Download After School Guide to Ology Astronomy

www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy
THE MUSEUM’S SCIENCE WEB SITE FOR KIDS
After-School Educator’s Guide to OLogy
ASTRONOMY
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS ASTRONOMY?
Big Ideas in Astronomy
ASTRONOMY SITE MAP
ASTRONOMY UNITS
Unit 1: Our Solar System
Unit 2: The Universe
Unit 3: Scientists Who Study Space
Wrap-Up Astro Projects
RELATED LINKS AND RESOURCES
Books for Educators
Books for Kids
Web Resources for Educators
Additional Web Resources for Kids
GLOSSARY OF ASTRONOMY TERMS FOR EDUCATORS
Copyright © 2004, American Museum of Natural History.
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Introduction
This is a Content Guide for after-school educators to the Astronomy section of OLogy, a free, awardwinning science Web site for kids (http://www.ology.amnh.org/). Please refer to the Introduction and User’s
Guide and Using OLogy: Methods and Suggestions sections of the After-School Guide to OLogy for an
overview of the complete site, how it works, and what it has to offer.
What Is Astronomy?
Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe. The word comes from the Greek term meaning
“naming the stars,” but astronomers study everything outer space contains, including planets, stars, galaxies, black holes, and even the universe itself. They investigate where these celestial bodies are and what
they’re made of, and also how they were formed and are evolving. Astronomy takes place on a massive scale:
immense distances, gigantic sizes, and vast reaches of time.
Big Ideas in Astronomy
Astronomy is not astrology! Astrology — the belief that the
stars and planets can affect your personality and your future —
is not science. It’s the science of astronomy that seeks to explain
what happens in the universe.
Gravity is a key force throughout the universe, and reveals a lot
about how things in space work. The same force that keeps your
feet on the surface here on Earth pulls gas and dust together so
stars and galaxies can
form, and keeps smaller
bodies in orbit around
larger ones.
Almost everything we know about the universe comes from the
study of light. Every object in the universe emits light that contains
many different kinds of information. Light is a kind of radiation.
Using telescopes that capture different wavelengths of light — such
as X-ray, microwave, and visible radiation — astronomers learn about places far too distant to visit or even see.
They use this information to answer cosmic questions like: How old is
the universe? What are stars made of? How far away is the next galaxy?
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Big Ideas in Astronomy con t ’dd
Sophisticated telescopes are our eyes to the universe. An unprecedented number of large telescopes on Earth and in orbit are generating
explosive growth in fields like the discovery of planets in other solar
systems and the search for extraterrestrial life. Ever-more-powerful
data-crunching computers enable astronomers to probe the behavior
of the universe in ways that couldn’t be tested until now. This rate of
discovery is bound to accelerate. But the most important part of scientific discovery isn’t a telescope or computer — it’s the scientist, asking
questions and seeking answers.
Everything in the universe has a life cycle. All stars, including our Sun,
are born, shine for billions of years, run out of fuel, and die. Galaxies
form and collide, with the larger ones often
consuming the smaller. Even the universe
itself is evolving. It began as a tiny, dense
fireball about 13 billion years ago and
continues to expand.
Astronomers think big. Astronomy
involves huge numbers: billions,
trillions, and even larger. For example, light from distant stars can
travel for millions of years and
trillions of miles before it reaches us. Astronomers estimate that
there are more than 100 billion
stars in our galaxy, the Milky
Way. The questions that these scientists pursue — like “When did the
universe begin?” and “Is there life on other planets?" — are also enormous in scale.
Astronomy Site Map
Are you looking for a drawing activity, or would you like your kids to read a story about how the universe
began, or the search for life on Mars? Would an online question-and-answer game fit the bill? Do you need
an online activity, or something to do away from the computer? How about a learning experience that
addresses a key word or concept? The Site Map on page 3 will help you find resources that suit your afterschool group.
