To support your astronomy curriculum, check out the following Websites for science project ideas, lesson plans, and more. Note, while Spaced Out: A Cosmic Scene provides links to these web-based resources that we feel are appropriate, we cannot guarantee that all the content presented in these web resources is scientifically accurate. As an educator it is your responsibility to verify the accuracy of all resources used with your students.
Ask an Astrophysicist:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/ask_an_astronomer.html
Background Information for Teachers on Light and Sound Waves:
The Nature of a Wave – with animations
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/U10L1a.cfm
Wave Content Outlined – great teacher resource
http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/waves/waves.htm
Wave Propagation – great animation and slow motion video
- …breaking of a light bulb
- …inverse square law
- …ripple by a milk drop
- …shock wave
http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/waves/propagation.htm
Waves on a String – great animation and slow motion video
http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/waves/string.htm#elastic1
Lesson Ideas on Electromagnetic Spectrum – waves of energy
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/activities/electromagneticspectrum/#aca
Electromagnetic waves – has an applet to show different frequencies and explains what a wave is:
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/waves_particles/index.html
Good Vibrations -- Waves all around. Background information and lesson ideas to help students master the notion that waves are vibrations and travel in all directions. Document is 37 pages in length with teacher background information, student activities and assessment suggestion. Answers provided for all student questions presented. http://www.bishopmuseum.org/education/pdf/tsunami-lesson1.pdf
How can wave behavior help us find planets around distant stars?
http://trs-new.jpl.nasa.gov/dspace/bitstream/2014/16872/1/99-0281.pdf
This lesson introduces students to the electromagnetic spectrum (focusing on visible light) and the wave nature of light. Students will be introduced to the idea that all light travels as waves, and that wavelength defines the various regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Interactive Internet resources are used in this lesson. Found at Ohio Resource Center - ORC# 4642
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=182
Sun As a Star: Science Learning Activities for Afterschool - The Sun As a Star activities teach concepts related to the sun with opportunities for the students to investigate each idea. Most of the nine sequential activities can be completed in about one hour.
Here you can download a 37-page teacher resource guide, which suggest 9 activities you can do with your students, many of these activities support information presented in Spaced Out: A Cosmic Scene episodes.
- Activities 2, 3, 7, 8 can be used with Spaced Out episodes 6 and 8
- Activity 4 can be used with Spaced Out episode 1 and 2
- Activities 5 and 6 can be used with Spaced Out episode 4
Bringing in the Mathematics of Wave Propagation
Resource for explaining light and sound waves. Has an applet which shows how waves move up and down and not laterally. Good use for mathematics graphic interpretation.
http://home.cord.edu/faculty/manning/physics215/studentpages/angieevanson.html
On-line Physics Tutorial – look to chapters 8, 9, and 10 for waves, sound and light.
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/index.html
Overview of waves, types of waves and measuring waves with a self-quiz at the end.
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch8/ch8.htm
Overview of sound waves: measuring and Doppler effect (introduces some math) with a self-quiz at the end.
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch9/ch9.htm#Doppler
Overview of light waves and description of dispersion in all directions and use of the inverse square rule, with a self-quiz at the end.
http://library.thinkquest.org/10796/ch10/ch10.htm
Geometry and Algebraic formula for spherical point wave source. Teachers can adapt the mathematics to meet student skills.
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/pasp/Spherical_Waves_Point_Source.html
Explanation and diagram for inverse square law of acoustics
http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/acoustic_IOI/101_5.htm
Inverse square law calculator and explanation for light
http://www.intl-lighttech.com/library/calculators/inverse_calc
Inverse Square law calculator and explanation for sound (added dimension of sound measured in decibels).
http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-squarelaw.htm
Understanding Science - How Science Really Works
This web resource is excellent for bringing into focus Ohio’s science standards History and Nature of Science, Science as Inquiry, and Science and Technology. This website provides exemplary lessons by grade bands, research findings on how students learn science and suggestions for adapting lessons to meet student needs.
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/