Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Background Radiation and Lifestyles

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this radiation and lifestyles worksheet, students are given 5 problems about a person which indicate her exposure to radiation. Students calculate her total dosage to radiation in each problem based on her exposure.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cosmic Rays and Solar Cells

For Students 7th - 9th
In this cosmic rays and solar cells worksheet, students read about how cosmic rays damage the electrical output of solar cells over time on satellites. Students use a graph of the solar power output compared to the year for the SOHO...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Communication Satellites

For Students 9th - 12th
In this communication satellites worksheet, students complete a table showing the satellite, the lifespan of the satellite, the number of transponders on the satellite and the cost of the satellite. Students determine the retire year,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cosmic Rays

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Students study cosmic rays and the energy behind them.  In this atmospheric lesson students complete a cosmic ray telescope project. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In Search of Cosmic Rays

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers compare rates to altitude. They conduct a class discussion about the results.
Handout
Nobel Media AB

The Nobel Prize: Arthur Holly Compton Biographical

For Students 9th - 10th
In addition to overviewing Compton's (1892-1962 CE) studies in x-rays, this article includes information on Compton's published works, his education, and personal life.
Handout
NASA

Nasa: Missions: Jupiter: Pioneer 11

For Students 9th - 10th
Following closely after Pioneer 10, this was the second mission to visit Jupiter. This website provides background information about the mission and links to more detailed data.
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Cosmic Rays Help Us Understand the Universe

For Students 9th - 10th
Veronica Bindi explains what cosmic rays are, and how they transmit information about our universe from the great beyond. [4:40]
Website
NOAA

Noaa: Ngdc: Sunspot Numbers

For Students 9th - 10th
This brief article examines the historical work on sunspot recording by Rudolph Wolf. Also discusses how sunspot numbers are calculated today and provide graphs of sunspots numbers from past years.
Article
Famous Scientists

Famous Scientists: Walther Wilhelm Georg Bothe

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about a German nuclear physicist, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1954 for his work in study of nuclear reactions, the Compton effect, cosmic rays, and the wave-particle duality of radiation.
Handout
Oklahoma Mesonet

Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Overview of Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.
Handout
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab: Basic Nuclear Science Information

For Students 9th - 10th
Site provides the ABC's of nuclear science including radioactivity and gamma decay to fission and comic rays.
Graphic
Curated OER

The Mystery of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays

For Students 9th - 10th
A video is featured on this site exploring the High Resolution Fly's Eye at the University of Utah. This project was designed to help explain cosmic rays formerly referred to as cosmic radiation. These fast-moving particles origin and...