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Site Map - ASTRONOMY: Our Place in Space
A photo gallery
of the tools scientists use to
investigate the
red planet, and a
look at all of the
planets in our
solar system
Animations explain
what gravity does, and
thought experiments
investigate what
would happen
if gravity stopped
Stella Stardust interviews the Sun to get
the inside scoop on
its past, present, and
future
Mind-boggling facts and
stargazing tips about
the very BIG subject of
astronomy
Facts about our
galaxy, supplemented by a Q&A with an
astronomer and exercises that bring the
concept of “billions”
down to earth
HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES
This song explains
your “long address”
— where you fit in
the vastness of the
universe
Play this matching
game about space phenomena like planets,
galaxies, and nebulae
• Moon Flip Book
• Interview with Mars
• Scavenger Hunt
• Stargazing
• Space Travel Guide
• Big Dipper Mobile
• Cosmic Cookies
• Astro Books
• Make Your Own
Stationery
Kids can have fun away
from the computer with
projects that use easy-tofind materials
Answer a question and find
out how your
answers match
up against
other visitors’
opinions
Meet astronomer Neil de
Grasse Tyson and three kids
who think space is
awesome
Find out how
astronomers figured
out that an expanding
universe started with
the Big Bang, plus an
interactive cosmic
timeline
A multiple-choice quiz that
tests your grasp of fundamental concepts in astronomy
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Astronomy Units
You can use the Astronomy OLogy Web site in ways that fit your particular after-school program. The
sample units below — “Our Solar System,” “The Universe,” and “Scientists Who Study Space” — offer examples of how to combine different types of resources around a topic. Depending on time constraints and your
kids’ abilities, you can divide the units into two or more sessions. Using the
resources in the order provided within each unit is recommended, but you can
also mix and match resources to create your own paths through the site.
You will find two levels of skill question. (See “Skills” in the Using OLogy:
Methods and Suggestions section of the Guide for a complete listing of the
skill type associated with each unit). First, Comprehension Questions ask
students to explain what they think the text or pictures mean in order to find
out if they understand what the text says. The next level, Challenge Questions,
invites students to use the facts, ideas, and skills they have learned to figure out a puzzle, solve a problem, or
imagine an intriguing possibility. Keep in mind that direct answers to these questions will not necessarily be
found on the OLogy site, and that children will be asked to predict and extrapolate.
Tips:
• If time is short, you may want to put the respective URL’s into your browser’s
Favorites or Bookmarks menu to help kids navigate more efficiently.
• As your kids go through the site, ask them to read and collect OLogy cards by
clicking on the red asterisks scattered all over. They can form the basis of a culminating event when you’ve finished a unit or explored the entire Astronomy section
of OLogy. (See “Wrap-Up Astro Projects” on p. 8.)
• Print out the Site Map on page 3 and keep it
handy by the computer. This will help you to get
oriented and locate things quickly.
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UNIT 1: Our Solar System
Our solar system is made up of the Sun, all of the planets, asteroids, comets,
and everything else that orbits this 4.6 billion-year-old star.
#1 Visit “Meet the Universe’s Main Attraction — Gravity”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htm
Gravity is the force that holds our solar system, as well as all things in the
universe, together. Try this thought experiment: What would happen if you
turned off gravity?
#2 Read “One on One with the Sun”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/sun/index.htm
Get to know the central player in our solar system. As the Sun “says” in this
interview, “This is my show.”
#3 Check out “A Closer Look at Mars”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/mars/index.htm
This section introduces all the planets with a focus on Mars, the most Earthlike planet in our Solar System. Find out how we know so much about the
“red planet” and why some think it might be or have been home to
extraterrestrial life.
#4 Whip up a batch of Cosmic Cookies
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/cookies.html
After your kids learn about the planets, they can make their own versions —
and eat them.
#5 Solar System Scavenger Hunt
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/scavenger2.html
Use household objects to create a scale model of our solar system.
Comprehension Questions: What makes Mars and our Sun different from
Earth? Please explain, using terms like planet, star, solar system, gravity, life,
rotation, revolution, day.
Challenge Questions: Compare and contrast the three major ways we have of
gathering information about planets in our solar system. What do you think
are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What conclusions can you
draw from this analysis about what we think we know about the solar system?
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UNIT 2: The Universe
The universe is all the matter, energy, and space that exists, including the Earth, the solar system, all the
galaxies, and intergalactic space itself.
#1 Check out “How Did the Universe Begin?”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/universe/index.htm
Learn about the Big Bang, and create your own cosmic timeline to get a sense of how and when it all began.
#2 Sing along with “Don’t Be Lost in Space”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/inspace/indexmi.htm
Our galaxy is one of several thousand galaxies in the Virgo Supercluster, which is only a tiny piece of the
universe. This song explains your “long address” — which gives you a sense of where you fit in the vastness
of the universe.
#3 Read about “The Milky Way Galaxy”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/milkyway/index.htm
Our Solar System is just a tiny blueberry in the big oval pancake that makes up the Milky Way, an immense
spiraling collection of stars, dust, and gas. Start with the “Introduction” and do the other activities if time
allows.
#4 Play “Cosmic Connections”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/cosmic/pages/game.htm
Match descriptions to pictures of space phenomena like colliding galaxies, the Eagle Nebula, and the superhot disk around a black hole. These are found throughout the universe, farther than we can visit or sometimes even see.
