Earth and Space Sciences
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Astronomy
The hunt for other worlds
Students will research exoplanets and their properties and detection methods. Then students will use fictitious data to create a light curve of a transiting exoplanet and to calculate the exoplanet’s motion through its solar system.
- Oceans
Zone in on the ocean
Students will explore how the ocean environment changes with depth and how various organisms’ physical traits allow the organisms to thrive at different depths. Students then will discuss the benefits and limitations of the ocean zone model.
- Animals
Getting deep with the ocean’s master divers
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “A beaked whale’s nearly 4-hour-long dive sets a new record,” which describes a new record for longest dive by a marine mammal, set by the Cuvier’s beaked whale. A version of the story, “Whale’s breathtaking dive impresses,” can be found in the November 7, 2020 issue of Science News.
- Science & Society
Get to know the SN 10
Students will answer questions about a scientist featured on Science News’ SN 10: Scientists to Watch list, which explores the work of 10 early- and mid-career researchers who are tackling some of science’s biggest questions.
- Space
Mission to Mars
Students will develop a design for an exploratory Mars mission to gather and study data about one aspect of Mars. The ultimate goal of the mission will be to gather data to help plan for a future human-crewed mission to Mars.
- Space
Space for research
Students will learn about the International Space Station and research done by astronauts aboard the space station, and come up with their own research question that could be explored in space.
- Microbes
Spacefaring bacteria in the spotlight
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “If bacteria band together, they can survive for years in space,” which describes an experiment on the International Space Station that suggests microbes are capable of surviving interplanetary travel. A version of the story, “Bacteria can survive for years in space,” can be found in the September 26, 2020 issue of Science News.
- Astronomy
Capturing an exoplanet family portrait
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “This is the first picture of a sunlike star with multiple exoplanets,” which describes a young solar system 300 light-years from our own. A version of the story, “A weird solar system cousin makes its photographic debut,” can be found in the August 29, 2020 issue of Science News.
- Astronomy
Why use units
To determine the purpose of units in science, students will identify and compare the units used for common outer space measurements with units typically used for Earth measurements. Then, students will think about the importance of using standard units versus relative values when describing data before creating a scaled drawing of exoplanet distances.
- Climate
Starting small to curb climate change
When it comes to fighting global warming, it’s hard to know where to start. How can individuals make meaningful contributions to this effort? This activity, designed for in-class or at-home learning, encourages students to find ways they can reduce their own carbon footprints, as well as help others work toward the same goal.
- Ecosystems
Ecological relationship status
Students will use their knowledge of interspecific interactions to explore bacterial communities on human tongue cells. Then, students will apply those concepts to create metaphors for relationships in their own community.
- Chemistry
Phase changes: cloudy with a chance of iron rain
Students will use phase diagrams to explore how changes in temperature and pressure affect a substance’s phase of matter before applying the concepts to meteorology on Earth and the exoplanet WASP 76b.
