Download Sixth Grade Solar System Digital Unit Study Kit

Sixth Grade Solar System
Digital Unit Study Kit
Written By Rachael Freed
“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?”
(Job 38:30-33 NIV)
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Goals of the British Columbia Education Plan
Our curriculum team is excited to bring you a summarized version of the new BCEd
plan core goals (competencies), strategies and content. As we develop the kits we will
be personalizing the content to suit your students’ need and interests. Big ideas and
concepts will be the focus as well as curricular threads, inquiry learning (discovering
how to ask the right questions based on who, how and why things occur, as opposed to
what things occur), technology integration, and collaboration. First Peoples content will
include the natural history/culture of our province and encourage our God given
diversity. The kits are designed to help you gain a greater understanding of the
following:
Biblical Worldview:
We believe that every child in our school needs to hear the voice of God interwoven into
all of their curriculum. Therefore we will be striving to make sure that this goal is an
overarching strategy.
Communication Competency:
Involves imparting and exchanging information, experiences and ideas, to explore the
world around them, and to understand and effectively engage in the use of digital
media.
Thinking Competency:
Encompasses the knowledge, skills and processes we associate with intellectual
development. It is through their competency as thinkers that students take subjectspecific concepts (ideas that interest them) and content, (topics that need to be covered
to increase knowledge, and transform them into a new understanding to increase
knowledge), and transform them into a new understanding. This includes specific
thinking skills as well as how students are allowed to learn, make mistakes and grow
from failure. Encompassed in this thinking is the ability to feel safe and comfortable so
that students can explore their surroundings.
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Creative Thinking Competency:
Involves the ability to generate new ideas and concepts that have value to the individual
or others, and then develop these ideas and concepts from thought to reality. It requires
a curiosity and a wondering reflection about God’s creation, with a desire to make
something new and different from what they have read, seen or observed.
Critical Thinking Competency:
Encompasses a set of abilities that students use to examine their own thinking and that
of others, and process information they receive through observation, experience, and
various forms of communication.
Social Responsibility:
Involves the ability and disposition to consider the interdependence of people with each
other and the natural environment; to contribute positively to one’s family, community,
society, and the environment; to resolve problems peacefully; to empathize with others
and appreciate their perspectives; and to create and maintain healthy relationships.
Personal and Social Competency:
Is the set of abilities that relate to students' identity in the world, both as individuals and
as members of their community and society.
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Learning Strategies
In response to the goals set out by the BC Ministry of Education, HCOS has made it a
priority to make use of the following learning strategies throughout our unit studies and
courses.
Biblical Worldview: Biblical worldview refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs
through which a Christian individual, group or culture interprets the world and interacts
with it. Individuals with a biblical worldview believe their primary reason for existence is
to love and serve God. A Biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God.
When you believe the Bible is true, then you allow it to be the foundation of your life. We
believe that every student at HCOS needs to develop a worldview based on their
Biblical thinking and beliefs.
Inquiry-Based Learning/Mindset: Students with an inquiry mindset have a God-given
curiosity; a desire to dream big, constantly challenge themselves, and a desire to
research more for increased understanding and clarity. Students who actively inquire
will scan their environments, generate good questions, try new approaches, observe
and collect evidence, synthesize the information, draw conclusions, and generate new
questions from their research.
Maker Education: The Maker Education Initiative’s mission is to create more
opportunities for all young people to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in
science, technology, engineering, math, art, and learning as a whole through making.
This may be through STEAM – science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
The “maker mindset” includes learning to use your imagination to make connections,
use intuition, persist through difficult circumstances in learning, collaborate with other
team members and community, and become disciplined learners. Maker education
often involves an interdisciplinary approach, teaching science, math and art together.
Here is an example. To learn more go to this page.
First Peoples Content: First Peoples content has been interwoven into every grade in
the new BCEd plan. Aboriginal content is for all learners of all ages, and includes a
healthy diversity of approaches. From learning about cultural traditions and schooling
injustice, creative ways of storytelling, and good stewardship of land and resources, we
can gather rich learning from the traditions of the people groups indigenous to BC. As
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Christians we can draw many similarities from their holistic thinking, and share how our
beliefs and traditions might be similar or different.
HCOS Subscriptions
HCOS families have access to a wide variety of wonderful subscriptions which can be
used to enhance student learning. Several of these subscriptions are used throughout
the unit. Each year, a document containing the usernames and passwords for each
subscription is sent to families. If you have not received this document please contact
your child’s teacher.
