Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Book reports due
Book reports are due.
Many papers are graded, grades are computed except for sundials. We may grade these in class as we begin researching our planet reports. TBA
Many papers are graded, grades are computed except for sundials. We may grade these in class as we begin researching our planet reports. TBA
Monday, November 22, 2004
Create your own Solar System, Day 2
After your solar system is created, then we will learn a little bit about exoplanets.
We will explain how to find the transfer orbit time between one planet and the next. (extra credit.)
We will explain how to find the transfer orbit time between one planet and the next. (extra credit.)
Friday, November 19, 2004
Book report reminders
This was posted a couple of months ago.
6. Library Book Report :
Fiction
Synopsis of plot
Identify antagonist and protagonist
What is the primary crisis and how is it resolved?
Identify science ideas as factual or as fictional (5-10 ideas) be specific
Opinion of readability
Nonfiction
Grade level analysis of reading level
Topic outline
Favorite part
Up to Date?
Useful as a reference or as background reading
6. Library Book Report :
Fiction
Synopsis of plot
Identify antagonist and protagonist
What is the primary crisis and how is it resolved?
Identify science ideas as factual or as fictional (5-10 ideas) be specific
Opinion of readability
Nonfiction
Grade level analysis of reading level
Topic outline
Favorite part
Up to Date?
Useful as a reference or as background reading
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Create Your Own Planet
Your task is to create a believeable planet including its measurable characteristics.
Minimalistic "C-level" How Do I Get Out Of This With The Least Amount Of Effort And Keep My Self Respect Version
Design a planet's orbit by drawing an ellipse as we did in class. Label the planet on the orbit. Give it a name. Mark where its sun is in the solar system.
Measure or calculate (show all work) the orbit's semi-major axis (a), semi-minor axis (b), focus-to-center distance (c), perihelion (p), aphelion (ap) and eccentricity (e).
Assume 10 cm = 1 Astronomical unit. Write the semi-major axis in terms of AUs. Calculate the orbital period of the planet using Kepler's Third Law.
Decide on the planet's axial tilt. It can be any angle from 0 to 90 degrees.
Pick whether you want your planet to be earthlike or like Jupiter.
Decide how fast you want the planet to spin. Use a reasonable value based on patterns seen in the real solar system.
Draw a picture of the planet.
Describe its weather over the course of a year. For planets with very elliptical orbits, the distance to the sun will dominate the weather. For planets with circular orbits (or nearly so), the axial tilt will dominate the weather.
Decide if the planet has moons, and if so, how many.
Refuse to get stuck just because I'm not there to hold your hand.
Attach everything together and turn it in.
How Do I Get A Good Grade like an "A" Version
Do everything above, and add the following details:
How many "days" does this planet have in its "year"?
Mark the orbit to show the position of the planet for the seasons it has.
Add more than one planet to the system, do all the calculations for both. Or add several.
How Can I Really Impress The Teacher Version
Do everything above plus...
Research real extrasolar planets and make your model mimic one of these real star systems. www.exoplanets.org
Use graphs to establish the patterns you use to make up values.
Create an unusual solar system (3-dimensional orbits, planet orbiting another planet (like Yavin in Star Wars Episode V) and so on.
Minimalistic "C-level" How Do I Get Out Of This With The Least Amount Of Effort And Keep My Self Respect Version
Design a planet's orbit by drawing an ellipse as we did in class. Label the planet on the orbit. Give it a name. Mark where its sun is in the solar system.
Measure or calculate (show all work) the orbit's semi-major axis (a), semi-minor axis (b), focus-to-center distance (c), perihelion (p), aphelion (ap) and eccentricity (e).
Assume 10 cm = 1 Astronomical unit. Write the semi-major axis in terms of AUs. Calculate the orbital period of the planet using Kepler's Third Law.
Decide on the planet's axial tilt. It can be any angle from 0 to 90 degrees.
Pick whether you want your planet to be earthlike or like Jupiter.
Decide how fast you want the planet to spin. Use a reasonable value based on patterns seen in the real solar system.
Draw a picture of the planet.
Describe its weather over the course of a year. For planets with very elliptical orbits, the distance to the sun will dominate the weather. For planets with circular orbits (or nearly so), the axial tilt will dominate the weather.
Decide if the planet has moons, and if so, how many.
Refuse to get stuck just because I'm not there to hold your hand.
Attach everything together and turn it in.
How Do I Get A Good Grade like an "A" Version
Do everything above, and add the following details:
How many "days" does this planet have in its "year"?
Mark the orbit to show the position of the planet for the seasons it has.
Add more than one planet to the system, do all the calculations for both. Or add several.
How Can I Really Impress The Teacher Version
Do everything above plus...
Research real extrasolar planets and make your model mimic one of these real star systems. www.exoplanets.org
Use graphs to establish the patterns you use to make up values.
Create an unusual solar system (3-dimensional orbits, planet orbiting another planet (like Yavin in Star Wars Episode V) and so on.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Ellipse Lab Part II, continues.
We continue with the Ellipse lab.
Those students finished with part II proceed to part III, which is demonstrated in class.
Those students who need help will get it to finish part II.
Those students finished with part II proceed to part III, which is demonstrated in class.
Those students who need help will get it to finish part II.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Ellipse lab Part II
Kepler's Laws of planetary motion.
We'll start with a handout and continue from there.
I. Demonstrated.
2. Video demo.
3. Mini-lab on orbital period and semi-major axes, using Fathom.
We'll start with a handout and continue from there.
I. Demonstrated.
2. Video demo.
3. Mini-lab on orbital period and semi-major axes, using Fathom.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
No school today.
Great Article on Global Warming
This article gives a great view of how journalism distorts science.
http://www.cjr.org/issues/2004/6/mooney-science.asp
http://www.cjr.org/issues/2004/6/mooney-science.asp
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Ellipse Lab Part I
We learn to draw ellipses and how to compute some of their characteristics including
semi-major axis
eccentricity
perihelion
aphelion
semi-major axis
eccentricity
perihelion
aphelion
Friday, November 05, 2004
Moon test
We took a closed notes test about the moon.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Practice Test for the moon unit
We'll take a practice test for the moon unit today.
Practice test is now online at this address:
Click here for practice test.
If the link doesn't work, go to the class home page and look for a direct link there.
After that, you can prepare notes for use on the test. The test will be Friday.
Practice test is now online at this address:
Click here for practice test.
If the link doesn't work, go to the class home page and look for a direct link there.
After that, you can prepare notes for use on the test. The test will be Friday.
Monday, November 01, 2004
End of the Moon Unit
Our last lesson is on tides.
Tides are caused by a differential pulling on the earth by the moon's gravity. We will explain why there are 2 high tides a day instead of just one. The Terms Spring Tide and Neap Tide will be defined.
We will also have a lesson/worksheet on the size of the earth compared to the moon based on a former student's photograph of a lunar eclipse.
Papers will be returned, grade calculations shared.
The moon unit is complete!
Tides are caused by a differential pulling on the earth by the moon's gravity. We will explain why there are 2 high tides a day instead of just one. The Terms Spring Tide and Neap Tide will be defined.
We will also have a lesson/worksheet on the size of the earth compared to the moon based on a former student's photograph of a lunar eclipse.
Papers will be returned, grade calculations shared.
The moon unit is complete!
