Observing the Moon’s of Jupiter A Participatory Example of Contemporary Inquiry Instruction

DISCUSSION Everyone has been talking about INQUIRY in teaching. Let’s generate some ideas about what that means. Describe three inquiry experiences that you’ve had Write down you description of what INQUIRY looks like in the ideal classroom Our collective image of ideal inquiry:

The most effective inquiry experiences Engage us with meaningful questions, Cause us to evaluate evidence and analyze data in the pursuit of answers to our questions, and Require we share the results of our investigations. (National Research Council, 1996)

2009 Inquiry Science Mini-Conference Today First (and last) Call for Poster Presentations Conference Theme: Heavenly Motions: Studying the Dynamics of Jupiter’s Moons This announcement calls for contributed poster presentations describing an original and never before published inquiry research study. Inquiry research teams of no more than two authors can present a poster as large as 4’ x 4’ OR as a series of no more than 5 PPT slides. Your participation requires prior approval by the chair of the Science Organizing Committee (SOC) by submitting a description of your research question and strategy for collecting data with a maximum length of 50 words one hour before the conference.

Ok,,,,, GO! Do your “inquiry”!

The Compassionate Teacher gives students a nudge in some direction…. Imagine I gave you any three nights over the next year to use the Gemini Observatory atop Mauna Kea to observe anything you wanted to look at for a class project. This observing time has a value of about $90,000. What would you choose to do?

Inquiry using the Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Deep Field Multimedia Journey Hubble Deep Field North Hubble Deep Field South Hubble Ultra Deep Field

What observations can we make when we look at these images?

More Hubble to Investigate

Questions that we’ll come back to… You were prompted to engage in two different astronomy inquiry experiences--- – Of the two lists of questions that we generated, which list was “easier” to create? – What are the implications for the classroom teacher and for the students?

Jupiter’s moons are easily seen with Earth-based telescopes

Solar System Simulator Online software that allows the user to observe any solar system object, from any vantage point, at any date and time, with (nearly) any field of view

Solar System Simulator Question: How long does it take for Earth’s Moon to make one trip around the Earth? Process: – Use SSS to look at our moon from the surface of the Sun – Starting today at about 00:00 notice where the Moon is its orbit, and measure the distance between the two with a ruler. – Advance the date and time until the Moon returns to the same location

Solar System Simulator Question: How long does it take for Io to make one rotation on its axis? Process: – Use SSS to look at Io from the surface of the Sun – Starting today at 00:00 look at Io and find a landmark. Measure the distance between the landmark and the nearest edge of the moon. – Advance the date and time until the landmark returns to the same location

Solar System Simulator Question: How long does it take for Io to make one trip around the Jupiter?

Solar System Simulator Question: Jupiter has four large moons. What question would you like to ask about the motion of the Galilean moons? Make a list of questions. Then choose your favorite and design a procedure to answer your question.

2009 Inquiry Science Mini-Conference Today First (and last) Call for Poster Presentations Conference Theme: Heavenly Motions: Studying the Dynamics of Jupiter’s Moons This announcement calls for contributed poster presentations describing an original and never before published inquiry research study. Inquiry research teams of no more than two authors can present a poster as large as 4’ x 4’ OR as a series of no more than 5 PPT slides. Your participation requires prior approval by the chair of the Science Organizing Committee (SOC) by submitting a description of your research question and strategy for collecting data with a maximum length of 50 words one hour before the conference.

