OPENING QUESTION:

• What is a proton?

• Are protons considered 'fundamental' particles?

  • Why or why not?

• Why are protons sometimes called the 'building blocks' of all types of matter and all atoms on the periodic table?

LEARNING TARGET: I will be able to relate to a bright, articulate middle school student how atoms gain and/or lose protons to form new atoms during today's class

WORDS O' THE DAY:

• solar nebula
• fusion
• nucleosynthesis
• Strong Force
• main sequence
• Blue Giant Stars
• Red Dwarf Stars
• Yellow Stars
• White Dwarf Stars
• Black Dwarfs
• Brown Dwarfs
• Black Holes
• Neutron Stars
• Main Sequence

WORK O' THE DAY:

Let's commence to SING! Without music??? <gulp> Maybe we can get some chapel volunteers????

One of the key aspects of the sun song is that atoms *mash* into each other in the process of nuclear fusion (nucleosynthesis -- literally the process of creating new atoms!) due to the incredible temperatures/pressure/density found inside the sun (and all stars!)

Now let's turn our attention to other atoms on the periodic table:

How is it possible that some atoms get smaller? (there are a number of ways!)

Remember this?

Most atoms are built up either inside stars, during supernova explosions or collisions involving neutron stars.

However, there are naturally occurring (NOT made by humans!) atoms that are primarily made by *something* else. What is that? Please discuss with your team.

Let's talk fission!

Fission is the process where an atom can splits apart. That occurs because the original atom is unstable-- by splitting apart, the atom forms new atoms that are individually more stable than the original atom. That atom in turn can sometimes decay into lighter atoms. For example the Uranium atom can (and does!) naturally 'decay' into another type of Uranium atom, which splits to create Thorium which splits to create Radium which then decays to the more stable atom Lead:

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So--- for your Once Upon a Proton project your proton can build up (fusion inside stars, supernovas or colliding neutron stars) break down (fission) or some combination thereof!!!.

Your proton begins 'life' in the millionth (or so!) second after the Big Bang and lives for an exceptionally long time.

It *may* die by evaporation during the Degenerate Era (which is WHEN again?) or it may not if protons don't decay (then what happens then? -- more research required!)

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Let's see how it's okay to use chatGPT to assist. Consider using AI to help you narrow down your project by having a conversation with it (I'll model).

Now let's see how using chatGPT is NOT ok-- that involves having the AI do your work for you, that is NOT ok. Ever!

This USED to be one of my favorite projects. To be honest, I don't know how to assign this without the possibility of cheating. I'm hoping you have ideas. Let's discuss.

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Let's review our Once Upon a Proton assignment now

If Time Permits:

Now please work *diligently* to create an outline for this project to hand in to me by the end of class today. Your outline will include:

1) The Name of your project (this can change)

2) A thoughtful description of your topic

3) A thoughtful description of why you chose your topic

4) A description of the imaginative/create aspects of your project (please keep in mind, PowerPoint Presentations are absolutely, positively forbidden)

5) A list of 5 quality sources that you *might* use to prepare you project (These can change)