University Learning in SchoolsPhysics

Exoplanets and the Search for Earth 2

Mark McGowran Teacher of PhysicsCardinal Pole Catholic School

10 x 50 minute lessonsLife on EarthBodies in our Solar System & conditionsHow Telescopes workTransit and radial velocity method of seeing planetsDetermining properties of a planetStudents enjoy with Astrophysics topic engaging, challenging and currentDevelop deeper interest in PhysicsWide field of study accessibilityModule Rationale

Why did you chose your particular theme? Students generally enjoy astrophysics. They find it engaging, as it is relevant to the world today (Exploration of space in the news), linked to science fiction TV and movies and there is still so much that is still not fully explained

What did you hope to achieve? Develop interest in physics early on. Improve attainment in the subject, increase uptake of subject beyond GCSE. Show students current work in physics, show that it is not only for the top top students.

How did you decide on the time frame for your module? Needed to fit between assessment cycles. Only had 50 minute single lessons but wanted to cover enough material. Similar in length to most KS3 modules being taught, but allowed a little more time due to the high level of the content

5 Es approach to lessonsEngageExploreExplainExtendEvaluate

Exploration of contentCollaboration of ideasPedagogy Rationale

Scheme of WorkLesson plans and resources needed for each lessonPowerpointLesson structure, videos, images, etc.Student booklet- Resource to support module, self contained, student ownership of resourceModule Overview

What are the components?- lesson plans / rationale?- PPTs, packs- Resources required for pupils (books, lab equipment, computer facilities, etc.)- Resources provided in lessons by teacher(text extracts, images, journal articles, etc.)

+ Walk through the resources

Minimal resources needed (outside of power points and student book) occasional photocopy of articleFew demos or experiments equipment is low tech (globe, spotlight, metre stick, bunsen, spectrum discharge lamp)

Conceptual module not much hands on experimental work available (aside from calculations)

1 Life on Earth

Walk and Talk 1

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came aboutThink about: what is this image showing?

This is Earth from 6 billion kilometers away

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came about

Task 1:In your groups write down as many points as possible about What makes Earth unique

5 minutes

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came about30/06/2015

Earth is the 3rd closest planet to the sun

It takes 365 days (1 year) to orbit (go around) the sun

It completes 1 full spins on its axis every 24 hours (1 day)

The tilt of its axis gives Earth its seasonsExplain

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came aboutActivity:

Modelling the Solar System

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came aboutDiscussion:In groups discuss and come up with conclusions for the points given. Make notes and nominate one person to feedback your thoughts to the class

Group 1: What do living things need to live?Group 2: If Earth didnt spin how would that affect living things?Group 3: Why are plants important for all living things?Group 4: Is the atmosphere important? What if Earth did not have an atmosphere?Group 5: What would earth be like if it were closer to the sun?Group 6: What would Earth be like if it were further away from the sun?

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came aboutExtend

Beginning of life on Earth and the Miller Urey Experiment

c/w 1 Life on EarthLearning Outcome: Describe the conditions on Earth and how they came aboutPlenaryPlickers Questions

Every student has their own card and they orientate it depending on their choice of answer

7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodWalk and Talk 2

What is the white dot shown inside the yellow circle? c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

Its an extrasolar planet (or exoplanet for short) its a planet outside of our solar system. So while all the planets and moons we have looked at so far have been in our solar system, orbiting our Sun, this orbits another star.

To be more specific this is Fomalhaut b one of the very few exoplanets it is possible to directly image (take a photo of the planet itself).

Fomalhaut b has a radius of about 20-40 times the size of Jupiter and scientists estimate that it takes ~1700years to orbit its parent star. This means it is very far away from the star (because it takes Earth only 1 year to orbit our Sun) and this is why we are able to image it. It is very different to any planet in our solar system. Even Neptune only takes 164 years to orbit the Sun.

