WOODLAND HILLS HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

SAS and Understanding By Design Template

Name Kowinsky Date 9/12/11 Length of Lesson 15 daysContent Area Astronomy

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STAGE I – DESIRED RESULTS
LESSON TOPIC:Light and Astronomical Tools / BIG IDEAS:
(Content standards, assessment anchors, eligible content) objectives, and skill focus)
Numbers, measures, expressions, equations, and inequalities can represent mathematical situations and structures in many equivalent forms
11.A.3.2.3:
Describe how relationships represented in models are used to explain scientific or technological concepts (e.g., dimensions of objects within the solar system, life spans, size of atomic particles, topographic maps).
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UNDERSTANDING GOALS (CONCEPTS):
Students will understand: / ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How can you choose a scale for your graphs so that the graph best represents a situation? How can we choose a scale so that the chosen scale distorts the data or misleads the reader? - Scale in Relationship to the size of the universe.

VOCABULARY: Transverse, compression, electromagnetic and mechanical waves. Electromagnetic radiation, amplitude, frequency, wavelength, atmospheric window, spectrium, magnification, brightness, resolution, reflector, refractor, newtonion, cassegrain, radio, high energy telescopes.

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STUDENT OBJECTIVES (COMPETENCIES/OUTCOMES):

I. Waves:
a. Define and give examples of a transverse and compression wave.
b. Understand that electromagnetic radiation does not need a medium to travel through.
c. Measure the number of wavelengths in a given wave.
d. Calculate the frequency of a wave.
II. Electromagnetic Spectrum:
a. Label the electromagnetic spectrum:
b. Define an atmospheric window. Identify the types of radiation is blocked by our atmosphere and which radiation makes it through.
c. Apply the concept of optical windows to astronomical observing.
i. Example: x-ray telescopes need to be deployed in space to observe, since our atmosphere blocks x-rays.
d. Define spectra and discuss why separating light into spectra is important for astronomy.
III. Optical Telescopes:
a. Use the magnification equation to calculate the magnification of optical telescopes with eyepieces.
b. Compare and contrast reflectors with refractors
c. Draw ray diagrams of Refractors, Newtonian reflectors, and Cassegrain reflectors.
d. Identify why astronomers do not make refracting objective lenses larger than around 1 meter.
e. Discuss how our atmosphere affects the resolution of a telescope.
f. Identify and discuss the locations astronomers prefer to place optical telescopes.
g. Understand the larger the objective size, the fainter the objects one can see.
h. List examples of optical telescopes (Hubble Space Telescope HST, Keck I and Keck II, Gemini)
IV. Radio Telescopes:
a. Explain how a radio telescope works
b. Define an interferometer array
c. List examples of telescopes and arrays (Arecibo, the VLA, and the VLBA)
d. Identify and discuss the locations astronomers prefer to place radio telescopes
V. High-energy telescopes:
a. Explain how x-ray, gamma ray, and ultraviolet telescopes work.
b. Discuss where high-energy telescopes need to be placed in order to properly observe.
c. Discuss what type of objects x-ray telescopes are used to observe.
d. List examples of high-energy telescopes (X-ray: Chandra, UV: Extreme ultraviolet explorer)
Students will be able to:
STAGE II – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
PERFORMANCE TASK:Classwork
Homework
Tests/Quizzes
Labs
Warm-ups/Exit Slips
Formative assessments / OTHER EVIDENCE:
STAGE III: LEARNING PLAN
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:
(Active Engagement, Explicit Instruction, Metacognition, Modeling, Scaffolding)
Presentation, discussion, pre-lab, laboratory experiments, actvities
MINI LESSON:
Warm-up: Optical Telescopes, draw a refractor. Are their limitations to a refractor?
Video – Monte Python
Guided Notes: Refractor Telescopes
- Refractor in Observatory
- Max size of a refractor
- Refracting Telescope Properties
Exit Slip: What is the max size of a refractor? / MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:
Overhead/Board/Promethean board
Lab material/equipment
Power of Ten video
Challenger Video
Moon Landing Video
Math Worksheets 1-4
Scale Activity Worksheet
Scientific Notation Quiz / INTERVENTIONS:
Preferential seating
Cooperative work
Guided notes
Modified tests / ASSIGNMENTS:
Classwork
Homework
Tests/Quizzes
Labs
Warm-ups/Exit Slips
Formative assessments