Our Place in Space: Cosmic Rays

Sun in Space
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Intended Grade Level(s):
3-5
Energy Content:
Energy Fundamentals,
Light (Visible),
Solar Thermal,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
Learning Goal(s):

Students will learn how the sun affects their school by measuring the temperature at different locations around the building in the fall, winter, and spring. They will learn how to measure solar energy and look for trends in temperature and solar power over the year. These trends will then be used to investigate how energy reaches Earth from the Sun.

Unit:
Our Place in Space
Lesson Number:
1
Pedagogy & Practice:
Field Work,
Group Work/Collaboration,
Hands-on Materials,
Research-Secondary
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data,
8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Relevant NGSS PE:
3-ESS2-1,
3-ESS2-2,
4-PS3-2,
5-ESS1-1
Other Subjects Covered:
Math: Geometry,
Math: Graphing & Representation,
Math: Measurement
Estimated Activity Length:
3 hours
Files Associated with this Activity:
PDF icon OPISL1_Cosmic_Rays.pdf
Description:

NOTE: SUN PHOTOMETER SUMULATOR AT CAS.HAMPTONU.EDU SEEMS TO BE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Using a map of school buildings, students will pick four areas to monitor over the year using wireless weather stations and the Solar Power Meter. In a following lesson, students will use an online sun photometer simulator to learn how changing sun angle and atmosphere conditions lead to different voltage readouts from a photometer. With these new tools, the students will then conduct seasonal evaluation of the solar radiation around the school (Oct, Jan, April). They will learn to graph and predict areas of high or low solar radiation around the campus. 

Science Kit Material(s) Used:
Vernier LabQuest 2
Vernier Pyranometer
Other Material(s) Used:
Tmperature probe, ambient weather solar power meter, hobo temperature attachment, protractors, compasses, wood blocks at different angles