Visual Literacy

I chose the Visual Activity using Web-based photo resources. The activity was to basically build "visual reading" into your classroom by using one of the listed links to design an activity that uses the Picture of the Day. There are various pictures to choose from one of the following websites. I chose the Astronomy Picture of the Day which was of Enceladus. Everyday a new picture is put up of an image of some aspect of the universe and a brief explanation is followed. This would be great in a Science class for a weekly or daily activity.

The surface of Enceladus is as white as fresh snow. Still, an impressive variety of terrain is revealed in this contrast enhanced image. At a resolution of about 30 meters per pixel, the close-up view spans over 20 kilometers - recorded during the touring Cassini spacecraft's March flyby of the icy Saturnian moon. Enceladus is known to be the most reflective moon in the solar system, and the recent Cassini encounters have also detected the presence of an atmosphere, making Enceladus the second moon of Saturn with such a distinction. In fact, Enceladus' fresh looking surface and significant atmosphere both indicate that the tiny, 500 kilometer diameter moon is active. Researchers suspect that ice volcanos or geysers coat the surface with fresh material and replenish the moon's atmosphere, ultimately providing the icy particles that compose Saturn's tenuous E ring.