Nightwise.org
Paper Plate Education
"Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate
Paper Plate Education is an initiative to reduce complex notions to simple paper plate explanations. This website promotes innovative hands-on Activities that you can experience across a range of interests, at varying degrees of complexity, and at a low price—all with common paper plates.
I began building and curating the collection of activities at http://analyzer.depaul.edu/paperplate after being introduced to the concept by Wayne James in 1992. The site is kindly host on DePaul University servers, managed by David Jabon. However, because the MS FrontPage software originally used to create the site is obsolete, I cannot upload or edit content there. Hence, recent contributions are added below.
See the Background of Paper Plate Education for details.
Go straight to my website
http://analyzer.depaul.edu
/paperplate
Site Map
The heart of this website--a collection of hands-on activities that use paper plates to supplement lessons in astronomy and other disciplines. Required surfing, from Analemmas to Zoetropes.
Astronomy Foundations Through Art & Paper Plates (AFTAPP), a program in which teachers fuse informed stargazing, related lore, and modern astronomical discoveries into their own interpretation of specific constellations. Participants make artistic tiles that represents their modern understanding of those constellations.
Analemma Project
Trace the path of the noon sun across the earth for one year to recreate an analemma, the figure-8 shape seen on some globes.
AstroCamp
Experience a stargazing adventure at an astronomy camp for kids in Three Rivers, Michigan.
Awards
Kind acknowledgments from a few Internet interests who found this site to be interesting.
Information on round paper instruments (volvelles) that date to the 15th century; the use of paper plates in the past; and the development of the Paper Plate Education website and materials.
Excerpts from children's picture books that depict the moon erroneously.
A partial listing of contributors to the collective effort of Paper Plate Education .
Some frequently (and less-than-frequently) asked questions.
Exquisite art constructed from paper plates which honors the circle.
Lighting Issues
Save the heritage of the night sky through better use of outdoor lights. (Site expanded to www.nightwise.org.)
A list of websites with related material and paper plate activities published independently of Paper Plate Education.
Fusing the enthusiasm and talent of space scientists and educators to yield appreciation for and understanding of the firmament. Here are a few measurable steps.
A list of references for papers and posters relating to paper plate activities, from 1992 to 2002.
Transit of Venus Introduction
Features the June 8, 2004, celestial spectacle in which the disk of Venus is seen passing in front of the sun. Much more content at www.transitofvenus.org.
Resources for educators and planetarians covering the transit of Venus. Includes DVD and data CD set; optional audio CD; optional slides; digital images; animations and video clips; and links to other materials.
Video/DVD/Streaming Video
Excerpts of pictures and instructions from the 70-minute Paper Plate Astronomy videotape/DVD, which demonstrates the construction and use of nine paper plate activities and variations; also links to videotape/DVD order form.
An ongoing list of material that is added to the website. See this page to stay current with all changes, corrections, and additions to Paper Plate Education.
PDFs of Select Pages
Activities!.pdf AFTAPP.htm.pdf All-Sky Projectors.pdf Altitude Co-Altitude.pdf Altitude Measurers.pdf Analemma.pdf As The World Turns.pdf AstroCamp.pdf Awards.pdf Background.pdf Bad Moons Rising.pdf Capo Dial.pdf Communicating with ISS.pdf Credits--Paper Plate Education.pdf Drinking Gourd.pdf Frequently Asked Questions--Paper Plate Education.pdf Full Circle.pdf Gemini's Signature.pdf Good(night) Moons Rising.pdf Home Plate--Paper Plate Education.pdf Introduction- Transit of Venus.pdf Latitude by Polaris.pdf Light Pollution.pdf Links--Paper Plate Education.pdf Lunar Eclipse.pdf Moon Finder.pdf More Faux Phases.pdf MoreFauxPhases2.pdf Objectives.pdf Oreo Moon Phases.pdf Paper Plate Astronomy video.pdf Planet Pointer II.pdf Plateful of Planets.pdf Platisphere for Children.pdf Platisphere Tactile.pdf Platisphere.pdf Publications.pdf Rainbow Finder.pdf AM Site Map.pdf Sub Solar Cup.pdf Sunrise Sunset.pdf Tracking Sunspots.pdf Transit of Venus activity.pdf Transit of Venus Frequency.pdf Transit of Venus Program.pdf Turtle Hatch Activity.pdf What's New?.pdf What's New.pdf Zodiac Defined.pdf
Recent Activities
New activities added below complement the original paper plate Activities. Thank you for your contributions.
Exoplanets
Make a model of a ringed exoplanet with a foam sphere encircled by a paper plate and other design elements. Idea courtesy of University of Notre Dame "Astroblast" event. (May 24, 2016)
Learning Space Hangout
I show and discuss a variety of paper plate activities on a Google Hangout with Learning Space. See "Episode 87: Paper Plate Astronomy with Chuck Bueter on 28 January 2015"
Man on the Moon
Man on the Moon activity for pre-K children is use for color recognition, fine motor skills, and learning the letter M. Courtesy of Andy Bowers. (Dec. 3, 2014)
Hovercraft
Kids at the Art 2 Science Camp make hovercrafts from one of Curt Gabrielson's books. Courtesy of Micha Kilburn, Joint Institute for Nuclear Astophysics ( JINA) Outreach Coordinator. (May 8, 2012)
Transit of Venus Bead
"Kids can put the bead where Venus is during the transit! I used the animation on the Transit of Venus website to approximate the path across the sun." Courtesy of Kathy East, Challenger Learning Center of Alaska. (Dec. 22, 2011)
Transit of Venus Frequency
Kathryn Williamson improved the original Transit of Venus Frequency with her text and graphics. Activity explains the strange pattern of ToV's occurrence. (Feb. 5, 2012)
