Extrasolar
Challenge
 Description
Norbert and Zot need
help designing a model
of their Norbanian system.
Challenge your students
to create an extrasolar
Norbania by placing exotic
worlds around the Norbanian
Sun and observing how
the worlds orbit the
Sun. The Squeak project
allows them to measure
the distance of the worlds
from the Sun and the
period of revolution
(the time it takes for
the world to orbit the
Sun). They should create
a scale for their system
using a Norbanian Astronomical
Unit (NAU). Your students
should plot their data
and take ratios to show
that their system obeys
Kepler's laws. To summarize
their work, they should
make presentations where
they discuss the advantages
of their choice of arrangement
of the worlds in Norbania.
To extend the activity,
they could take the Squeak
project apart to learn
how it works and then
try challenges 3, 4,
and/or 5. Students are
challenged to draw new
planets and replace the
old ones, find Norbert
and make him perform,
and figure out how to
add more worlds to their
Norbania.
Instructional
Objectives
The student
will
- learn the
meaning of scaling
with an engaging and
fun Squeak activity.
- plot
data and take ratios
to check their results.
- work
together cooperatively
and analyze and present
their results.
Go
to Squeak Extrasolar
Challenge Web Activity
We would
like to see examples
of your student's solutions
to challenges 3, 4, and/or
5 so we can post them
for others to see. Click
below to submit your
Squeak projects.
Submit
your solutions |
