Paper Plate Education
"Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate"

Title	Description	Image	*Link Contents
Addition & Multiplication Tableware	Design a plate for practicing addition and multiplication tables.		Pix Text
African Masks	Highlight the role of masks for celebrations.		Pix Text
Alien Platecraft	Decorate and fly a saucer-like Platecraft.		Ref. Pix Text
Analemma	Plot the figure-8 of an analemma on a globe through one year. This year-long project is a variation of the Sub-Solar Cup activity.		Ref. Pix Text
All-Sky Projectors for Portable Planetariums	Project all-sky images onto the inside of a Starlab dome for pennies apiece using clear plastic cups.		Ref. Text
Altitude Co-Altitude	Illustrate altitude and its complement co-altitude (or zenith distance) of a sighted star or the sun in celestial navigation.		Pix Text
Altitude Measurer	Make an astrolabe-like instrument to measure the altitude of celestial objects.		Ref. Text Video
Altitude of the Noon Sun	Observe, collect data, and discover the pathway of the sun.		Ref. Text
Altitude of the Noon Sun II	Demonstrate the relationships between the date, the altitude of the Sun at transit, the observer’s latitude, and the altitude of Polaris.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Altitude of the Noon Sun III	Construct an Altitude/Latitude Finder (ALF) to understand, explain, and demonstrate how the sky changes when one changes latitude.		Ref. Pix Text
As the World Turns	For young participants, make a rotating window that segues from day to night drawings.		Ref. Pix Text
Bad Moons Rising	Children's books often depict the moon inaccurately. See if you can determine the errors in these children's books.		Ref. Pix Text
Capo Dial	Construct dial to determine on which fret to place a capo to transpose musical notes.		Pix
Clock Face	Learn time by making a moveable clock face.		Pix
Communicating With ISS	Demonstrate the basic principle behind communication systems between the International Space Station and ground control.		Pix Text
Constellation Projector	Make an overhead projector for portable planetariums to project constellation outlines onto the dome.		Pix Text
Core of the Matter	Illustrate sun, moon, or planet interiors by coloring and intersecting three plates.		Ref. Pix Text
Cosmic Hats	Decorate and wear Cosmic Hats.		Ref. Pix Text
Cosmic Hat II	A reprise for the Cosmic Hats activity, decorate and wear a plate with a ribbon. Succinct and handwritten.		Pix Text
Deep Field View	Create a telescopic view of a starfield using a tempera paint that reacts with a foam plate and compare a with Hubble Space Telescope image.		Ref. Pix Text
Defining the Zodiac	Make a model to demonstrate how the zodiac is defined by the stars seen in the plane of the sun.		Ref. Text
Directions-Earth & Sky	Correlate cardinal directions both from the Earth-bound perspective and when looking upward.		Ref. Text
Directions- Terrestrial and Celestial	Correlate cardinal directions both from the Earth-bound perspective and when looking upward.		Ref. Text
Directions at Sea	Demonstrate the system of directions relative to the vessel used by sailors.		Pix
Drinking Gourd	Use a Platisphere to depict the seasonal variations of the Big Dipper's aspect as seen by slaves traveling north on the Underground Railroad.		Ref. Pix Text
Drinking Gourd II	Show the changing position of the drinking gourd relative to Polaris through the seasons.		Pix Text
Drum Heads	Design your own drum head to accompany personal history, local lore, or universal storytelling.		Pix
Dynamic Solar System	Create a solar system model, with students pacing off distances to scale. (Also in Belorussian translation.)		Ref. Pix Text
Feynman Diagrams	Illustrate the outcome of a particle colliding with an anti-particle.		Pix Text
Flash Plates	Improve math skills with round flash cards, a format better suited for young learners as suggested by intriguing research.		Pix Text
Full Circle	Consider the wholeness of the circle and design exquisite artwork from simple paper plates. Currently available only as a Microsoft Word document. (Images courtesy of Bradford Hansen-Smith.)		Ref. Pix Text
Galaxy Models	Make models of galaxies.		Ref. Text
Gemini’s Signature	Model and predict the "signature photos" of the Gemini Observatories, both in Hawaii and in Chile.		Ref. Pix Text
Geocentric vs. Heliocentric	Make a moveable model that compares features of two systems.		Pix Text
Globe at Night	Determine your limiting magnitude on a plate and compare with the magnitude charts from the Globe at Night observing campaign.		Pix Text
Globular Clusters	Plot globular clusters or brightest stars and analyze the patterns to determine their galactic locations.		Ref. Text
GLPA Logo	Given either a date or an hour, determine what time or season is suggested by the star pattern of the GLPA logo.		Ref. Pix Text
