Exploring the Solar System, the Galaxies, and the Universe with the Hubble Space Telescope

This page authored by Rebeca L. Dodge, University of West Georgia.

Summary

This is an online pre-lab exercise designed to familiarize students the resources for studying our universe that are available on the Hubble Telescope Web site, located at: http://hubblesite.org.

This is a pre-lab online activity that students complete prior to laboratory sessions concerning the Solar System and the Universe. The students navigate through the web site, learning how to access teaching materials including videos, games, images, "news articles", and historical articles. Students read and analyze articles and videos, and answer questions designed to prepare them for laboratory activities. During lab students will develop a classroom activity for a K-6 classroom, based on the Hubble site.

Learn more about the course for which this activity was developed.

Learning Goals

The student will be able to

Visualize Star Formation, planet formation, galaxy collisions
Understand different approaches to determining the age of the Universe, and why there is controversy over its age
Understand the Hubble telescope instrumentaion and how it observes the Universe
Access diverse online teaching resources concerning the Universe and our solar system
Prepare to develop grade-level appropriate activities using the Hubble site

Context for Use

This activity can be used in a computer laboratory with supervision, or assigned to students to undertake prior to a laboratory activity. It requires no special skills other than the ability to access online sites. It requires approximately 1 - 2 hours to complete. The questions that comprise the exercise are designed for Early Childhood education majors, but could be upgraded for higher-level students by increasing the analysis required, and by adding writing elements to the exercise.

Teaching Notes and Tips

Make sure the students have access to computers that can play the videos.

Teaching Materials

This is an exercise that requires students to go online and access a single website, navigate through the website following simple instructions, and answer content questions based on reading and on viewing videos contained on the site.

Assignment handout and assignment handout with answers (Microsoft Word 65kB Jun13 07)

Assessment

Students bring the completed exercise to lab and the questions are discussed prior to starting the laboratory activities.

Controlled Vocabulary Terms

Subject:
Resource Type: Activities:Lab Activity
Ready for Use: Ready to Use

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