Students will test various materials to determine if any can shield their "magnetometer" (compass) from an external magnetic field using their own experimental design. If no suitable material is available, they will devise another method to protect... (View More) their instrument. Includes background science for the teacher, worksheets, adaptations and extensions. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are also identified. (View Less)

This multimedia ibook introduces the physical concepts related to plasma globes commonly seen in science museums. The characters Camilla Corona and Colours O'IRIS discuss the concepts of plasma, electric fields, and atom electron loss and recapture... (View More) in simple terms without requiring extensive vocabulary. The Sun is used as an example of plasma, with similarities and differences between it and the plasma globes highlighted. For those who wish to go farther, a glossary is provided that expands upon the concepts in the comic. NASA resources on the Sun and related topics are also provided. This comic is part of the series Tales from Stanford Solar. (View Less)

This comic addresses the question "What is color?" Using the Sun as an example, the comic discusses how visible light (white light) contains all the colors of the rainbow. It goes on to describe why our Sun is white, our sky is blue, and why sunsets... (View More) are red/orange. The discussion ends with a thought-question and provides further information on NASA missions and websites that address issues related to the Sun. The comic is illustrated mostly with NASA imagery and is part of the series Tales from Stanford Solar, featuring Camilla Corona and Colours O’Iris. The topic “What is Color?” was inspired by the 2014 Alan Alda Flame Challenge, an international competition asking scientists to communicate complex science in ways that would interest and enlighten an 11-year-old. (View Less)

Two comic characters, Camilla Corona, a rubber chicken, and Colours O'IRIS, a peacock, explore spectrographs. This comic is part of the series Tales from Stanford Solar.

This series of laboratory lessons and activities uses authentic solar imagery and data to introduce students to solar science. Students are asked to explore details in imagery, including how to deal with the issues of noise and resolution, and... (View More) understand scale. They are introduced to the concept of space weather and how that affects both observing instruments and the Earth. Students learn about spectra, how helium and coronium were discovered, and go on to explore real spectra from the Sun. Most activities are mathematically based, and targeted for grades 9-10. Imagery is included from NASA/ESA's SOHO mission, NASA's SDO mission, and Japan's Hinode satellite. (View Less)