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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sending Messages to Space

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars interpret a message sent to space using a radio telescope and draw inferences from the interpreted message. Working with a partner, they interpret data that scientists believe is a message from aliens. They work on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radio Astronomy and Radio Telescope

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students construct a simple radio telescope. In this astronomy lesson plan, students explain how this telescope works and what information it collects.
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Website
California Institute of Technology

Submillimeter Wave Astrophysics at Caltech: Caltech's Submillimeter Observatory

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage of a radio telescope operated by Caltech in Hawaii. This radio telescope focusses on submillimeter frequencies. Be sure to look at the General Information link for info on telescope and the Astrophysics link to find information...
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Website
University of Massachusetts

U Mass Astronomy: Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource provides basic information about the telescope and research projects being done there.
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Website
University of Wisconsin

The Why Files: 3 2 1 Contact, Don't Touch That Dial

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion of reflecting telescopes and their use in radio astronomy. The types of information gained from and the research emphasis fueled by such telescopes is described. Site uses Hollywood references and a humorous style.
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Radio Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia provides detailed information on radio telescopes, including an image, hyperlinked terms, and related topics.
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Website
Other

Nrao: Bringing Your Class to the Vla

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Helps teachers arrange a trip to visit the radio telescope VLA. For those of you not near (New Mexico) it also gives connections into the physics, astronomy and electronics courses. It also has a healthy bibliography of sources.
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Website
Other

Radio Sky Publishing: Site for Amateur Radio Astronomy

For Students 9th - 10th
Site describes multiple resources for the beginner amateur radio astronomer. Great general information for beginners on basic radio physics and on the fundamentals of radio telescopes. Nice set of links to other useful sites.
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Fall Into a Black Hole!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration allows one to play "Falling into a Black Hole," and take an imaginary trip to a black hole right now!
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Basics of Radio Astronomy

For Students 9th - 10th
Site developed by NASA to support training at the Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope. A manual in PDF format that covers everything from the basics of electromagnetic spectrum through radio sources through mapping the sky in the...
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Website
Other

Nrao: What Is Radio Astronomy?

For Students 9th - 10th
This page contains an introduction to Radio Astronomy written by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). It contains some basic theory as well as frequently asked questions and teacher resources.