Space Science: Myths and Misconceptions

1. Space Science: Myths and Misconceptions Dale Subaitis Henry Frazzini Jen Lewin

2. Target Audience • Middle School Teachers: Gen ed, Science, Math, Special Ed, etc. • District and State Level -ISTA: Illinois Science Teachers Assoc. -Chicago Public Schools -District 194 (suburbs) • 50-60 minutes

3. Goals and Objectives • Addressing common myths and misconceptions with space science • Earth and the Solar System • Solar weather, Earth’s seasons • Why space science is lacking in depth and breadth

4. Teacher Invitation • Are you smarter than a middle schooler? -Scripted mock game show -Teacher as a contestant using “copy”, “peek”, “phone a colleague” • Ice breaker activity to make the audience more comfortable • Models best practice: students as experts, collaboration amongst colleagues

5. Seasons: SSS Unit 2 • How does the Earth move around the sun? • How does the Earth’s movement cause the seasons (tilt vs. distance)? • Intensity of light from the Sun (angle of incidence) • Opposite seasons for Northern and Southern hemisphere (geographic bias)

6. Supporting Key Concepts • Earth travels around the Sun in a nearly circular orbit (2.2) • Earth’s tilt does not significantly change its distance from the sun (2.2) • Patterns of average temperature change (and seasons) are opposite for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (2.2)

7. Supporting Key Concepts • At the beginning of the summer, sunlight falls at a steep angle and shines most intensely on Earth’s surface (2.5) • At the beginning of winter, sunlight falls at a shallow and shines with less intensity on the Earth’s surface (2.5)

8. Solar Wind • Solar wind is constant, with occasional bursts • Modeling Solar wind with milk or water on laminated Heliosphere card • If you’re at the equator, what is the weather like? What affect does the Solar Wind have on your weather? • Does not affect seasons on Earth (does not act like wind on Earth)

9. Supporting Key Concepts • The Solar wind is a constant stream of charged particles that the sun puts out (1.3) • Solar flares release large amounts of electromagnetic energies and solar particles into space (1.4)

10. Keeping an Open Mind • Awareness of cultural/religious influence • Encourage open sharing of ideas, support individual thinking! • Anyone seen the movie 2012??