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Big Ideas
“Big ideas are statements that are central to one’s understanding in an area of learning.
A big idea is broad and abstract.” (CT) Big ideas represent the overarching theme of
each unit. They contain references to the content and key questions students will be
investigating throughout the unit. Big ideas are often cross-curricular in nature. Similar
themes can be found in many different subject areas within each grade-level.
Science
The solar system is part of the Milky Way, which is one of billions of
galaxies.
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Curricular Competencies
“Competency represents the combined skills, processes, behaviours and habits of mind
that learners use to make sense of the world.” (CT)
Science
Demonstrate a sustained curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest
Make observations in familiar or unfamiliar contexts
Identify questions to answer or problems to solve through scientific inquiry
Make predictions about the findings of their inquiry
With support, plan appropriate investigations to answer their questions or solve problems they
have identified
Decide which variable should be changed and measured for a fair test
Choose appropriate data to collect to answer their questions
Observe, measure, and record data, using appropriate tools, including digital technologies
Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks
Experience and interpret the local environment
Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information
Construct and use a variety of methods, including tables, graphs, and digital technologies, as
appropriate, to represent patterns or relationships in data
Identify patterns and connections in data
Compare data with predictions and develop explanations for results
Demonstrate an openness to new ideas and consideration of alternatives
Evaluate whether their investigations were fair tests
Identify possible sources of error
Suggest improvements to their investigation methods
Identify some of the assumptions in secondary sources
Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence
Identify some of the social, ethical, and environmental implications of the findings from their own
and others’ investigations
Contribute to care for self, others, and community through personal or collaborative approaches
Cooperatively design projects
Transfer and apply learning to new situations
Generate and introduce new or refined ideas when problem solving
Communicate ideas, explanations, and processes in a variety of ways
Express and reflect on personal, shared, or others’ experiences of place
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Content and Key Questions
Content refers to the topics that will be investigated throughout the unit. The key
questions serve as a guide as you and your child explore the content. Throughout this
unit the key questions will be the starting point for learning.
Science
Content: The overall scale, structure and components of our solar system in our
galaxy
Elaborations: Planets, moons asteroids, meteors, comets etc.
Elaborations: First People’s perspectives regarding aurora borealis and other celestial
phenomena
Elaborations: Extreme Environments including contributions of Canadians to
exploration technologies
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How to Use This Kit
The Ministry of Education is in the final stages of overhauling curriculum, learning
strategies, and learning goals for students in the Province of British Columbia. This kit is
designed with those goals in mind. On the next several pages you will discover the
content that serves as the “bulk” of this kit. Rather than being divided by day, the unit
plan uses the key questions detailed on page 8 to breakdown content, activities, and
experiences.
Each key question will have books to read from the HCS Overdrive E-Library, (if you do
not have your client code & pin, please contact Shandra Wiebe at
[email protected]), videos to watch, and activities to share with your child. You
will not be required to complete all activities listed under each key question, instead, you
will be able to choose activities which most appeal to you and your child. Each key
question featured in the unit will include recommendations on how many activities to
complete in order to fully address the curriculum content and competencies. Finally,
each activity will have icons (shown on pages 2 and 3) showing which goals of the
BCEd Plan the activity addresses.
***You are encouraged to choose varied activities to ensure all goals are being
addressed. In order to fully meet the goals of this kit, it is important to read some
of the recommended books.*** Here is a planning sheet for you to use: Unit
planner
Reading and discussing/watching and discussing the books and videos listed in this unit
will consistently address the following goals of the BCEd Plan:
It is our hope that our redesigned format will allow for flexibility, individual preference,
and student-centered learning. When selecting activities to complete with your child we
recommend selecting a variety of activities to ensure that you touch on each BCEd Plan
goal throughout the unit. Most activities are designed to address multiple goals.
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Unit Guide
Please Note: The recommended number of activities per section is meant to serve as a
guide. Families are encouraged to make the kit their own and complete the number of
activities that they, and their support teacher, feel are necessary. Each kit is designed to
be completed over four to six weeks. In this kit, we recommend selecting 3-4 large
activities, and filling in the remaining activity allotment with smaller projects and lessons.
(The following books are from the HCS Overdrive e-library, if the link does not
open, login and type of the name of the book in the search bar):
______________________________________________________________________
What are planets, moons asteroids, meteors, and comets? What other
objects exist in our solar system, galaxy, and universe?
