Download Astronomy - Lincoln

Department: Science
Understanding by Design
Course: Earth Science
Astronomy – Chapters 22-25
Standard(s):
12.11.84 Understand that most scientists believe that the sun, the earth, and the rest of the solar system formed from a nebular
cloud of dust and gas 4.6 billion years ago.
12.11.91 Understand that incoming solar radiation is either reflected or absorbed.
12.11.102 Understand and describe the physical characteristics of galaxies and the objects within galaxies (e.g., stars, pulsars, black
holes, planets, comets, asteroids). Describe physical characteristics of the sun (e.g., corona, prominences, sunspots, solar flares), and
know that solar events can cause phenomena such as auroras.
12.11.103 Analyze the life cycles of stars, and compare stars of different masses
12.11.104 Know the theory that over 10 billion years ago the universe began in a huge expansion called the Big Bang. Understand
that in this event, all matter, energy, space, and time were created as the universe expanded from a single point. Understand that
one piece of evidence for this theory is the 3K background radiation.
12.11.105 Understand the Doppler effect with respect to light (red and blue shifts) and sound (e.g., the sound of an approaching
train’s whistle vs. the sound of the whistle moving away). Understand that astronomers use the Doppler shift to estimate the
distance of objects millions and billions of light-years away.
12.11.106 Understand the effects of gravity within the solar system. Understand that the tides are caused by the gravitational
interaction among the earth, moon, and sun.
12.11.78 Understand the universal law of gravitation: that gravitation is a force that every mass exerts on every other mass. The
strength of the gravitational attractive force between two masses is proportional to the masses and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them (inverse square law).
Stage 1: Desired Results
Understandings
Students should be able to:
Origins of Modern Astronomy
Compare and contrast the geocentric and heliocentric models of the solar system.
Explain the contributions to astronomy of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton.
Describe the movements of Earth known as rotation, revolution, and precession.
Explain how the moon goes through phases.
Explain how eclipses occur.
Describe how the physical features of the lunar surface were created.
Explain the formation of the moon.
Touring our solar system
List the major differences between the terrestrial and Jovian planets.
Explain how the solar system formed.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of each terrestrial planet.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of each Jovian planet.
Identify the location within our solar system where most asteroids are found.
Describe the structure of a comet.
Explain the possible origins for a meteoroid.
Studying the Sun
Describe the waves that compose the electromagnetic spectrum.
Explain the advantages that a space telescope has over an Earth-based telescope.
Explain the structure of the sun.
Describe the physical features on the surface of the sun.
Explain how the sun produces energy.
Beyond our Solar System
Describe what astronomers can learn by studying star properties.
List the factors that determine a star’s apparent magnitude.
Describe the relationship shown on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram.
Identify which stage marks the birth of a star.
Explain why all stars eventually die.
List the stages of the sun’s life cycle.
Describe the size and structure of the Milky Way Galaxy.
List the ways in which galaxies differ from one another.
Cite the evidence that indicates that the universe is expanding.
Describe how the universe began according to the Big Bang theory.
Essential Questions
What ideas validate the Big Bang theory?
How are celestial bodies important to your life?
How has technology changed the way we look at astronomy?
Knowledge and Skill
See the attached templates for Chapters 22-25
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Test, quizzes, labs, homework, worksheets (see district curriculum folder).
Performance Task Summary
Quizzes
Practice problems
Labs
Unit test
Self-Assessments
Self evaluation of "I Can" statements on K&S sheet.
Rubric Titles
Other Evidence, Summarized
Other assessment information will be obtained through
observations, classroom participation, class discussion &
interactions, and scaffold learning. The final assessment will be
analyzed with Mastery Manager for teachers to improve future
instruction.
Stage 3: Learning Activities
Models of the solar system
Weight on other planets
Earth’s Seasons worksheet
What is the shape of a planetary orbit?
Moon Phases worksheet
Eclipses worksheet
Crater worksheet
Planet characteristics
Planet Tourist Brochure
Spectroscope
Sunspot Viewing
How does the position of the setting sun change?
Telescope Demo
H-R Diagram
Constellations
How do astronomers measure distances to nearby stars?
Star Wheels/charts