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Spotlite Design Challenge

Aurora Happenings

Developed in Collaboration with NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT)

Register

Register your learner production teams to receive a Spotlite Design Challenge starter kit with certificates and badges.

Identify the problem: You are challenged to gather and share evidence to confront misconceptions about aurora, also known as the northern and southern lights. Create a video that captures your questions and findings.

Aurora occur when:
  • The solar wind excites the molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere.
  • The oxygen and nitrogen atoms get so excited that they bump into one another, knocking off electrons, causing a light display in the sky.

Follow these steps to think and act like scientists as you dig through data and experiment to support a claim that confronts a misconception.

  1. Select one of the MISCONCEPTIONS and its related CLAIM to investigate.
  2. Do your own RESEARCH by conducting investigations to gather data and collect evidence to support your claim.
    CLAIM: Aurora is caused by the solar wind, which is a constant stream of particles emitted from the Sun.
    ACTIVITIES:
    Discover how the solar wind, Earth's magnetic field, and Earth's atmosphere interact to create an aurora through a dance. Create an aurora bracelet that symbolizes the gas particles responsible for creating an aurora.
    CLAIM: Aurora is most commonly seen at the poles, but when the solar wind intensifies (due to solar storms) the aurora can be seen at lower latitudes.
    ACTIVITIES:
    Explore current solar wind and magnetic field data to predict auroral activity. Check out these webcams to look for visible aurora.

SAFETY WARNING

Safety is important anytime you conduct a science investigation. Common sense guidelines should govern all work.

  • Keep all workspaces neat and organized.
  • Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as closed-toed shoes.
  • Follow directions and ask for clarification.

Once you have completed your research, create a Spotlite video to share your findings and challenge others to gather their own evidence to confront the misconception.

  1. Review the Criteria for the Spotlite video.
  2. Create the Spotlite video.