Books to Read and Talk About, (The following books are from the HCS Overdrive
e-library, if the links do not open, login and type of the name of the book in the
search bar):
Exploring the Solar System by Amanda Doering Tourville
Things to think about: What is the solar system? What planets comprise the solar
system? Where is our solar system located in the Milky Way Galaxy? How big is our
galaxy? How many galaxies are there in the universe? Which galaxy is located the
nearest to ours? Are there other solar systems in our galaxy? What are the different
planets in our solar system like? What makes earth unique amongst the other planets?
How is earth specially equipped to support life? Why do you think God created so many
stars and planets? Why do you think human beings are drawn to explore the solar
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system? What necessities of life are abundant on earth? What is the order of the
planets in our solar system? What happens the further away you travel from the sun?
What are some of the challenges posed by traveling to other planets? How do planets
move around the solar system?
Space Frontiers by Pat Ward
How to use this book: This book features a variety of printables and activities.
Consider using this resource to enhance your study of the solar system, and create a
science notebook.
The Sun, Stars, and Galaxies by Britannica Educational Publishing
Things to think about: What makes a star a sun? What is special about our sun? What
kind of star is our sun? What is the habitable zone around a star? How many stars are
there in our galaxy? How close is the nearest star? What does interstellar mean? What
is interstellar travel? What challenges do you think are posed by interstellar travel?
What technologies are needed? How many galaxies do we know about? What is the
name of our galaxy? What is the nearest galaxy to ours? Do you enjoy looking at stars
in the night sky? Why do you think human beings have always been drawn to the sky?
Do you think curiosity is a gift to humans from God? Explain your thinking. Why do you
think God created such a beautiful universe for us to explore?
Solar System by Charlene Homer
How to use this book: This book features a variety of printables and activities.
Consider using this resource to enhance your study of the solar system, and create a
science notebook.
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
How to use this book: This excellent novel by Kenneth Oppel features young hero,
Matt Cruse, training to become an astronaut and travel on a voyage into outer space.
Fun, gentle, science fiction for young people. Use the discussion/writing questions on
page three of this document to explore the novel.
Videos to Watch and Talk About:
Our Solar System (Learn 360)
The Outer Planets (Learn 360)
The Structure of the Solar System (Learn 360)
The Universe (Learn 360)
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The Planets (Learn 360)
Exploring Beyond Our Solar System (Learn 360)
The Sun (Learn 360)
Meteors: Fire in the Sky (Learn 360)
Space: Extreme Environments (Learn 360)
Exploration of the Solar System (Learn 360)
The Moon in the Solar System (Learn 360)
Earth, Sun, and Moon (Learn 360)
Mars: The Red Planet (Learn 360)
Giants (Learn 360)
Moon (Learn 360)
The What’s Up in Space Series (Learn 360)
Beyond Earth: Science Matters (Learn 360)
Black Holes, Pulsars, and Other Odd Bodies
The Sun and Stars
Asteroids and Comets
Activities (Select 7-10):
Solar System Introduction: Read pages V-8 in Amazing Solar System Projects by
Delano Lopez. What is the solar system? What is significant about our solar system?
How many planets does our solar system have? How is distance measured in space?
Once you have completed reading about the amazing Solar System God created, read
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page 9 in Amazing Solar System Projects and then follow the instructions on pages 1011 to create your own scale model of the solar system! For this project you will need 1
beach ball or extra-large round balloon (2ft diameter), 3 cups flour, 6 cups warm water,
large bowl, newspaper, 1 pea or bead (1/4 inch in diameter), a small paintbrush, paint
(yellow, blue, and green), 2 dowels or long sticks (approximately 3ft in length), glue and
tape, and a large field. Use this excellent documentation sheet to record information
about your experiment. You can also begin creating a science journal using this page.
● Is it difficult to imagine the immensity of our solar system? Can you imagine how
much large the entire universe is when compared to our solar system? Why do
you think God created such an immense universe? What opportunities do a large
solar system give human beings for exploration and learning? A large universe?
Why is Venus Hotter than Mercury?: Read pages 12-13 in Amazing Solar System
Projects by Delano Lopez, then, follow the instructions on pages 14-15 to make your
own GRE. For this project you will need 2 small pots, dirt or potting soil, seeds for plants
(drought/heat resistant is best), 2 shoe boxes, pens and pencils, 2 thermometers, 4
sticks or dowels about a foot long, tape, and plastic wrap. Use this excellent
documentation sheet to record information about your experiment. You can also begin
creating a science journal using this page.
