Dark Energy and the Origin of the Universe Educator Guide
A resource for using QUEST video in the classroom
QUEST MEDIA FOR TEACHING ABOUT DARK ENERGY
QUEST
SUBJECTS
Life
Science
Biology
Health
Environment
Earth
Science
Geology
Weather
Astronomy
Physical
Science
Physics
Chemistry
Engineering
CA SCIENCE
STANDARDS
Grade 3
Earth Sciences
4. (c) Telescopes magnify
the appearance of some
distant objects in the sky.
Grades 9-12
Earth’s Place in the
Universe
2. (b) Galaxies are made
of billions of stars and
comprise most of the
visible mass of the
universe.
2. (d) Stars differ in their
life cycles; telescopes may
be used to collect data that
reveal those differences.
2. (f) Evidence indicates
that the color, brightness
and evolution of a star are
determined by a balance
between gravitational
collapse and nuclear
fusion.
2. (g) The redshift from
distant galaxies and the
cosmic background
radiation provide evidence
for the “big bang” model
that suggests that the
universe has been
expanding for 10-20 billion
years.
Read and comment on the blogs for any of these stories by clicking on the story link and
clicking on the blog post link below the video/audio.
Watch “Dark Energy” http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/dark-energy
 Physicists can't see it and don't know much about what it is, but dark energy makes
up 70 percent of the universe. Meet one of the country's leading scientists who is
trying to understand dark energy and the role it plays in causing our universe to
expand.
Watch “Nobel Laureate George Smoot and the Origin of the Universe”
http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/nobel-laureate-george-smoot-and-the-origin-oftheuniverse
 QUEST TV talks with George Smoot, big bang researcher at UC Berkeley and winner
of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics.
TOPIC BACKGROUND
George Smoot, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, shared the 2006 Nobel
Prize in Physics for his work on the early beginnings of the universe. Using the Cosmic
Background Explorer Satellite (COBE), which probes what the early universe looked like,
Dr. Smoot was able to measure the “relic radiation” of the big bang and make a picture of
the universe when it was 12 hours old.
It has been widely known and accepted that the universe is expanding. In 1998, scientists
discovered that something happened about seven billion years ago. The universe began
to accelerate. What scientists want to know is, what caused this acceleration?
Evidence from the study of Type 1a supernovae had scientists putting forth the idea of
dark energy as a possible mechanism. Supernovae are massive stars whose “deaths”
leave an initial brightness that is constant and grows fainter with distance. Referred to as
“standard candles” because of their consistent peak brightness, scientists study them and
their redshift in hopes of better understanding the expansion and acceleration of the
universe.
Dark energy may be the reason why the universe is accelerating. Not much is known
about it, but evidence suggests that it’s a mysterious energy or force that makes up 70
percent of the universe. There is also evidence to suggest that it may play a role in
galaxy formation.
Additional background resources:
“The Cosmic Grip of Dark Energy,” Scientific American (February 2007), pp. 34-41.
NASA: Imagine the Universe: Dark Energy
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/mysteries_l1/dark_energy.html
NASA Science: Astrophysics: Dark Energy, Dark Matter
http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/what-is-dark-energy
INTRO QUESTIONS
VOCABULARY
Big bang
broadly accepted
theory
for the origin and
evolution of our
universe.
Cosmology
branch of astronomy
that studies the
evolution of the
universe, including its
history, structure and
organization
COBE
Cosmic Background
Explorer Satellite that
probes what the early
universe looked like
Dark energy
mysterious force that
causes the universe to
expand at an increasing
rate
Redshift
apparent shift toward
longer wavelengths of
spectral lines in the
radiation emitted by an
object, caused by the
emitting object moving
away from the observer
Supernova
death explosion of a
massive star resulting
in a sharp increase in
brightness followed by
a gradual fading

What is astronomy?

What is the big bang theory? How old is the universe?

Is the universe expanding? Do you think the universe will keep expanding

indefinitely?

What tool(s) do astronomers use to find information about the universe?

What is a supernova?
FOCUS QUESTIONS

Who is Dr. George Smoot? What did he win his Nobel Prize in Physics for?

What does the big bang theory tell astronomers about the beginnings of the

universe?

What is dark energy? What role does it play in our understanding of the universe?

What are supernovae? What kinds of information do they give astronomers about

the universe?
For all media see:
 Segment Summary Student Sheet
http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUEST_SegSum_StudentSheet.pdf
 Personal Response Student Sheet
http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUEST_PersResp_StudentSheet.pdf
LESSON PLANS and RESOURCES from PBS, TEACHERS’ DOMAIN and NPR
NOTE: Resources from the Teachers’ Domain collection require a fast and free registration.
Birth of a Supernova Type 1a Teacher’s Domain
In this interactive activity from NOVA Online, learn about a type of exploding star — a
Type 1a supernova — that is so bright that astronomers can measure the distance to the
galaxy in which it resides, and even learn which elements make up the star.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.matter.nova1/
Looking Back in Time Teacher’s Domain
This video segment of “Swift: Eyes through Time” provides concrete examples to explain
the concept that distance in space equals distance in time.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/psu06-swift.sci.time/
Looking Back in Time Teacher’s Domain
This lesson plan provides a concrete way for students to understand the concept of
distance in space equals distance in time.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/psu06-swift.sci.backintime/
WMAP: “Baby Picture” of the Universe Teacher’s Domain
View the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) image from NASA to see the
first detailed map of the oldest light in the universe.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.wmap/
Inflationary Universe NPR’s Science Friday
Ira Flatow and guests talk about the beginnings of the universe and the work being done
to support the idea of an “Inflationary Universe” model.
http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2006/Mar/hour2_032406.html
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Chabot Space and Science
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www.chabotspace.org
East Bay Regional Park
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www.ebparks.org
Exploratorium
www.exploratorium.edu
Girl Scouts of Northern
California
www.girlscoutsnorcal.org
Golden Gate National
Parks Conservancy
www.parksconservancy.org
Why Use Multimedia in Science Education?
http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUESTWhyMedia.pdf
• Read about the importance of using multimedia in the 21st century
science classroom.
How to Use Science Media for Teaching and Learning
http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUESTMediaTips.pdf
• A collection of tips, activities and handouts to actively engage students
with multimedia.
Science Multimedia Analysis
http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUESTMediaAnalysis.pdf
• Give your students the tools to recognize the purposes and messages of
science multimedia.
Create Online Science Hikes with Google Maps
http://www.kqed.org/quest/files/download/52/QUEST_ExplorationCreation.pdf
• Do you like the science hike Explorations on the QUEST site? Use this
place-based educational guide to create similar science-based maps with
youth.
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Institutes
www.gladstone.ucsf.edu
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The Amgen Foundation. Additional support is provided by the William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation, Ann S. Bowers -The Robert Noyce Trust, the Dirk and
Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, and the Vadasz Family Foundation.
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