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Educators should play with the interactive prior to implementing with students to be prepared for student questions. There are a lot of resources here with a lot of depth. Educators need to pick the pathway before implementing.
Educators should encourage students to play on their own with the various controls on the simulators to develop an intuitive understanding of the coordinate systems and the seasons, before asking probing questions.
Applet produced by the Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project (NAAP), and is used in introductory astronomy courses at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Activity explores terrestrial coordinates (including longitude and latitude, basic named coordinate features, reading flat maps, coordinate conversions); the Celestial Equatorial Coordinate System (including the celestial equator, declination, right ascension) and the ecliptic and how it relates to seasons.
Comments from expert scientist: It is a very well prepared program for the introduction to Astronomy and Solar Energy. The virtual study is an important source of information for students, but it must be also considered in parallel to observe the sky and to do experiments.
The four well-designed and implemented "explorer" simulators (e.g., flat map, globe, flat sky map, sky map) allow students to manipulate controls to develop an intuitive understanding about how terrestrial and celestial coordinate systems work.
Students are able to manipulate elements on three panels to develop an understanding of how seasons arise and how they change on different latitudes and times of the year on the planet; accompanying
worksheet helps ensure that the basic ideas are understood.
Activity includes excellent pre- and post-tests to probe for student preconceptions.
Supplemental background materials provided.
Complete teacher materials and prompts provided.
Teachers may find this updated video useful if not familiar with google earth- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZHmtssIzgg
A script is provided to educators that outlines key questions that might be asked when going through the activity with students.
The simulators require Flash Player, available on all major platforms.