Why do you think it might be difficult to find planets that are closer to their star than the planet on the previous slide?c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

Why is it Difficult to Directly Image Exoplanets?The first two minutes of this TED talk by Jeremy Kasdin will illustrate this.c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s56pxa9lpvo)

This image shows the planet Mercury transiting our Sun, which means it is passing between Earth and the Sun and blocking some of the Suns light.

Go to: Torch/Lamp exercise.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

Transit Lightcurve for Venusc/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

Here is the graph that astronomers observe when a planet transits its star.

How does the graph change for bigger planets?

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

Astronomers can measure the radius of the planet from the transit curve. So they can tell what size the planet is (and therefore what type is it Earth size, Jupiter size or Neptune size etc.)

They use this equation to calculate the radius:

Or with a bit of mathematical rearranging:

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it worksIf an alien was looking at our Sun, what size dip in light would it see from Jupiter passing in front of the Sun? What size dip in light would it see from Earth?

The Suns radius is: 695,800kmJupiters Radius is: 69,911kmEarths radius is: 6371km

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it works

1.a)The planet Kepler 10c is sometimes called the Godzilla of Earths. Its radius is 2.3 times bigger than the radius of Earth. Earths radius 6371km so how many Km is Kepler 10cs radius?

1.b) If Kepler 10cs star has a radius of 735,000km, how big is the change in brightness from its transit?

2. a) One of the biggest exoplanets found so far is TrES 4b. When TrES 4b transits the change in brightness is a dip of 0.0101 and the star has a radius of 1,251,408km, how many km is the radius of the planet?

2. b) If Jupiters radius is 69 911km, how many times bigger is the radius of the planet TrES 4b?

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

c/w 7 Exoplanets: Discovering Planets Around Other Stars The Transit MethodLearning Outcome: Explain why we need the transit method and describe how it worksPlickers Questions

The Torch/Lamp exercise is outlined on a separate sheet but in essence: One student holds a torch/lamp and shines it one the wall, another blocks out light from it using spherical piece of plasticine on the end of a stick. Then another pupil blocks out light using a different sized piece of clay, but at the same distance. They should discuss what difference the size of ball makes. To really stretch them see if they can plot a graph showing how the brightness of the torch on the wall changes over time for each object (brightness on the y-axis, time on the x-axis). This can be done either in groups or as a demo to the class.

Size should change the amount of light blocked out.

Note that the distances between an exoplanet system and Earth is much much larger than the distance between the exoplanet and its star, so the distance of the planet from the star makes no difference to the depth of the transit. This is influenced by the size of the planet. The duration (width) of the transit will change for exoplanets orbiting their stars at greater distances.

Catholic school in Hackney, East London

Module delivered to more able year 7 group Key Stage 3 targets between 6A and 8C

Inspire students to pursue physics through to A-LevelOur Experience

Students engaged with material

Active participation discussion & questioning

Module linked to real world concept shown to have real world application

Teacher subject knowledge and teaching practice improvedPositives

Fitting into the Scheme of Work time constraints

Different from standard delivery of modules students can be thrown by the idea of big picture learning rather than lesson by lesson

Currently no assessment or revision material

How do we level the module for content not within the National Curriculum?Limitations

Q: Overall what do you think of the style of learning in this module? Was it different to your usual lessons?

Positive points made:less writing (answering questions in workbook rather than taking down from the board), learned things not normally taught in lessons, more advanced content, lots of class discussion, interesting content, increased interest in physics, more time because title and LO is already in booklet, teacher answered all questions & makes sure everyone understands

Negative points made:hard and complicated content, less practical work, faster pace of contentStudent feedback

Q: How can you use the skills and learning styles you have developed in this module in other subjects or future work?

points made:read text and answer questions better, better at independent work, improved research skills, better at group work, partner work, improving answers after discussion with others, more focused on listening to discussion rather than writing from the board, use squares and square roots (for maths), content will be useful if they become an Astrophysicist or Astronaut (their words not mine!!!),think about what to write instead of copy from the board, listen for longerStudent feedback

How could this fit in to your context?How is this similar/different to your existing units of work?What changes would you need to make?What more information would you need?Key Questions

Questions?