In this lesson, students develop a fundamental understanding of NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) and the Sun’s structure and function.
Context for Use
This is the first of four modules/lessons in the SDO curriculum that leads students through an interactive exploration of Solar Science. See the SDO Curriculum Overview here.
The lessons are:
- Lesson 1 - What Are the Features of the Sun?
- Lesson 2 - Why Do We Study the Sun?
- Lesson 3 - How Does the Sun Affect the Earth?
- Lesson 4 - SDO Exploration Museum
And don't miss the supplemental comic book What Color is the Sun? available in both English and Spanish!
Goals Header
What Students Will Do
- Understand and demonstrate knowledge of the structure of the Sun.
- Understand and demonstrate knowledge of the features of the Sun.
- Acquire current solar images from the Internet and record the latitude and longitude coordinates of sunspot groups.
- Calculate and plot apparent sunspot movement and describe changes in the size, shape, and quantities of sunspot groups.
- Determine whether sunspots are features on the surface of the Sun, or objects in orbit around the Sun.
- Understand that radiant energy from the Sun can be viewed as Visible Light on Earth.
- Project an image of the Sun to calculate an estimation of the Sun’s diameter.
Teaching Materials
Description
Activity A: Structure of Earth’s Star (1 block period/2 class periods)
Activate prior knowledge about the Sun, research information about the Sun, and make a 3-D model of the Sun.
Activity B: Observing the Sun (2 block periods/4 class periods total to introduce & conclude lesson, plus 10 consecutive days to download & print current HMI Intensitygram solar image 10-15 min./day)
Gain understanding of the SDO Mission, self-test on the science of sunspots, and student-scientist research to test Galileo’s claim.
Activity C: Solar Research in Action! – Create a Pinhole Camera (1 block period/2 class periods)
About SDO and safe Sun viewing and create a pinhole camera.
