Locating useable NASA and other data for inquiry
Locating useable NASA and other data for inquiry in Space Science Ø What and where are the best NASA (and other) data resources for engaging pre-service teachers in space science inquiry? Ø How can these data resources be used to address questions tied to science education standards? {Greg Schultz and Bill Waller} AAS/FINESSE workshop, 3 -4 January 2009
What qualities should data resources have for effective classroom use? Ø Easy to find (Hey! We have a CD!) Ø Easy to access – simple user interface. Ø Easy to manipulate – so students can do something meaningful with them; visual data, graphic data (excel). Ø Well-sampled data (in space, time, luminosity, etc. ). Ø Elicits scientific questions that can be addressed through further investigation. Ø Other qualities?
What NASA and other data resources have you found useful? Ø Write down a few space science data resources that you think lend themselves to active inquiry. Ø Share your suggestions.
Here’s What We Found (Solar System) v Solar System Simulator – more than Galilean moons! http: //space. jpl. nasa. gov. v Solar Activity – see Sunspots, SON, and Sun-Earth links on CD and http: //sohowww. nascom. nasa. gov/classroom. v Google Mars – facility for touring Martian surface. http: //www. google. com/mars/. v Cratering databases (planets and moons) – see CD and http: //www. lpi. usra. edu/lpi/sci_database. shtml. v Project Spectra @ LASP – uses planetary spectra. http: //lasp. colorado. edu/education/spectra/. v SDSS Sky. Server – plots planets and asteroids in sky. http: //cas. sdss. org/dr 6/en/proj/.
Here’s What We Found (Sky Viewing Utilities) v Sky & Telescope’s Interactive Sky. Chart – basic planetarium. http: //www. skyandtelescope. com/observing/skychart/. v Stellarium – more sophisticated planetarium program. http: //www. stellarium. org/. v Google Sky – includes DSS, infrared, and microwave imagery. http: //www. google. com/sky. v World Wide Telescope – most sophisticated viewing of sky. http: //www. worldwidetelescope. org. v Sky. View – less sophisticated but includes more databases. http: //skyview. gsfc. nasa. gov. v SDSS Sky. Server – images and spectra of stars and galaxies. http: //cas. sdss. org/dr 6/en/proj/.
Here’s what we found (Stars, Galaxies, etc. ) v “Star Count” and “Globe at Night” links at http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/citizen_science/starcount/, and http: //www. globe. gov/Ga. N/ -- how do they compare re: ease of use? v SDSS Sky. Server – images and spectra of stars and galaxies star types, galaxy types, redshifts Hubble Law, cluster properties. http: //cas. sdss. org/dr 6/en/proj/. v Hubble Deep Field folder on CD, including http: //hubblesite. org/hubble_discoveries/hubble_deep_field/. v Amazing Space – “Hubble Deep Field Academy” and “Galaxy Hunter” (also uses HDFs but with more statistics). http: //amazing-space. stsci. edu/resources/explorations/hdf/. v US National Virtual Observatory – Datascope builds on Sky. View http: //www. virtualobservatory. org/ -- oodles of data but hard to use?
Now it’s your turn! (Assess the educational value of data resources) Ø Browse the data CD and other links. Ø Select 2 data sets that relate to your state space science standards – (e. g. crater data base and impacts = non-human natural hazard) (e. g. sunspot activity = characteristics of the sun) Ø Compare and contrast these 2 data sets re: desired qualities. Ø Find scientific questions which the data set(s) can address – (e. g. What is the relationship between sunspot activity, space weather, and effects on Earth? ) (e. g. Why do some planets and moons have more craters than others? How and why does the cratering on Mars vary? ) (e. g. How do galaxy shapes, sizes, and spectra inter-relate? ).
What did you think of your resources? Ø Were they easy to find? Ø Were they easy to access – simple user interface? Ø Were they easy to manipulate – visually or graphically? Ø Did they adequately sample the parameter space? Ø Did they elicit fruitful scientific questions? Ø Other qualities?
- Slides: 8