● What did you discover? What happened to your plants? Why is Venus hotter
than Mercury? Could human beings survive on either planet? What would you
need to survive on Venus or Mercury? Why do you think scientists think Mars is
the best choice for a human colony on a planet other than earth? What features
did God give earth to help human beings survive?
Rings Around Planets: Read page 16 in Amazing Solar System Projects by Delano
Lopez, then, follow the instructions on pages 17-18 to make your own planetary ring
model. For this project you will need dowel or pencils, clear plastic disc with hole in the
middle (there is a template included in the book so that you can cut your own disc out of
clear plastic), a piece of clay, glue, dirt, sand, flour or glitter, a clay ball that you can cut
in half (1.5 inches), and a dark room and flashlight. Use this excellent documentation
sheet to record information about your experiment. You can also begin creating a
science journal using this page.
● What happened? How did your rings look? In what ways were the rings you
created similar to the rings around Saturn? In what way were they different? If
you were standing on Saturn, what do you imagine the rings would look like?
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Where can you see God’s creative hand in the solar system? Do you think God
has an appreciation for beauty? Explain your thinking and give examples.
Geocentrism & Heliocentrism: Read pages 26-27 in Amazing Solar System Projects
by Delano Lopez, then, follow the instructions on pages 28-29 to make your own
geocentric and heliocentric models. For this project you will need cardboard (2 big
pieces and several smaller pieces), markers or paint, 16 marbles and/or small balls,
sticks (pencils, straws, chopsticks, long matchsticks, or skewers), glue, tape, scissors,
and string. Use this excellent documentation sheet to record information about your
experiment. You can also begin creating a science journal using this page.
● Why do you think people originally thought that the sun and other planets
revolved around the earth? If you were observing the movement of planets and
the sun without a technology do you think you would come to the same
conclusion? Why do you think some people felt threatened by the heliocentric
model? Do you think the heliocentric model makes earth less important? What
evidence do we have that earth is very important in God’s eyes?
Asteroid Belt: Read pages 36-37 in Amazing Solar System Projects by Delano Lopez,
then, follow the instructions on page 38 to make your own asteroid belt. For this project
you will need old belt buckle, a strip of black fabric 2 inches wide, long enough to go
around your waist, plus another 8 inches or so, needle and thread, marker that will show
on the black fabric, a tool for poking holes in your fabric, old newspaper, glue, tiny
pebbles, glitter or sequins, a 1 bigger, round pebble. Have fun creating your asteroid
belt and labeling the asteroids.
Virtual Field Trip: You may not be able to take a field trip to visit the moon, but you can
explore the moon in your own home. Watch Space Exploration: The Moon’s Surface
from Discovery Education. Then, take a virtual field trip to the surface of the moon using
Google. You can look at the surface, elevation, and see where the Apollo astronauts
landed during their missions.
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Moon Stories: Listen to stories about the moon from different cultures around the world
including Mexico, Ivory Coast, Algeria, China, and North America. After you have
listened to one or more of the moon stories. Why do you think different cultures all have
stories about the moon? What is special about the moon? How visible is the moon at
night? How much brighter is the moon when you are in a very dark place? Why do you
think people enjoy looking at the night sky? Write and illustrate your own story about the
moon. You may wish to try using the Storybird application.
Solar System Model: Create an amazing solar system in a shoebox!
You will need a large shoe box, black acrylic paint, a white paint
pen (or regular white paint and a thin brush), different sized styrofoam balls, bamboo
skewers, various colours of paints (orange, yellow, red, blue, green, silver and gold),
gold paper, quick dry kids clay, a large needle, beading thread, a glue gun, tape and
black paper. This project will take several days to complete. During the time you are
working on your solar system, I highly recommend some of the solar system videos
recommended throughout the unit. I suggest using a black sharpie to label each of the
planets in your solar system.
An Inflated Impression of Mars: Try this fun activity from Teach Engineering to gain
an idea of the size of Mars in relation to the earth. “Scaling is frequently used by
engineers to resize large (or small) objects, such as factories, dams, or airplanes (or
microscopic surgery tools), into manageable sizes for purposes of design and testing.
