8-12
ASTRONOMY
ACTIVITIESThe shadow of an object in sunlight can be used to determine the position of the sun. Changes in the length of the shadow relate to important changes in the day and in the seasons of the year.
Measure the length of the shadow of a meter stick in sunlight over 1-2 months.
Telecommunicate the data gathered to students in other parts of the state.
The position of the sun on the horizon at sunrise and sunset changes as the year progresses. The position of the observer can determine how different people "see" the same natural event.
Make observations of sunrise or sunset from the same location for a week or more.
Write an essay and make drawings summarizing observations.
The change in times for sunrise and sunset are predictable within the seasons.
Gather data from the newspaper on sunrise/sunset and other weather-related data.
Share data on-line with students around the state.
Make predictions based on analysis of data.
Seasons on the earth are due to the tilt of the earth's axis. In the winter the sun's radiation is spread out over a larger surface area of the earth. In the summer the energy is concentrated in a smaller area.
Experiment with the relationship of surface area to amount of sun's energy absorbed.
Model the earth/sun system and demonstrate how the tilt of the earth's axis causes the seasons.
Observations of the sun can be made that can determine the best time to plant crops.
Map the sun's changing location along the horizon over time.
Devise a sun calendar to show the preferred planting time of certain crops.
Seasonal changes in temperature and light affect crop growth and productivity. These changing conditions determine the best time to plant crops.
Grow four different food crops to determine how seasonal changes affect growth.
Calculate the altitude angle of the sun.
The sun's angle (a noon shot in celestial navigation) at its highest point in the sky can determine the latitude of the person making the measure.
Communicate latitude and longitude data with other students using Universal Time and the sun's angle at noon.
The position of the sun on the horizon at sunrise and sunset changes as the year progresses, giving rise the set of environmental variables we know as "seasons."
Gather and share data with other students about location of the sun on horizon at sunrise/sunset as it relates to other climatic variables of the seasons.