Students will demonstrate their current understanding of the solar system, including distance between planets, size of planets, etc. by viewing one model of the solar system and creating another.
Students will view internet simulations to observe the vastness of the universe and recognize that multiple models are needed to accurately depict the solar system and universe.
Students will graph data to analyze defining characteristics and traits of objects in the solar system.
Students continue to use their graphs to state claims regarding the following three relationships:
average density vs. distance from sun
orbital period vs. distance from sun
surface temperature vs. distance from sun.
Students will create a model to demonstrate the size of the sun and the bodies of the solar system. Students also construct and walk the distances between the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.
Students will create a model to demonstrate the size of the sun and the bodies of the solar system. Students also construct and walk the distances between the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.
Students will create a model to demonstrate the size of the sun and the bodies of the solar system. Students also construct and walk the distances between the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.
Students evaluate and argue the benefits and the disadvantages of using models to determine the scale properties of objects in the solar system.
Students will explore the features of the discovered exoplanets and see how they compare to those of the planets in our solar system.
In the previous concept, students developed and used models to explain the relationship between gravitational force and the motion of objects in the solar system and universe. They explain that gravity is the force that holds the solar system together, and controls the orbits of the objects within the solar system.
In this cycle, students will construct an explanation that answers the guiding question: How do different representations of the solar system illustrate different characteristics of celestial objects within the solar system? Students will answer this guiding question by analyzing and interpreting data to explain the scale properties of our solar system. Specifically, students will analyze planet mass, average density, orbital period, and surface temperature, in relation to a planet's distance from the sun. They will also develop a scale model of the solar system, which depicts the size of planets, and spacing between planets in our solar system. Students will construct explanations about how the scale at which the solar system is observed provides information about identifying characteristics of different categories of solar system objects.
In the next concept, students will synthesize the information they have obtained throughout the module to answer the module driving question.: How can we as space scientists analyze data to plan a space mission?