Color of Stars Properties of Dust Super Gelatin Astro-Madness Delta, Delta, Delta Hot Air Spectroscope Mirror, Mirror

Subject: Physical Science
Grade Level: 9-12

Materials You Will Need

• Computer running an Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Safari)


• StarDate radio program scripts (online or in print)


• Observing proposal abstracts

Guides and Worksheets
Download, print and photocopy these lesson documents for your class.

Teacher lesson plan 49 K
Proposal criteria 32 K
Introduction to the activity 25 K
Telescopes and Instruments table 60 K
Letter template 52 K
Observing proposal abstracts 40 K

Overview
This activity acquaints the students with the telescopes and instruments available at an astronomical observatory: McDonald Observatory. Astronomers apply for observing time on research telescopes. They must communicate their research objectives clearly and concisely to members of the McDonald Observatory Telescope Allocation Committee. Based on an astronomer's research proposal, the TAC will decide who observes on what telescope at what time.

Note: We strongly recommend that students do "Astro-Madness" before "Tic TAC".

What Students Do
Students create a research proposal evaluation rubric, write letters to fictious researchers to explain why their proposals were rejected, and write a critique about how they would improve their evaluation rubric.

*TEKS are Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. For more information, visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/.