Cataloging the Universe - An Audio Course from Tumble Media!

Tumble Media•www.sciencepodcastforkids.com

This seven-lesson audio course will take you on a journey, starting at the turn of the 20th century, as we learn how scientists came to understand how massive the universe, and how it contains many more galaxies than we ever imagined before. You'll also get to learn how to classify galaxies, and do some sky watching of your own. These seven lessons align with NGSS standard 5-ESS1-1: Stellar Brightness and Distance.

Last refreshed: July 18th, 2025 at 3:24 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Lesson 0 - Introduction

We're about to set off on a journey through time and space! Listen to this introduction before you get started. Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/universe

Feb 27, 2023•1 min

Lesson 1 - The Scale of the Universe

Get ready to meet two famous astronomers just before they face off in a scientific argument. “The Great Debate” was about the biggest astronomy question of their time: How big is the universe, and how do we know? Marshall travels back in time to interview them, and find out why unusual objects in the sky called spiral nebulae may be the key to determining the size of the universe. Resources included with this lesson: Listening Comprehension Questions Discussion Questions Shapley & Curtis Gra...

Feb 26, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Lesson 2 - Starting Your Star Journal

Let’s get to work on your star journal! Marshall takes you back to modern times to meet a real-life astronomer named DK. DK will teach us the basics of skywatching. First up: How to write observations about the things we see in the sky. Resources included with this lesson: Review Questions from Episode 1 A Star Journal with Questions adapted from the episode Reflection Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkid...

Feb 25, 2023•12 min

Lesson 3 - Observing Mystery Objects

It’s time-traveling time again! This time, we’ll be going to France in the 1700s to talk to French astronomer Charles Messier. Messier is observing the sky and making a list of what he finds. Come along with Marshall as he finds out why Messier’s list will prove to be important for centuries of astronomers to come. Resources included with this lesson: Listening Questions Discussion Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.science...

Feb 24, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Lesson 4 - Continuing Your Star Journal

In this lesson, we’ll take some of the things we learned from Charles Messier and apply them to our own observations of the sky. We’ll also hunt for a few constellations that we may or may not have ever seen before. Get ready to go outside! Resources included with this lesson: Star Journal Pages Reflection Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/universe

Feb 23, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Lesson 5 - Brightness and Distance

In this lesson, we’ll talk about one of the ways that astronomers find out how far away the things they see in the sky are. We’ll also learn one of the big challenges with figuring that out by trying an experiment ourselves using flash lights at night. Resources included with this lesson: The Flashlight Experiment (A separate document!) A Star Journal Reflection Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/u...

Feb 22, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Lesson 6 - The Great Debate - Solved!

In this lesson, we’ll learn how one scientist figured out the solution to the Great Debate. Using an amazing discovery, this scientist was able to finally determine exactly how big the Milky Way was, and what those spiral nebulae are. Resources included in this episode: Listening Questions Discussion Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/universe

Feb 21, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Lesson 7 - The Galaxy Zoo

In this lesson, we’ll meet Karen Masters, an astronomer who is studying and classifying distant galaxies. We’ll also learn how we can help her do her work by using a website called Galaxy Zoo. You can look at data from a sample of millions of galaxies and help astronomers understand the answers to big questions about the universe. Resources included with this lesson: Listening Questions Post Galaxy Zoo Questions Download the free resources for this course on the “Cataloging the Universe” website...

Feb 17, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 7

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