearest star? On this scale, where would the nearest star be located?
Answer: the nearest star is 4.3x5.88x1012 miles away, or 25.3x1012 miles away. Divide that
7
by 10 to get the number of toilet paper sheets: 2.53x106, or 2.53 million.
A “typical” toilet paper sheet is 4.5 inches long (some are 4 inches long; let’s use 4.5
inches as an example), so the length of 2.53 million toilet paper sheets is 11.4 million inches, or
about 180 miles. Anybody care to check my math or do the calculation in meters? The nearest
star would be more than twice as far as St. Louis (from Cuba, where this workshop is being
given).
Astronomy and Space Science
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By the end of the following grade levels, students should know…
*indicates grade 3 state assessment
**indicates grade 7 state assessment
***indicates grade 10 state assessment
Grade 2:
*Earth is not alone in the universe. Most of the objects in the universe are separated by vast
space and enormous distances. Present ideas and opinions about the relationship of the sun and
moon to Earth and Earth’s position in the universe. Describe the major components of our solar
system.
*The sun, moon, and stars have recurring patterns. Evaluate information about the sun and moon
and share to determine patterns, changes, and relationships.
*Objects in the sky move. Use senses to gather information about the day sky through regular
observations.
*Earth makes a full rotation on its axis every 24 hours which causes the day/night cycle. Explain
the relationship of the rotation of the earth and the day/night cycle.
*Patterns of movement of some objects in the sky are cyclic. Discover and evaluate patterns in
the sky.
*Special clothing and equipment must be used by people who travel into space. Explain the use
of different clothing and equipment used by people who travel into space.
Grade 4:
Constellations are patterns of stars. Identify sequences of change and determine patterns in these
changes. Research and report on the legends of major constellations.
*Earth is in our solar system and has unique properties. Compare and contrast Earth’s properties
to other planets in our solar system.
*Earth rotates on a titled axis and revolves around the sun. This combination causes changes in
the amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface and makes our seasons. Explain how the
Earth’s movement and tilt give seasons.
The motion and positions of objects in the solar system explain observable phenomena. Evaluate
information about the motion and position of the earth, moon, and sun to determine the patterns
that give us our day, year, moon phases, and eclipses.
*Recurring predictable movements of the Earth and moon can be used to measure time. Explain
how time can be based on the movements of Earth in relation to the sun, moon, and stars.
Different constellations can be seen in different seasons. Explain why certain constellations can be
seen only at certain seasons.
*The sun, moon, stars, and planets appear to move from east to west each day. Explain the reasons
for different time zones.
*Telescopes and satellite imaging allow scientists to observe features and structures of some objects
in the sky. Identify prominent features of the earth and planets of the night sky.
Space exploration has provided many benefits to humankind. Identify and explain some ways that
food, clothing, or machines have changed as a result of the US space program.
Grade 8:
**The universe is so large that its distances are expressed in special units (i.e., light years,
astronomical units). Use visual and mathematical aids to determine the approximate locations of
planets in the solar system. Create a model in which the same scale is used to depict the distances
between objects and calculate the time required to travel a direct path to them from Earth. Interpret
Astronomy and Space Science
Page 15
and evaluate information related to distances from our solar system to other points in our galaxy
and the universe.
**Celestial objects possess both similarities and differences. Use a variety of resources to compare
and contrast the physical properties of planets.
**Our Solar System is part of the Milky Way Galaxy, one of the many galaxies in the universe.
Use a variety of visual aids to locate the position of the Solar System in the Milky Way Galaxy.
**The force of gravity determines the orbital patterns of celestial objects. Conduct an investigation
that demonstrates planetary orbits and apply the processes and knowledge learned to patterns within
the solar system.
**Earth is a moving planet having unique features. Use a variety of methods, forms, and
technologies to describe the earth.
**Earth rotates on a tilted axis as it revolves around the sun, causing sunlight to hit at different
angles. The revolution and tilt produces seasonal variations in weather and climates. Evaluate how
revolution, rotation, and tilt of the earth influences the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth.
**Moon phases and eclipses result from the angle from which we see the moon. Explain such
phenomena as lunar and solar eclipses and moon phases.
**Nine planets, their moons, comets, asteroids, and meteorites orbit the sun. Explain how mass
and gravitational attraction of the planets affect primary orbits and how the orbits interrelate.
**A variety of technological tools are used to provide information concerning the physical
properties and conditions of the solar system. Discuss how information received from space probes
has either confirmed or modified scientific theories concerning conditions on other planets.
**Most information about the universe comes from the electromagnetic spectrum. Use an
illustration of the electromagnetic spectrum to describe the relationship between wavelength,
energy, and frequency.
**Research associated with space exploration has resulted in technological advances that have
affected the quality of life. Identify common products that have been developed as a result of
research associated with space exploration.
Grade 12:
***The current model of the universe was developed from evidence about its content and
theoretical assumptions based upon mathematical and computer-simulated models. Present
organized arguments and opinions about the various theories of the formation of the universe.
***Stars appear to go through a cycle of birth, development, and death. Use information about a
star’s characteristics to determine its age.
***Because of the vast distances between objects in the universe, light may take billions of years to
reach the earth. Explain the different units used by astronomers to measure distances and explain
why they use them.
Newton’s conception of the universe established the idea that the laws which apply to process that
occur on the earth also apply to the universe. Evaluate information and products to determine the
relationship of Newton’s Laws in space and on earth.
**Gravitational laws explain planetary motion and tides. Develop a logical description of how
gravitation laws explain the movement of planets and tides.
***Space exploration has expanded our knowledge of the universe and advanced the technological
sophistication of our society. Identify and explain ways society has benefited from the technologies
demonstrated through space exploration. Evaluate the economic impact of the space program.
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