NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

What's an "Extra"? Every month NASA compiles a list of educational resources related to a NASA theme. Visit each month to find new educational materials, classroom activities, games, pictures, NASA TV broadcasts and Web sites.

The theme for September 2006 is "Heat and Light." Learn how space explorers use optics, solar power, and solar cells, as this month's theme is explored using the resources listed below.

NASA TV Education Schedule
During the week of Sept. 11-17, 2006, NASA-TV showcases videos that highlight the science of heat and light. Check the schedule for titles and descriptions of the broadcasts.
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Image to right: The sun is the major external source of the heat and light needed on Earth. Credit: NASA

NASA Educational Products

	Cool Suits Activity This lesson challenges students to find the relationship between energy reflection/absorption and color. + View
	Optics Educator Guide: Light, Color and Their Uses The optics guide has activities using lenses, prisms, hidden messages, periscopes and kaleidoscopes. + View
	Space-Based Astronomy Educator Guide Teach about the electromagnetic spectrum with activities in this guide. + View

NASA Educational Multimedia Materials

The Central Operation of Resources for Educators, or CORE, is the worldwide distribution center for NASA-produced multimedia materials. Education Modules for themes are bundled by topic and may include CD-ROMs, videotapes, educator guides, posters, lithographs, books, lesson plans, bookmarks, fact sheets, slide sets and activity kits.

Image to right: NASA develops multimedia resources for educators.

Search words for CORE materials: heat, light

CORE
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Follow the Theme -- Activities, Adventures and Web Sites of Interest

	Understanding the Biosphere From the Top Down The educator guide for grades 4-12 has activities related to the electromagnetic spectrum, 2-D and 3-D imaging, maps and topography, scale, remote sensing and landscape change. + View site			Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum From large theme-based events to educator guides and workshops, the SECEF team works to bring Sun-Earth Connection mission science to the public. + View site
	Case of the Mysterious Red Light The Tree House Detectives investigate the source of a mysterious red light in the atmosphere. Scroll down to the 2001-2002 season to find this episode. + View site			Cool Cosmos Open a door into the fantastic world of infrared astronomy. Check out the classroom activities, experiments, images and videos. A Spanish version is available. + View site
	Energy From World Book @ NASA for Students Most of the energy on Earth comes from the sun. Find out what energy is and how it is used on Earth. + View site			The Space Place: Laws of the Universe Activities Teach about light, motion, gravity and related subjects. + View site

Engineering Design Challenges
Middle and high school students can design, build and test models just as the NASA engineers do. Educator guides and videos can be downloaded from the Web site.
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The NASA SCI Files™ Light and Color
Find out why objects appear a particular color.
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The Space Place: Cosmic Colors
See the universe in all its colors using the Cosmic Colors viewer!
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Roping Rainbows!
Visit the Web site for upper elementary activities about light and color.
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The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Learning Center
The Learning Center contains teacher information, images, resources, data and descriptions of the RXTE satellite. The site also gives excellent information about multiwavelength astronomy.
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Match Light Faces with Heat Faces!
An infrared camera sees heat. In this activity, students are asked to match the face in the infrared image with the same face in visible light.
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Videos showcased in the September 2006 Education File Schedule to support "Heat and Light" are listed below.

A Lightning Field Trip (5-8) Colors of the Sun (5-8) Destination Tomorrow™ Twenty-One (9-Adult) Infrared: More Than Your Eyes Can See (5-8) Live From the Storm - Program 1: The Who, What, Where, When and Why of Weather (5-10) Live From the Storm - Program 2: Research to the Rescue! (5-10) Live From the Sun - Program 1: Our Sun in Close Up (5-12) NASA CONNECT™: Algebra: Mirror, Mirror on the Universe (5-8) NASA CONNECT™: Data Analysis and Measurement: Dancing in the Night Sky (6-8) NASA CONNECT™: Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast! (6-8) NASA CONNECT™: Measurement of All Things: Atmospheric Detectives (4-8) NASA SCIence Files™: The Case of the Mysterious Red Light (3-5) NASA SCIence Files™: The Case of the Prize-Winning Plants (3-5) Passport to Knowledge: Live From the Auroras (6-10) Passport to the Universe - Program 1: Live From a Black Hole (6-10) Starfinder Program 10: Fusion Energy (6-10) Starfinder Program 12: Tapping the Sun's Power (6-10) Starfinder Program 13: Energy Transfer (6-10) Starfinder Program 24: Fingerprints of Light (6-10) Starfinder Program 29: Diffraction (6-10) + Order videos

Additional Resources

Combustion From World Book @ NASA for Students
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Sunlight and Solar Heat: How Are They Made?
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Chandra X-ray Observatory Educational Materials
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Center for Astronomy Education
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NASA's Great Observatories
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The Education and Public Outreach Page of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
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Questions and Answers About the Sun
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Tracking a Solar Storm
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Sun-Earth Connection Current Missions
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Power to the People
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Black Holes: World Book @ NASA for Students
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NASA's Themis Mission
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Black Holes
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What Happens at the Edge of a Black Hole?
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Chandra Photo Album: Black Holes
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Extra Archives