Just last week we finished creating newsletters or brochures on the Electromagnetic Spectrum, or EM Spectrum. The EM Spectrum includes the range of frequencies that characterize light. It is made up of seven types of radiation: Radio waves, Microwaves, Infrared waves, Visible light, Ultraviolet light, X Rays, and Gamma rays (from left to right). We are only able to see the colors that make up visible light, but astronomers have found ways to see objects on Earth and in space in different wavelengths!Some other uses of the EM Spectrum:
- Astronomers use cameras that can see infrared wavelengths to see thermal energy being emitted..This can be used when looking at outer space, because they can look at stars or constellations with this technology to see the temperature of stars or dust.
- Astronomers can look into space with detectors that are sensitive to ultraviolet light to detect new star formation.
- They have also used radio wave emissions that come from space to help discover the molecular structure and environments of objects they look at in space.
- Astronomers use X Rays to view objects in space, where colors represent how intense the X Ray emissions are.
The types of radiation to the right of visible light (Ultraviolet, X Ray, Gamma ray) have very short wavelengths. The wavelength of a Gamma ray can be as short as the nuclei of an atom. Radiation to the left of visible light (Infrared, Microwaves, Radio waves) have very long wavelengths, with the longest being Radio waves, which can be longer than a football field. Each type of wavelength has a specific function. For example, Radio waves are great for carrying information, while Gamma rays can kill cancerous cells.
I really liked that we had to organize our information into a newsletter. It forced us to look over our answers to the worksheet, and organize them into bigger "articles". The newsletter is also a very easy-to-follow study guide. Having us put our information into two different formats really made sure that we knew our stuff. Also, the website for the webquest was really well set up and easy to follow! I liked that we have to draw our own EM spectrum. It really helped to solidify the information.
What I didn't like about this project was how rushed it was. Granted, it could have been because I missed a day of working on it, but I still felt as if another day to format and polish my newsletter would have been awesome. I also feel like some of the questions were vague, such as the one where we had to make a table. It really sounded like we were supposed to use the types of radiation in the table, while in fact it was the colors of visible light that we needed.
To make this project better, I would clarify the questions, and maybe put a minimum number of sentences for some of the questions that demanded longer answers (The summary, for example). I mentioned that this project felt a little rushed, and maybe to help with that problem (without giving another day to work on it), there could be topic sentences under each research website on the webquest site. This could save so much time that was wasted going back and forth between the four sites when we forget which had what information.
Very good job : ) Your summary was very detailed and easy to understand. I don't agree with you about using the newsletter format because I didn't really like putting our information into that form. I do agree with you that the project was a little bit rushed though. Good job!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job explaining how astronomers use the EM Spectrum! I also like making the newsletter, but I didn't like having to draw my own diagram. Everyone basically copied it off of the website and I can get just as much out of it from just examining the image. I also thought the preject was rushed, and I think it may have felt that way because it was due at the end of class rather than at the beginning of another class. However, I feel that the questions were perfectly clear. The one about the table said "colors" which only visible light has because that's all we can see. Also, the websites had a little description of what they were about next to the links. But I too would have liked some more time to put those finishing touches on the project.
ReplyDeleteI too think it would have helped to have an etxra day to finish up the newsletters because putting them toegther in a presentable way took longer than I expected. The webquest was also interseting. I lied how it was set up and how it was so easy to follow. I do agree that some of the questions were a little confusing or vague aswell because I too thought the table was asking for all of the colors of radiation. After I read it a few times I figured it meant the colors of visable light. In all I liked the project but the questions definatly need to be improved upon and ask a more direct and specific question.
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