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POMPTON LAKES SCHOOL DISTRICT
ASTRONOMY
COURSE OF STUDY
(May 2011)
Submitted By
The Science Department
Dr. Terrance Brennan, Superintendent
Mr. Vincent Przybylinski, Principal
Mr. Anthony Mattera, Vice Principal
Mr. Garry Luciani, Board of Ed President
Mr. Jose Arroyo, Board of Ed Vice President
Board Members
Mrs. Catherine Brolsma, Mr. Shawn Dougherty, Mr. Raymond Keating III, Mr. Tom Salus,
Mrs. Stephanie Shaw, Mr. Carl Padula, Mrs. Nancy Schwartz, Mr. Tim Troast
I.
Description
This semester course is designed for the third/ fourth year high school student who is
interested in learning about the Universe. Astronomy is a rapidly evolving field fueled by
new technologies and novel theoretical insights. The important concepts are developed
without using sophisticated mathematics; rather they are explained using qualitative
reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving analogies. This is done in order to
explain the complexities of the subject matter without oversimplification.
II.
Objectives
A. Science Standards
5.1
Science Practices: All students will understand that science is both a body
of knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually
extends, refines, and revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands
encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills that students must acquire to be
proficient in science.
5.2
Physical Science: All students will understand the physical science
principles, including fundamental ideas about matter, energy, and motion, are
powerful conceptual tools for making sense of phenomena in physical, living and
Earth systems science.
5.3
Life Science: All students will understand that life science principles are
powerful conceptual tools for making sense of complexity, diversity and
interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance
with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be
modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics.
5.4
Earth System Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as
a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is a part of the allencompassing system of the universe.
III.
Core Curriculum Content Standards Workplace
1.
All students will develop career planning and workplace readiness skills.
2.
All students will use information, technology, and other tools.
3.
All students will use critical thinking, decision-making, and problem
solving skills.
4.
All students will demonstrate self-management skills.
5.
All students will apply safety principles.
IV.
Standard 9.1 (Career and Technical Education)
All students will develop career awareness and planning, employment skills, and
foundational knowledge necessary for success in the workplace.
Strands and Cumulative progress Indicators
Building knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade
12, students will:
A.
Career Awareness Preparation
1.
Re-evaluate personal interests, ability and skills through various
measures including self assessments.
2.
Evaluate academic and career skills needed in various career
clusters.
3.
Analyze factors that can impact on individual’s career.
4.
Review and update their career plan and include plan in portfolio.
5.
Research current advances in technology that apply to a sector
occupational career cluster.
B.
Employment Skills
1.
Assess personal qualities that are needed to obtain and retain a job
related to career clusters.
2.
Communicate and comprehend written and verbal thoughts, ideas,
directions and information relative to educational and occupational
settings.
3.
Select and utilize appropriate technology in the design and
implementation of teacher-approved projects relevant to
occupational and/or higher educational settings.
4.
Evaluate the following academic and career skills as they relate to
home, school, community, and employment.
Communication
Punctuality
Time management
Organization
Decision making
Goal Setting
Resources allocation
Fair and equitable competition
Safety
Employment application
Teamwork
5.
Demonstrate teamwork and leadership skills that include student
participation in real world applications of career and technical
educational skills.
All students electing further study in career and technical
education will also: participate in structural learning experiences
that demonstrate interpersonal communication, teamwork and
leadership skills.
V.
Units
Unit 1 – Our Place in the Universe
Standard: 5.1 Science Practices: All students will understand that science is both a body of
knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and
revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills
that students must acquire to be proficient in science.
Strand: Understand Scientific Explanations: Students understand core concepts and principles of
science and use measurement and observation tools to assist in categorizing, representing and
interpreting the natural and designed world.
Enduring
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Essential Questions
Understandings
Pre Course Quiz: What do you really know
 Are there any
 The scientific method is
about the Universe?
ordinary
used whenever a person
situations where
makes a prediction
Classroom assignment: What is our address
people regularly
based on observations
in the Universe?
apply the
and then tests it out.
scientific method
Measurement Lab: Design your own
without being
measuring system to determine the distances
aware of it?
between solar system objects. Compare and
Content
Cumulative Progress
contrast with light years and parsecs.