By scaling down (or up) an object, engineers can more easily experiment with how the
parts interact and how the finished product will function and look. Engineers also make
scaled prototypes to test the design of the product.”
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For this experiment you will need 3 balloons (1 red, 1 white, and 1 blue), 1 meter stick, 1
12” ruler, and 1 calculator. You will also need the Planet Facts Worksheet. This project
is designed for a group, you may be working with siblings or a parent, or you may
be working on your own. Make adjustments as necessary. Next, read the
Introduction/Motivation to learn more about the how and why of the experiment you are
about to conduct. Then, follow the Procedure to complete the experiment. Use this
excellent documentation sheet to record information about your experiment. You can
also begin creating a science journal using this page. The parent answer key to the
planet facts worksheet can be found here.
Earth Impact: Have you ever thought about meteorites and asteroids? What would
happen if a meteor or comet impacted Earth? Try this fun activity from Teach
Engineering to make your own impact crater. According to Teach Engineering,
“Engineers play a vital role in both the observation of what are called near-Earth objects
(meteors, comets, asteroids, etc.) as well as any future destruction of them. All types of
engineers, from mechanical engineers and aerospace engineers to chemical engineers,
participate in designing, testing and building satellites that orbit any object in space, be
it Earth or another planet. These satellites, in addition to telescopes, help scientists
observe and document objects that have the potential to impact Earth. In the future, any
plan to prevent an object from hitting the Earth will no doubt utilize engineers from a
variety of disciplines.”
For this project you will need 1 plastic container (~2 ft2 x 2-5 inches high), enough sand
to fill the entire container to a minimum of 1.5inches, 4 different-sized (spherical
shaped) rocks made out of similar materials (they should be equally dense), a 12 inch
ruler, a meter stick, and a sheet of blank paper. You will also need the How Big is That
Crater? Worksheet, the worksheet contains instructions, and recording tables for you to
use. This project is designed for a group, you may be working with siblings or a
parent, or you may be working on your own. Make adjustments as necessary.
What would happen if a giant meteor hit the Earth? Would civilization as we know it
continue to exist? Would the entire planet disintegrate as a result of the blast? How
could we protect ourselves from such an event occurring? Is there evidence on the
earth’s surface of mast meteor strikes? How about other planetary bodies in our solar
system? How would you present an asteroid or comet from hitting earth? Follow the
Procedure from Teach Engineering, note that there are three sections to this project.
The first two sections explain experimental procedures which you will follow and
document. The final section is an opportunity for you to design an Earth Protector. Draw
a diagram showing your design for a protection system for earth to prevent damage
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from asteroids or comets. Consider reflecting on your project using this helpful
document from BIE.
Planet Project: Create a multimedia presentation about one of the incredible planets in
our solar system. A multimedia presentation should include a mix of writing, images, a
video, and perhaps even a recording of your voice! Your presentation can be created
using Prezi, Edu Buncee, Google Slides, PowerPoint, Wix or Weebly. You will want to
use Advanced Google, World Book Kids, and Explora to investigate the planet you
choose. To find images that you can use in your presentation, try Creative Commons
Search. Creative Commons Search will give you access to many images that the author
has labeled as free for use, often with modification. This means that you have
permission to use the pictures in your work (remember to write down where you took
the image from to include on your bibliography page). When using Creative Commons
Search, type in the name of the planet you are researching and press on the square
that says “Google Images.” Remember, it is very important that any written portions of
your presentation be put into your own words. You need to cite your sources, use
EasyBib to cite your sources, you should never use the work of others without giving
them credit for it. In your presentation, consider including a variety of information. You
want your presentation to be exciting and dynamic! You have chosen an amazing
planet, created by God, a place that, perhaps, someday, human beings will visit. Try to
get your audience excited about your chosen planet! Consider including the following
kinds of information:
● The Planet’s Name: How was it named? Who named it? Does the name have a
special meaning? If the planet was named after a mythological god, what was he
or she the god of?
● The Planet’s Position in the Solar System: Where is your planet located?
What is its distance from the sun? How long does it take to orbit the sun? Does
your planet have an unusually shaped orbit?
● Rotation on its Axis: How long does it take for the planet you have chosen to
rotate on its own axis? This will tell you the length of a “day” on your planet. It
takes earth roughly 24 hours to rotate on its axis, some planets take a shorter
length of time, and others take much longer.
● The Size of Your Planet: How big is your planet? How big is it compared to
earth? Compared to other planets? Compared to our sun? See if you can find out
your planet’s mass.
