This activity employs many research-based strategies. Check them out for valuable tips and downloads. You may want to try the activity yourself first so you will be better prepared to help your children. Involve other children and have them work cooperatively (follow the link for advice).

Be sure Squeak is installed successfully on your computer. It will take about 30 seconds for the project to load for a fast connection (up to 10 minutes for a slow modem connection). Wait until you see an orange flap at the lower left labeled Navigation. Click the flap to open and close it and access some neat tools. If you click Escape Browser, you will have more space. Click Browser Reentry to get back your Browser controls.
Laser: Norbert and Zot await your children in their laser lab. If your children want to play first, they can try experimenting without reading the directions. However, your children will probably need more direction and background and they should go through the two books. You may wish to review the math concepts and calibration with your children. However you start, try to have your children complete the first two challenges and encourage them to try the others. Click the LASER button at the left to start.
Plotting Tool: They will need to plot data in Challenges 1, 2, and 4. Scientists often plot data to help them understand. If your children are already in the laser activity, they should click Browser Reentry and then click the browser back button to return to this page to review plotting data. They should click the PLOTTING button at the left.
Challenge 5: Challenge 5 requires a knowledge of how Squeak works. Before trying it, your children should first watch the recording of how to use Squeak to make the objects on the page perform for them. Playing is a great way to learn. They must click Escape Browser and their resolution must be set at 1024x768 to view the recording properly. They should click the PLAYING button at the left to start the recording. Then they should return to LASER. It would also be very helpful to download and print the Etoy Quick Start Guide to hand out to your children. The project has four identical cells of cloud and aerosol material for your children to test. Your children need to figure out how the cells are made and how they work. They need to make a fifth cell that is identical to the other four and gives the correct result when Norbert and Zot perform the experiment on five cells. Go to the NASA CONNECT web site and have your children submit their Squeak projects.

After your children are familiar with the Squeak Laser project, have them try these additional challenges as extensions. They should explore, create, and have fun learning.

Activity Objectives:

1. Students will learn about measurement and calibration by taking data on laser beam intensity as a function of cloud or aerosol thickness.
2. Students will plot the data and take ratios to analyze the data.
3. Students will use their data plot to predict the new laser intensity when they add another cloud or aerosol cell.
4. Students will use their data plot to determine the unknown thickness of a cloud or aerosol.
5. Students will scale the simulation thicknesses to actual cloud and aerosol thicknesses.
6. Students will work together cooperatively and analyze and present their results.

Teacher Information Useful for Parents

• Check the national standards for this activity.
• This activity is inquiry based. An effective approach is to: ENGAGE, EXPLORE, EXPLAIN, EXTEND, and EVALUATE.
• This activity employes many research-based strategies. Check them out for valuable tips.
• Involve other students and have them work cooperatively. Follow the link for advice.
• After your students are familiar with the Squeak project, have them try these extensions.
• Check these basic tips for help using Squeak.
• Here are several references where you can learn more about Squeak and where to get basic information sheets to hand out to your students to guide them using Squeak.