Comets
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http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/comets/comets.html Name: Comets This site is actually a smaller portion of a larger site that was apparently built for an Astronomy class. Consequently, if you surf around on this site you will stumble upon many other concepts, including the solar system, the planets, and asteroids. But I will describe only the section on comets because it’s actually quite nice. This section is contained within 7 linked pages. The first page starts with an introduction to comets and examines their nature. The user is greeted immediately with actual photographs of famous comets. The second page examines general properties of comets. The third, fourth, and fifth pages introduce users to Comet Hyakutake, Comet Hale-Bopp, and Halley's Comet. The sixth page examines collisions of comets with other bodies. The final seventh page discusses "cosmic snowballs", comets made of ice and water that are believed to be constantly bombarding the Earth. This site is relatively plain, but the absolutely large images make up for this. All the images are colourful and link well with the text explanations. Some images can be clicked on to view full-screen versions, which are perfect for cut and paste work. The explanations themselves are straight to the point with minimal elaboration. The vocabulary is clearly geared towards older students. Younger students probably won’t get much from this site. The always-present menu is strangely located at the bottom of all the pages and is too simplistic, offering only Next, Back, Top, and Home. However, clicking on Home takes users to a very detailed table of contents where any section of the whole website can be accessed. Don’t let this site’s plainness fool you. The information is good and the images are amazing. This is a very nice site for both teachers and older students to use. |
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KidsAstronomy.com This beautiful website contains lots of information on the Sun, every planet in the solar system, the moons of each planet, asteroids, and comets. Users are not required to go through the site in any particular order, but the sections are arranged from closest to farthest from the sun. Users would most likely begin with the first section that appears...the Sun. Subsequent sections examine each of the 9 planets. Every section contains an interactive image of the planet which can be clicked on to reveal its core. Every section presents interesting information on each planet, including the planet’s name’s mythological significance, its gravitational effects, its moons, and other fun facts and trivia. The next sections following the planets examine the moons of each planet. These are also nice sections containing actual satellite images of the moons. The remaining sections examine asteroids and comets, again with actual satellite images. This is a beautiful website suitable for all ages. It’s colourful and interactive. Fonts are large and bright, making for an easy read. The text explanations are easy to understand and never use big words. All material is written in a way that students of all ages can grasp and enjoy. Younger students will appreciate the simple explanations while older students will like the slightly more advanced facts and trivia. There are lots of images, satellite photographs, and animations...all perfect for project work. The always-present menu makes it easy to navigate to any section at anytime. This is a very good site for both teachers and all students to use. |
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KidsEclipse This excellent website was designed around an elementary teacher’s lesson plan. The sections follow a specific order matching the lesson plan’s outline. The first section examines the movements of the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon. With an understanding of these movements, the second section introduces eclipses and the 2 types, lunar and solar eclipses. This section also contains a suggestion for a hands-on activity simulating an eclipse. The third and fourth sections define and describe total solar eclipses. This section also contains a suggestion for a hands-on activity illustrating the process of a total eclipse. The fifth section offers safety tips for viewing solar eclipses. The sixth section describes myths, stories, and historical references to eclipses. The seventh section provides information about the Sun. The eighth section provides information about the Moon. The next 3 sections examine comets and their movements throughout the solar system. The final section briefly examines asteroids and meteors. This is a well-made website that has been specifically designed by a teacher to enhance students’ learning. All the explanations are tailored for this purpose and are very easy to understand. All important terms and concepts are hyperlinked to a glossary of terms. Many images, satellite photographs, and animations complement each section nicely. The lack of an always-present menu makes navigation a bit difficult. Users cannot jump through sections randomly and must rely on the browser’s Back button. The links section contains plenty of other resources devoted to astronomy. This is a very good site for both teachers and all students to use. |
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DiscoverySchool.com This site contains complete lesson plans for studying Earth Sciences at any level from K-12, including objectives and suggestions for evaluation in each lesson plan. Teachers can look forward to lesson plans on Earth’s surface, geological phenomena, oceans, weather, and tectonic plates, but this is by no means a complete list of lesson plans that can be found on this site. If that wasn’t good enough, many of the lesson plans even contain suggestions for adapting the lesson for different grade levels. This is hands-down one of the best resources for all teachers, and not just Science teachers. The site is colourful and well laid out. All sections of the site are accessible from the always-present menu. Some of the important concepts even have sound files attached to them so that you can listen to its pronunciation. This site is mainly geared towards teachers. |
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Geological Society of America This site contains complete lesson plans for studying Earth Sciences at any level from K-12, including any required worksheets. Lesson plans are organized by specific topics in Earth Sciences. The section on rocks and minerals is impressive on its own. Lessons for each topic are also further subdivided by grade level. Most lessons appear to be lab-based and very hands-on. Finally, there are literally tons of links to other educational resources within each topic. This is another amazing resource for teachers, but definitely geared towards Science teachers only. The site is colourful and well laid out. There are so many lesson plans and resources that are listed that the site even provides a handy function to sort by topic or age group. If that wasn’t enough, the site also provides suggestions for readings and class discussions of critical issues. This site is mainly geared towards teachers. |