Download 6th GradeSpace Systems NGSS

6th Grade
Space Systems
Common Core Standards:
06-ESS1-1. Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic
patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. [Clarification Statement:
Examples of models can be physical, graphical, or conceptual.]
06-ESS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within
galaxies and the solar system. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis for the model is on gravity as
the force that holds together the solar system and Milky Way galaxy and controls orbital motions
within them. Examples of models can be physical (such as the analogy of distance along a football
field or computer visualizations of elliptical orbits) or conceptual (such as mathematical
proportions relative to the size of familiar objects such as their school or state).] [Assessment
Boundary: Assessment does not include Kepler’s Laws of orbital motion or the apparent
retrograde motion of the planets as viewed from Earth.]
06-ESS1-3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar
system. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the analysis of data from Earth-based
instruments, space-based telescopes, and spacecraft to determine similarities and differences
among solar system objects. Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an object’s layers
(such as crust and atmosphere), surface features (such as volcanoes), and orbital radius. Examples
of data include statistical information, drawings and photographs, and models.] [Assessment
Boundary: Assessment does not include recalling facts about properties of the planets and other
solar system bodies.]
Time Frame: 6 Weeks
Learning Targets:
 I can design a model of the Earth, Sun, and Moon that shows the patterns of the lunar phases.
 I can design a model of the Earth, Sun, and Moon that shows solar and lunar eclipses.
 I can design a model of the Earth and Sun that represents the seasons of the northern and
southern hemispheres of Earth.
 I can demonstrate using a model I designed to show how gravity affects the motions within our
galaxy.
 I can gather, analyze, and interpret data collected about the size of objects in the solar system.
 I can compare the sizes of objects in the solar system.
HOT Questions:
1. How does your position on the Earth affect your viewing of the moon’s phases?
2. What part does the moon play on the oceanic tides of Earth?
Lesson Plans:
Section 1: The Lunar Phases (1 week timeframe)
Students will use a pre-planned lesson found on United Streaming entitled “A Spin Around the Solar
System: Moon Dance”. This online unit incorporates a pre-test, video, video quiz, classroom discussion,
cloze activity, graphing of the moon’s phases, and a post-test.
Along with this unit, a KWL chart will be filled in following the pre-test. As items are covered, the “L”
column will be completed.
Order of Activities:
1. Make packets for students using the first eight “Blackline Masters” pages found on
United Streaming, placing a sheet in the front for their name and unit title. Do not copy
page nine as it is the post-test used for this section. They will be given this page on the
last day of this section.
2. Choose vocabulary terms from the “Word Splash” page to display in the classroom.
3. Turning to the first page in their packet, students will find a pre-test to take before
beginning unit.
4. After completing pre-test, they will participate in a teacher-directed discussion time
where a classroom KWL chart will take shape using large graph paper. Both the K and W
sections will be filled in, leaving room under W for other questions that will be posed
throughout this unit section. Refer back to pre-test for any questions that they did not
have responses for.
5. Show 15 minute video “A Spin Around the Solar System: Moon Dance”.
6. Have students respond to video through the post-video quiz found on the third page.
7. Classroom discussion questions follow the video test. Have them jot down a short
response for each question. Begin by calling on one student to give their respons e to the
first question, allowing them to choose a student who will either expound on their
answer, or move on to the next question. This may take anywhere from ten to thirty
minutes, depending on how talkative and knowledgeable the students are.
8. Fill in any new questions students have on the W section of the KWL, and any newfound knowledge into the L section.
9. Cloze activity from student packet using terms listed on page.
10. Students will graph the moon’s phases (tell them not to include the word “terminator”
that is found in the suggested words to use). They may use classroom materials such as
a compass for drawing the moons. (Page 6)
11. Writing activity: Students (with a partner) will come up with a description of how tides
are created, using specified vocabulary terms in their description. (Page 7)
12. Post-test is to be given on the last day of this section, before moving on to lunar and
solar eclipses. (Summative Assessment)
Materials for this section can be found on Discovery Education’s United Streaming website. The
program is entitled “A Spin Around the Solar System: Moon Dance”. This program includes Blackline
Masters and a 15-minute video.
Video URL: http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/1D050D7C-C8E5-4703-91E83D17EE231387
Blackline Masters URL: https://gtm-media.discoveryeducation.com/videos/10282/10282_BM.pdf
Section 2: Seasons (3 Days)
This section will teach students how the tilt and revolution of Earth is what causes our seasons.
Material is taken from the 6-8th grade Sciencesaurus textbook on pages 231-234, and from a
Powerpoint that was found on Teacherspayteachers.com
Materials: (per student)
 Colored pencils/markers
 Copy paper
 Ruler
 Scissors
Order of Activities:
1. Students will read through their Sciencesaurus books (pages 231-233), then participate in a
classroom discussion regarding the vocabulary found in this section.
