Solar monitoring

The Sun undergoes daily and seasonal fluctuations in activity on its surface. These changes affect the Earth, and contribute to the 'Solar Weather'. Some of the changes are linked to climate change on the Earth over long periods of time.
The major pattern of change on the surface of the Sun is the sunspot cycle, which is seen as an increase and then decrease in the number of sunspots, and their location on the surface of the Sun. This cycle has a 22 year period, and can be easily monitored by observing the surface of the Sun.
To view the sun safely, nearly all of the light must be blocked before it reaches your eye. One way to that, is to use interference filters, which only allow a very small range of frequencies of light to get through. Much of the sunspot activity is associated with a wavelength of light produced by Hydrogen gas, known as the H alpha wavelength. By using a specially designed telescope, the Coronado PST, my astronomy students could directly monitor the surface of the sun, and by using a digital camera attached to the telescope, and make a photographic record.
I would demonstrate the equipment, and train the students in its use. Students would be assigned to use the equipment throughout the year, and all students would get the opportunity to directly observe, collect data, compare their data with other students' observations, and analyze sunspot activity as a Science Inquiry project.