Black holes are one of the great mysteries of the universe. After knowing of their existence for a long time, we finally got an accurate picture of one after decades of trying to figure out how to (mainly because light cannot escape them). However, there is still so much we still need to learn about them. What happens when someone goes inside one? Will they be incinerated or crushed? Are they a means of travel to alternate universes? Could you escape a black hole if you could go faster than the speed of light? Why are supermassive black holes at the center of every galaxy?

With all these questions, we should discuss some of the basics of black holes, which should be given to your students before they play the game. Black holes started as stars. As a star goes through its life, they fuse particles and release energy, making denser particles. Each type of fusion produces less energy as the star burns through its atomic fuel. For example, hydrogen fuses into helium as the first primary fuel source. Afterward, there are nuclear burning stages: carbon, neon, oxygen, and silicon. As the star progresses through these stages, denser and denser elements (all the way to iron) are created through fusion.

Stars, as massive as they are, should collapse on themselves. Still, the radiation energy from the star pushes against gravity, which keeps the star in balance. As the star burns through its energy sources, iron in the center builds up in the core. Iron does not produce energy to fuse but requires energy, so as iron builds up in the star, less radiation is released. With less radiation pushing against gravity, eventually, gravity pushes hard on the star and collapses the core. The star implodes, creating a colossal supernova explosion (where all heavier elements are created). More mass is fed into the core, creating a neutron star. If the star is massive enough, it becomes a black hole, which has all the mass of the core in a very tiny space.

This tiny space is called the singularity, which could be infinitely dense as tons of mass are located in a tiny spot. When we see a black hole, we see a black spot reflecting no light. This is called the event horizon. Light cannot escape the gravitational pull of the event horizon, which is why it appears black. To escape, something would have to go faster than the speed of light (which currently is impossible). Black holes also rotate almost at the speed of light, slowly losing mass through Hawking radiation. This leaking is happening so slowly that they are practically eternal since we cannot comprehend the time it would take to evaporate and explode.

In this game, students will be brave (or crazy) astronauts traveling to the event horizon of a black hole. This game can be tailored to work any type of accuracy drill you want to practice for any sport. I used basketballs and hoops in this write-up, but this could easily be soccer balls and small goals, hockey sticks, pucks, small goals, etc. This lesson can be done yearly since a new skill can be practiced each time. This makes it a perfect lesson to close out the First Great Lesson as students study the Big Bang and the creation of the universe.

Materials: 

·      A large playing area (gym or outside)

·      There is a tremendous variety of equipment that can be used

o   Whether playing inside or outside, large containers like 55-gallon waste buckets, portable goals, or portable basketball hoops can be used as the target

·      At least one ball and implement per person based on the goal used for the activity

·      Lots of rubber disc dots act as place markers

Minimum Number of Students Needed: This game could be played by as few as two students.

Age: All Ages