This is a make-it-yourself planisphere designed to show where Kepler is pointing. Learners can use it to locate exoplanets around stars in the night sky. It comes with two wheels: one with coordinate grid for plotting additional exoplanet stars and... (View More) one without grid that is easier to read; and two holders for varying latitudes (one for 30°-50° and one for 50°-70°). The product is updated approximately annually to incorporate improvements and any newly discovered planets orbiting naked eye stars. (View Less)

In this lesson, students explore the cosmic microwave background to understand why it permeates the universe and why it peaks as microwave radiation. Students should be able to explain that the origin of the background radiation is the uniform... (View More) thermal radiation of the big bang and that the radiation produced was evenly distributed around the small early universe, causing it to permeate today's universe. This activity is part of the Cosmic Times teachers guide and is intended to be used in conjunction with the 1965 Cosmic Times Poster. (View Less)

In this introductory activity, learners investigate and discuss infrared images of various everyday objects, such as toasters, hairdryers, and running water, to learn about infrared imaging. Student questions about the false-color images help guide... (View More) a discussion about what they are, how they are different from visible light images, and the information that such images contain. Observation, comparing and contrasting, and reasoning skills are emphasized. The accompanying website features background information for the teacher, pre-requisite skills and knowledge for the student, multiple image sets, assessment information, student worksheets, extension and transfer activities, and additional resources. This is an introductory activity for both the Infrared Zoo and Infrared Yellowstone lessons available on the Cool Cosmos website. (View Less)

This modular activity traces the history of telescope development and highlights the interplay between technological and scientific advances. Milestones in telescope development are highlighted in the ten sections called "eras," with specific... (View More) examples included in the associated "telescope pages." The human component is highlighted in the biography pages that provide a glimpse of the inventors and astronomers behind the telescopes. The science of light and telescopes is presented in the section called "Get to the root of it" that can be used for review, learning the basics, or remediation. Detailed teacher pages, identified as Teaching Tips on the title page of the activity, provide science background information, lesson plan ideas, related resources, and alignment with national education standards. (View Less)

This modular activity introduces five major pre-requisite ideas: the electromagnetic spectrum, three ways to alter the path of light, refraction by lenses vs. reflection by mirrors, what telescopes do, and what makes a good telescope. Students can... (View More) work through the activity independently or in groups. After completing this activity students will be able to identify basic properties of light from the electromagnetic spectrum to refraction and reflection. This modular activity is a section of the "Get To The Root of It" included in the online activity "Telescopes From The Ground Up." Detailed teacher pages, identified as Teaching Tips on the title page of the activity, provide science background information, lesson plan ideas, related resources, and alignment with national education standards. (View Less)

This exploration engages students in an investigation that leads them to the conclusion that regions of the electromagnetic spectrum vary according to energy per photon, and connects with the video where Dr. Ilana Harrus explains observing a... (View More) sporting event from outside the stadium. The guide includes discussion questions and instructions for using the video - Building the Coolest X-ray Satellite: Astro-E2 - in the classroom. The video describes NASA's development of the X-ray Telescopes and X-ray Spectrometer for the Astro-E2 (Suzaku) mission. This activity begins on page 15 of 68 (or page 11 as printed on the page) and is the first activity of four in the educator guide. (View Less)

In this activity, students work in groups to create a presentation that illustrates the meaning of the statement "To make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe." Students pick an element that can be found in apple pie and... (View More) trace its evolutionary history back to the birth of the universe itself. They also share their vision of the environment in which that element may find itself 5 or so billion years from now after the Earth is long gone. Presentations are intended to demonstrate student understanding of the origins and life cycle of matter, so this activity is appropriate as a conclusion to a unit. This activity is part of the "What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements" information and activity booklet. The booklet includes teacher notes, grading guide and student handouts. (View Less)

In this activity, students will model the time after the Big Bang when the first nuclei of hydrogen and helium were created. The students will move and display cards that show the elements that are formed. This activity requires a large area - e.g.,... (View More) an outside location, a large classroom with seats moved back, or a gym. This activity is part of the "What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements" activity and information booklet. The booklet includes teacher notes and instructions as well as follow-up questions. (View Less)

In this activity, students experience a demonstration of light scattering that explains the blue colors in the Intersetllar Medium (ISM) nebulae, and the reddening of stars viewed through the ISM. It also explains the blue appearance of the sky on... (View More) Earth and the reddish appearance of the Sun during sunsets. The demonstration is best done before or during a lesson on the ISM when light scattering is discussed. This activity is one of two supporting the scientific investigation of the ISM, and is linked to reading material, reading review questions and problems, a teacher answer sheet, and glossary. (View Less)

In this activity, students estimate the size of the visible universe in relation to the size of the Milky Way Galaxy. To do so, students will get a sense of scale and will convert from centimeters to kilometers. This is activity one in the "Hidden... (View More) Lives of Galaxies" information and activity booklet that was designed for use with "The Hidden Lives of Galaxies" poster. The booklet includes student worksheets and background information for the teacher. (View Less)