|
Round 1 - Iron Stars (AS 325) Program News
Click on any teacher's name to see activities associated with NITARP.
- Beth Thomas (North Middle School, Great Falls, MT)
- Lauren Chapple (Traverse City East Junior High School,
Traverse City, MI)
- Steve Rapp (Linwood Holton Governor's School,
Abingdon, VA)
- Theresa Roelofsen (Bassick High School, Bridgeport, CT)
- Cynthia Weehler (Luther Burbank High School, San Antonio, TX)
Highlights of team activities
April 2006
The Iron Star Group visited the SSC during April 10-12, 2006 to reduce
data for their observation of AS 325 which was observed on October
10th, 2005. The other object XX Oph was observed in Cycle I and that
data was available in late spring of 2006. The group read and
summarized journal articles to get some insight into infrared
spectroscopy and better understand their data. They are working on a
model that will help them calculate the density of the molecular
cloud.
November 2005
On November 8th, Theresa Roelofsen ran an Astronomy workshop for 30
middle school teachers that all teach in the Bridgeport District. It
was 3 hours long and she had them do activities that they can use in
their science classes, as well as demonstrated other activities.
October 2005
The Iron Star Group reports that one of their objects, AS 325, will be
observed on October 10th, 2005. The other object XX Oph was observed
in Cycle I and that data won't be available until late spring of 2006.
They have discussed writing a letter to the Principle Observer and
seeing if they could share the data. They are all awaiting the arrival
of the data and are anxious to get together early next spring to
reduce and analyze the data. Steve Howell has some additional
ground based AS 325 (and XX Oph) spectra from June, July, August and
Septempber that the team will use as part of their complete picture.
The spectra of AS 325 are taken more or less throughout the eclipse.
Beth Thomas presented a session at the state educator's
convention (MEA) and had about 20 people attend. She also had a friend
take a lot of photos at her state convention that could also be used
on the educational outreach poster. Cynthia Weehler presented 2
workshops at San Antonio Regional Science/Math Saturday on Oct. 15, to
teachers from around Texas; "Incredible Infrared: Feeling and Hearing
Light" and one on the Spitzer Teacher Research Project. Ms.
Weehler presented two workshops at the Conference for the Advancement
of Science Teachers (CAST) in Houston, TX, on Oct. 27-29. These
workshops were co-presented with Babs Sepulveda and each was 1.5 hours
long. She also gave our website to a NASA clearing-house group at the
conference who had heard of us by word of mouth only but had placed us
in their brochure. Ms. Weehler used the Texas Public Radio
Station (KSTX) recording studio and equipment for student Jessica
Herrera to interview Dr. Tom Soifer from San Antonio about the Spitzer
Telescope and Teacher Research Program. Jessica used this information
to write a story for The Harvest News, the Burbank High School student
paper. She was also interviewed by Rolando Martinez for The
Communicator, the San Antonio Independent Schoo l District newsletter.
The Spitzer Program has now been written up three times in school
district newsletters. Student Jessica Herrera and Ms. Weehler
were both interviewed by Ernie Villarreal at KSTX for a story that he
will produce in January, to be aired before the AA S conference in
Washington D.C. where we will present our poster papers. Jessica has
been working on making tri-color images using Maxim DL and writing a
composite of the surveys that the teachers and students in the group
answered after the trip to the SSC in Pasadena.
September 2005
Lauren Chapple has set up a secondary science staff meeting for
second semester. It will include a presentation on Spitzer and how it
is to be used in the classroom. He is also introducing his Spitzer
project and Harlan Devore's as an option for the spring research
project. Students must do a stellar spectroscopy project to qualify
for either Spitzer or AGN projects. Beth Thomas presented a six
hour in-service to district teacher focusing on the electromagnetic
spectrum. Half of the in-service focused on the Spitzer Space
Telescope and infrared. She will be presenting a sectional at the
Montana State Teacher's Convention on the Spitzer Space Telescope and
the projects she is involved with. Steve Rapp is in the planning
phase right now for two workshops about the Spitzer Space Telescope
and Infrared radiation. One will be local and the other will be at the
VA state science teacher's convention. Both of these workshops will
happen in November. Cynthia Weehler has been working hard to get
an Astronomy class, Science Research and Design course, or anything
that will allow her to include students in the Spitzer research.
August 2005
Lauren Chapple has put in for time at his next science department
meeting / inservice to present the Spitzer project.
July 2005
Steve Rapp is getting ready for workshops in October.
April 2005
longer work summary (pdf)
March 2005
longer work summary (pdf)
|
