April 6, 2026
Oh my stars! We're back from Spring Break and ready to launch into the final two months of the school year! Sharing a stellar Classroom Grants Program story from Ogden High today, where Ms. Whisler-Sorge’s astronomy students at Ogden High are getting the chance to see the stars the way scientists do. With new spectrum analysis tubes, a power supply, and diffraction grating glasses, students can observe the colors different elements emit when energized, bringing spectroscopy to life right in the classroom. As the gases light up into glowing plasma, students witness firsthand how scientists use light to identify the elements found in stars and even trace gases on distant planets. The impact on student understanding has been out of this world as students aren’t just learning about the stars—they’re experiencing them in all their glory.
“One thing I learned was that with Neon you have more dominant colors like red, orange and yellow," said one of Ms. Whisler-Sorge's students. "But we see all sorts of colors in neon signs because they use different gases to get those colors. Overall I thought it looked super cool and I enjoyed the whole thing!”
Another student shared, “One thing I learned today was that scientists use light to see trace gases on other planets. I always wondered HOW they knew that if they never visited the planet.”
"Thank you for such a generous donation to make the spectroscopy project a reality for my Astronomy students," said Ms. Whisler-Sorge. "They love getting to 'see' the stars in all their glory like the scientists do. This is an incredible opportunity and I thank you for making it possible. Your generous gift has made a stellar impact on my students."
“One thing I learned was that with Neon you have more dominant colors like red, orange and yellow," said one of Ms. Whisler-Sorge's students. "But we see all sorts of colors in neon signs because they use different gases to get those colors. Overall I thought it looked super cool and I enjoyed the whole thing!”
Another student shared, “One thing I learned today was that scientists use light to see trace gases on other planets. I always wondered HOW they knew that if they never visited the planet.”
"Thank you for such a generous donation to make the spectroscopy project a reality for my Astronomy students," said Ms. Whisler-Sorge. "They love getting to 'see' the stars in all their glory like the scientists do. This is an incredible opportunity and I thank you for making it possible. Your generous gift has made a stellar impact on my students."