ASTRONOMY EVALUATION

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Hubble Deep Field

Go to the Hubble Galaxy Hunt activity. Take the time you need to explore, but when you are done, I need you to write a 3-4 paragraph reflection on your impressions, including data, statistics, and size factors.

Are We Alone? An Individual Reflectionions

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/ward.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/drake-equation.html

Arguments For/Against Aliens

The Golden Record

SETI

Lenticular Clouds

Foo Fighters

Your turn: Use the resources above to support your position on being PRO or AGAINST the possibility of alien life. You must include at least 5 pieces of evidence in your arguments.

Paragraphs 1-2: Your position, and your Evidence.

Paragraph 3-4: Implications for Human Beings

If you choose PRO on the possibility of alien life, you are telling me that you believe life exists outside of your own planet. Answer these questions, in paragraphs 3 and 4?

• Would the governments tell us if there were aliens? Why or why not? Is this a problem for science?
• Should we be sending out signals, like those of the Voyager, to advertise our existence?
• Given the constraints of the Drake equation, how likely is it we will here another civilization's signal?
• Since space is dangerous, how likely is it that aliens will be traveling long distances?
• How do you define 'life' or 'aliens'

If you choose CON on the possibility of alien life, you are telling me that you do not believe life exists outside of your own planet. Answer these questions, in paragraphs 3 and 4?

• Are there other benefits to SETI than finding aliens, or should the program be shut down?
• Why do so many people claim to have seen UFOs? Do you buy the lenticular cloud argument? What about the Foo Fighters?
• Since no other aliens have ever been announced, is the Drake equation even science? Or is it just opinion packaged as science?
• If there are no aliens, why is the universe so darn big??
• How do you define 'life' or 'aliens'?

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Poster on Science vs. Religion

Today, you (individually) will make a poster that contrasts 2 religious beliefs and a science belief about the beginning of the world. As we have said all semester, science and religion mixing can make the questions we ask more and more unclear, and is done all the time in the media, even though the fundamental purpose of each discipline is different. I am not asking you to choose which is "right" and which is "wrong" here, I am simply asking you to contrast the ideas using two of the passages below. If you use the picture at the right, pay careful attention to the timeline.

Universe SCIENCE data:http://www.universeadventure.org
http://www.universetoday.com

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/univ-flash.html

Universe RELIGION data (if you don't like any of these, use your own research):
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSIndex.html

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab83

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NIV


When you are done, on the back of the poster, please explain to me how well you believe the science and religion shown in these examples mesh, and how politics and societal views shape the arguments.Give three details to support your viewpoint.

Grading Rubric

Student includes at least 5 details about the Big Bang (1-5)
Student compares these details to a religious story (1-5)
Student compares these details to another religious story (1-5)
Student poster is effective, using an attractive visual layout (1-5)
Student paragraph of support is included, with three supporting pieces of evidence (1-9)

Origins, Hour 1

Watch the first 5 segments of the Origins web, found here


After each section, draw a sketch or mind map that hits the 3 main ideas.

Special Relativity

Special Relativity

The background

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2

Tutorial 3

Tutorial 4

Tutorial 5

Tutorial 6

Tutorial 7

GO through each tutorial and then summarize in one or two paragraphs.

Each of these tutorials focuses on a specific concept.  When you get done, you should be able to explain
*the twin paradox
*simultaneity
*length dilation
*time dilation
*special relativity

Hand in the seven paragraphs and the definitions INDIVIDUALLY when you are finished.