FRAME

Related subject area: science

Overall problem: Which activities (if any) should be restricted around the coral reefs of
Kailua Bay to insure their lasting protection?

Relationship of problem in this lesson to overall problem: Airborne remote sensing typically involves sensing reflected or emitted electromagnetic (EM) radiation. In addressing the overall problem, students will need to have a basic understanding of the EM Spectrum and various forms of EM radiation, especially infrared and visible. In the "Analyzing data" lesson, students will be analyzing air and ground truth photos as well as reflected visible images of the coastal environment of Kailua Bay?.

Estimated time required: Two to Three class periods.

Student outcomes/objectives:

  • The student will identify various types of EM radiation. 
  • The student will explain that various types of EM radiation have different frequencies, wavelengths, and properties.
  • The student will recognize the nature of some of the colored objects they see as particular wavelengths of light that have been reflected from that object as opposed to having been absorbed by that object.
  • The student will identify visible and infrared radiation as useful forms of EM radiation with which to study coral reefs.

Prerequisite skills or knowledge:

  • Basic internet skills
  • Basic reading and writing skills

Teacher preparation:

  • Print Student Journal / Activity sheets for these activities.
  • Bookmark appropriate websites for students.
  • Carefully examine internet linked activities to identify and gather necessary materials to complete those lessons.

Student reflection and assessment: Student reflection activities  |  Assessment

Education standards supported by this lesson:   

National Science Education Standards | Project 2061 Benchmarks

National Standards for School Mathematics | National Technology Standards | National Geography Standards

Cross-curricular connections to National Education Standards for this lesson:

math | technology | geography
Teacher Activities
  
Student Activities

FRAME the lesson by suggesting to the students that one of the questions that they will need to address to resolve the overall KaAMS problem is: How can aircraft and remote sensing be used to study the coral reefs in Kailua Bay?

Introduce the lesson activities by having the students imagine they are looking out of the window in an airplane flying over Kailua Bay. 

Ask

  • What characteristics of the coastal environment can you see from the airplane? 
  • What is it that we actually see when we claim to have seen something? Something does enter our eyes.

Explain that what is actually being detected by our eyes is electromagnetic (EM) radiation.

Do the Invisible Light (http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/teachersite/UL3_1.html) demonstration. It is important to note that technically the term light only refers to those wavelengths of EM radiation that we can detect (see). This particular activity is designed to demonstrate the existence of IR radiation.  It also demonstrates: 

  • White light is composed of EM radiation of many wavelengths.
  • Energy emitted by a light bulb or the sun also contains wavelengths we can't detect with our eyes, i.e., that we can't see.

Prompt students to record their observations and write a brief explanation of what they see. See Activity sheet: Invisible light observation (RSS-1) (See Activity sheet: Invisible light observations (RSS-1 below) questions 1, 2.

Teacher note: In order to truly appreciate remote sensing, students must gain a basic understanding of EM radiation. Background material for teachers on this topic can be found at the following site:

Fundamentals of Remote Sensing Tutorial - Focus on sections 1.1, 1.2,  and 1.3 by clicking on Start Tutorial.

  

Sample student responses: 

  • Features of the coastal environment such as the ocean, coral reefs, sand, shoreline, etc.
  • Light, waves, light waves, colors

Student activity:

  • Observe the Invisible Light (http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/teachersite/UL3_1.html) demonstration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student activity: