Stellar Fingerprints: the Spectra of Stars

Designed by School Power...NaturallySM, this lesson familiarizes advanced earth science and physics learners about the variables that affect our supply of solar energy. They examine gas spectra and perform calculations. There is an...

Ever made solar s'mores? Or recreated the solar system using peanuts? Astronomers young and old investigate all things solar using a variety of activities. Explore how the sun works, types of light it emits, and methods of charting the...

Get ready to spark interest in electromagnetic radiation! This resource shares nine indelible inquiries that you can choose from to ignite understanding of spectra and the relationship between light and heat. The assessments that follow...

Young scholars discover how scientists learn so much about stars by the amount and color of light they emit.  In this astronomy lesson, students create a spectroscope and a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to learn more about the properties...

Students become familiar with the variables that control Earth's solar energy supply. They explore the source and nature of solar energy, the genesis of radiation, and the structrue of the Sun, gas spectra are observed and sample...

Young scientists observe the spectra of elements and compare that to the Doppler effect. Hook scholars from the beginning all the way to the extension activities in this 5E-format lesson. 

In this spectral composition of stars activity, students use data collected by a spectroscope to compare the stellar spectra to a standard for 5 stars. Students compare the spectral lines to the temperatures of the stars.

Young scholars investigate the distance of stars. In this solar system instructional activity, students explore a virtual world in Second Life that will allow them to collect information about star distances, mass, and color. Young...

By measuring the wavelength, frequency, and intensity of electromagnetic radiation, scientists determine the temperature, density, and composition of far away items. Scholars rotate through ten lab stations using a spectroscope at each...

Using spectroscopes, high school astronomy, physics, or chemistry learners observe emission spectra from several different sources. This stellar NASA-produced lesson plan provides terrific teacher's notes and a student handout. Make sure...