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Course: Big History Project > Unit 3
Lesson 2: Creation of Complex Elements | 3.1- ACTIVITY: Is It In There?
- ACTIVITY: Threshold Card — Threshold 3 New Chemical Elements
- WATCH: Threshold 3 — New Chemical Elements
- WATCH: What Did Stars Give Us?
- WATCH: Why Star Stuff Matters
- READ: The Evolving Star - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar: Graphic Biography
- READ: A Little Big History of Silver
- Quiz: Creation of Complex Elements
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READ: The Evolving Star - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar: Graphic Biography
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an Indian physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics. His work gave us tremendous insights into the life and death of stars.
The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.
Reading 1: Skimming for gist
This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?
Reading 2: Understanding content
For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- What issues did Chandra face when he presented his calculations about the death of stars?
- What was Chandra's experience at the University of Chicago like?
- What was Chandra's most important contribution to collective learning?
- How has the artist designed the images in this comic to help you know in which order to read the text?
- Looking at just the images, what do you think is the theme of this comic?
Reading 3: Evaluating and Corroborating
In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
- What does Chandra's experience sharing his ideas about stars teach you about the process of collective learning? His did his theory become accepted?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.
The Evolving Star: Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar - Graphic Biography
Writer: Eman M. Elshaikh
Artist: Kay Sohini
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an Indian physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics. His work gave us tremendous insights into the life and death of stars.
Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.