ESM Educational Resources

Curriculum Materials

The radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is characterized by low-energy waves with very long wavelengths relative to optical light. With that characterization, one might think that this type of radiation is not useful but nothing could be further from the truth. Radio waves are used for a multitude of purposes including baby monitors, Bluetooth, streaming video, predicting weather, studying the universe and so much more.

So that you can gain a better understanding of the radio waves, NRAO has developed nine high school lessons that contain teacher guides, lesson plans, and all the necessary student pages. While these materials are intended for a formal education setting we have also developed a citizen science project that can be done anywhere. The citizen science project guides you as you discover the radio waves around you focusing on local broadcasters, signals from aircraft, and Wi-Fi networks. Be sure to upload your data after your investigation so that together we can build a better understanding of when and where radio waves are being used.

Citizen science: https://superknova.org/citizen-science-project/
Lessons : https://superknova.org/educational-resources/

Students Building Crystal Radios
Danielle Rowland NRAO Program Manager and 3 Wave (cohort) 2 students building crystal radios at the Green Bank Observatory Science Center 11/18/2023.

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