#5 “Build the Big Dipper”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/dipper.html
Read the “Introduction,” which explains how stars that exist millions of miles apart in space look very different from Earth — where we group them into constellations. Then build your own model of the Big
Dipper.
Comprehension Questions: Explain our address in the universe. Where do we fit in relationship to the other
planets, the solar system, the local galaxy, our supercluster of galaxies (Virgo Supercluster), and the
universe?
Challenge Questions: Create a model of our place in the universe using any objects at your disposal. Please
explain the relative relationships you create among all of the objects, using what you know about the
nature of the universe and Edwin Hubble’s discoveries. Hint: If the Earth is an M&M or a chocolate chip, how
would you represent the solar system, galaxy, and universe? [Use the “Solar System Scavenger Hunt” in
“Stuff to Do” for ideas on how to make the model using available objects.]
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UNIT 3: Scientists Who Study Space
Throughout the ages, space has fascinated men and women, amateurs and professionals, and people of all
ages. Many different kinds of scientists are involved in astronomy today, because there’s so much to study.
#1 Read “Meet the OLogists: Neil deGrasse Tyson”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/ologist/tyson/index.html
Neil is the director of the Hayden Planetarium. Find out why he thinks he has the “coolest job in the world.”
#2 Encourage your kids to try “Stargazing”!
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/stargazing.html
Learn the do’s and don’ts of looking up at the sky, including tips from astronomers about what to look for
and how to record your sightings.
#3 Read “Meet the Universe’s Main Attraction — Gravity”
http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htm
Find out what Sir Isaac Newton figured out about gravity in 1687, and check out the Gravity OLogy card.
#4 Take a Q&A in “The Milky Way Galaxy”
http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htm
See what astronomer Julianne Dalcanton has to say about galaxies.
#5 Read “The Search for Martian Life”
http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/mars/pages/searchLife.htm
In this section, which is under “A Closer Look at Mars,” NASA scientist Maria Zuber explains why Mars might
be or have been home to life.
Comprehension Questions: Explain what an astrophysicist
like Dr. Neil Tyson does. What aspects of his work do you
find most interesting and why? What questions would you
ask Dr. Tyson if you were able to meet him? How could you
find some of the answers yourself?
Challenge Questions: Maria Zuber thinks about the possibilities of life on other planets. You can join the search. Based
on what you know of life on Earth, where else in the solar
system, our Milky Way Galaxy, or our universe do you think
we might find life — including microscopic forms of life?
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Wrap-Up Astro Projects:
You can do a culminating project to wrap up any of these units and celebrate your new “astronomy
OLogists.”
• Create an online project
Use your card collection to create one of the online projects in OLogy’s Projects section. [This requires your
students to become OLogy members. Refer to pages 5 and 6 of the OLogy Introduction and User’s Guide for
easy-to-follow instructions.]
With their cards, your kids can:
—Pick a story starter to do about their favorite celestial body.
—Make a “stumper” about astronomy tools to quiz their friends.
—Create a group of similar or related things in the universe, and describe how they’re connected.
• Start a Stargazers Club
Celebrate away from the computer by starting a Stargazers Club. Encourage kids to:
—Study the night sky (they don’t even need telescopes, but they do need a clear sky)
—Record their findings in a Star Journal
(see http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/stargazing_keep.html)
—Pick a constellation to research.
• Have an Astro Party
Celebrate the conclusion of your Astronomy OLogy with a party with a celestial theme. Your kids could:
—Decorate the room with drawings of the planets they studied.
—Have the kids design club membership badges or Stargazer certificates and present them to one
another as full-fledged astronomy OLogists.
—Ask the kids to talk about what they’ve learned, and present their online and hands-on projects
to friends, family, and program staff.
• Visit a Planetarium
Take a field trip to the nearest planetarium. Find a location near you using the links on page 6 of Using
OLogy: Methods and Suggestions.
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Related Links and Resources
Books for Educators
The Scientific American Book of Astronomy
by Timothy Ferris (Guilford, Ct: The Lyons Press, 1999) Fifty-four prominent researchers and writers contribute
articles on everything from the climate on Mars to the ever-changing theories of dark matter, for a vivid
portrait of what’s going on in the universe.
One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos
by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Charles Liu, and Robert Irion (Washington: Joseph Henry Press, 2000)
This book explores how the universe works with clear explanations, easy-to-understand illustrations, and
dazzling photographs.
