Earth Science Projects

Summary of Projects

Expanding Universe Demonstration

Summary:

A common analogy used to model the Universe is the balloon model. Stickers stuck on the surface of a balloon represent galaxies in our Universe and the balloon itself represents space. When the balloon is blown up, it simulates how space between the galaxies is thought to be expanding. (Note that the galaxies are not all on the outside of the Universe as the balloon analogy suggests.)

Project Timing:

30 minutes

Materials:

• Black or white balloon

• White or coloured circular stickers

• Black felt pen

• String

• Ruler

Procedure:

• Draw and label galaxies of different shapes and sizes on separate stickers.

• Blow up the balloon to a diameter of about 22cm, and stick the galaxy stickers all over the balloon.

• Shrink the balloon to about 10cm.

• Use the string and ruler to measure the distances between the labelled galaxies.

• Blow the balloon up fully to demonstrate how space is thought to be expanding.

Measure the new distances between the galaxies. Tabulate your results for easy comparison. 

Project Submission:

Make a short video or take photographs of this simulation and submit it to the project dropbox along with the measurements you tabulated.

Science Fiction!

Summary:

Students will create a fictional narrative on the beginning of time. Use their scientific knowledge of the Big Bang Theory they will go back into time to when it occurred and write a letter, an advertisement or Reality Show pitch by a TV announcer!

Project Timing:

Will vary depending on the student and method chosen for presentation.

Materials:

• Computer and Internet Access
• Power Point or a web based presentation tool such as Google Slides or Prezzie

Procedure:

Students pretend that they are traveling to the beginning of the universe when the Big Bang took place. Students have a few options to choose from and can make their story as creative as they’d like based on what they have learned about the Big Bang Theory. Suggested options are given below:

Role: Science Student

Audience: Your Science Teacher

Format: First Person Letter

Topic: Adventures travel through space and time and the beginning of the Universe.

______________________________________________________________________________

Role: NASA Scientist

Audience: NASA Administrator

Format: Formal report to your boss

Topic: Report on all observations made to the beginning of the universe

_______________________________________________________________________________

Role: Travel Agent

Audience: General public

Format: Advertising commercial for a trip back in time to the beginning

Topic: Book the most exciting summer vacation ever!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Role: TV announcer

Audience: People at home

Format: Reality TV – can be written or presented orally 

Topic: Exciting unexpected obstacles during time travel – who can outlast the competition?!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Project Submission:

Submit your story or letter electronically or hand-in the hard copy to your instructor.

The Big Bang or...?

Summary:

The following activity allows students to investigate and compare different theories about the beginning of the Universe.

Project Timing:

Will vary

Materials:

• Research facilities and resources (Internet or library)

• Recording materials

Procedure:

1. Form groups of four or five students or work individually.

2. Choose and research information about one of the theories that describe the beginning of the Universe. If you are working in groups, each group should have a different theory.

3. Research the evidence that supports your theory.

4. Decide on how you want to present the case for the validity your theory to the other groups or to your instructor. Communicate your presentation plan to your instructor before you begin to get their approval. 

5. If you are working in groups, the groups can then vote on which theory was best supported and best presented. You might like to agree on the assessment criteria you could use to judge each group.

Some theories to examine:

• Steady State

• Big Bang

• Quasi-Steady State

• Cosmic Inflation

• Religious Cosmology

• Metaphysical Cosmology

Some websites to get you started:

•  American Institute of Physics: https://www.aip.org/
•  British Institute of Physics: https://www.iop.org/
•  AllAboutScience.org: https://www.big-bang-theory.com/
•  Whirlpool Galaxy M51: https://www.cbc.ca (NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage team, Dark Matter)
• Skwirk Educational Content for Students: https://skwirk.com/

Project Submission:

Determine with your instructor how the project will be submitted for evaluation.

The Universe in a Year

Summary:

Represent the 15 billion year history of the Universe as dates on a one-year calendar. Watch the video below by the  , Carl Sagan, the American Astronomer who popularized the study of the Universe.