Statements
Indicators
Mathematical,
5.1.12.A.1 – Refine
Lab: Determine the distance to an object
physical and
interrelationships
using parallax measurements.
computational
among concepts and
tools are used to
patterns of evidence
Homework assignment: Design and explain
search for and
found in different
your own constellation.
explain core
central scientific
scientific concepts
explanations.
and principles.
Interpretation and
5.1.12.A.2 – Develop and
manipulation of
use mathematical,
evidence-based
physical and
models are used to
computational tools to
build and critique
build evidence-based
arguments/
models and to pose
explanations.
theories.
Revisions of
5.1.12.A.3 – Use
predictions and
scientific principles and
explanations are
theories to build and
based on systematic
refine standards for data
observations,
collection, posing
accurate
controls, and presenting
measurements, and
evidence.
structured data/
evidence.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Describe how scientists combine observation,
theory and testing in their study of the universe.
 Explain the concept of the celestial sphere and
how we use angular measurement to locate
objects in the sky.
 Describe how and why the Sun, Moon and stars
appear to change their positions from night to
night and from month to month.
 Explain how our clocks and calendars are linked
to Earth’s rotation and orbit around the Sun.
 Explain the simple geometric reasoning that
allows astronomers to measure the distances and
sizes of otherwise inaccessible objects.
 Show how the relative motions of the Earth, the
Sun and the Moon lead to eclipses.

Describe how some ancient civilizations
attempted to explain the heavens in terms
of Earth-centered models of the universe.
Standard: 5.1 Science Practices: All students will understand that science is both a body of
knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and
revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning
skills that students must acquire to be proficient in science.
Strand: 5.1.C. Reflect on Scientific Knowledge: Scientific knowledge builds on itself over time.
Essential Questions
 How would you
describe the
geocentric theory
of the universe?
 Why was the
heliocentric theory
of the universe
adopted over the
geocentric theory?
Enduring
Understandings
 The geocentric universe
proposes that the Earth
is the center of the
universe and all other
bodies orbit it.
The geocentric theory
of the universe was
questioned by those
astronomers who
believed that the
epicycles proposed by
Ptolemy were to
complicated to be a
true explanation for the
motion of the planets.
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Content
Statements
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
Refinement of
understandings,
explanations, and
models occurs as
new evidence is
incorporated.
5.1.12.C.1 – Reflect on
and revise
understandings as new
evidence emerges.
Science is a practice
in which an
established body of
knowledge is
continually revised,
refined, and
extended as new
evidence emerges.
5.1.12.C.3 - Consider
alternative theories to
interpret and evaluate
evidence-based arguments
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Describe how scientists combine observation,
theory and testing in their study of the universe.
 Explain the concept of the celestial sphere and
how we use angular measurement to locate
objects in the sky.
 Describe how and why the Sun, Moon and stars
appear to change their positions from night to
night and from month to month.
 Explain how our clocks and calendars are linked
to Earth’s rotation and orbit around the Sun.
 Explain the simple geometric reasoning that
allows astronomers to measure the distances and
sizes of otherwise inaccessible objects.
 Show how the relative motions of the Earth, the
Sun and the Moon lead to eclipses.
 Describe how some ancient civilizations
attempted to explain the heavens in terms of
Earth-centered models of the universe.
 Summarize the role of Renaissance science in
the history of astronomy.

Explain how the observed motions of the
planets led to our modern view of Suncentered solar systems.
Standard: 5.2 Physical Science: All students will understand the physical science principles,
including fundamental ideas about matter, energy, and motion, are powerful conceptual tools for
making sense of phenomena in physical, living and Earth systems science.
Strand: Properties of Matter: All objects and substances in the natural world are composed of
matter. Matter has two fundamental properties: matter takes up space, and matter has inertia.
Enduring
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Essential Questions
Understandings
 What are the seven  The seven types of
Lab: Spectroscopes – What is the rainbow? How
electromagnetic
types of
do the spectra of different gases compare with the
radiation
are:
Gamma
electromagnetic
Sun’s spectrum?
rays,
X-rays,
radiation? How
Ultraviolet
light,
are they related to
visible light, Infrared
one another? How
light, Micro waves,
do they help us to
and Radio waves.
learn about the
They all travel at the
universe in which
same speed
we live?