Gno Problem Mon	Track the path of a shadow cast by a gnomon through the day.		Ref. Text
Good(night) Moons Rising	The classic children's book is illustrated with a keen eye toward astronomical integrity.		Ref. Pix Text
Hemisphere Maps	Place two plates side by side—akin to old charts—and make map of world as individual perceives it.		Pix Text
How Far The Planets?	Measure the varying distances of the planets in orbit to reveal their proximity to earth.		Ref. Pix
Impact Game	Play an asteroid impact game by flipping a rock on a string into planets orbiting the sun.		Text
Latitude by Polaris	Demonstrate how a navigator correlates the observed altitude of Polaris with her latitude.		Ref. Pix Video
Light Pollution	Demonstrate of simple shielding over an exposed bulb significantly diminishes light pollution while increasing the efficiency of the lighting fixture.		Pix Text
Lunar Eclipse	Make a model to show how two shadows--the umbra and the penumbra--can fall on the moon during a lunar eclipse.		Pix Text
Lunar Surface	Make a clay model depicting features of the moon's surface.		Pix Text
Meteor Shower	Plot the paths of meteors on a starfield plate to illustrate the radiant of a meteor shower.		Pix Text
Milky Way Galaxy			Ref. Text
Mirror Diameter	Demonstrate the correlation between mirror diameter and its light gathering ability.		Text
Mission Patch	Design a circular NASA mission patch.		Text
Moon Finder	Make a model to explain moon phases and create a moon dial akin to old volvelles to determine when and in which direction one can see any given phase.		Ref. Pix Video
Moon Masks	Decorate and wear Moon Masks, Sun Masks and Cosmic Hats.		Ref. Pix Text
Moon Meets the Football Field	Illustrate the concave tendency of the moon's orbit around the sun using a football field for scale.		Ref. Text
Moonthly Eclipse	Demonstrate why eclipses do not occur every month both at new moon and at full moon.		Pix
Music Shaker	Tape two plates together with beans between them to make a musical shaker.		Pix Text
Orbit Basics	Draw a simple model of the solar system with planets in orbit around the central sun.		Pix Text
Orbit Basics II	Demonstrate elliptical orbits.		Ref. Text
Orbit Basics III	Demonstrate the planets in orbit around the sun by using multiple stacked plates that adjust to the current sky.		Pix Text
Orbit by Elongation	Derive orbits of Mercury and Venus from elongation tables, with Earth’s orbit on perimeter of plate.		Ref. Pix Text
Oreo® Moon Phases	Halve and scrape Oreo® cookies to illustrate moon phases.		Pix Text
P6	Construct hand-held projectors to indicate the current planet and moon positions inside a portable planetarium for any given time.		Ref. Pix Text
Paper Moons I	Cut out portion of plates to depict moon phases.		Ref. Pix Text
Paper Moons II	Cut out portion of plates to depict moon phases.		Ref. Text
Paper Moons III	Cut out portion of plates to depict moon phases.		Ref. Text
Photographic Plate	Model and predict photographic star trails of the circumpolar stars for a given exposure time.		Ref Pix Text Video
Physical Fitness	Develop physical fitness skills in the gym with colored plates.		Text
Planet Pointer	Make a model of the solar system showing the position of the planets and where to find them in the sky.		Ref. Text
Planet Pointer II	Make a planet pointer akin to old volvelles to indicate the position of the planets in the sky for any given time.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Planetarium Planet Plotting	Track the motion of visible planets and correlate the plate view with both the planetarium sky and the real night sky.		Ref. Text
Plate-a-tarium	Build the ultimate plate model that depicts features of celestial sphere, indicates real time position of planets and zodiac, and illustrates rising and setting position of sun for any date.		Pix
Plateful of Planets	Demonstrate the scale of the planets with nuts and seeds relative to a plate-sized sun.		Ref. Pix Text
Plate Teachtonics	Teach plate tectonics by cutting paper plates into tectonic plates.		Pix Text
Platisphere	Make an instrument akin to a planisphere that shows the position of the circumpolar stars for any given date and time.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Platisphere for Children	Construct a device to locate the Big and Little Dippers and Cassiopeia after sunset through the seasons.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Platisphere Tactile	Make a tactile model of circumpolar stars for visually impaired persons by drilling holes for stars on a stack of plates.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Portable Sundial	Create a simple, portable sundial.		Ref. Pix Text
Portable Sundial II	Create a functional, portable sundial.		Pix Text
Portable Sundial III	Design a portable sundial.