2. Section 234 will be read aloud by the teacher, pausing to discuss the main concepts and
graphics.
3. Using a globe, demonstrate how the seasons change for both the northern and southern
hemispheres of Earth.
4. Using the materials listed above, students will construct a colorful graphic organizer that will
enhance their learning of this topic using a hands-on approach. This graphic organizer was
found on teacherspayteachers.com, and shows step-by-step instructions on how to set up,
create, and fill in this tool.
5. Information to complete this graphic organizer can be researched in the school media center,
or by using various textbooks that can be found in the classroom. One day may be needed for
research of these topics.
Set up Graphic Organizer as follows:
URL for graphic organizer: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earths-DayNight-YearSeasons-How-Rotation-Revolution-Tilt-Cause-It-All-636719
HOT Question: Compare the location of people on Earth to the season in which they are experiencing
on a given day.
Section 3: Lunar and Solar Eclipses (1 day)
This is a short section where students learn and discuss the differences between lunar and solar
eclipses.
Most of the material is taken from the 6-8th grade Sciencesaurus textbook, pages 235-236
Materials: (per student group)
 Lamp
 Globe
 Styrofoam ball
Order of Activities:
1. Students will begin by sharing their knowledge of eclipses.
2. Students will turn to page 235 in their Sciencesaurus. They will read whole-group through this
section, as this material will be a review for them from prior units and grade levels.
3. The section on page 236 deals only with solar and lunar eclipses. Read and discuss whole-group.
4. Have students use classroom materials to demonstrate the two different types of eclipses. They
should understand that during a solar eclipse the moon is directly between the sun and Earth;
during a lunar eclipse the Earth is between the sun and moon. If possible, pull students into
separate room where these materials are located and have them demonstrate the concepts
one at a time. (Formative Assessment)
HOT Question: Which type of eclipse has a greater impact on the citizens of Earth? Why?
Section 4: Role of Gravity (1 Day)
Bell work: What is gravity?
I Do:
Teacher goes over the learning targets for the unit. Teacher discusses with the students the concept of
gravity.
We Do:
Students watch a quick video clip from United Streaming “Gravity and Planetary Motion.” The video
discusses “gravity and its impact on planetary motion. The sun is so large that its gravitational pull
attracts the rest of the planets, and that, coupled with inertia, keeps them in their orbit.”
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=gravity#selItemsPerPage=60&intCurrentPage=0&No=0
&N=18342&Ne=18339&Ntt=gravity&Ns=&Nr=&browseFilter=&Ntk=All&indexVersion=&Ntx=mod
e%252Bmatchallpartial
Discuss how gravity interacts with us and the planets.
You Do:
Students work on an activity sheet that compares the gravitational pull to the mass of different planets
and Earth’s moon.
(The larger the mass of the object the larger the gravitational pull. )
Assessment:
Students complete an activity sheet that compares the gravitational pull to the mass of different planets
and Earth’s moon.
Writing:
Students work on an activity sheet that compares the gravitational pull to the mass of different planets
and Earth’s moon.
Higher Order Thinking Question:
Compare the gravitational pull to the mass of different planets and Earth’s moon.
Section 5: Scale of Objects in the Solar System (3 Days)
Students will further their knowledge of the size of the planets in the solar system in relation to Earth
and the sun. They will do this through reading of text, completing a chart with planetary information,
and viewing three videos that discuss the sun, inner planets, and outer planets.
Informational reading is taken from 6-8th grade Sciencesaurus textbook
Videos are found on Discovery Education’s United Streaming website
Order of Activities:
1. Students will read from the Sciencesaurus text sections 238-243, writing down the vocabulary
terms in their Science journals as they come to them.
2. Students will use information obtained from the text to fill in a chart regarding the sizes, mass,
distance from sun, and temperature of the planets.
This chart is found in a PDF file entitled “Jump Start: Jupiter”. It is listed as Activity 1 at the
location below.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/solar_system/activities/MyTripToJupiter
3. Students will watch a video from United Streaming entitled “A Spin Around the Solar System:
The Sun: Our Star Attraction”. After viewing, they are to be given the video quiz located on
page three of the corresponding blackline masters.
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/89AE5324-ECBC-4818-848363C8ED2E29BB
4. Students will then watch a video from United Streaming entitled “A Spin Around the Solar
System: Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets”. Upon viewing the video, the students will
answer questions posed by the teacher using the questions found on page four of the blackline
masters included with this video.
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/997C508C-D23A-42A3-8E1C655B5315D635
5. The final video entitled “A Spin Around the Solar System: The Outer Planets: The Gas Giants”
will be shown, followed up by completing the Venn Diagram located on page six of the
corresponding blackline masters. This diagram will compare and contrast the inner and outer
planets.
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/25C7F23B-72BB-4153-B65EBD26318D8F8E
Writing: Answer in Science journals
“How do scale properties of objects in the solar system allow us to interpret and analyze data?” (HOT)