Carolina Biological OSE - May 2023

Solar Science: Exploring Sunspots, Seasons, Eclipses, and More

by: Dennis Schatz and Andrew Fraknoi

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Solar Science offers more than three dozen hands-on, inquiry-based activities on many fascinating aspects of solar astronomy. The activities cover the Sun’s motions, space weather caused by the Sun, the measurement of time and seasons in our daily lives, and much more.

The authors are award-winning experts in both astronomy and science education, so they know just how to encourage students to work like scientists by asking questions, doing experiments, comparing notes, and refining and reporting results. They also know you have to make the most of every instructional minute. The book contains plenty of ideas for related writing projects; grade-appropriate math examples; and connections to music, art, fiction, and history. It’s also aligned with the three-dimensional learning encouraged by the Next Generation Science Standards and connects to the Common Core State Standards.

Solar Science is ideal for teachers, informal science educators, youth group leaders, curriculum specialists, and teacher trainers. You can use these versatile activities one at a time, as the basis of a stand-alone unit on the Sun, or as a comprehensive curriculum. You get to determine the best way for your students to learn a lot while having fun with the Sun.

Table of Contents

About the Authors

Introduction

Chapter 1: Understanding and Tracking the Daily Motion of the Sun

Learning Goals of the Chapter

Overview of Student Experiences

Recommended Teaching Time for Each Experience

Next Generation Science Standards Covered

Connections to the Common Core State Standards

Content Background

1.1 Cast Away: What Do We Think We Know?

1.2 Your Personal Pocket Sun Clock

1.3 Shadow and Sun Tracking

1.4 Modeling the Sun–Earth Relationship

1.5 Noontime Around the World

1.6 Pocket Sun Compass

1.7 High Noon

1.8 Write a Picture Book for Kids

1.9 Where Is it Night When We Have Noon?

1.10 What Do We Think We Know? Revisited



Chapter 2: Understanding and Tracking the Annual Motion of the Sun

Learning Goals of the Chapter

Overview of Student Experiences

Recommended Teaching Time for Each Experience

Next Generation Science Standards Covered

Connections to the Common Core State Standards

Content Background

2.1 What Do We Think We Know?

2.2 How Can This Be True?

2.3 Sun Tracking Throughout the Year

2.4 High Noon Throughout the Year

2.5 Reasons for Seasons Symposium

2.6 Height of Sun Above the Horizon and Length of Day Around the World

2.7 Seasons on Other Planets

2.8 I Can’t Make It Come Out Even: Fitting Days and Years Into a Workable Calendar

2.9 Write a Picture Book for Kids

2.10 E-mail Response to “How Can This Be True?”

2.11 Reasons for the Seasons Revisited

2.12 What Do We Think We Know? Revisited



Chapter 3: Solar Activity and Space Weather

Learning Goals of the Chapter

Overview of Student Experiences

Recommended Teaching Time for Each Experience

Next Generation Science Standards Covered

Connections to the Common Core State Standards

Content Background

3.1 What Do We Think We Know?

3.2 Be a Solar Astronomer

3.3 Safe Solar Viewing: Project and Record Your Own Images of the Sun

3.4 Discover the Sunspot Cycle

3.5 How Fast Does the Sun Rotate?

3.6 Space Weather: Storms from the Sun

3.7 What Else Cycles Like the Sun

3.8 The Multicolored Sun

3.9 Student Detectives and the Ultraviolet Sun

3.10 Additional Ways of Observing the Sun Safely

3.11 Space Weather Report

3.12 Predict the Next Sunspot Maximum and Minimum



Chapter 4: The Sun, The Moon, the Earth Together: Phases, Eclipses, and More

Learning Goals of the Chapter

Overview of Student Experiences

Recommended Teaching Time for Each Experience

Next Generation Science Standards Covered

Connections to the Common Core State Standards

Content Background

4.1 Predicting How the Moon Will Look

4.2 What Do We Think We Know?

4.3 Observing the Moon

4.4 Modeling the Moon

4.5 Modeling Eclipses

4.6 How Often Do Eclipses Occur?

4.7 Why Do People Spend $10,000 to See a Total Solar Eclipse?

4.8 Does the Moon Rotate?

4.9 What Do Eclipses Look Like From a Space Colony on the Moon?

4.10 Lunar Phases Revisited

4.11 What Causes Lunar Phases and Eclipses?

Index

Download a sample chapter

Grade Levels

Elementary Middle School

Topics

Astronomy Earth & Space Science Instructional Materials Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans Mathematics

Details

Type NSTA Press BookPub Date 1/31/2016Pages 360ISBN 978-1-941316-07-8Stock # PB403X

NSTA Press produces classroom-ready activities, hands-on approaches to inquiry, relevant professional development, the latest scientific education news and research, assessment and standards-based instruction.

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