course of study unit planning guide for astronomy - google...this astronomy course will cover...

COURSE OF STUDY UNIT PLANNING GUIDE FOR:

ASTRONOMY

5 CREDITS GRADE LEVEL: 11 12 1 FULL YEAR

PREPARED BY: TRICIA ALESANDRO

SHANNON WARNOCK SUPERVISOR OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

JULY 2018

DUMONT HIGH SCHOOL DUMONT, NEW JERSEY

BORN DATE: AUGUST 24, 2017 ALIGNED TO THE NJSLS AND B.O.E. ADOPTED AUGUST 23, 2018

Astronomy – Grade 1112 – Full Year – 5 Credits

This Astronomy course will cover content that includes the constellations, our Earth, our solar system, stars, types of galaxies, and the observable universe. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS A student will receive 5 credits for successfully completing course work. A grade of "D" or higher must be achieved in order to pass the course. The following criteria are used to determine the grade for the course: A. Tests - 40% of the grade

Tests will be given periodically. These may include alternative assessments that will count as tests. B. Labs - 25% of grade

Students will be completing different labs and are expected to follow basic lab safety precautions. They will complete a worksheet or lab report demonstrating inquiry skills.

C. Quizzes - 20% of the grade Quizzes (announced and unannounced) based on class lessons or homework assignments will be given frequently to test understanding of individual concepts. These may include alternative assessments that will count as quizzes.

D. Homework - 10% of the grade Homework will be evaluated for completeness, neatness, and/or accuracy.

E. Class Participation/Class Work - 5% of the grade Class Participation/Class Work will be evaluated a minimum of twice per marking period according to the departmental rubric (see page 3). The grade is based on the student's participation/work during class. Thus, consistent attendance is imperative.

F. Final Examination Final examinations will count as follows: Full-Year Courses Weighting Semester Courses Weighting Quarter 1 22.5% of final grade Quarter 1 45% of final grade Quarter 2 22.5% of final grade Quarter 2 45% of final grade Quarter 3 22.5% of final grade Final Exam 10% of final grade Quarter 4 22.5% of final grade Final 10% of final grade

Any work missed when the student has been absent is expected to be made up in a reasonable time. Usually one or two days are allowed for each day absent unless there are unusual circumstances, in which case the student is to request special arrangements with the teacher. Extra help is available. Ask your teacher where he/she will be when you are planning to come in for extra help.

High School Science Participation Rubric

1(60) Inadequate

2(70) Limited

3(80) Partial

4(90) Adequate

5(100) Superior

Attendance

Almost never with attendance policies and/or punctuality Almost never makes up work in timely fashion

Rarely abides by attendance policies and/or punctuality Rarely makes up work in timely fashion

Sometimes struggles with attendance policies and/or punctuality Sometimes makes up work in timely fashion

Almost always punctual Almost always makes up work in timely fashion Not disruptive when tardy

Always punctual Always makes up work in a timely fashion

Preparedness

Almost never has pencil, books, calculators, and/or notebooks Almost never has assignments on time

Rarely has pencil, books, calculators, and/or notebooks Rarely has assignments on time

Sometimes has pencil, books, calculators, and/or notebooks Sometimes has assignments on time

Almost always has pencil, books, calculators, and/or notebooks Almost always has assignments on time

Always has pencil, books, calculators, and/or notebooks Always has assignments on time

Oral

Participation

Almost never asks & answers questions without prompting

Rarely asks & answers questions without prompting

Sometimes asks & answers questions without prompting

Almost always asks & answers questions without prompting

Always asks & answers questions without prompting (daily)

Written

Participation

Almost never takes notes Almost never makes corrections on homework/ class work and/or applies teacher recommendations to writing

Rarely takes notes Rarely makes corrections on homework/ class work and/or applies teacher recommendations to writing

Sometimes takes notes Sometimes makes corrections on homework/ class work and/or applies teacher recommendations to writing

Almost always takes notes Almost always makes corrections on homework/ class work and applies teacher recommendations to writing

