Levels
Intermediate (6-8)
Material Type
Activity/Hands-on
Unit (of Study)
Heliophysics Big Ideas
Big Idea 1.1 – The Sun is really big…
Big Idea 2.3 – The Sun is the primary source of light…
NGSS
PS4 – Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
ESS1 – Earth’s Place in the Universe
Heliophysics Topics
Solar Flare
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Solar Eclipse
Heliophysics Missions
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
STEREO A & B
Material Cost per Learner
$1 – $5
Language
English
NASA Helio Club is a collection of six club sessions, or lessons, that complete a comprehensive module created for a middle-school audience (ages 10-14) to introduce basic heliophysics concepts to learners. Designed for both after school clubs and classroom environments, each session takes approximately two hours, or approximately two class-periods. Each session includes a full collection of educator instructions, learner handouts, and assessment tools.
Session 2: ‘Observing the Sun’ explores ways to safely observe the Sun. NASA missions introduced in this session are the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Session 2 Instructions
Session 2 Slides
Session 2 Handout: KWL
Session 2, Activity 1 Handout: Solar Observations Data Sheet
Session 2, Activity 1 Handout: Build a Pinhole Projector
Session 2, Activity 1 Handout: Solar Eclipse Map
Session 2, Activity 2 Handout: Electromagnetic Spectrum
Session 2, Activity 2 Handout: Sample Data for Investigating the Color of the Sun
Session 2, Activity 2 Handout: UV Bead Bookmark
Session 2, Activity 2 Handout: UV Bead Data Sheet
Session 2, Activity 3 Handout: Coronagraph Flip Book
If you plan on running the entire club, the NASA Helio Club Youth Guide ↗ includes the handouts for all six sessions, plus additional resources for a capstone project. Other resources include Educator Background Information ↗ and a complete Materials Checklist↗ for all sessions. All content is connected to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Find the full club/curriculum here ↗
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