● Gravity on Your Planet: What is the force of gravity on the surface of your
planet? Does your planet experience a greater gravitational force than earth? A
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smaller gravitational force? See if you can find out what you would weigh on your
planet!
Your Planet’s Orbit: How long does it take your planet to orbit the sun? This
number is the length of one year on your planet. It takes earth a little more than
365 days to fully orbit the sun. It is earth’s orbit around the sun that results in
seasonal variations in temperature.
Your Planet’s Atmosphere: What is the atmosphere on your planet made of? Is
the atmosphere thick or thin?
Your Planet’s Temperature: What is the range of temperatures experienced on
your planet? How do these temperatures compare to temperatures on earth?
Think about the many ways in which earth is unique amongst the other planets in
the solar system. How did God equip earth to support life? Could your planet
support life?
The Composition of your Planet and its Appearance: Did you know that not
all planets are made of rock? When researching your planet, learn about what it
is made of. Is it rocky, or a gas giant? Could you land on the surface of your
planet? What is the inside of your planet made from? Finally, what does your
planet look like?
Objects in Orbit: Earth has a moon. Many planets in our solar system also have
moons. Some planets have many moons! We simply refer to our moon as “the
moon,” do the moons orbiting your planet have names?
Rings Around Your Planet: Are there rings orbiting around your planet? What
are they made of? When were they discovered?
Human Life: If a human being was dropped down on your planet, what would
their fate be (share their fate in your presentation). Would they be crushed by the
extreme force of gravity, float around, freeze, burn up, or something else? Have
human beings ever considered colonizing your planet?
The Discovery of Your Planet: When was your planet discovered and by
whom?
What Makes Your Planet Unique: What is unique or special about your planet?
Does your planet experience incredible storms? Does it have volcanos? Is it tilted
on its axis? Have human beings ever sent probes or other objects to your planet?
Have fun talking about what makes your planet special!
The Beginning of the Universe: There are multiple competing perspectives on the first
moments of our universe. Some believe that the initial creation of our universe was
caused by something called the Big Bang. This theory suggests that in the beginning,
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everything in existence occupied a single infinitely dense point known as a singularity,
then, this point began to expand rapidly resulting in the creation of our universe 13.8
billion years ago--with a BANG. You can read more about the Big Bang here. Others
believe that the Big Bang does not fully explain the origin of our universe well, and that
there are other explanations for the origin of the universe. You can read more from
Answers in Genesis here. This view of creation proposes that the world and the
universe area maximum of 10,000 years old. It is important to remember that Christians
believe a wide variety of things about the origins and the age of the universe. There are
many perspectives in-between the two listed above.
All sides of the debate about the earth’s creation and the beginning of the universe work
to interpret evidence. The scientific process begins with a question, scientists then
investigate that question by collecting evidence, and the evidence they find will either
support or refute their opinion. Sometimes scientists start out with a hypothesis certain
they are correct, only to discard it later in light of evidence. To make things more
complicated, two different scientists may interpret the same evidence in two different
ways!
So, what are we to make of this? What about you? Which origin story do you find
compelling? Do you think that one perspective gives better answers than the other?
Perhaps you feel more comfortable with a combination of these differing perspectives,
or perhaps you have a different perspective altogether. Your family will likely have some
ideas about the origin of the universe. Take some time to chat with your parents about
what they think. Then, you will be conducting some research to learn more and form
your own opinion. To read about the different perspectives and evidence for the origin of
the universe you will want to conduct research using a variety of sources. Try using
Explora, World Book Kids, and Answers in Genesis. Advanced Google may also be
helpful. Can you find scripture that you feel supports your argument? Remember, that
Wikipedia can be a good starting point to read about a topic, however, it is not a good
academic source of information. Read about The Five W’s of Website Evaluation for
more information about finding good sources. Be sure to create a bibliography listing
your sources. Use EasyBib for collation of your bibliography. You will be focusing on the
following questions:
● What are two theories about the origin of the universe?
● What is some of the evidence in favor of the Big Bang?
● What is some of the evidence against the Big Bang?
● Which pieces of evidence do you think are the best? Consider this question from
the perspective of for and against.
● Which evidence is most convincing to you? Why?
Once you have gathered evidence to support your opinion, create an opinion piece.
