Star Light, Star Bright, Let’s Explore Light

Using CELEST Brightness Lab In Middle School Astronomy

Grade 7 Science

From the earliest civilizations, humans have gazed at the heavens and wondered….

Humans have created technologies to explore what their eyes could

see…

and pursued scientific inquiry to understand the mysteries of the lights

in the sky.

Module StandardsNJ Core Curriculum Standards

5.1 Scientific Processes

5.3 Mathematical Applications

5.4 Nature and Process of Technology

5.5 Characteristics of Life

5.7 Physics

5.9 Astronomy and Space Science

Essential Questions

What are the properties of light?How does the human nervous system process light?How has technology aided our understanding of light?Can we apply our understanding of light to explore the cosmos?What new discoveries and applications can we imagine?

Key Concepts

Light ….

…stimulates the human optical system

…shapes human perceptions of the universe

…is electromagnetic energy

…can be converted to other forms of energy

…can be measured

…can be reflected, refracted, diffracted, and scattered

…is emitted by stars

…travels through the vacuum of space

…is the C in E=MC2

…has technological applications

Components

FocusDoes the human optical system function like a digital camera?

Can you use your eyes to adjust brightness like a computer imaging program?

ExploreCELEST Brightness Lab

Activity centers for reflection, refraction, diffraction, and scattering

ReflectHow does the human brain see?

What are the energy transformations in the human optical system that allow sight?

ApplyUse the brightness illusion to design …

A new product package

A poster for a charitable cause

Signage to aid the vision impaired

How This Fits Into an Astronomy Unit

Pre-Module Project

Seasonal Change Journal

Weeks 1-3

Latitude, Longitude, Time

Earth-Sun Relationships

Plant Responses to Light

Weeks 4-6

Properties of Light

The Stars

Light and Earth’s Atmosphere

Weeks 7-9

Mission to Mars

Post-Module Project

Constellation Journal

Time Frame: 9-Week Module, 60-minute daily class period

ToolsPrisms

Mirrors

Lenses

Light meters

Spectroscopes

Digital cameras

Laptop computers

AssessmentsObservation

Interactive notebooks

Lab report

Projects

Quizzes

Unit Test

StrategiesIndependent work

Collaborative work

Simulations

Modeling

Investigation

Experimentation

Reflection

Primary research

Secondary research

Humanities ConnectionsMatsuoka Shiki-Various Haiku

Ray Bradbury- Dark They Were and Golden Eyed

Henry David Thoreau- Walden

Legends of Native American Tribes

Gutav Holst- The Planets

Van Gogh- Starry Night

Social StudiesPhysical Geography Themes

Coming to Eisenhower Middle School

Wyckoff, New Jersey

September 2007