Telescopes

• Establish what the learners know about the movement of the stars, the Moon, etc.
• Ask the following question:

“Who has ever looked up at the sky at night and saw stars in a formation of a pattern?”

• Practical group work follows.
• Each group gets an object to scrutinize with a magnifying glass / lens.
• They have to report back in detail what they have seen.
• Take the learners to the sport field / playground. Individual learners can get an opportunity to look through the binoculars and explain what he/she sees.

• Greet the learners
• Ask them who knows what a telescope is.
• Allow the learners to give a few answers.
• Tell them that it is a designed optical instrument to make distant objects appear nearer. [Extra information: It contains an arrangement of lenses, or curved mirrors and lenses, by which rays of light are collected and focused in order to magnify /enlarge the resulting image[s].
• Show Video Clip 1: GALILEO’S TELESCOPE. [3:46 min.].

• Teacher has a box with different objects.
• Each group selects one item.
• They use the magnifying glasses to gather detailed information about the objects.
• They are encouraged to place the object at different distances and observe what happens.
• Those who used the binoculars describe how the images appeared.
• One learner in every group reports back.

• Tell the learners that the following presentation would give them more information about telescopes.

• Present an overview of telescopes by using Presentation 1:  Telescopes [part 1].

• Ask the learners to work in pairs.
• They must write 5 facts down about telescopes.
• A few learners can share their facts with the class.
• Complete Worksheet A: Systems looking into space: Telescopes in general.
• Teacher to use WORKSHEET A: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.

• Find out if the learners know what a roadmap is.
• Ask the learners what are people and drivers presently using to find specific streets, schools, shops, etc.
• Tell them that ancient travellers often used the Moon as well as the stars as a roadmap.
• Inform the learners that they will be expected to complete worksheet B while watching the presentation.
• Present an overview of telescopes by using Presentation 2:  Telescopes [part 2].

• Complete Worksheet B: South African telescopes:  South African telescopes.

• Teacher to use WORKSHEET B: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.

• Show Video Clip 2:  HUBBLE TELESCOPE ULTRA DEEP FIELD. THE MOST IMPORTANT IMAGE EVER TAKEN [4:17 min.].    

• Learners complete QUIZ 1: The Hubble Telescope [It also contains the Fact Sheet].     

• Teacher to use QUIZ 1: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.