Stars, Fire, Stars, Fire, and Candyand Candy

By: Jessica By: Jessica WestWest

EngageEngageTo engage students To engage students learning, the teacher will learning, the teacher will do a demo. This demo do a demo. This demo involves lighting a candle involves lighting a candle and allowing the and allowing the students to observe its students to observe its flame. While students are flame. While students are observing, the teacher observing, the teacher will ask the students will ask the students questions such as…questions such as…

What colors do you see What colors do you see in the flame?in the flame?

Which colors of the flame Which colors of the flame do you think are hotter?do you think are hotter?

Which colors of the flame Which colors of the flame do you think are colder?do you think are colder?

Doing this allows Doing this allows students to be students to be introduced to the introduced to the concept of heat and color concept of heat and color being directly related being directly related when it comes to starswhen it comes to stars..

ExploreExploreDuring this part of the lesson, students During this part of the lesson, students will explore the different types of stars will explore the different types of stars while also exploring the science while also exploring the science concepts involved in making rock concepts involved in making rock candy. Around the room there will be 4 candy. Around the room there will be 4 different stations. They are as follows:different stations. They are as follows:

YellowYellow

RedRed

BlueBlue

White White

At each of the stations students will At each of the stations students will make a different colored rock candy make a different colored rock candy star based on the picture and star based on the picture and description of the star given. While description of the star given. While doing this they will also be writing doing this they will also be writing down on a worksheet what the star down on a worksheet what the star looks like, its temperature, and an looks like, its temperature, and an example of that star.example of that star.

After making the rock candy they will After making the rock candy they will have to wait 3 or 4 days for the crystals have to wait 3 or 4 days for the crystals to form. As they form the teacher will to form. As they form the teacher will discuss why the crystals form.discuss why the crystals form.

Rock Candy Continued...Rock Candy Continued...Station 1: Yellow (SUN)Station 1: Yellow (SUN)

At this station there will be pictures of yellow stars followed by a description. For At this station there will be pictures of yellow stars followed by a description. For example:example:

Our own Sun is classified as a yellow dwarf star. It has a surface temperature of Our own Sun is classified as a yellow dwarf star. It has a surface temperature of about 5,800 Kelvin causing most of the light we see to be yellow. about 5,800 Kelvin causing most of the light we see to be yellow.

Station 2: Red (Garnet Sidus & alpha Tauri)Station 2: Red (Garnet Sidus & alpha Tauri)

Again there will be pictures of red stars. Example:Again there will be pictures of red stars. Example:

The most common stars in the Universe are the tiny red dwarf stars. These stars The most common stars in the Universe are the tiny red dwarf stars. These stars have a surface temperature of less than 3,500 Kelvin, and this is why they appear have a surface temperature of less than 3,500 Kelvin, and this is why they appear red to our eyes. This color is also seen in red giant stars which are larger in size red to our eyes. This color is also seen in red giant stars which are larger in size and they are still colder.and they are still colder.

Station 3: Blue (Sirius & Vega)Station 3: Blue (Sirius & Vega)

At this station there will be pictures of blue stars. Example:At this station there will be pictures of blue stars. Example:

The hottest stars are the blue stars. These start at temperatures of about 10,000 The hottest stars are the blue stars. These start at temperatures of about 10,000 Kelvin, and the biggest, hottest blue supergiants can be more than 40,000 Kelvin. Kelvin, and the biggest, hottest blue supergiants can be more than 40,000 Kelvin. In fact, there’s so much energy coming off the surface of a blue star that many In fact, there’s so much energy coming off the surface of a blue star that many could actually be classified as ultraviolet stars, it’s just that our eyes can’t see that could actually be classified as ultraviolet stars, it’s just that our eyes can’t see that high into the spectrum. high into the spectrum.

Station 4: White (Sirius B & IK Pegasi B)Station 4: White (Sirius B & IK Pegasi B)

At this station there will be a picture of a white stars . Example:At this station there will be a picture of a white stars . Example:

•A white dwarf is a small, very dense, hot star. When a star has just become a A white dwarf is a small, very dense, hot star. When a star has just become a white dwarf, it is hotter than 100,000 K (about 180,000 F). It then gradually cools white dwarf, it is hotter than 100,000 K (about 180,000 F). It then gradually cools then after many billions of years, it can become cooler than the Sun (which is then after many billions of years, it can become cooler than the Sun (which is about 6,000 K). about 6,000 K).

The Science Behind Rock The Science Behind Rock CandyCandy

Dissolving the sugar in the hot solution (water) and then allowing it Dissolving the sugar in the hot solution (water) and then allowing it to cool creates what's called a supersaturated solution When this to cool creates what's called a supersaturated solution When this happens, the solution is unstable, meaning that it has more sugar in happens, the solution is unstable, meaning that it has more sugar in it than can actually stay in the liquid. it than can actually stay in the liquid.

Molecule by molecule, sugar crystals in the solution will attach Molecule by molecule, sugar crystals in the solution will attach themselves to the sugary string the crystals you put on the string themselves to the sugary string the crystals you put on the string when you soaked it essentially serve as starting points and are when you soaked it essentially serve as starting points and are known as seed crystals. known as seed crystals.

As time goes by, the water evaporates very slowly from the solution , As time goes by, the water evaporates very slowly from the solution , so sugar molecules continue to come out of the remaining solution so sugar molecules continue to come out of the remaining solution and move onto the seed crystals on the string. Sugar molecules have and move onto the seed crystals on the string. Sugar molecules have a particular shape; they don't, for example, look like snow or a particular shape; they don't, for example, look like snow or diamond crystals. diamond crystals.

After millions of them layer onto the string, their shape will take a After millions of them layer onto the string, their shape will take a certain form. Even with the sugar growing at the rate of millions of certain form. Even with the sugar growing at the rate of millions of molecules per hour, it'll take a day for your crystals to be visible and molecules per hour, it'll take a day for your crystals to be visible and a week for them to use up all the sugar they can from the solution. In a week for them to use up all the sugar they can from the solution. In the end, the finished piece of rock candy will be made of about a the end, the finished piece of rock candy will be made of about a quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) molecules attached to the string. quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) molecules attached to the string.

ExplainExplainAfter their worksheets are After their worksheets are completed, students will come completed, students will come together as a whole while the together as a whole while the teacher explains the teacher explains the Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram and Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram and how stars are classified. The how stars are classified. The teacher will talk about which teacher will talk about which class stars belong to based on class stars belong to based on their temperature and color.their temperature and color.

Teaching Tips…Teaching Tips…

How are the stars classified?How are the stars classified?

Stars are actually classified Stars are actually classified based on their color, based on their color, temperature, luminosity, spectral temperature, luminosity, spectral type, and evolutionary stage. type, and evolutionary stage.

As the diagram shows Blue stars As the diagram shows Blue stars are the hottest, followed by white, are the hottest, followed by white, yellow, orange, and then red.yellow, orange, and then red.

Luminosity (L) is a measure of Luminosity (L) is a measure of how many times brighter or how many times brighter or dimmer a star is compared with dimmer a star is compared with the sun. As seen from the the sun. As seen from the diagram white dwarfs have the diagram white dwarfs have the lowest luminosity and blue giants lowest luminosity and blue giants and red super-giants have the and red super-giants have the highest luminosity. highest luminosity.

Stars are not always one type. Stars are not always one type. They move through a life cycle.They move through a life cycle.

EvaluateEvaluate

Students will be evaluated through group work. Each group will be Students will be evaluated through group work. Each group will be given a set of pictures of stars. Students will have to put the stars in given a set of pictures of stars. Students will have to put the stars in order of increasing temperature based on what they have learned order of increasing temperature based on what they have learned from the lesson. The rubric will be as follows:from the lesson. The rubric will be as follows:

3 = Correct3 = Correct

2 = Partially Correct2 = Partially Correct

1 =Incorrect1 =Incorrect

ExtendExtendDuring this part of the During this part of the lesson, students will lesson, students will be given an article be given an article about a specific star. about a specific star. Students will write up Students will write up a one paragraph a one paragraph summary describing summary describing the star.the star.

The summary will The summary will include…include…

•Stars NameStars Name

•ColorColor

•TemperatureTemperature

• Interesting FactInteresting Fact

The rubric for the The rubric for the paragraph is as paragraph is as follows:follows:

ExcellentExcellent

Good Good

+

X Needs ImprovementNeeds Improvement

Resources for articles:Resources for articles:

1. 1. http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20090401/Feature1.asp

2. 2. http://kids.yahoo.com/science/space/article/star

ResourcesResourcesStar Information:Star Information:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/startypes.shtmlstartypes.shtml

Rock candy:Rock candy:

http://candy.about.com/od/hardcandyrecipes/r/rock_candy.htmhttp://candy.about.com/od/hardcandyrecipes/r/rock_candy.htm

Flame ActivityFlame Activity

http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Space_Sciences/http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Space_Sciences/SPA0007.htmlSPA0007.html

Color of a star songColor of a star song::

http://www.kidsknowit.com/educational-songs/play-educational-song.php?song=The%20Color%20of%20A%20Star

ReflectionsReflectionsOverall the lesson went great. More time would have been great as usual. The students seemed really excited about the lesson and loved the rock candy!

Taking the time to prepare the lesson and then actually do it in the classroom was a great experience and really helped me see what I needed to fix.

ReflectiReflectionsons

I presented this lesson at Pine Island Elementary School on March presented this lesson at Pine Island Elementary School on March 2323rdrd In Mrs. Schultz’s 3 In Mrs. Schultz’s 3rdrd grade classroom and finished it on March grade classroom and finished it on March 2626thth..

Overall the lesson went great. We had time for everything except for Overall the lesson went great. We had time for everything except for the extend part of my lesson. The rock candy was messy but the the extend part of my lesson. The rock candy was messy but the kids had a lot of fun making it. It was great to see all the work I put kids had a lot of fun making it. It was great to see all the work I put into my lesson really come alive and to see the kids so interested in into my lesson really come alive and to see the kids so interested in it. it.

We started the rock candy on Monday and ate it on Thursday after We started the rock candy on Monday and ate it on Thursday after discussing what had happened. discussing what had happened.

Did You Know…

About 90 percent of all stars are main sequence stars and most of these are small red stars.

In the constellation Scorpius is the supergiant star Anatres which is 300 times the suns diameter and 11,000 times brighter than the sun. This is the 16th brightest star in the sky.

Stars evolve over time..