Always takes notes Always makes corrections on homework/ class work and applies teacher recommendations to writing

Cooperative Learning/Lab Activities

Almost never provides meaningful input Almost never focused on the assignment Almost never assumes a leadership role

Rarely provides meaningful input Rarely focused on the assignment Rarely assumes a leadership role

Sometimes provides meaningful input Sometimes focused on the assignment Sometimes assumes a leadership role

Almost always provides meaningful input Almost always focused on the assignment Almost always assumes a leadership role

Always provides meaningful input Always focused on the assignment Usually assumes a leadership role

General Behavior

Almost never shows respect for peers and teacher Almost never remains focused on assignments Almost never abides by all class & school rules ALMOST NEVER HAS CELL PHONE

Rarely shows respect for peers and teacher Rarely remains focused on assignments Rarely abides by all class & school rules ALMOST NEVER HAS CELL PHONE

Sometimes shows respect for peers and teacher Sometimes remains focused on assignments Sometimes abides by all class & school rules NEVER HAS CELL PHONE

Almost always shows respect for peers and teacher Almost always remains focused on assignments Almost always abides by all class & school rules NEVER HAS CELL PHONE

Always shows respect for peers and teacher Always remains focused on assignments Always abides by all class & school rules NEVER HAS CELL PHONE

*Score of Zero Results from Limited or No Response to Class Participation/Class Work

Unit 1: The Celestial Sphere and Constellations (The Night Sky)

Number of Days ● 12

NJSLS-S ● HSESS14 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

Science and Engineering Practices (SEP)

● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)

● ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars

Crosscutting Concepts (CCC)

● 1. Patterns. ● 7. Stability and change.

NJSLS-M ● HSNQ.A.2: Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling.

Standards for Mathematical Practices

● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure.

NJSLS for ELA Companion Standards for Science: RST

● RST.1112.1. Accurately cite strong and thorough evidence from the text to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to precise details for explanations or descriptions.

● RST.1112.2. Determine the central ideas, themes, or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.

● RST.1112.3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.

● RST.1112.4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11-12 texts and topics.

● RST.1112.9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

NJSLS for ELA ● WHST.1112.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Companion Standards for Science: WHST

Career Ready Practices (CRPs)

● CRP1. Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee. ● CRP2. Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. ● CRP4. Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason. ● CRP9. Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management.

21st Century: Personal Financial Literacy (9.1)

● N/A

21st Century: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation (9.2)

● 9.2.12.C.4 Analyze how economic conditions and societal changes influence employment trends and future education.

Educational Technology (8.1)

● 8.1.12.A.5 Create a report from a relational database consisting of at least two tables and describe the process, and explain the report results.

● 8.1.12.D.1 Demonstrate appropriate application of copyright, fair use and/or Creative Commons to an original work.

● 8.1.12.D.5 Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technology resources and assess their potential to address personal, social, lifelong learning, and career needs.

● 8.1.12.E.1 Produce a position statement about a real world problem by developing a systematic plan of investigation with peers and experts synthesizing information from multiple sources.

● 8.1.12.F.1 Evaluate the strengths and limitations of emerging technologies and their impact on educational, career, personal and or social needs.

Technology Education, Engineering, Design, and Computational Thinking - Programming (8.2)

● 8.2.12.B.4 Investigate a technology used in a given period of history, e.g., stone age, industrial revolution or information age, and identify their impact and how they may have changed to meet human needs and wants.

● 8.2.12.D.5 Explain how material processing impacts the quality of engineered and fabricated products. ● 8.2.12.D.6 Synthesize data, analyze trends and draw conclusions regarding the effect of a technology on

the individual, society, or the environment and publish conclusions. ● 8.2.12.E.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the problem-solving capacity of computers in our world.

Essential ● What is the difference between astronomy and astrology and what are the astrological constellations of

Questions the Zodiac? ● What is the Celestial Sphere? ● How do we locate objects the sky? ● How do the equinoxes and solstices relate to the ecliptic? ● How and why do the stars “move?” ● What is the North Star, which constellations are circumpolar, which constellations are seasonal? ● What causes the stages of twilight?

