Galaxies, Planets, and Black Holes Activites

We are so glad you could join us in our discussion of all things space with Dr. Grant Tremblay and Katie Coppens! See below for a list of videos and activities that can be done in the classroom or at home.

Videos:

  1. Did you know that NASA did an experiment about ants aboard the ISS in 2014? You can find more information about this experiment and watch a video of the ants when they were on the ISS HERE.
  2. Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. WATCH Astronauts Mark VandeHei and Joe Acaba demonstrate how Newton’s Third Law works in microgravity, while there were on the International Space Station.
  3. The Saturn V was a rocket NASA originally built under the direction of Dr. Wernher von Braun, to send people to the moon. A Heavy Lift Vehicle, it was the most powerful rocket that had ever flown successfully. Click HERE to watch an actual Saturn V Rocket launch with comments by Dr. von Braun, and to learn more about the rocket.

Activities:

  1. Google Earth is letting people explore the International Space Station using “Street View,” where you can explore 17 different modules of the space station including in 360̊ view. Visit the International Space Station HERE.
  2. Can you imagine what it might be like to look down on Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) Cupola Window from 250 miles above Earth? Scientists are always looking for new views of our planet to learn more about climate, the surface, the cycles, and how humans are impacting the planet. Go to the Windows on Earth website HERE and look at photographs taken by astronauts from the ISS Cupola window.Select an image from the “Regions” section of the website to explore in more depth.Research the science and the location about the region or image content (types of cloud/weather, areas of the planet, landforms).
  3. Based on his experience looking out the Cupola Window at the surface of the Moon, Astronaut Ed Lu testified before Congress to explain how much damage an asteroid can do if it was to ever hit Earth. You can make your own craters like asteroids do — by using flour, sprinkles, cocoa powder and 3 different sizes of rocks at home, with these instructions from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
  4. Learn how to make the necessary tools to view a solar eclipse by clicking HERE. You have plenty of time until the next solar eclipse – find out more and get ready for your viewing HERE.
  5. Experiment with solar lithography – a simple process that demonstrates the power of sunlight. Find out more HERE.

Interested in learning more about Katie and Grant’s book What Do Black Holes Eat For Dinner? – Get your copy here:

What Do Black Holes Eat for Dinner?