Project Timing:

Will vary

The Calendar of Time

January 1 Big Bang

              5 First stars are born

              20 First galaxies form

March.     The Milky Way Galaxy forms

September. The Solar System forms – The Sun, planets, asteroids, moons

October.       First single celled organisms

November.   First multi-celled organisms

December 19  First animals with shells and hard parts  

                   20 First vertebrates

                   21 Life still confined to the sea, seaweed is the only plant

                   22 First signs of land plants and animals

                   23 First insects and spiders

                   24 Amphibians dominant

                   26 Mammals & reptiles appear

                   27 Dinosaurs abundant, first birds appear

                   28 Dinosaurs extinct, increase in diversity of mammals of all kinds

                   31 11:50pm – Anatomically modern humans appear

Materials:

• A3 cardboard or paper

• Current calendar for reference

Procedure:

1. Draw or use a calendar to show days and months, or for a blank calendar go to the following website: https://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_act/nature/graphics/cal.html

2. Add the information from the table above to the calendar.

3. Add drawings or pictures to the calendar to make it more attractive.

If 15 billion years = one year on this calendar,

• calculate when the first stars and galaxies formed – add this to the calendar,

• calculate when our Solar System formed and add this to the calendar,

• add other significant events in the history of the Universe.

Hint: Work out what a month, day, hour and minute represent on your Calendar of Time.

4. If you are working with other students, find out what they have added to their calendars. If they have added the same events, check calculated dates are the same/correct.

5. Now draw and illustrate a timeline showing the main events in the history of the Universe. Calibrate your timeline in millions and billions of years from the present. 

Project Submission:

Upload your calendar and timeline to the project dropbox or submit a hard copy to your instructor for evaluation.

Telescopes from the Ground Up

Summary:

The knowledge of celestial bodies that we have today is based on thousands of years of observation and calculation. Observations were made a great deal easier with the invention of the telescope. The website below traces the history of telescope development and highlights the interplay between technological and scientific advances. Milestones in telescope development are highlighted in the 10 sections called ‘eras’, with specific examples included in the associated ‘telescope pages’. The biography pages provide a glimpse of the inventors and astronomers behind the telescopes. The science of light and telescopes is presented in the section ‘Get to the root of it’.

Materials:

• Internet access. Go to the ‘Telescopes from the Ground Up’ web site: https://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/groundup/

• Poster paper

• Printer

• Writing materials

Procedure:

• Work through ‘Telescopes from the Ground Up’ independently or in pairs. Note the different topics relating to telescopes and the science and history behind their development.

• Decide on a topic about telescopes for a poster that you will design.

• Think about how much text you will include and the number of diagrams that will support your text.

Note: You can only use information and diagrams from this website. Any information used must be summarised in your own words.

• Design the poster so that it provides a good summary of a topic from the website and looks interesting when pinned on the wall or presented electronically.

Project Submission: 

Submit your poster electronically or hand-in the hard copy to your instructor. 

Historical Perspectives

Summary:

The history of astronomy is long and widespread. Virtually all cultures have stories, theories, and practical uses for the celestial bodies in the night sky.

Your job is to do some research about the history of astronomy. Now, be careful, because this is a pretty big topic!

Project Timing:

Will vary depending on the topic and method chosen for presentation.

Materials:

• Computer and Internet Access
• Power Point or a web based presentation tool such as Google Slides or Prezzie if this is the method of presentation

Procedure:

Think about focusing on one historical figure or cultural group. You will be finding information about how that person or group contributed to our understanding of space.

You might choose to develop a biography of a famous astronomer. Or, you might be more interested in how a certain cultural group used the sky to guide their lives.

Once you have begun to gather information, choose a format to present this information. You may want to make a pamphlet, poster, web page, research paper, or another format that you can think of. (Be sure to check with your teacher for acceptable formats.)

Your Historical Perspectives assignment must include:

• a brief description of the person or cultural group you have selected

• a description of how that person or group influenced or was influenced by the celestial bodies

• a list of the resources you used to gather your information

Some topics you might consider researching include:

• any one of the many scientists, astronomers, or mathematicians who studied the skies

• any one of the many cultural groups who used the movements in the skies to guide their farming, hunting, and gathering processes—you can look as far away as Egypt or China, or you can examine one of the aboriginal groups right here in British Columbia

• any one of the many cultural or religious groups who related the movements of the planets and stars with the actions of the gods—describe how this understanding of space affected their daily lives

• any other related topics that you come up with (be sure to get your teacher's approval)

You will require at least two resources, which must be included in a bibliography.

Project Submission:

Upload your project to the project dropbox or submit a hard copy to your instructor for evaluation.