Earth Science: The Sun-Earth Relationship

Teacher's Lesson Plan:

Earth Science: The Sun-Earth Relationship

An earth sciences lesson about the Sun, sunspots, solar cycles and the periodic effects of the Sun on the Earth, with an included worksheet.

Group size:

One or many students

Objectives:

• To become aware generally of the Sun, sunspots, solar cycles and the periodic effects of the Sun on the Earth.
  
  
• To comprehend the breadth of the Sun's impact on the Earth environment.
  
  
• To identify the main features and/or regions of the Sun.
  
  
• To become aware of solar cycle studies.
  
  
• To become familiar with the energy nature of sunspots.
  
  
• To become aware of the potential for negative effects from solar energy.
  
  
• To understand how Earth's atmosphere protects animals and plants.
  
  
• To appreciate historically the degree of difficulty in understanding the variable relationship between Sun and Earth.

Activities:

Reading about the Sun, sunspots, solar cycles and the periodic effects of the Sun on the Earth.

Referring to charts and diagrams of periodic sunspots and solar cycles.

Class or group discussion about:


• The history of solar cycles.
• The range of the solar cycles.
• The breadth of the periodic effects of the Sun on the Earth.
• The main features and regions of the Sun.
• The energy nature of sunpots.
• The protective atmosphere surrounding Earth.
• The difficulties scientists and engineers have encountered in preparing for cyclical changes in systems on Earth as affected by the solar cycle.

After discussion and reading, individuals should complete a worksheet

Materials:

For each student:


• Access to the Internet via ISP and web browser
• Access to a science book or an elementary earth sciences or physical science text (optional or see online resources below)
• Worksheet (print the worksheet at the bottom of this page)
• Pencils, pens or markers

For lesson:


• Information, charts, diagrams and images of the Sun, solar cycles and sunspots (see online resources below).

Procedure:

Have each student:

Visit Space Today Online
www.spacetoday.org

Read "The Sun: Sunspots and Other Solar Mysteries"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/Sun.html


"Sunspots Peak at Solar Maximum"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/Sunspots.html

"Solar Tornadoes As Wide As The Earth"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/SolarTornadoes.html

"What Is a Space Weather Forecast?"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/SpaceWx.html

"Magnetic Fields Superheat the Sun"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/MagneticSuperheat.html

"Learn More About the Sun and Sunspots"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Sun/SunLinks.html

Optional reading about spectrometers and the electromagnetic spectrum:

Read "Electromagnetic Spectrum and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory"
www.spacetoday.org/DeepSpace/Telescopes/GreatObservatories/Chandra/ChandraSpectrum.html

Read "Understanding Space Technology: Spectrometers"
www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Spectrometers/Spectrometers.html


Refer to these online resources:

Exploring the Sun:


• Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
  • SOHO NASA
  • SOHO ESA
  • SOHO Artwork
  • Solar mystery solution SOHO data
• TRACE
• POLAR
• ACE
• IMAGE
• CLUSTER
• WIND
• GEOTAIL
• Spartan 201c exploring the corona
• Earth Observer 1
  
  
Sunspots:


• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
  • Maximum Peak 11-Year Solar Cycle
  • Pictures of Solar Maximum
  • Space Weather Sources
  • Sun-Earth Connection
  • Living with a Star
  • ISTP
  • Sun information and Solar anatomy
  • Solar Flare Theory
• NOAA
  • The Space Environment Center NOAA
  • Space Weather Primer NOAA
  • Effects on Earth of Radiation from the Sun NOAA
  • Effects of the Sun on Radio Waves NOAA
  • NOAA SEC
  • Solar-Terrestrial Glossary NOAA
• NASA
  • Solar Data Analysis Center
• Space Weather News
  
  
Solar astronomy:


• Stellar, Galactic & Extragalactic Astronomy Ohio State University
• Sea of Galilee Astrophysical Observatory
• University of St. Andrews
  • St. Andrews Physics and Astronomy Dept.
  
  
The Sun and planets:


• The Sun
• Introduction to The Nine Planets
  
  
Deep space energy sources:


• X-ray Astronomy High-Energy Universe Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility Science Center
• Supernovas Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics
• Black Holes Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics
• Star Clusters National Geographic
• Constellations in the Night Sky National Geographic
  
  
Space agencies:


• NASA
  • Goddard Space Flight Center
• NOAA
• European Space Agency
  
  
Electromagnetic spectrum charts and diagrams:


NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Dept. of Defense Joint Spectrum Center

Johns Hopkins University

Rutgers University

University of Illinois NCSA Cyberia

Lakehead University Canada

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

NoRad Corp


Electromagnetic spectrum descriptions:


NASA Goddard Space Flight Center [Imagine] Measuring the electromagnetic spectrum

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center [Legacy] The electromagnetic spectrum

Gondar Design Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum

University College London Bands of the electromagnetic spectrum

University of Illinois NCSA Cyberia All about spectra

Science Hypermedia Spectroscopy


Electromagnetic spectrum definitions:


Federal Standard Glossary of Telecommunications Terms

National Telecommunications and Information Administration Electromagnetic Spectrum


Electromagnetic radiation explained:


Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Electromagnetic radiation

Science Hypermedia Electromagnetic Radiation


Tools:


Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Electromagnetic spectrum calculator

Martindale's Physics Calculators



In class or group discussion:


• Ask what sunspots are.
• Ask students to describe sunspots.
• Ask what the sunspot cycle is.
• Ask who discovered the sunspot cycle.
• Ask students to describe solar cycles.
• Ask students to compare the known solar cycles.
• Ask why we care about sunspots and their cycle.
• Ask how knowledge of solar cycles has been put to use.
• Ask how lack of precise understanding of sunspots affected the human population on Earth during the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Ask how recent understanding of the solar cycle and new knowledge of sunspot activity will benefit the human population on Earth in the the 21st century .
• Ask about the difficulty in understanding various regions of, and activities seen on, the Sun.
• Ask students to imagine how future human residents of Mars might have a different relationship with the Sun.

Have a student or students:


• Show where sunspots are on the Sun.
• Explain how we know there is a solar cycle.
• Discuss who the important discoverers and investigators of the sunspot cycle have been.
• Define the Sun, sunspots, and solar cycles.
• Talk about how human engineers have overcome the periodic effects of the Sun on the Earth.
• Differentiate among the various kinds of electromagnetic energy radiated by the Sun.

Explain:


• Why it is so difficult to defend earthlings and their mechanical and electrical systems from the negative effects of solar energy overload.
• How Earth's atmospheric layers protect animals, plants and systems.


Have students identify in the right column of their worksheets the important Sun and Earth terms in the left column:

Worksheet
A INDEX
ASTRONOMICAL UNIT
AURORA
CHROMOSPHERE
CORONA
COSMIC RAY
D REGION
E REGION
F REGION
FILAMENT
FLARE
GAMMA RAYS
GAUSS
GEOMAGNETIC STORM
GEOSYNCHRONOUS
GRANULATION
GREEN LINE
H-ALPHA
IONOSPHERE
K INDEX
LIMB
LOOP PROMINENCE
MAGNETOPAUSE
MAGNETOSPHERE
PENUMBRA
PHOTOSPHERE
PLASMA
PROMINENCE
QUIET
RADIO EVENT
SMOOTHED NUMBER
SOLAR CYCLE
SOLAR MAXIMUM
SOLAR MINIMUM
SOLAR WIND
SUNSPOT GROUP
SUNSPOT NUMBER
UMBRA
WOLF NUMBER
X-RAY BURST

Appropriate answers for this worksheet can be found at www.sec.noaa.gov/info/glossary.html

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