This document outlines plans to develop a STEM curriculum focused on studying the aurora borealis. It discusses using the aurora as an authentic context to teach science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts. The curriculum would involve students learning fundamentals at home and then communicating in real-time with researchers in Manitoba, who are working to capture photos and study the aurora. Future plans include revising the companion curriculum, partnering with schools worldwide on an "overhead view" experiment, and visiting Churchill multiple times per year to continue developing the project.

1. DATE
CLIENT
OCTOBER 24, 2014
RICHARD P. HECHTER
CHASING AURORA: USING AUTHENTIC CONTEXT FOR STEM

2. THE AURORA.

3. Curriculum Background
Grade 9 General Science:
Biology (reproduction)
Chemistry (atoms and elements)
Physics (electricity)
Other (exploring the universe)
Grade 9 ‘Astronomy’ Cluster = the forgotten cluster
Grade 4 -Cluster 2: “Light”
Grade 6 -Cluster 4: “Exploring the Solar System”

4. Mybackground: Chasing ICE
Extreme Ice Survey. Art Meets Science.
Founded in 2007 by James Balog, the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) is an innovative, long-term photography project that merges art and science to give a “visual voice” to the planet’s changing ecosystems.

5. Our background: Manitoba: The heart of the auroral zone.

6. Where is Manitoba /Churchill?

7. Ourbackground:
Ernest W. Hawkes
…The sky is a great dome of hard material arched over the Earth. There is a hole in it through which the spirits pass to the true heavens. Only the spirits of those who have died a voluntary or violent death, and the Raven, have been over this pathway. The spirits who live therelight torches to guide the feet of new arrivals. This is the light of the aurora. ….The whistling crackling noise which sometimes accompanies the aurora is the voices of these spirits trying to communicate with the people of the Earth.

9. Our vision(our lens)
STEM/STEAM.
Science (aurora)
Technology (the equipment needed to capture and study the aurora)
Engineering (can we design the apparatus needed to help our study)
Art (how can we show what we know?)
Mathematics (where to ‘find’ the aurora)

10. TRIAL RUN #1 -GIMLI

11. TRIAL RUN #2 -SANFORD

12. CNSC (WITH JERROLD WIEBE AND ELLIOT MACDONALD)

13. Phase 1 -Early Years.
Part 1: In home classroom - science fundamentals.
Part 2: Draw/Design/Create interpretations and write a story about it.

14. STUDENT RE-CREATION (ELEMENTARY)

15. PLASTICINE REPRESENTATION

16. ELEMENTARY AURORA WORD WALL

17. ART WALK

18. Secondary School
Part 1: Home classroom - fundamentals.
Part 2: Make plans with schools
Phase 3: Two-way communication in real-time
Phase 4: Personaland grouprepresentation, expression, and explanation

19. STAR TRAIL

20. THE MOON

21. AURORA

22. STUDENT RE-CREATION (SECONDARY)

23. PHOTO 4
What is that?

24. PHOTO 4

25. PHOTO 4

26. NAVIGATION 1: MOON
WESTERN SCIENCE 1

27. NAVIGATION 1: ALCYONE
WESTERN SCIENCE (2)

28. NAVIGATION 2: ALCYONE
INUIT STARLORE

29. INQUIRY NEEDS CONTEXT.

30. INQUIRY NEEDS CONTEXT.
(SO WHY NOT THE AURORA?)

31. Coming up this year (1)
1. Continue writing the revised companion curriculum
Science: Electromagnetism/Solar storms/general magnetism
Technology: Photography/image capture
Engineering: Constructing the platform for the camera’s, and find ways to keep them working in the cold
Art: Creating your story
Mathematics: Earth tilt, angles, perspective

32. Coming up this year (2)
2. New partnerships with Manitoban, US schools(and European schools?) for the “overhead view” experiment
3. Visit Churchill in November, December, March and April(with different people each time) to continue our work.

34. richard.hechter@umanitoba.ca
@rphechter