For Instructors
Everything you need to run Cosmic Playground in your classroom: printable station cards, detailed instructor notes, and curated playlists.
Quick start
- Pick a playlist or browse individual exhibits below.
- Print the station card for each demo you plan to use.
- Read the instructor notes for timing, misconceptions, and assessment tips.
- Have students follow the Predict → Play → Explain loop at each station.
Playlists
Curated sequences with timing, required/optional markers, and instructions.
Station Cards
One-page printable cards with controls, parameters, and the PPE flow for each demo.
Angular Size: The Sky’s Ruler
10 minBinary Orbits: Two-Body Dance
12 minBlackbody Radiation: Thermal Spectrum and Temperature
12 minConservation Laws: Energy & Momentum
10 minEclipse Geometry: Shadows in Space
12 minElectromagnetic Spectrum: Light Beyond Visible
10 minEOS Lab: Pressure Support in Stars
12 minKepler’s Laws: Patterns of Planetary Motion
12 minMoon Phases: Light, Not Shadow
8 minParallax Distance: Measuring the Stars
12 minPlanetary Conjunctions: Alignments in the Sky
8 minRetrograde Motion: Apparent Longitude from Relative Motion
12 minSeasons: Why Tilt Matters
12 minStars on the ZAMS: Mass, Metallicity, and H-R Position
14 minTelescope Resolution: Sharper Eyes
10 minInstructor Notes
Deeper notes: activities, assessment rubrics, model details, and known limitations.