(3.0 x 108 m/s). They
can show how
galaxies are moving
toward or away from
an observer.
Content
Cumulative Progress
Statements
Indicators
Electrons, protons,
5.2.12.A.1 - Use
and neutrons are
atomic models to
parts of the atoms
predict the behaviors
and have
of atoms in
measureable
interactions.
properties,
including mass
and, in the case of
protons and
electrons, charge.
The nuclei of
atoms are
composed of
protons and
neutrons. A kind
of force that is only
evident at nuclear
distances holds the
particles of the
nucleus together
against the
electrical repulsion
between the
protons.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Discuss the nature of electromagnetic radiation
and tell how that radiation transfers energy and
information through interstellar space.
 Describe the major regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum and explain how
Earth’s atmosphere affects our ability to make
astronomical observations at different
wavelengths.
 Explain what is meant by the term “blackbody
radiation” and describe the basic properties of
such radiation.
 Tell how we can determine the temperature of
an object by observing the radiation that it
emits.
 Show how the relative motion between a source
of radiation and an observer can change the
perceived wavelength of the radiation, and
explain the importance of this phenomenon to
astronomy.
 Describe the characteristics of continuous,
emission and absorption spectra and the
conditions under which each is produced.
 Explain the relation between emission and
absorption lines and what we can learn from
those lines.
 Specify the basic components of the atom and
describe our modern conception of its structure.
 Discuss the observations that led scientists to
conclude that light has particle as well as wave
properties.
 Explain how electron transitions within atoms
produce unique emission and absorption
features in the spectra produced by molecules.
 Describe the general features of spectra
produced by molecules.

List and explain the kinds of information
that can be obtained by analyzing the
spectra of astronomical objects.
Standard: 5.4 Earth System Science:
All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected
systems, and is a part of the all-encompassing system of the universe.
Strand: Objects in the Universe:
Our universe has been expanding and evolving for 13.7 billion years under the influence of
gravitational and nuclear forces. As gravity governs its expansion, organizational patterns, and the
movement of celestial bodies, nuclear forces within stars govern its evolution through the processes of
stellar birth and death. These same processes governed the formation of our solar system 4.6 billion
years ago.
Essential Questions
 What were the
major discoveries
that Galileo made
concerning the
planets?
 What are the
three main types
of telescopes?
Under what
circumstances
are they used?
Content
Statements
Prior to the work of
17th –century
astronomers,
scientists believed
the Earth was the
center of the
universe.
(geocentric model)
Enduring
Understandings
 Galileo discovered the
phases of Venus, the
moons of Jupiter,
mountains and mare on
the Moon using the
telescope.
 Optical, radio wave
and gamma/ x-ray
telescopes are used in
various situations
depending on the
surroundings of the
telescope to “view”
celestial bodies.
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
5.4.12.A.1 - Explain
how new evidence
obtained using
telescopes (e.g., the
phases of Venus or the
moons of Jupiter)
allowed 17th –century
astronomers to
displace the geocentric
model of the universe.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Describe the major contributions of Galileo and
Kepler to the development of our understanding
of the solar system.
 State Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Lab: Build a terrestrial or astronomical telescope
using a kit.
Video: View the video “Contact” to understand
the use of specialized telescopes in radio
astronomy.
 Explain how Kepler’s laws allow us to construct
a scale model of the solar system, and explain
the technique used to determine the actual size
of the planetary orbits.
 Be able to state Newton’s laws of gravitation
and explain how they account for Kepler’s laws.
 Explain how the law of gravitation enables us to
measure the masses of astronomical bodies.
 Sketch and describe the basic designs of the
major types of optical telescopes used by
astronomers.
 Explain the purpose of some of the detectors
used in astronomical telescopes.
 Explain the particular advantages of reflecting
telescopes for astronomical use, and specify
why very large telescopes are needed for most
astronomical studies.
 Describe how Earth’s atmosphere affects
astronomical observations, and discuss some of
the current efforts to improve ground-based
astronomy.
 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
radio astronomy compared with optical
observations.
