Cosmology
Planetarium

Objectives

Green (Earth Literacy Goals)

1. Students will have a virtual experience of the universe story.

2. Students will learn what a planetarium is and can show.

3. Students will learn to identify three astronomical phenomena in this region’s sky.

4. Students will learn to identify three astronomical bodies that are visible in our sky.

5. Students will connect the astronomical information to the universe story.

 

ESL

1. Students will learn about the American culture fascination with science.

2. Students will learn to report on field experiences.

3. Students will practice questioning for specific academic information outside of a classroom setting.

4. Students will practice using written information to interpret displays and demonstrations.

5. Students will gain some of the basic cultural references that children gain in our educational system.

6. Students will practice note taking from demonstrations and tour guides.

 

Materials

Teacher Preparation

• Inform your chairperson in writing of the details of the trip.

• Students must fill out and turn in to you a release form (see copy) prior to participation. You must have those for every person who goes. So if a spouse of a student goes along, at your discretion, that person will have to sign a release. This is necessary for college liability issues. You must keep these on file. Take extra blank ones along with you in case a student has a last minute change of heart and shows up.

You should NOT allow students to participate without the releases.

• Contact the museum at least two weeks in advanced.

  • Current contact person is Ms Shirley Winn at 305.646.4222

  • Call 305.646.4400 for show times.

  • She can arrange a program that is suitable for your group, arrange the time and fill in on changes that have occurred that are not written here.

  • Groups are preferably 20+ but may be smaller for colleges.

  • Student rates for entrance to museum and all shows is $6.50 and teachers are free. Two teachers per 10 students are permitted to enter free. Other adults are $8.

  • If you can arrange to go in the afternoon, there is less contact with other groups from K-12, which are usually there between 10 and 1.

  • The planetarium personnel have indicated a willingness to show a planetarium show on request. They have said that there is usually one show on the cosmos.

  • Shows run from 30 to 45 minutes. If you wish to tour the museum that can be arranged or students may be allowed to spend their own time in with the displays.

  • Current relevant shows are:

    • The New Cosmos

    • Child of the Universe

  • Inform students of the cost of the entrance $6.50 and of the (optional) Field Guide to the Universe that is available from the museum store for $6.00. It has much useful information and can be helpful not only with this experience but also with Powers of Ten and other experiences.

Steps

• Students view the Planetarium show and (optionally) a tour of the museum

• When the Planetarium show is over students should be instructed to take 15 minutes or so to write down ideas, data, notes that would be useful for later reference. Tell them to include:

  • Identify three astronomical phenomena in the South Florida sky

  • Identify three astronomical bodies that are visible in our sky

  • (If the unit on the story of the universe has been done by this time, ask students to connect the astronomical information to the universe story)

• If you include the tour of the museum, students should be instructed to ask the guide questions and take notes on what they learn/see during the tour.

•  You can follow-up with students turning in a summary of their notes at the next class meeting. The notes themselves could be collected and viewed also.

Students will need to bring

• paper and pencils/pens.

• notebooks

• $6.50 entrance fee

Time

1 hour for the planetarium, time in the museum is flexible.

Steps/procedures

Some general understanding of the term cosmology is necessary. So begin with the simple definition. There might be some students who wish to discuss it from a religious perspective, and be prepared to focus on the science behind the ideas.

Activity 1

Show the PowerPoint presentation “The Everything Seed: A Story of Beginnings” by Joy Toyer

The following questions will direct the initial discussion

1. What was your initial reaction?

2. What was the point of the presentation?

3. What does this tell us about our place in the universe?

If you have already shown the “Powers of Ten Video” then ask these questions:

1. What did you notice was thematically the same?

2. How which do you prefer and why?

3. What is the message in relationship cosmology in both?

4. What point is the human situated in the two?

5. Would you show these to your children?

Activity 2

Students will write a short reaction to the presentation and will enter it into their journals or turn it in at the professor’s discretion.

 

Vocabulary

Resources: