Math-Sci-Guy

In this laboratory activity, students will read and plot stars on the HR Diagram. They will color the various parts of it the appropriate colors to relate them to the temperatures. The analysis questions lead students to discover the relative sizes of stars, explore the different star groups, and see where our sun fits into the picture. Note: Parts of the lab refer to the ESRT. This is New York State's Earth Science Reference Tables. Even if you don't teach in New York State, they are a fan

Students graph coastal water levels for two different cities, and discuss relationships that exist. Skills Practiced: graphing, reviewing the main graph types, applying math concepts to real life

Just like in the many disaster movies, this laboratory activity will allow students to investigate the effects of an asteroid hitting the earth. Students will drop plastic beads onto a tray of sand, causing impact craters from two different heights. They will measure the widths and depths of these craters, then answer questions that discuss their findings and relate it to the solar system, historical events, and possible real-life effects.

Students graph distances to various galaxies vs their speeds, and infer a direct relationship between the two. Skills Practiced: graphing, reviewing the main graph types, applying math concepts to real life

In this laboratory activity, students will use a loop of string and two tacks to draw one circle and four different ellipses. They will then measure the focal distance and major axis of each of these, and use this data to calculate the eccentricity of each ellipse (and the circle). The analysis questions lead students to discover the overall patterns and apply the knowledge learned in this activity to planetary orbits. Note: Parts of the lab refer to the ESRT. This is New York State's Earth

In this laboratory activity, students will use foam spheres and a lamp to recreate the Earth's moon's phases. They will then draw a diagram depicting/summarizing their results. The analysis questions lead students to think about the Earth-Moon-Sun system from various perspectives, including at precise times (eclipses), and relate this back to cyclic changes. All images are created as shapes in MS Word, so their quality does not degrade when printed.

In this lab, students graph yearly sunspot data and make predictions about the future of the sunspot cycle. Additionally, there is currently an interactive here ( https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/sun/research) where students can count sunspots and compare their numbers to the actual data. If you like this, PLEASE rate it (favorably?) and consider purchasing some of my other work.

In this worksheet, students review some galaxy types, how scientists determine temperature, composition, distance, & speed from starlight, the name & structure of our galaxy, the definition of a light year, and three pieces of evidence for the Big Bang.