 Explain why some astronomical observations
are best done from space and discuss the
advantages and limitations of space-based
astronomy.
 Tell why it is important to make astronomical
observations in different regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
Unit 2 – Our Planetary System
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of
complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the
Universe.
Strand: Objects in the Universe: Our Universe has been expanding and evolving for 13.7 billion
years under the influence of gravitational and nuclear forces. As gravity governs its expansion,
organizational patterns, and the movement of celestial bodies, nuclear forces within stars govern its
evolution through the processes of stellar birth and death. These same processes governed the
formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
Enduring
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Essential Questions
Understandings
 Are there any
 The scientific method is
ordinary
used whenever a person Video: View the video “Origins” to visualize the
birth of our solar system.
situations
makes a prediction
where people
based on observations
Lab: Build a solar system with your own
regularly apply
and then tests it out.
measuring system to see the relative distances
the scientific
between the planets.
method without
being aware of
Lab: Produce craters on different planets using
it?
different sized “craters” and different speeds
Content
Cumulative Progress
(from different heights).
Statements
Indicators
Class work: Prepare a graphic organizer for the
The properties and
5.4.12.A.2 – Collect,
planets including the color, name origin,
characteristics of
analyze, and critique
atmospheric makeup and physical attributes for
solar system
evidence that supports
each.
objects, combined
the theory that Earth
with radioactive
and the rest of the solar
Lab: Make a Comet flip book.
dating of
system formed from a
meteorites and
nebular cloud of dust
lunar samples,
and gas 4.6 billion
provide evidence
years ago.
that Earth and the
rest of the solar
system formed
from a nebular
cloud of dust and
gas 4.6 billion
years ago.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Discuss the importance of comparative
planetology to solar system studies.
 Describe the overall scale and structure of the
solar system.
 Summarize the basic differences between the
terrestrial and jovian planets.
 Identify and describe the major non-planetary
components of the solar system.
 Describe some of the spacecraft missions that
have contributed significantly to our knowledge
of the solar system.
 Outline the theory of solar-system formation
that accounts for the overall properties of our
planetary system.
 Account for the differences between the
terrestrial and jovian planets.
 Specify the general characteristics of the Moon
and Mercury and compare them with those of
Earth.
 Describe the surface features of the Moon and
Mercury, and recount how those two bodies
were formed by dynamic events early in their
history.
 Explain how the Moon’s rotation is influenced
by its orbit around Earth and Mercury’s orbit
around the Sun.
 Explain how observations of cratering can be
used to estimate the age of a body’s surface.
 Compare the Moon’s interior structure with that
of Mercury.
 Summarize the various theories of the formation
of the Moon and indicate which is currently
considered most likely.
 Discuss how astronomers have pieced together
the story of the Moon’s evolution, and compare
its evolutionary history with that of Mercury.
 Summarize Venus’ general orbital and physical
properties.
 Explain why Venus is hard to observe from
Earth and how we have obtained more detailed
knowledge of the planet.
 Compare the surface features and geology of
Venus with those of the Earth and the Moon.
 Describe the characteristics of Venus’
atmosphere and contrast it with that of Earth.
 Explain why the greenhouse effect has produced
conditions on Venus very different from those
on Earth.
 Describe Venus’s magnetic field and internal
structure.
 Summarize the general orbital and physical
properties of Mars.
 Describe the observational evidence for
seasonal changes on Mars.
 Compare the surface features and geology of
Mars and those of the Moon and Earth, and
account for these characteristics in terms of
Martian history.
 Discuss the evidence that Mars once had a much
denser atmosphere and running water on its
surface.
 Compare the atmosphere of Mars with that of
Earth and Venus, and explain why the
evolutionary histories of these three worlds
diverged so sharply.
 Describe the characteristics of Mars’ moons,
and explain their probable origin.
 Specify the ways in which Jupiter differs from
the terrestrial planets in it physical and orbital
properties.
 Discuss the processes responsible for the
appearance of Jupiter’s atmosphere.
 Describe Jupiter’s internal structure and
composition, and explain how these are inferred
from external measurements.
 Summarize the characteristics of Jupiter’s
magnetosphere
 Discuss the orbital properties of the Galilean
moons of Jupiter, and describe the appearance
and physical properties of each moon.