Portable Sundial IV	Design a portable dial using interlocking plates for a gnomon.		Ref Pix Text
Ptolemaic Polemic	Make Ptolemaic model with equants, epicycles, and deferents to explain retrograde motion.		Ref. Pix
Rainbow Finder	Construct a rainbow finder to locate a potential rainbow and to predict its apparent size.		Ref. Pix Text
Rainbow Finder II	Fold a plate in half to find a rainbow.		Pix Text
Rainbow Turntable	Make a freestanding rainbow using a phonographic record player.		Pix Text
Reflector Flex	Demonstrate how modern reflector telescopes use rapid actuators to compensate for gravity-induced distortions of the primary mirror.		Pix Text
Retrograde Motion	Show how planets appear to loop westward against background stars.		Ref. Text
Revolving Star Chart	Make a simple plate to depict the circumpolar stars.		Ref. Text
Ricehenge	Model the Stonehenge site out of rice cereal treats--then eat it.		Ref. Pix Text
Roman Shields	Recreate the scutum, a military device used by the Roman Army.		Pix Text
Salad Spinner Zoetrope	Make a zoetrope from a salad spinner to illustrate moon phases and persistence of vision.		Ref. Pix Text
Satellite Tracking Bowl	Draw a local horizon and plot the paths and times of satellite passes inside a bowl prior to an observing session.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Saturn's Rings	Make a model of Saturn to suggest why its rings "disappear" periodically.		Ref Pix Text
Seasons	Make a model to explain the cause of the seasons.		Ref. Text
Sine Waves	Construct a sine curve from two plate halves.		Pix Text
Slide tray index	Make a useful index for slide trays that doubles as a dust shield.		Ref. Pix Text
Solar System Mobile	Create planet mobile with appropriate features.		Ref. Text
Stargazing Plates	Build collection of observing notes, diagrams, images, or other information and suspend from telescope during observing sessions.		Ref. Text Pix
Star Life Models	Model the timeline of a star's existence.		Ref. Text
Stellar Bar Code	Show similarities between a bar code and spectroscopic lines.		Pix
Sub-Solar Cup	Track the sub-solar path of the sun across a globe in real time to highlight the boundaries of the tropics and to illustrate an analemma.		Ref. Pix Text Video
Sunrise Sunset	Track the position of the sun at sunrise and sunset through the seasons. Track the moon and some stars as well.		Ref. Text Video
Telescope View	Draw celestial objects as seen through a telescope, with the plate simulating the field of view.		Text Pix
Transit Frequency	Illustrate why a transit of Venus has such an irregular period, with transits occurring in pairs--eight years apart--separated by over a century.		Text Pix
Transit of Venus	Plot the path of Venus as the planet's disk moves across the surface of the sun on June 8, 2004.		Text Pix
Tracking Sunspots	Project, trace, and track sunspots directly on a plate which defines the outline of the sun.		Ref. Pix
Turtle Hatch	Record on a paper plate the fate of sea turtles hatching in the presence of light pollution. This is a dynamic activity that works best with a large group (say, 50-100) of students.
Vanishing Spacecraft	Demonstrate visual blind spots that sometimes causes satellites to disappear from view.		Ref. Text Pix
Voyager's Golden Record	Design a personal cover plate for the Voyager spacecraft’s mounted record and prioritize your own list of items for inclusion in the record.		Pix Text
Wayfinding	Polynesian navigators recognized patterns in nature to perfect their skills and protect their craft. We solicit educational material inspired by the practice of wayfinding.		Pix
Wind Rose	Design a wind rose on a paper plate.		Pix

*Note: As we build this site we will be uploading much information that has already been published. The far right column indicates what you will find if you click the links that are highlighted under the Title column. "Ref" indicates that the material was previously published in the respective Proceedings of the Annual Great Lakes Planetarium Association Conference and the reference is cited. As a membership benefit, GLPA members may order back issues from GLPA while supplies last. "Pix" indicates that a picture or image(s) can be found at the Title's linked page. "Text" indicates that you can find text or a write-up on the activity at the linked page, though some instructions are admittedly sparse for now. "Video" indicates the activity is included in the Paper Plate Astronomy videotape.