Make sure you support your opinions with evidence. You may choose from a variety of
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formats including: a PowerPoint presentation, a Prezi, a written newspaper article, a
multimedia presentation, an audio recording, or a video recording. Share your
presentations with friends and/or family.
A Star is Born: Did you know that new stars are dying and being born all the time?
Learn about the lifecycle of stars and discover how stars are being born in the Orion
Nebula all the time. What is the lifecycle of a star? What stages does it go through?
What causes a supernova? How do stars develop in stellar nurseries?
Beautiful Papier-Mache Planets: Try making gorgeous papier-mache planets! You will
need: round balloons, flour, water, newspaper strips, and paint.
The Creator: Read Genesis 1: 14-18. What does it say about our Creator? Could life
exist without the sun? Can you think of any evidence in our world or in our solar system
that points to a creator? Use Creative Commons Search or Advanced Google Images to
find pictures of the universe. Select images that speak to you of God’s hand in creation.
Then, create a Padlet using images and Creation-related scripture that you find
inspiring.
Solar System Exploration Interactive: Launch an amazing solar system interactive.
A Psalm of Praise: Read Psalm 8:3. What does it say? Do you enjoy looking at the
moon and the stars? Why does the psalmist want to consider the stars and the moon?
Why do you think human beings find the stars and the moon so fascinating? Read
Psalm 147:4. What does it say about the stars? Do you find that amazing? Conduct a
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quick Advanced Google search to find out how many stars there are in our galaxy
alone. How many stars are there in the known universe? What does this say about our
God? If you were to write a Psalm, what would you say? What would you celebrate
about the universe? What amazing things have you learned about solar system, galaxy,
and wider universe? Write a Psalm of praise celebrating the beauty in our universe.
Galaxy Field Trip: Take a tour of the galaxy with Discovery Education.
Solar System Model: Follow the instructions on pages 6 and 7 of the BBC Stargazing
Guide to make your own Orrery. An orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system!
Technology Time--Meteors: Play with an interactive about meteor showers (click
“launch”).
Inquiry Time: What does the word inquiry mean? Take a minute to look it up, what did
you learn? Inquiry involves the process of seeking out information. An inquiry project
begins with a simple idea about a topic of interest. Your idea then becomes a question
that you want to answer. Inquiry projects require strong questions. A strong question
does not have a yes or no answer. A strong question cannot be answered with one or
two words, or even a single sentence. A strong inquiry question doesn’t have a right or
a wrong answer. A strong question starts with “how,” or “why.” You will need to conduct
research in order to investigate your question.
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The Inquiry Project
A Good Question:
● has more than one answer
● has a very deep meaning
● gives you lots of information
● doesn't have a yes or no answer
● is hard to answer and takes a lot of thinking to understand the question
● contains exciting words that make you want to look for an answer
● is about something you can research
● takes a long time to figure out
● makes you think, know, and wonder
In this unit we are learning about space and exploration technology. God designed an
amazing universe for us to explore. We can perform complex tasks, invent, create, and
discover. Our universe and solar system are filled with beauty. Planets, stars, solar
systems, asteroids, comets, dust and more! Human beings have always been drawn to
the sky and space. Throughout history people have invented technologies to allow us to
explore further and further into the extreme environment of space. Currently, scientists
and engineers are working on the technology we will need to spend human beings to
Mars! Select a space or exploration technology to complete an inquiry project on. Find a
topic that peaks your interest, use your imagination, and have fun! Use Popplet to
create a mind map. Write your BIG question in the centre of your mind map, and write
your smaller questions around the outside. Now, use Explora and World Book Kids to
conduct some research about your questions. You can use this form to organize your
research. Once you have gathered the research you need to answer your question,
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decide how you would like to present the information you have worked so hard to
gather. This might be a video using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, a Wix or a
Weebly, a Prezi, Edubuncee, or PowerPoint, or another method of your choosing. Have
fun conducting your investigation! Consider reflecting on your project using this helpful
document from BIE.
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What are some First People’s perspective on aurora borealis and other
celestial phenomena?
Books to Read and Talk About:
All The Stars in the Sky by C.J. Taylor
Things to think about: Why do you think people create stories about the night sky?
What are other stories from different cultures that you know of? What do you know
about the constellations and their names? The names of the planets? How are all of
these stories attempts to explain celestial phenomena? Why do you think human beings
have a fascination with stars and the sky? Do you enjoy looking out at the night sky?
Spend an evening outside observing the stars, see if you can locate familiar
constellations, if you were to name the constellations and give them a story, what would
it be?
Activities (Select 2-3):
The Night Sky: Have you ever spent time outside at night? Did you enjoy looking up at
the stars? Why do you think people find the night sky so interesting? What is beautiful
about the night sky? What is special? How do you think ancient people saw the night
sky? What would the night sky have looked like before there were electric lights? Why
do you think ancient people enjoyed telling stories about the night sky?
For the Inuit people of Canada, “Only 33 stars were familiar to the ancient Inuit and
only six or seven of them were given names. Among them were several that were used
for navigation during their travels. As for the other stars, they were grouped into 16
constellations, most of which were associated with myths in which humans and animals
played central roles.” One of the Inuit stories involves what we generally refer to as
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Orion’s Belt. Orion’s Belt is a constellation that is often easily visible in the night sky. In
Inuit legend the story of this constellation says: “Four men were hunting a bear. The
bear escaped by climbing into the sky and the hunters decided to follow it. As they
climbed higher and higher, one of the Inuit lost a mitten and decided to return to Earth to
fetch it. The other hunters continued their hunt in the sky and we can still see them
today climbing after the bear in single file.” They believe that it is the Inuit hunter who
returned to earth who came to share the story. Watch The Night Sky from Learn 360.
Have fun playing with the AstroViewer, and then make a Star Finder from NASA.
Stars and Constellations: Listen to the story Why Coyote Howls: A Star Story (stay
tuned at the end of the story for interesting information about constellations). As your
child listens to the story, encourage them to close their eyes and imagine images and
scenes from the story. What do the animals use the stones to create? Have you ever
seen star pictures? Have you ever heard the word constellation before? A constellation
is a group of stars that appears to form a pattern or picture like Orion the Great Hunter,
Leo the Lion, or Taurus the Bull. Most of the constellation names we know came from
the ancient Middle Eastern, Greek, and Roman cultures. Throughout the year we see
different constellations. The Earth’s orbit around the sun means that in the summer we
are looking at a different part of the night sky than we are looking at in the winter. Follow
the instructions here to create a constellation viewer.
First Peoples Moon Stories: Read the story Beneath Raven Moon by David Bouchard.
Then, watch Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky A Nigerian Folktale from Discovery
Education, you can also read Genesis 1-2. How are these stories similar? How are they
different? Why do you think the moon plays an important role in so many cultures
around the world? What is one of the first things you notice at night? Do you enjoy
looking at the moon? What details can you see when you look at the moon with your
bare eyes? Why do you think people created stories to explain the origin of the moon?
Create your own moon story, this can be a legend, or another story about the moon.
You may wish to use Storybird to create your moon story.
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Sky Legends: Read the sky legends on page 6 of this document. What happens in
each story? How do the stories explain celestial phenomena? Why do you think
Aboriginal people were fascinated by the stars and the sky? What do you think the stars
in the sky looked like before electric lights flooded our world with 24-hour light? Have
you ever been somewhere very dark, far away from cities and electric lights? What did
the sky look like? Follow the instructions from Buggy and Buddy to create a beautiful
night sky art project. Choose one of the two legends that you read to print and glue it
the back of your art project once it has dried.
Aurora Borealis: Aurora borealis, or the northern lights, is a beautiful phenomenon.
Aurora borealis is “the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's
atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Variations in
colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral
color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles
above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights
of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora.” Use Advanced
Google to find images of Aurora borealis to inspire you. Before we had a scientific
explanation for the northern lights, First Peoples in Canada and the United States
created legends and stories to explain these beautiful dancing lights. You can read one
perspective on these lights here, you can read more legends and folktales about the
northern lights on this website. Create a beautiful picture of the northern lights using
black construction paper and chalk pastels.
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Bibliography
Lopez, Delano. Amazing Solar System Projects You Can Build Yourself. Chicago:
Nomad, 2008. Print.
Standards, By Educational. "An Inflated Impression of Mars - Activity."
Www.teachengineering.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_mars_lesson01_activity1>.
Standards, By Educational. "Earth Impact - Activity." Www.teachengineering.org. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_space8_lesson03_activity1>.
Standards, By Educational. "Into Space! - Activity." Www.teachengineering.org. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_space8_lesson01_activity1>.
Standards, By Educational. "Satellite Tracker - Activity." Www.teachengineering.org.
N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_navigation_lesson10_activity2>.
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