 Summarize the orbital and physical properties
of Saturn and compare them with those of
Jupiter.
 Describe the compositions and structure of
Saturn’s atmosphere and interior.
 Explain why Saturn’s internal heat source and
magnetosphere differ from those of Jupiter.
 Describe the structure and composition of
Saturn’s rings.
 Describe how both calculations and chance
played major roles in the discoveries of the out
planets.
 Summarize the similarities and differences
between Uranus and Neptune and compare
these planets.
 Explain what the moons of the outer planets tell
us about the past.
 Contrast the rings of Uranus and Neptune with
those of Jupiter and Saturn.
 Summarize the orbital and physical properties
of Pluto and explain how the Pluto – Charon
system differs fundamentally from all the other
planets.
 Describe the orbital properties of the major
groups of asteroids.
 Summarize the composition and physical
properties of a typical asteroid.
 Explain the effect of orbital resonances on the
structure of the asteroid belt.
 Detail the composition and structure of a typical
comet and explain the formation and appearance
of the tail.
 Discuss the characteristics of cometary orbits
and what they tell us about the probable origin
of comets.
 Distinguish among the terms meteor, meteoroid
and meteorite.
 Summarize what the orbital and physical
properties suggest about the probable origin of
meteoroids.
 Describe how comets and asteroids form and
explain their role in determining planetary
properties.

Outline the properties of known extrasolar planets, and explain how they differ
from planets in the solar system.
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science:
All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected
systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the Universe.
Strand: History of Earth:
From the time that Earth formed from a nebula 4.6 billion years ago, it has been evolving as a result
of geologic, biological, physical and chemical processes.
Essential Questions
 What is the basic
makeup of the
Earth’s
atmosphere?
Enduring
Understandings
 The Earth’s
atmosphere is made up
of approximately 78%
N2, 21% O2 and traces
of CO2, Ar and other
gases.
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Content
Statements
The evolution of
life caused
dramatic changes
in the composition
of Earth’s
atmosphere, which
did not originally
contain oxygen
gas.
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
5.4.12.B.1 – Trace
evolution of our
atmosphere and relate
the changes in rock
types and life forms to
the evolving
atmosphere.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Summarize the physical properties of planet
Earth.

Explain how Earth’s atmosphere helps to
heat us, as well as protect us.
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of
complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the
Universe.
Strand: Properties of Earth Materials: Earth’s composition is unique, is related to the origin of
our solar system, and provides us with the raw resources needed to sustain life.
 What are the four
spheres of the
Earth?
Enduring
Understandings
 Earth’s four spheres’
are: lithosphere,
atmosphere,
hydrosphere, and
asthenosphere.
Content
Statements
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
Soils are the
interface of the Earth
systems, linking
together the
biosphere,
geosphere,
atmosphere, and
hydrosphere.
5.4.12.C.1 – Model the
interrelationships
among the spheres in
the Earth systems by
creating a flow chart.
Essential Questions
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Class work: Flow charts of the Earth’s spheres.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Summarize the physical properties of planet
Earth.
 Explain how Earth’s atmosphere helps to heat
us, as well as protect us.
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science:
All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected
systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the Universe.
Strand: Tectonics: The theory of plate tectonics provides a framework for understanding the
dynamic processes within and on Earth.
Essential
Questions
 What are tectonic
plates?
Enduring
Understandings
 How do tectonic
plates dictate the
formation of the
Earth’s crust?
 Tectonic plates laying
on the Earth’s
asthenosphere move
under pressure to cause
mountain building,
earthquakes and
volcanoes.
Content
Statements
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
Convection currents
in the upper mantle
drive plate motion;
Plates are pushed
apart at spreading
zones and pulled
down into the crust
at subduction zones.
5.4.12.D.1 – Explain
the mechanisms for
plate motions using
earthquake data,
mathematics and
conceptual models.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Outline our current model of Earth’s interior
and describe some of the experimental
techniques used to establish the model.
 Summarize the evidence for the
phenomenon of “continental drift” and
discuss the physical processes that drive it.
Labs, Investigation, and Student
Experiences
Class work: Discuss NOAA’s chart of
earthquake and volcano activity over the past 12
months.