Books for Kids:
Space Encyclopedia
by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest (New York: DK Publishing, 1999)
A well-organized reference book, with illustrations and descriptions of everything you ever wanted to know
about the universe, from basic cosmology to how rockets launch satellites and astronauts into space.
New Astronomer: The Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques of Skywatching
by Carole Stott (New York: DK Publishing, 1999) An illustrated guide to exploring the night sky successfully,
with detailed star charts and information on navigation, equipment, and photographing celestial objects
including step-by-step instructions and easy-to-understand explanations.
Web Resources for Educators:
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
JPL missions undertake the robotic exploration of the solar system for NASA, and also monitor our home
planet. The site links to images, missions, events, resources for kids and educators, and more.
NASA Space Science Education Resource Directory
http://teachspacescience.stsci.edu/
A convenient way to find NASA space science products for educators, searchable by grade level, topic, or
keyword.
Web Resources for Kids:
Starchild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/
An inviting introduction to our solar system, including biographies of noted scientists, explanations of cosmic phenomena, and the opportunity to submit your own Question of the Month.
The Space Place
http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/index.shtml
A fun- and fact-filled NASA site for budding astronomers, including a “Space Science” section with experiments and clear explanations of the basic science that underlies astrophysical research.
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Glossary of Astronomy Terms for Educators
asteroid – A small rocky or metallic body that orbits a star.
astronomy – The scientific study of the universe.
astrophysics – The branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of astronomical objects and
phenomena.
Big Bang – An incredibly huge explosion that was the beginning of everything — time, space, and matter —
and which occurred at some time between 13 and 14 billion years ago. According to current theory, the Big
Bang launched the ongoing expansion of the universe.
black hole – A region in space where gravity is so strong that space closes back on itself, allowing nothing,
not even light, to escape.
comet – A small solar system body made of ice and dust that moves in an elliptical orbit around the Sun.
cosmos – The universe regarded as a whole, including all matter, energy, and space.
Crab Nebula – This glowing cloud of gas and dust 6,300 light years away is what’s left of a huge star that
exploded almost 1,000 years ago.
Earth – Our dynamic home planet, Earth has conditions — like liquid water, an atmosphere, and moderate temperatures — that permit a great variety of life forms to
exist.
energy – Any attribute of matter or electromagnetic radiation that can be converted into
motion. Energy makes things happen. It comes in many forms, such as heat and light. It often changes from
one form to another, but the total amount of energy in the universe remains constant.
extraterrestrial life – Living things that exist somewhere other than on Earth.
galaxy – A giant spinning collection of gas, dust, and stars held together by gravity.
gravity – Isaac Newton defined it as the force of attraction between any two masses. Over 300 years later
Einstein refined the definition to “the curvature of space by matter.” He realized that gravity, like everything
else in the universe, can travel no faster than the speed of light.
light year – The distance light travels in one year — 5.88 trillion miles — and the unit that astronomers use
to measure the vast distances of space.
matter – Something that has mass and can usually be perceived by one or more senses, and that constitutes
any physical body or the universe as a whole.
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meteorite – A fragment of rock or metal that has landed on the Earth from interplanetary space. Most meteorites come from asteroids, but a few are from other
planets or satellites.
Milky Way – This is the spiral galaxy that contains our solar system.
Moon – Many planets have moons, or natural satellites, which revolve
around them the way our Moon orbits the Earth. Our Moon is about a quarter the diameter of Earth, and is visible to us on Earth because of reflected
sunlight.
NASA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the home of the United States civilian
space program. Thousands of scientists work with and for NASA, and conduct research in fields such as aeronautics, astrophysics, space exploration, Earth science, and biology.
nebula – An immense, cloud-like mass of interstellar gas and dust, these are often found in the spiral arms
of a galaxy.
planet – An astronomical body with enough mass for its gravity to make it spherical but not enough to
generate nuclear energy. Planets orbit around stars or drift freely in space.
solar system – The Sun and all the objects bound to it by gravity (planets, satellites, asteroids, comets).
star – A luminous ball of gas held together by gravity that is massive enough and hot enough
to release energy by nuclear fusion.
Sun – The giant ball of hot gas at the center of our solar system, whose gravity holds that
system together and whose energy makes life on Earth possible.
telescope – An instrument that uses lenses, mirrors, or other devices to gather different kinds of light from
objects in space and produce an image. It allows us to see stuff that’s really far away, and to see images that
are not visible to us because they are so far away or because the light they emit is not the kind humans
can see.
universe – The universe is everything — all the matter, energy, and space — that exists. It is incredibly large
and expanding very, very fast.
Virgo Supercluster – A group of many thousands of galaxies, one of which is our Milky Way.
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