The Space-Based Astronomy Educator Guide teaches middle schoolers about the Earth’s atmosphere, the electromagnetic spectrum, and telescopes. Divided into units of study, including science demonstrations, lesson plans, and worksheets, access to photos from observatories, telescopes, and satellites allows learners to compare and analyze information. Scholars learn about how the atmosphere can inhibit our ability to measure many things in the galaxy. They make telescopes, calculate and compare the light-gathering power of lenses, and simulate infrared radiation detection. Pupils also learn binary code, convert binary to images, understand CCD arrays, and interpret monochromatic images using the visible light spectrum. The fifth and final lesson in the unit on the visible light spectrum asks young scientists to compile everything they have learned into a report.
