Portrait Gallery of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Universe

Have you ever visited an art museum? You can choose to walk through the halls looking at paintings, reading the labels, and making your own interpretations; or, you can choose a guided tour with a museum docent. Docents are skilled and knowledgeable guides who can describe the paintings, give the history and background, and provide interesting details not readily apparent or known by the observer. A guided interpretation by a docent leaves a visitor with a feeling of wonder, awe, and new knowledge!
Your Task:
Imagine you are the docent at a new art museum- The Electromagnetic Spectrum Portrait Gallery of the Universe. The art museum contains never-before-seen portraits of galaxy clusters, exploding stars, pulsars, turbulent regions of space around black holes, and more! To make the museum, interesting and informative, it is your job, as a docent, to explain the portraits to visitors so they can appreciate and understand what they are looking at.
Part I: The Portrait
Choose an image of a cosmic object. Using any art medium you choose, create a "framed" gallery portrait of that image. Be sure your portrait accurately represents the detail of the image. Create a label with the name of your portrait and the artist. Affix your label to the portrait.
Part II: The Guided Interpretation
Write out a guided interpretation of the portrait that will be given by a docent to the general public. This is to be included with the portrait. Your guided interpretation should include:

  1. A detailed description of the cosmic object in the portrait.
  2. Where the cosmic object was found, including an explanation of the vast distance.
  3. How the cosmic object was observed and translated into a visual image that could be captured in the portrait.
  4. Interesting and relevant scientific information astronomers have gained or are investigating from the cosmic object in your portrait.

Remember- your guided interpretation will be given to the general public. Be sure to communicate clearly and effectively so all visitors to the museum will understand your description.

Good luck and I can't wait to see and hear about these fascinating portraits!

Astronomy: Views of the Universe Unit

Scoring Guide: Portrait Gallery of the Universe

Name______Date______Block______

Scoring Criteria / 1
Attempted Demonstration
(6 points) / 2
Partial Demonstration
(9 points) / 3
Proficient Demonstration
(12 points) / 4
Distinguished Demonstration
(15 points)
Content Knowledge
Understanding of the electro-magnetic spectrum and how scientists use that data / Student attempts to describe the portion of the spectrum seen in the portrait or how the data from that portion are used to understand cosmic objects. Important details are missing or may contain major errors. / Student partially describes the portion of the spectrum seen in the portrait and how the data are used to understand cosmic objects. Some important details are missing or may contain minor errors. / Student describes the portion of the spectrum seen in the portrait and how the data are used to understand cosmic objects. / Student accurately describes, in detail, the portion of the spectrum seen in the portrait and how the dataare used to understand cosmic objects. Student shows sophisticated understanding.
Content Knowledge
Technology and Tools for Gathering Information about the universe / Student attempts to identify and describe the telescope used to view the object in the portrait, how and why it is used, the types of data it provides, and how scientists use that data. Several important details are missing and/or may contain major errors. / Student partially identifies and describes the telescope used to view the object in the portrait, how and why it is used, the types of data it provides, and how scientists use that data. Some important details are missing or may contain minor errors. / Student accurately identifies and describes the telescope used to view the object in the portrait, how and why it is used, the types of data it provides, and how scientists use that data. / Student accurately identifies and describes, in detail, the telescope used to view the object in the portrait, how and why it is used, the types of data it provides, and how scientists use that data. Student shows sophisticated understanding and may provide additional details such as limitations of other tools astronomers use.
Content Knowledge
Understanding of vast distances / Student attempts to describe the concept of light years or relates it to the distance of the object being described. Important details are missing and may contain major errors / Student partially describes the concept of light years and relates it to the distance of the object being described. Some important details are missing or may contain minor errors. / Student accurately describes the concept of light years and relates it to the distance of the object being described. / Student accurately describes the concept of light years and uses clear, vivid examples, in addition to the object they identified, to convey the concept of vast distances in space.
Content Knowledge
Understanding of a Cosmic Object / Student attempts to describe the cosmic object. Information is limited and/or may contain major errors. / Student describes the cosmic object by providing partial information such as formation, composition, or evolution of the object. Some important details are missing or may contain minor errors. / Student clearly and accurately describes the cosmic object including information such as formation, composition, and evolution of the object. / Student thoroughly and accurately describes the cosmic object providing details on the formation, composition, and evolution of the object.
Communication
Use of a visual representation / Student attempts to create a representation the image but fails to capture the details of the object and may contain major flaws. / Student creates a representation of the image that captures most of the details of the object. / Student creates a representation of the image that accurately captures the details of the object. / Student creates a vivid representation of the image that accurately captures the details of the object in a highly visually appealing way.
Communication
Explaining concepts clearly / Student is generally ineffective in explaining their exhibit to the general public. Explanation may be confusing or too dense in terminology. / Student is partially effective in explaining their exhibit in terms the general public can understand. Some scientific terminology may be used without explanation. / Student clearly and effectively explains their exhibit in terms the general public can understand. Scientific terminology is used with explanation / Student clearly and effectively explains their exhibit in terms the general public can understand. Scientific terminology is used with explanation and supporting details are rich and vivid.

(0 points awarded for missing sections)

Your Grade

Understanding of Spectrum: _____Understanding of Object: _____

Technology and Tools: _____Visual Representation: _____

Understanding of Distances: _____Explanation of Concepts: _____

Total Score: ______/90 points