For Teachers

Minimum Recommended HOU Classroom Implementation

This is the set of activities recommended for year one TE study teachers to use with their classes. Teachers can do more with their students, and there will be more than this in their year one HOU Professional Development courses...this is just a minimum recommended set that would constitute an HOU classroom implementation (not in necessary order).

There are two variants of this listing:

Listing by concepts (TIMSS Framework) with HOU Unit/Module in parenthesis
Listing by HOU Unit/Module with concepts (TIMSS Framework) in sublist

1. Listing by concepts (TIMSS Framework) with HOU Unit/Module in parenthesis

Code: IP = Intro to Image Processing; FF = Finding Features; MS = Measuring Size; MB = Measuring Brightness; SS = Supernova Search; Tele/CCD = Telescopes and CCDs

Relative sizes among celestial objects (FF)
Common celestial objects (FF)
Characteristics of celestial bodies (FF)
Relative brightness (MB)
Constellations (SO)
Celestial coordinates (SO)
Apparent motion of celestial objects (SO, MS)
Sky Maps and Planispheres (SO)
Luminosity and Brightness (MB)
Speed of Light (MS)
Circular motion/Kepler's Laws (MS)
Gravity (MS)
Relation between Min/Max and Palette Bar (IP)
Finding and opening an image (IP, all others)
Using Display Adjustment Tools: Min/Max, Log scale, Zoom/Zoombox, Color Palette (IP, all others)
Using Slice (IP, all others)
Image Manipulation: Flip, Rotate, Shift, Resize, Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide (SS)
Understanding the basic purpose of telescopes to collect light, detect, resolve and magnify objects (Tele/CCD)
Detecting new objects (SS)
Detecting and tracking moving objects (MS, SS)
Concept of a pixel (Tele/CCD, IP)
Pixels and their coordinates (IP)
Photons (Tele/CCD)
CCD's (Tele/CCD)
Image Information (IP, all others)
Observing conditions (MB)
Concept of calibration: reference/standard stars, normalization (MB, SS)
Size/scale of images (IP, MS)
Using slice and pixel scale (MS)
Using ratio of an unknown to a known object (IP, MS)
Using coordinates and pixel scale (MS)
Conversion from angular size to linear size:using arcsecs (MS)
Using auto-aperture (MB, SS)
Using pixel counts (IP, MB, SS)
Proportional reasoning: ratios (IP, MS)
Interpreting data in various formats including graphs (all themes)

2. Listing by HOU Unit/Module with concepts (TIMSS Framework) in sublist

Intro to IP - Nominal 1.5 hr
3.1.1 Understanding relationship between Min/max & Palette Bar
3.1.2 Finding and Opening and Image
3.1.3 Using Display Adjustment tools Min/max, log,
. . . . zoom/zoom box, color palette
3.1.4 Using slice (Data Analysis tool)
4.2.2 Concept of pixel
4.2.7 Image Info
4.3.5 Size/scale of images
4.4.1 Using ratio of an unknown to a known object
4.6.3 Using pixel counts
5.2.1 Proportional reasoning: ratios
5.3.1 Interpreting data in various formats, including graphs

Finding Features - Browser's Guide - Nominal 1 hr
1.1.3 Relative Sizes Among Celestial Objects
1.2.1 Common Celestial Objects
1.2.2 Characterics of Celestial Bodies

Measuring Size

1.3.3 Apparent Motion of Celestial Objects
2.1.4 Speed of Light
2.2.1 Circular motion Kepler's Laws (basic)
2.2.2 Gravity
4.1.2 Detecting and Tracking Moving Objects
4.4.2 Using Slice and pixel scale
4.3.5 Size/scale of images
4.4.1 Using ratio of an unknown to a known object
4.4.3 Using coordinates and pixel scale
4.4.4 Conversion of angular size to linear size
. . . .(understanding arcseconds)
5.2.1 Proportional reasoning: ratios
5.3.1 Interpreting data in various formats, including graphs

Measuring Brightness /
Supernova Light Curves - Nominal 3 hours
1.2.4 Relative Brightness
2.1.3 Luminosity and Brightness (basic level)
3.1.5 Image Manipulation (Supernova)
4.1.1 Detecting New Objects
4.3.3 Observing Conditions
4.3.4 Concept of Calibration (Stardard star, reference star)
4.6.2 Using autoaperture
4.6.3 Using pixel counts
5.2.1 Proportional Reasoning
5.3.1 Interpreting data in various formats, including graphs

Telescopes/CCDs -- Nominal 1.5 hr
What is a CCD/digital image
(using egg carton or color coding activity or anything else)
3.2.1 Understanding purpose of telescopes to collect light,
. . . . detect, resolve, and magnify object
4.2.2 Concept of pixel
4.2.5 Photons
4.2.6 CCD
4.4.3 Using coordinates and pixel scale

Sky Orientation Nominal 1.5 hr

What is RA/DEC (qualitative understanding)
Motion of stars and planets (qualitative)

1.3.1 Constellations
1.3.2 Celestial Coordinates
1.3.3 Apparent Motion of Celestial Objects
1.3.4 Sky Maps and Planispheres

WWW interface download an image 1 hr

Total = 15 hrs.

--TRA Workshop June 2000