We are big fans of citizen science! Of course, science is always cool, and STEM/STEAM projects are an increasing part of everyone’s work and school experiences. So understanding how science works is not just fun, but a good way to understand what is going on in the world around us all.
So we are sharing some neat science you can do, contributing toward large projects, and learning new things. Maybe you can use this today; maybe you will save it for later. As long as you enjoy some exploration and learning new things – citizen science is for you! And it is definitely something you can use to bring some good programming to your library.
Science can involve the smallest atoms or the largest distances across space. This week we are looking at some of the biggest areas of STEM work: exoplanets!
Check out the NOVA Exoplanet project and lesson plan:
“To date, scientists have identified over 4,000 exoplanets, or planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system. Studying exoplanets contributes to scientists’ understanding of the processes involved in planet formation and a planet’s potential for supporting life. In this lesson, students engage in a robust interactive lab experience to learn about the techniques scientists use to investigate planets orbiting distant stars in the Milky Way galaxy.Credits
Lesson summary
In NOVA’s Exoplanet Lab, students will play the role of Moon-based “NOVAnauts” who are on a series of missions as part of a “Galactic Resettlement Team” to rehome several displaced alien life-forms and master the same techniques scientists use to find and characterize exoplanets. Students will first engage in training modules to learn about the transit and radial velocity methods for exoplanet detection. Then they will model using simulated transit and radial velocity data to identify potential exoplanets and determine various planet properties including volume, orbital period, and mass. They will also model using transit spectroscopy to determine the composition of an exoplanet’s atmosphere. Finally, by piecing together all the evidence they have gathered, students will predict how hospitable an exoplanet might be for various aliens looking for a new home planet by matching the characteristics needed by the alien species with the conditions on the exoplanet.
Focus question: How can we find and learn about planets orbiting other stars?
Time allotment
Two to three 50-minute class periods to complete the entire lab; however, most of the lesson goals may be achieved after one round of alien rehoming (i.e., Mission 1: Plantae)
Learning objectives
- Students model using transit and radial velocity data to determine the presence of an exoplanet.
- Students analyze and interpret sample absorption spectrum data to determine the composition of an exoplanet’s atmosphere.
- Students construct an argument about whether an exoplanet might be habitable for certain life-forms.
Prep for teachers
- Refer to the NOVA Exoplanet Lab Educator Guide for an overview of the game and navigation support. It is recommended that students create a NOVA Labs account, which is free and requires only an email and will enable them to save their progress.
- Note that the videos cannot be closed, skipped, or scrubbed through unless they have been viewed at least once. At the end of each video, there is a “replay” button that replays from the beginning. Videos can always be accessed through the Training Manual, the book icon in the bottom right corner of the interface. To bypass videos and audios, skip to different missions, or select a specific task, enable the “Teacher Mode” by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T.
- The lab progresses through the six rounds of exoplanet analyses and alien resettlement missions in sequence. You may wish to limit the number of missions, assign particular missions, or let students choose particular tasks by using the Teacher Mode.
- Refer to the Teacher Mode Quick Reference to see the full list of missions and tasks.
Supplies
How else can you bring this STEM project into your library? We have some ideas to get you started:
- Set out a display of books on outer space, and some space-related scifi
- Have students/patrons look up star maps corresponding to your area
- Use graph paper to draw some constellations you can see in your current sky at night
- Use glow in the dark paint, and paint a night sky, identifying stars and planets
- If you have access to telescopes, look at the sky and identify some interesting things you can see
- Make a scale model of the solar system in your library. Have students/patrons calculate the distances things should be to be reasonably reflective of our solar system as it is.
- Write an essay about exoplanets, or a story about them – visiting? traveling? mining?
- Watch some videos from space agencies and organizations about travel to space, including plans for sending rockets to the exoplanets.