Students create a scale model of the solar system using everything
from a basketball (for the sun) to M&Ms and seeds representing the
approximate sizes of the planets. Students can walk through the solar
system telling what they know about each object. An interesting addition
to this is construction of a model milky way showing distances to
some of the stars and clusters we see in the night sky. Submitted By: Lou Mayo, Sligo Creek Elementary Astronomy Club
Space Art
Students are given many different Hubble Space Telescope photos, and
encouraged to create their own space art using the archetypes they
find for nebulae, planets, stars and galaxies. Submitted By: Sten Odenwald, Holy Redeemer Elementary/Middle School
Astronomy Club
Watching the Sun on the Internet
Students visit several web sites where they can see what the sun and
earth look like right now in real time. Submitted By: Sten Odenwald, Holy Redeemer Elementary/Middle School
Astronomy Club
Chocolate Pudding Craters
Students fill aluminum trays with chocolate pudding then sprinkle
with powered sugar. Gum drops or chocolate kisses are then dropped
into the mix resulting in craters with powered sugar ejecta. Students
draw what they see and compare with images of cratered bodies in our
solar system. The lunar crater, Tycho makes a great comparison object. Submitted By: Lou Mayo, Sligo Creek Elementary Astronomy Club
Solar System Models out of Styrofoam Balls
Kits of styrofoam balls for solar system simulations, can be purchased
through Edmund Scientific Company. Students can color the balls based
on their knowledge of solar system objects (from Voyager, HST, etc,
images) and assemble their solar system with wire. Submitted By: Lou Mayo, Sligo Creek Elementary Astronomy Club
Tips for Holding a Viewing Night
I have one online article that may be of interest to ASAC newsgroup members. It is a general introduction and set of suggestions entitled "Tips for holding a viewing night" at: http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/teachers/viewing/ Submitted By: Rob Hollow, CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
Impact Craters
Simulate impact craters in the classroom.
Fill a baking dish 3/4 full with white flour. Level the surface. Cover the flour with a thin layer of brown sugar so that the entire surface is now brown.
Stand back and gently hrow marbles at the dish and watch the resulting craters and rays form. Submitted By: Jeff Charbonneau, Zillah High School
It's a multi-facetted application that allows you to keep abreast of
status reports, news and announcements of events taking place at ESA
Science and the most recent near-real-time images from SOHO. I don't know of a NASA equivalent but many of the projects are joint with NASA. For those interested in Solar observations, there's less chance of missing exciting solar storms (like the one that's been going on for the last few days) because the screensaver updates its images whenever you're online.
Download it here: http://sci.esa.int/jump.cfm?oid=34651 Submitted By: Mike Cripps, Neatherd High School Astronomy Club
Solar System "Walk-Through" PowerPoint Presentation
This is a presentation that I created on solar system objects that is
sutable for students in elementary and middle-school. It contains images
and information about the Sun, the nine planets, the Asteroid Belt, and
comets.
Our Solar System.ppt Size: 1.43Mb Submitted By: Dorian Janney, Watkins Mill High School Astronomy Club
The Moon PowerPoint presentation
This is a PowerPoint presentation that I created for elementary and middle
school students to teach them some of the basic concepts related to our
moon.
The Moon.ppt Size: 130Kb Submitted By: Dorian Janney, Watkins Mill High School Astronomy Club