Several more activities (below) have yet to be completed and uploaded to this website. We invite you to complete the development of some of these proposed activities yourself and then offer your handiwork to the Paper Plate Education effort. Thank you for your support.

Title	Description
Altitude Measurer II		Incomplete
Apparent Magnitude		Incomplete
Atoms	Build atoms from plates representing protons, electrons, and neutrons.
Binary Stars	Create a model of an eclipsing binary star system or of any two objects in orbit around a common point.
Blood Platelets
Calabash Cup	Make a model of the alleged Polynesian calabash, a water-bearing gourd perhaps used to confirm latitude.
Celestial Atlas	Recreate historical celestial atlas features.
Circle of Fifths	Demonstrate the principle behind music's Circle of Fifths.
Color Wheel	Color multiple plates with varied combinations and rotate them rapidly on a paint brush spinner.
Compass Rose	Design a compass rose showing the cardinal and inter-cardinal directions and label the traditional points in what is known as "boxing a compass."
Congruence	Correlate declination/right ascension with latitude/longitude using intersecting plates.
Connect-the-Dot Constellations	Connect dots (on pre-drilled stack) to make own constellations, with no particular side being “up.” Write story on back.
Dig This!	Simulate an archeological dig with a stack of plates and recreate a timeline as you peel away plates that each represent a given number of years. To scale intersperse pictures of "artifacts."
Dip	Illustrate dip and the need to correct for it during C-Nav sight reduction.
Double Helix	Make DNA "ladder" by spiraling and intertwining two plates.
Drum Heads	Design patterns for drum heads akin to Mongol, Tartar, and Pacific Northwest cultures.	Awaiting copyright permission
Eclipse Plate	With Earth’s shadow cast onto plate, view back side of plate from multiple holes (at different paper plate latitudes) to observe partial eclipse, total eclipse, and near- eclipse.
Egyptian Calendar	Recreate an Egyptian calendar or build your own stylistic version
Expanding Universe	Mimic the expanding universe by making galaxy models that accelerate away from each other.
GHA, SHA, LHA	Correlate Greenwich hour angle, sidereal hour angle, and local hour angle.
Gravity and the Planets	Demonstrate the varying pull of gravity between the planets as they orbit; John Beach activity.	Incomplete
H/R Wall	Construct a large H-R diagram on a wall with colored plates of varying sizes.
Inverse Square Rule	Demonstrate inverse square relationships.	Incomplete
Land & C-Nav	Demonstrate the relationships between the date, the altitude of the primary navigation stars at transit, the observer’s latitude, and the altitude of Polaris.
Latitude Formula	Illustrate why latitude equals the great circle distance from an observer's zenith to the celestial equator (Latitude =90-Ho +/- same/contrary declination).
Nickel Plated	Create your own design for a new state coin. Select features that are inherent to your interests.
Nocturnal	Make and use a nocturnal, an antique instrument that determined time from the position of the northern Guardian Stars.
North at Noon	Find true north with two timed observations before and after noon.
North and Scout	Use a scouting technique to determine cardinal (N, S, E, & W) directions.
Orbital Shells	Demonstrate the principle of orbital shells with stacked plates and cake trays of successive sizes.
Polynesian Practices	Demonstrate techniques used by Polynesian wayfinders to determine their position, such as sighting on zenithal stars and interpreting wave patterns.	Awaiting copyright permission
Polynesian Star Pairs	Demonstrate how Polynesian wayfinders use star pairs to determine latitude and directions.	Awaiting copyright permission
Potato Moon	Model lunar features with potato salad and measure mountain heights from contrived shadow lengths.
Rainbow Wall	Build a rainbow model from suspended clear and colored plates representing water drops.
Radar Plating	Simulate radar plotting and tracking multiple targets. Determine other vessels’ courses, speeds, and closest points of approach.
Syene Well	Reproduce Eratosthenes’ determination of the circumference of the earth with a Syene well simulation. See video for sample.
Tree Rings	Simulate the cross- sectional cut of a tree to yield information on a tree's history.
Variable Star Field	Compare a plate depicting a telescopic field of view containing variable stars with an AAVSO finder chart and estimate stellar magnitudes.	Incomplete
Vernier Scale	Construct a working model of a vernier scale.
Viking Directions	Make a solar stone, or bearing dial, to simulate the direction-finding technique of Norsemen.	.

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Paper Plate Education "Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate"

Paper Plate Education
"Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate"