1. Region 11 MSTP Earth Science Jackson Middle School December 12, Sally Brummel, Bell Museum of Natural History Dee McLellan, Jackson Middle School

2. Agenda 8:30 -8:45 Introductions
8:45-9:45 Zoom! From Earth to the Edge of the Universe
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-10:45 Seasons activity
10:45-11:30 Geology Lesson
11:30-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:30 Geology Uniview tour
1:30-1:45 Break
1:45-2:45 Telescopes
2:45 Q&A, review, wrap-up

4. The Sun’s Energy
Objective: To analyze graphs to determine seasons based on the amount of energy the Earth receives from the Sun at different locations.
Teacher notes, a power point and student worksheets are all located on the lesson page.
Compare a graph of the Sun’s energy measured over one year in Minnesota to the same measurements in Australia. The graph for Australia 2004 is in the student worksheet of the lesson and you can make the graph for Minnesota with the instructions included here.
Link to Lesson

5. Instructions for creating your own graph
From the lesson page follow the “MY NASA DATA website” below or linked to this image.
lesson-plans/lesson-plans- elementary- educators/?page_id=474?&passi d=119
Select the “Live Access Server (Basic Edition)” on the left side of the page.
las3/UI.vm

6. Instructions for creating your own graph
Choose your data set:
1. Data set [located at the top left of the page]
2. Energy from the Sun
3. Energy from the Sun (Clear Sky)
4. Close

7. Instructions for creating your own graph
Change the following settings on the left hand side of the page.
Enter the desired latitude and longitude in the respective fields found under the map in the upper left corner of the page. To select a single location instead of a range, enter each value twice. [MN is approximately N, W]
Select “Time Series” under the Line Plots section. Select your desired date range. [Jan 2006 – Dec 2006]
Now select “Update Plot”. Found across the top of the page, right next to the Choose dataset button.
You may print the graph right from the page or save the graph to be printed later. I suggest right click and “save image as” to save graph. 3 1 2

8. Watts/meter squared Minneapolis
360 Watts/meter squared is the maximum amount of energy any place on Earth could receive from the Sun. That’s enough energy on every square meter of Earth (in daytime) to power six 60 Watt light bulbs. In Minnesota we can never get that much because the Sun is always at an angle, never directly overhead. In the winter, we get only enough energy per square meter to power one 100 Watt light bulb.
Minneapolis

9. Watts/meter squared Australia
Australia

10. Background and Extension
See “The Reason for the Seasons” for an activity including
Explanation that Earth’s tilt causes the difference
Extension to compare two datasets at one location, temperature and radiation, to see if there is a correlation.
school-educators/?page_id=474?&passid=12

11. I am going to demonstrate this with free NASA Software called Eyes on the Solar System. It combines video game technology and NASA data to create an environment for users to ride along with agency spacecraft and explore the cosmos. Screen graphics and information such as planet locations and spacecraft maneuvers use actual space mission data. It is a program you install on your computer, which also comes with Eyes on Earth and Eyes on Exoplanets. It updates with the most recent NASA data, including new comets discovered, when you open it while connected to the internet.
In the features section, you can jump right to the Mars EDL. You can play it automatically, in real time, or manipulate time to your desire. Eyes has the capability to do so much more. There are currently no lesson plans but it’s fun to fire up in the classroom and see what’s going on today! New feature following the MAVEN Launch: Mars the Red Planet

12. If you are interested you can...
NEW! TIES Immersive Learning School Residency
A month-long in-school program that offers professional development for teachers and engaging interactive experiences for students in a portable immersive learning lab. This includes formative assessment by the UMN STEM Education Center
Goal
Help school districts make an informed decision about the use of immersive learning environment
Help the UMN STEM Education Center build a body of assessment data around the use of immersive learning in formal education.
To learn more, contact us to schedule a demonstration at TIES or arrange a residency Joel Halvorson,
for more info: InforMNs.k12.mn.us/dome