Labs/Activities ● Research your Zodiac Constellation ● The “Star Finder” Activity ● Create 3-D Constellation (Orion)

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch. 1 Section 1 - The Celestial Sphere, Ch. 6 Section 7 - The Spin of the Earth)

● 2017 Guide to the Night Sky by: Storm Dunlap and Wil Tirion ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Horizon, celestial sphere, constellations, The Zodiac Ring, celestial poles, celestial equator, Circumpolar constellations, ecliptic, zenith, nadir, meridian, altitude, azimuth

Technology/GAFE ● Webquest: Research on Zodiac Constellation ● Submit Zodiac Research through Google Classroom. ● PowerPoint: “The Night Sky” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Jeopardy Review on the Smart Board

Special Education/504

● Providing Notes/Modified Notes ● Study Guides ● Tutoring/Extra Help

ELL (SEI) ● Visuals ● Repeat/Rephrase ● Tutoring/Extra Help

At Risk of School Failure

● Conferencing with student, parent, guidance, administration, and/or CST ● Tutoring/Extra Help

Gifted & Talented ● Independent Research

● Supplemental Texts

Formative, Summative, Benchmark, and Alternative Assessments

● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “The Celestial Sphere” , “The Zodiac Ring” , “Day, Night and Twilight”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative Assessments: Lab work [ Research your Zodiac Constellation, The “Star Finder” Activity,

Create 3-D Constellation (Orion) ]

Unit 2: The Earth’s Motions and Composition


NJSLS-S ● HSESS15 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

● HSESS14 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.


● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System ● ESS1.B: The History of Planet Earth ● ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems ● ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions ● PS4.A: Wave Properties ● ESS2.D: Weather and climate


● 1 . Patterns. ● 2 . Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. ● 4 . Systems and system models. ● 5 . Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. ● 6 . Structure and function. ● 7 . Stability and change.

NJSLS-M ● HSSID.B.6 Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how those variables are related.

● HSNQ.A.2: Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling.


● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure.

NJSLS for ELA ● RST.1112.1. Accurately cite strong and thorough evidence from the text to support analysis of science

Companion Standards for Science: RST

and technical texts, attending to precise details for explanations or descriptions. ● RST.1112.2. Determine the central ideas, themes, or conclusions of a text; summarize complex

concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.

● RST.1112.3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments,taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.


NJSLS for ELA Companion Standards for Science: WHST

● WHST.1112.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.




● N/A













Essential Questions ● How does the radius and rotational speed of a planet help determine its shape? ● Where are the Arctic Circle, Tropic of Cancer, Equator, Tropic of Capricorn, and Antarctic Circle, and

what are their significances? ● Why do we have seasons, and why are days longer in the summer? ● Why is it hotter in the summer and colder in the winter? ● How does day and night vary with latitude, and what are the three phases of twilight? ● Why do we have leap year every four years? What is the layers of the Earth and what are they composed

of? ● How do the layers of the Earth differ and how have we discovered each layer’s composition? ● How do we know how old the Earth is? ● What is Pangaea and how/ why has it changed?

Labs/Activities ● Breaking Pangaea (Plate Tectonics)

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch. 6 - The Earth, Ch 1 Section 2 - The Seasons) ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Critical Radius, Equatorial Bulge Oblate Spheroid, presession, Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core, differentiation, convection, rifting, subduction, plate tectonics

Technology/GAFE ● Video Clips: ○ “Earth’s Motion around the Sun, Not As Simple as I Thought” ○ “Pangaea”

● PowerPoint: “Earth’s Motions and Composition” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom






Gifted & Talented ● Independent Research ● Supplemental Texts


● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Earth’s Size and Motion”, “Earth’s Composition and Age” , “Motions in Earth’s Interior”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative Assessment: Lab work [ Breaking Pangaea (Plate Tectonics) ]

Unit 3: Earth’s Magnetic Field and Atmosphere


NJSLS-S ● HSESS15 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.



● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth ● PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation ● ESS2.D: Weather and Climate ● ESS3.D: Global Climate Change


● 2 . Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. ● 3 . Scale, proportion, and quantity. ● 4 . Systems and system models. ● 5 . Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. ● 6 . Structure and function. ● 7 . Stability and change.

NJSLS-M ● HSSID.B.6: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how those variables are related.



● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure.









● CRP1 . Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee. ● CRP2 . Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. ● CRP4 . Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason. ● CRP9 . Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management.


● N/A







● 8.1.12.E.1 Produce a position statement about a real world problem by developing a systematic plan of

investigation with peers and experts synthesizing information from multiple sources. ● 8.1.12.F.1 Evaluate the strengths and limitations of emerging technologies and their impact on

educational, career, personal and or social needs.





Essential Questions ● How does the Earth’s magnetic field protect us? ● How are auroras formed and where/when can they be seen? ● What generates the Earth’s magnetic field? ● Where is “magnetic north”? ● What evidence have we found to support magnetic pole reversals? ● What are some possible origins of Earth’s atmosphere, and how has it evolved? ● What are the layers of our current atmosphere, what are they composed of, and what are their purposes? ● What causes the greenhouse effect?

Labs/Activities ● Scale Diagram of the Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere ● Virtual Lab - Earth’s Magnetic Field ● Virtual Lab - The Greenhouse Effect

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch. 6 - The Earth, Ch 1 Section 2 - The Seasons) ● Internet (for research) ● Article: Birds Migrating Using Magnetic Fields

Vocabulary polarity, aurora, Geographic and Magnetic Poles, angle of declination, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Exosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere, The Goldilocks Zone, Greenhouse effect

Technology/GAFE ● Video Clips: ○ Clip from “The Core” ○ Magnetic Field Reversal

● PowerPoint: “Earth’s Magnetic Field and Atmosphere” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom

● Virtual Labs - (phet.colorado.edu) - ○ “Magnet and Compass” simulation ○ “The Greenhouse Effect” simulation








● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “The Magnetic Field” , “Earth’s Atmosphere”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Scale Diagram of the Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere ]

Unit 4: Our Moon


NJSLS-S ● HSESS16 Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.



● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking ● SEP.7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● PS2.A: Forces and Motion ● PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces ● ESS1. C: The History of the Planet Earth


● 1 . Patterns. ● 2 . Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. ● 3 . Scale, proportion, and quantity. ● 4 . Systems and system models. ● 5 . Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. ● 6 . Structure and function. ● 7 . Stability and change.

NJSLS-M ● HSNQ.A.2: Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling.


● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning











● N/A







● 8.1.12.E.1 Produce a position statement about a real world problem by developing a systematic plan of







Essential Questions ● Where did the moon come from? ● What have we learned from the Apollo missions? ● What are the “dark” and “bright” parts on the moon? ● Why is the moon’s crust thicker on the far side? ● What is the “dark side of the moon”? ● What causes the phases of the moon? ● What is a “blue moon”? ● How are solar and lunar eclipses created? ● Does the moon really control the tides?

Labs/Activities ● Moon vs. Earth (to scale) ● Making Craters

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 7 - The Moon) ● Internet (for research) ● Articles

○ New York Times “Moon Landing” ○ 10 Things About the Apollo Program

Vocabulary Craters, highlands, rays, rilles, regolith, synchronous rotation, lunar eclipse, solar eclipse, full moon, new moon, waxing, waning, gibbous, crescent, tidal bulge, tidal braking

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “The Moon” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Video Clips:

○ Near Side vs. Far Side of the Moon ○ Why the Moon Landing Couldn’t Have Been Faked ○ Flags on the Moon ○ Secrets about Apollo 11 ○ In his own words: Buzz Aldrin 40 years later ○ Earth’s Moon is BIG!