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science:
All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected
systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the Universe.
Strand: Tectonics:
The theory of plate tectonics provides a framework for understanding the dynamic processes within
and on Earth.
Essential
Questions
 How does the
Earth’s magnetic
field interact with
the Sun’s solar
winds?
 What does a
magnetic field
look like?
Content
Statements
Evidence from lava
flows and ocean
floor rocks show that
Earth’s magnetic
field reverses (North
– South) over
geologic time.
Enduring
Understandings
 A magnetic field is
caused by the
interaction between the
North and South poles
of the Earth.
 An interaction between
the Earth’s magnetic
field and the solar winds
can cause the Aurora
Borealis.

Cumulative Progress
Indicators
5.4.12.D.2 – Calculate
the average rate of
seafloor spreading
using archived
geomagnetic reversible
data.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Discuss the nature and origin of Earth’s
magnetosphere.
Labs, Investigation, and Student
Experiences
Lab: Magnetic field of a bar magnet.
Unit 3 - Stars
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of
complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the
Universe.
Strand: Objects in the Universe: Our universe has been expanding and evolving for 13.7 billion
years under the influence of gravitational and nuclear forces. As gravity governs its expansion,
organizational patterns, and the movement of celestial bodies, nuclear forces within stars govern its
evolution through the processes of stellar birth and death. These same processes governed the
formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
Labs, Investigation, and Student
Essential Questions
Enduring Understandings
Experiences
 What is the difference in  Both high mass and low
Lab: Hertzspring – Russell diagram lab.
life cycle between a low
mass stars begin life in a
mass and high mass star?
nebula. High mass stars
have higher temperatures,
 What is the next step in
larger stars and shorter life
the life cycle of our Sun?
spans.
 The Sun, a low mass,
average, main sequence star
will become a red giant,
planetary nebula, white
dwarf and eventually die as
a black dwarf. It will never
become a black hole.
Content Statements
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
Stars experience
5.4.12.A.3 – Analyze an
significant changes during H-R diagram and explain
their life cycles, which can the life cycle of stars of
be illustrated with a
different masses using
Hertzspring- Russell (H-R) simple stellar models.
diagram.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Summarize the overall properties of the Sun.
 Outline the process by which energy is produced in the
Sun’s interior.
 Explain how energy travels from the solar core, through
the interior, and out into space.
 Name the Sun’s outer layers and describe what those
layers tell us about the Sun’s surface temperature and
composition.
 Discuss the nature of the Sun’s magnetic field and its
relationship to the various types of solar activity.
 Distinguish between luminosity and apparent brightness,
and explain how stellar luminosity is determined.
 Explain the usefulness of classifying stars according to
their colors, surface temperatures and spectral
characteristics.
 Explain how physical laws are used to estimate stellar
sizes.
 Describe how an HR diagram is constructed and used to
identify stellar properties.
 Explain how the masses of stars are measured, and how
they are related to other stellar properties.
 Summarize the composition and physical properties of
the interstellar medium.
 Explain how the process of star formation depends on
stellar mass.
 Describe some of the observational evidence supporting
the modern theory of star evolution.
 Explain why stars evolve off the main sequence.
 Outline the events that occur after a Sun-like star
exhausts the supply of hydrogen in its core.
 Summarize the stages in the death of a typical low mass
star and describe the resulting remnant.
 Contrast the evolutionary histories of high mass and low
mass stars.
 Discuss the observations that help verify the theory of
stellar evolution.
 Describe the two types of supernovae, and explain how
each is produced.
 Describe the observational evidence for the occurrence of
supernovae in our Galaxy.
 Explain the origin of elements heavier that Helium and
discuss the significance of these elements for the study of
stellar evolutions.
 Outline how the Universe continually recycles matter
through stars and the interstellar medium.
 Describe the properties of neutron stars. And explain how
these strange objects are formed.
 Describe how black holes are formed, and discuss their
effects on matter and radiation in their vicinity.
 Relate the phenomena that occur near black holes due to
the warping of space around them.
 Discuss the difficulties that arise in observing black
holes, and explain some of the ways in which the
presence of a black hole might be detected.
