Astronomy Interactives
This site provides ranking tasks for teaching introductory astronomy. Pencil-and-paper versions as well as computer-based versions are available grouped by topic. New materials will be added as the computer-based versions are completed. It is anticipated that the pencil-and-paper versions will be photocopied for students and either used in the classroom or assigned as homework. The computer-based versions are intended as formative assessment tools to be used by students outside of class and have considerable utility in distance education courses.
Paper Based Ranking Tasks
Online Ranking & Sorting Tasks
Kepler's Laws
Moon Phases
- Percent of Illumination
- Phase Order
- Phase Order, Geometric View
- Phase Order, Multiple Views
- Earth Times
- Earth Times 3D
- Meridian Times
- Rising Setting Times
- Flat Horizon View, Same Phase
- Flat Horizon View, Same Start Time
- Flat Horizon View, All Differences
- Phase Order, 3D Sun Fixed
- Phase Order, 3D Sun Variable
- Lunar Sorting Task 1
- Lunar Sorting Task 2
- Lunar Sorting Task 3
The Seasons
Sun Paths
Gravity
Motions of the Sky
Doppler Shift
Luminosity of Stars
Magnitudes
Stellar Evolution
Miscellaneous
The materials above are collectively the work of David Hudgins (Rockhurst University), Kevin Lee (University of Nebraska), and Edward Prather (University of Arizona). They may be used freely for any non-profit educational purpose – other uses require permission. Contributions to the programming were made by Renee Augustyn, Andy Frederick, Keith Nickum, and Chris Siedell. The work is supported by an NSF grants nos. 0737376 and 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars. (CATS).