MODULE #1

STELLAR DISTANCES

ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE: Two 50-minute class periods

MODULE OBJECTIVES:

CONCEPT(S) LEARNED IN THIS MODULE:

STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS MODULE:

TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES UTILIZED IN THIS MODULE:

Module Overview

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Components
Brief Description of Module Activities
Student Grouping
Materials / Technology
Engagement Warm Up Activities: Students are asked to speculate on how long it takes the light of the sun to get to Earth. Individual or small groups Overhead projector (OP) or PowerPoint (PP) to post the Warm Up questions.
Exploration Discussion of student answers and computation of the distance to the sun in light-minutes. Construct a graph relating distance in km to light years.
Problem-Solving Activity (PSA): How long would it take for a ship traveling at the same speed as Voyager II to get to the nearest star?
Individual or small groups OP or PP to show images of the sun and of a graph relating distance in km to distance in light minutes.
Graph paper or software to produce a graph.
Textbook or directed WWW search to answer Problem questions.
Sites used:
Voyager Mission Home Page
Stellar Distances
Explanation Presentation and discussion of student work. Individual or small groups OP or monitor to show images of the sun and nearby stars.
Extension Follow-up research about the Voyager missions or other robotic missions of space exploration. Small groups Sites used:
Voyager Mission Home Page
Evaluation Students will be evaluated based on their graph and their answers to the PSA. Individual (all students submit their own work and answers based on their collaboration) Rubrics for graphing

EXPECTED MODULE OUTCOMES:

PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF MODULE OUTCOMES:


Unit Flow Chart
Unit Description
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