Unit 4 - Galaxies
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of
complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the
Universe.
Strand: Objects in the Universe: Our universe has been expanding and evolving for 13.7 billion
years under the influence of gravitational and nuclear forces. As gravity governs its expansion,
organizational patterns, and the movement of celestial bodies, nuclear forces within stars govern its
evolution through the processes of stellar birth and death. These same processes governed the
formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
Labs, Investigation, and Student
Essential Questions
Enduring Understandings
Experiences
 How does our galaxy
 The Milky Way galaxy is in the
differ from others in
form of a barred spiral.
the Universe?
Content Statements
Cumulative Progress
Indicators
5.4.12.A.4 – Analyze
simulated and/ or real data to
estimate the number of stars in
our galaxy and the number of
galaxies in our Universe.
The Sun is one of an
estimated two hundred
billion stars in our Milky
Way galaxy, which
together with over one
hundred billion other
galaxies make up the
Universe.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 Describe the overall structure of the Milky Way galaxy,
and specify how the various regions differ from one
another.
 Explain the importance of variable stars in determining the
size and shape of our galaxy.
 Describe the orbital paths of stars in different regions of the
galaxy, and explain how these motions are accounted for by
our understanding of how the galaxy formed.
 Discuss some possible explanations for the existence of the
spiral arms observed in our own and many other galaxies.
 Explain what studies of galactic rotation reveal about the
size and mass of the galaxy.
 Discuss the distance-measurement techniques that enable
astronomers to map the Universe beyond the Milky Way.

State how Hubble’s Law explains objects in the
observable Universe.
Standard: 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of
complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is part of the all-encompassing system of the
Universe.
Strand: Objects in the Universe: Our universe has been expanding and evolving for 13.7 billion
years under the influence of gravitational and nuclear forces. As gravity governs its expansion,
organizational patterns, and the movement of celestial bodies, nuclear forces within stars govern its
evolution through the processes of stellar birth and death. These same processes governed the
formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
Enduring
Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences
Essential Questions
Understandings
Project: What is dark matter?
 What is dark
 Dark matter and dark
matter?
energy are theoretical
Project: Mock Trial – Big Bang Theory vs.
parts of the Universe
 How did the
that may be causing the Creationism.
Universe begin?
objects in the Universe
to expand away from its
origin.
 The leading theory of
the origin of the
Universe is the Big
Bang Theory.
Content
Cumulative Progress
Statements
Indicators
The Big Bang theory 5.4.12.A.5 – Critique
places the origin of
evidence for the theory
the Universe at
that the Universe
approximately 13.7
evolved as it expanded
billion years ago.
from a single point
Shortly after the Big 13.7 billion years ago.
Bang, matter
(primarily hydrogen
and helium) began to
coalesce to form
galaxies and stars.
Content
Cumulative Progress
Statements
Indicators
According to the Big 5.4.12.A.6 – Argue,
Bang theory, the
citing evidence (e.g.
Universe has been
Hubble Diagram), the
expanding since its
theory of an expanding
beginning,
Universe.
explaining the
apparent movement
of galaxies away
from one another.
Desired Results:
Students will ...
 State the cosmological principle and explain







both its significance and its observational
underpinnings.
Explain how the age of the Universe is
determined and discuss the uncertainties
involved.
Summarize the leading evolutionary models
of the Universe.
Discuss the factors that determine whether
the Universe will expand forever.
Describe the cosmic microwave background
radiation, and explain its importance to our
understanding of cosmology.
Describe the characteristics of the Universe
immediately after its birth.
Explain how matter emerged from the
primeval fireball.
Summarize the process of cosmic evolution
as it is currently understood.
VI. Evaluations
Tests
Quizzes
Final Exam
Projects
Laboratory Experiments
Class Participation
Homework
VII.
Affirmative Action – evidence of
A-1 Minorities and females incorporated in plans.
A-2 Human relations concepts are being taught.
A-3 Teaching plans to change ethnic and racial stereotypes.
VIII.
Bibliography, Materials and Resources
Teacher prepared materials
Software materials
Probeware (Dell Computer with Pasco probeware)
Textbook:
Astronomy Today
Chaisson and McMillan
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005