Definitely, With Clear Evidence Somewhat, implicit, or inferred Not Clearly Evident NOTES Circle one 1. Is the problem stated clearly and unambiguously? Is the question worthy of investigation? Was there an appropriate procedural plan for obtaining a solution? (Does the plan closely match the question being asked?) Do the presentation and paper clearly explain the purpose, procedure, and conclusions? Is the data presented clearly ? Was the graphic presentation of the data the best choice of possible alternatives? How completely was the problem investigated? 8. Are there adequate data to support any conclusions? Is the data clearly described in writing? Does the project summary meet the stated requirements? 321 T OTAL P OINTS = 

Inquiry Using a Backwards Faded Scaffolding Approach Traditional Inquiry 1.Pose researchable questions 2.Design strategies to pursue evidence 3.Defend data-based conclusions Backwards Inquiry 1.Defend data-based conclusions 2.Evaluate others’ strategies and design your own strategies to pursue evidence 3.Pose researchable questions based on previously seen models

Backwards Faded Scaffolding and the Galilean Moons How was this sequence of inquiries designed? – Drop one or two scaffolds with each inquiry – Limited content area – Ultimate destination is a Big Idea What are the advantages to this sequencing? – Lots of experience with inquiry – Comfort with the content area before question formulation – Confidence, self-efficacy, and improved attitudes!

Pictures of Students

Hidden Back Up Slides In Case Internet is Down

Jupiter’s moons are easily seen with Earth-based telescopes

Moons of Jupiter, A GEMS Guide from LHS How CAN we know how long it takes Io to orbit Jupiter once? (what is the experimental procedure?)

Moons of Jupiter, A GEMS Guide from LHS

In general, what do you think makes a lousy inquiry question? A great inquiry question? Attributes of Good Questions Often takes the form of: – “How does the _____ change over time?” or “How does ____ compare with _____?” – “What is the relationship between ___ and ___?” Rarely answered with a “yes” or “no” Rarely begins with “Why….” – These frequently require lots of relationship questions in order to arrive at a valid answer. Involves research and data analysis Indicates the type of data that will be collected, either directly or implicitly Note: For real scientist, a good question often starts with “I wonder what I’ll see if I take a look at ______?”

Four Questions to Avoid Not theory-laden So what? Already know the answer Black box

International Year of Astronomy A YEAR OF SCIENCE CELEBRATION 400 th Anniversary of Galileo’s Observations 400 th Anniversary of Galileo’s Observations 400th anniversary of the publication of Johannes Kepler’s first two Laws of Planetary Motion. 400th anniversary of the publication of Johannes Kepler’s first two Laws of Planetary Motion. 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (whose contributions to science include founding the National Academy of Sciences, as well as creating the Land grant system of agricultural colleges 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (whose contributions to science include founding the National Academy of Sciences, as well as creating the Land grant system of agricultural colleges 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Burgess Shale by the paleontologist Charles D. Walcott. 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Burgess Shale by the paleontologist Charles D. Walcott. 100th anniversary of the establishment of USDA Forest Service Experimental Forest and Ranges 100th anniversary of the establishment of USDA Forest Service Experimental Forest and Ranges

What is he most famous for? Physics? Telescope Observations? Being Excommunicated?

The telescope invented by Dutch lens maker in 1608 invented by Dutch lens maker in 1608 Galileo quickly built a small 30X scope and started astronomical observations Galileo quickly built a small 30X scope and started astronomical observations Described his observations in SIDERIUS NUNCIAS - The Starry Messenger Described his observations in SIDERIUS NUNCIAS - The Starry Messenger

There are thousands more stars in the Milky Way than are visible to the naked eye. Universe is bigger than imagined.

The Bulge of Saturn Saturn is not a sphere. Saturn is not a sphere. Circles and spheres do not dominate the heavens. Circles and spheres do not dominate the heavens.

The Moon The moon has craters. The moon has craters. The moon is not a perfect heavenly body. The moon is not a perfect heavenly body.

Sunspots The Sun is not a perfect heavenly body. The Sun is not a perfect heavenly body. The Sun rotates about its own axis. The Sun rotates about its own axis.

Galileo’s telescope revealed that Jupiter had moons which orbited Jupiter instead of Earth.

The Moons of Jupiter something else can be the center of revolution something else can be the center of revolution our moon could keep up with a moving Earth our moon could keep up with a moving Earth

Galileo’s telescope revealed phases of Venus which could only occur IF Venus orbits the Sun.

A Short Video Clip: State of the Union