As we all know, local schools vary widely in the amount of computer connectivity they have with the world. There are limits to computers, telephone lines, local networking capabilities, and to the computer skills of the teachers. Where possible, we've supplied a means for the teacher to implement the lesson without classroom computers.

Contents

Features - Creative ways to bring some high-energy science into your classroom!

Individual Lesson Plans

RXTE Visits the Classroom

Resources

Features

• The High Energy Groovy Movie - This snappy "music video" uses RXTE discoveries and slick computer animation to show students how the Universe might look if we had "X-ray eyes." Accompanying lesson plans cover everything from frequency and wavelength to black holes and X-ray machines!

• Take a Journey of Discovery with RXTE - This is a 5-day unit that allows students to investigate a mysterious X-ray emitting source, ultimately determining whether or not the source is a black hole. The experience culminates with a "journey" to observe the source first-hand!

• Shedding a New Light on the Universe: This is an introdution to Multiwavelength Astronomy; it includes activities that can be used in the classroom!

• Tour the ASM Sky - Real-Time data from one of RXTE's instruments. We've had teachers develop lesson plans that will help you use this data in the classroom!

Individual Lesson Plans

In developing these lesson plans, we chose topics that used X-ray sources that are representative of some class of object, have some significant scientific merit to their continued study, and whose basic science was accessible to a high school audience.

In the accompanying lesson plans, students will use actual data to accomplish some of the same analysis goals as the original researchers.

• Timing an X-ray Pulsar - by James Humphreys

• Observing Bursts from an X-ray Burster - By James Humphreys

• An Eclipsing Binary System with a Precessing Accretion Disk - By James Humphreys

RXTE Visits the Classroom

• Jim and Maggie visit Lisa's classroom! - Lisa Williamson was our Summer 1999 Teacher Intern - we went to the middle school where she teaches to observe a part of our recently developed "Journey of Discovery with RXTE" lesson in action.

• Read about the Live From RXTE Project!

Resources

• Imagine the Universe! - ages 14 and up, materials for students, educators, and general public

• StarChild - grades K-8, material for kids, students, and educators

• The Astronomy Picture of the Day - all ages

• NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center's Education Home Page

• NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center's Public Affairs Office

• NASA Home Page - has a special section "For Educators"

• The High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC)

• James Humphrey's Guide to Using the HEASARC

The RXTE Learning Center is a service of the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA/GSFC. Meet the RXTE Learning Center Team!     What is the 'R' in RXTE? Responsible NASA Official: Phil Newman Web Curator: Dr. James Lochner Privacy Policy and Important Notices.