Types of Telescopes

Curricular Concept: To aid students in understanding that there are other types of telescopes besides reflecting and refracting which use visual light. These include x-ray, radio, ultraviolet, infrared, and gamma ray telescopes. Each of these telescopes gives us additional information about stars, etc.
Describe how a major milestone in science or technology has revolutionized the thinking of the time (e.g. global positions system, telescopes, et.)

Grade level: 7th

Tools needed: pencil, drawing paper

Web Resources:

Who invented the first telescope?

Reflecting and Refracting Telescopes

Brainpop on Electromagnetic Spectrum

A Very Large Array

Images of radio telescopes

Chandra x-ray telescope

Spitzer infrared telescope

Hubble space telescope

Model of Hubble

Adaptive Curriculum - "Making a Telescope: See the Moon"

Strategy:

There are many kinds of telescopes that scientists use to discover the secrets of the universe.

Start off with a history of the telescope by visiting the "Who invented the first telescope?" The best known of these early astronomers was Galileo Galilee. Both of these telescopes relied on visible light to see the first images of the moon, Mars, etc. To learn more about these telescopes go to "Refracting and Reflecting Telescopes."

"Making A Telescope: See the Moon" is an Adaptive Curriculum activity that could be completed next.

Most students have a rudimentary understanding of these telescopes, but they have probably never heard of a radio telescope, an x-ray telescope, or an infrared telescope. But before introducing the unique images of these, the students must know about the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is just a name that scientists give a bunch of types of radiation when they want to talk about them as a group.

Brainpop has a very good video on "Electromagnetic Spectrum." Visit the website, http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/index.html, and have students take a few notes and diagram the electromagnetic spectrum.

Now that students have some idea about the various energy waves, it is much easier to introduce the various other types of telescopes. It is especially important to show how each telescope shows something different about the same object.

A Very Large Array in New Mexico is a radio telescope. Visit The Very Large Array website to take a google earth tour. Images from radio telescopes are different from visible telescopes.

Since its launch on July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory has been NASA's flagship mission for X-ray astronomy. Chandra's mission is to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the Universe.

Spitzer is an infrared telescope that was launched from Cape Canaveral on August 25, 2003. This telescope detects infrared energy or heat, radiated by objects in space. To view images from this infrared telescope click here.

Probably the most famous telescope is the Hubble. It has been in orbit since 1990, and has given us a tremendous amount of information about the universe. The Hubble images are the most famous pictures in space. If someone would like to make a model of the Hubble telescope, although it is rated "difficult," it would be a great project for some students to try.

Posted by Stargazer

PHASES OF THE MOON

Curricular Concept: Explain the phases of the Moon in terms of the relative positions of the Earth , Sun and Moon.

Grade level: 7th

Tools needed: Moon Journal (flip book is preferable)

Web Resources:

• Power point #7
• Animation
• Brainpop
• Discovery Ed
• NSTA link
• Stuff to do
• Worksheet
• Lunar phase simulator
• Moon calender

Strategy:

• Have students keep a record of the moon for two weeks.
• Have them make drawings of what they see, label the phase and record the time of day and the position of the moon when they observed it.
• Emphasize that students should observe the moon from the same place and time each night and use the same landmark for the observation.
• Students could use newspaper or a calender to determine the current phase of the moon and the time when the moon rises and sets during that phase.

Introduce the concept of phases of moon using the above resources.

Have students to open their moon journals and compare and analyze their observations with the new knowledge they received in the class and let them share their findings with their partners. Then tell them to share with the whole class. After the discussion ask students the following questions-

• What causes the moon's phases?
• How would the moon appear from earth if the moon did not rotate?
• Did their observations change over time? How?
• Compare full moon with New Moon.
• Draw and label the phases of moon.

Toilet Tissue Geologic Timeline Rocks!

Curricular concept: Dating techniques and the stratigraphic column have provided us with a history of the Earth. A geological timeline is an abstraction of the stratigraphic column (a mapping of all the world’s known rock units, a theoretical continuous stack). (simplistic) http://www.annalsofgeophysics.net/Stratigraphic_Column.html

Geological Timeline and Rocks as “Old Timers”

To give graphic demonstration of the enormous extent of geologic time with rocks and relate to tangible visual for students.

Grade level: 3-7

Tools needed: toilet paper roll, Geologic Timescale Events modifiable Excel table as students may need to adjust sheets, test pens on paper before distributing, different types of stones

Toilet paper supply:

(Must know sheet number on roll) If two-ply, it may be easier to write on. (Later research environmental impact of toilet paper manufacturing as sustainability issue.)

Be sure the dimensions are same as activity toilet roll or figure out adjustments.

Example: Windsoft 2 ply toilet tissue is white, 4.5 x 3.5 sheets; 500 sheets per roll

http://encyclopedia.toiletpaperworld.com/

http://it.helped.us/save/bestprices/toilet-paper.php

Web resources:

Good visual.

Making Earth History Timeline with Toilet Paper Roll

http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/toiletpaper/history.html

Best explanation for Geological Lesson with Toilet Roll and has spreadsheet

http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/activities/TPGeoTime.html

Helpful

Elizabeth Roettger’s Homepage

http://www.nthelp.com/eer/HOAtimetp.html

Strategy: Demonstration uses toilet paper roll sheets to mark the ages in our geological timeline for understanding of rock cycle in relation to our existence.

1. Students in groups could help in preparation by marking the sheets using Toilet paper excel.

2. Teacher prepares toilet sheets ahead of time with help of parents or students.

3. Students place stones on the timeline.

• What did you learn about the geologic timescale?
• Where could you place rocks on toilet paper timeline?
• How did your ideas about rocks’ connection to the earth change?
• How did your ideas about geologic time change?
• Why did your ideas about geologic time change?
• How can you apply what you have learned to other areas in science?

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