● Video: Earth Without a Moon (45 min video)








● Benchmark Assessment: “Moon vs. Earth (to scale) What do you think?” ● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit

○ “The Surface and Structure of the Moon” , “The Cycles of the Moon in the Sky” , “Our Moon’s Oddities, Origin, and Causes of Tides”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Making Craters ]

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Its Planets




● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking ● SEP.6 Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) ● SEP.7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System ● ESS1.C: The History of the Planet Earth


● 1 . Patterns. ● 2 . Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. ● 3 . Scale, proportion, and quantity. ● 4 . Systems and system models. ● 6 . Structure and function. ● 7 . Stability and change.

NJSLS-M ● HSNQ.A.3: Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities.

● HSACED.A.4: Rearrange formulas to highlight a quantity of interest, using the same reasoning as in solving equations



● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure.

● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning











● N/A






● 8.1.12.D.5 Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technology resources and

assess their potential to address personal, social, lifelong learning, and career needs. ● 8.1.12.E.1 Produce a position statement about a real world problem by developing a systematic plan of







Essential Questions ● How do the Geocentric Model and the Heliocentric Model differ? (Aristotle, Copernicus) ● What is the scale of the solar system. (What is an astronomical unit? What is a light year?) ● Why are the small rocky planets close to the sun, and the gas giants farther away? ● What are Dwarf planets? ● What are some interesting facts about each planet in our solar system? ● How have we discovered exoplanets? ● How was our solar system born?

Labs/Activities ● The Solar System to Scale ● Planet Research Project

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 8 - Survey of Our Solar System, Ch 9 - The Terrestrial Planets, Ch 10 - The Outer Planets)

● Internet (for research) ● Article: Earth’s Twin

Vocabulary Terrestrial planets, Jovian planets, asteroid belt, comets, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, gas giants, exoplanets, gravitational lensing, transit, Kepler’s Laws, solar nebula theory, interstellar cloud, interstellar grains, protoplanetary disk, condensation, accretion, planetesimals, migrating planets

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “The Solar System” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Webquest: Research a Planet, submit Google Slide Presentation via Google Classroom

● Video clips: ○ Mission Pluto ○ How NASA Pulled of the Pluto Fly-By ○ Naming Uranus ○ What if all the water on Earth disappeared


● PowerPoint: “The Solar System” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom

ELL (SEI) ● Providing Notes/Modified Notes ● Study Guides ● Tutoring/Extra Help


● Visuals ● Repeat/Rephrase ● Tutoring/Extra Help ● Conferencing with student, parent, guidance, administration, and/or CST ● Tutoring/Extra Help



● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Components of the Solar System” , “Other Planetary Systems”, “The Formation of Planetary

Systems” ● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ The Solar System to Scale, Planet Research Project ]

Unit 6: Small Bodies Orbiting the Sun (Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids)




● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System ● ESS1.C: The History of the Planet Earth


● 1 . Patterns. ● 2 . Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. ● 3 . Scale, proportion, and quantity. ● 4 . Systems and system models. ● 6 . Structure and function. ● 7 . Stability and change.





● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning












● N/A













Essential Questions ● Why is Pluto not a planet? ● What are asteroids, meteors, and comets? ● What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite? ● What are shooting stars and meteor showers? ● How is a comet’s tail formed? ● What is in the Kuiper belt? ● What are the effects of asteroid and comet impacts?

Labs/Activities ● Research Haley’s Comet

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 11 - Small Bodies Orbiting the Sun) ● 2017 Guide to the Night Sky by: Storm Dunlap and Wil Tirion ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Meteor, meteorite, chondrules, chondrites, achondrites, asteroids, Kirkwood gaps, near-Earth objects, trans-Neptunian objects, tail, coma, nucleus, solar wind, ion tail, radiation pressure, dust tail, fluorescence, Oort Cloud, Kuiper Belt, short-period comets, meteor shower, radiant

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “Small Bodies in the Solar System” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom



ELL (SEI) ● Visuals ● Repeat/Rephrase

● Tutoring/Extra Help





● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Meteors and Asteroids” , “Pluto and Plutoids” , “Comets”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Research Haley’s Comet ]

Unit 7: The Sun (Our Star)


NJSLS-S ● HSESS11 Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

● HSESS13 Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.


● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars ● PS1.C: Nuclear Process ● PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life ● PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation






● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning



● RST.1112.2. Determine the central ideas, themes, or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate

terms. ● RST.1112.3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments,taking

measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.







● N/A













Essential Questions ● What is our sun made of? ● Why does our sun “shine”? ● What are solar flares and do they affect us on Earth? ● What are sunspots? ● How is our sun like / different from other stars? ● What is the accretion disk and the corona? ● Do the frequency of sunspots affect the climate on Earth? ● How does the Sun’s magnetic field interact with its surface? ● How old is our sun? ● How will our sun die?

Labs/Activities ● The Sun Project (Diagraming the interior layers of the sun (to scale) and representing/explaining the surface structures of the sun)

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 12 - The Sun, Our Star) ● 2017 Guide to the Night Sky by: Storm Dunlap and Wil Tirion ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Photosphere, radiation zone, convection zone, chromosphere, neutrinos, solar seismology, spicules, corona, hydrostatic equilibrium, nuclear fusion, sunspot, prominences, solar flares, the solar cycle, solar wind, Maunder minimum

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “The Sun, Our Star” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom








● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “How the Sun Works”, “Solar Magnetic Activity & The Solar Cycle”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ The Sun Project ]

Unit 8: Stars


NJSLS-S ● HSESS11 Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

● HSESS13 Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.




● ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars ● PS1.C: Nuclear Process ● PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life ● PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation





● HSNQ.A.2: Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. ● HSSID.B.6: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how those

variables are related.

Standards for ● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Mathematical Practices

● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.











● N/A













Essential Questions ● Why do some stars appear brighter than others? ● How is the color of a star is related to its temperature? ● What is the closest star besides our sun? ● Which is the brightest star in the night sky? ● How big is our star compared to other stars? ● What makes a star “live”?

Labs/Activities ● Virtual Lab on Star temperature and luminosity

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 13 - Measuring the Properties of Stars, Ch 14 - Stellar Evolution)

● 2017 Guide to the Night Sky by: Storm Dunlap and Wil Tirion ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Triangulation, parallax, inverse-square law, magnitudes, Wien’s law, giants, dwarfs, spectral types, binary stars, visual binaries, spectroscopic binaries, eclipsing binary, H-R diagram, main sequence, red giants, white dwarfs, mass-luminosity relation, interstellar cloud, Bok bubble, protostar, main-sequence lifetime, period-luminosity relation

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “Stars” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Virtual Lab (phet.colorado.edu)

○ Blackbody Radiation and Luminosity








● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Measuring Stellar Properties”, “Binary Star Systems and H-R Diagrams” , “Stellar Evolution”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Virtual Lab on Star temperature and luminosity ]

Unit 9: The Milky Way


NJSLS-S ● HSESS12 Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.


● SEP.1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems ● SEP.2 Developing and Using Models ● SEP.3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations ● SEP.4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data ● SEP.6 Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) ● SEP.7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence ● SEP.8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information


● ESS1.A: The Universe and its Stars ● PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter ● PS2.A: Forces and Motion ● PS2.B: Types of Interactions






● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning












● N/A













Essential Questions ● Where is the Earth located in the Milky Way? ● How is the Milky Way Galaxy structured and what is it composed of? ● How old is the Milky Way Galaxy? ● What is hypothesized to be at the center of the galaxy? ● How has the Milky Way evolved over time (the two-stage collapse model)?

Labs/Activities ● Research: How did various ancient cultures explain what they saw in the sky (the Milky Way)?

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 15 - Stellar Remnants: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes)

● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Bulge, disk, halo, globular clusters, open clusters, orbital motion, spiral galaxy, dark matter, population I stars, population II stars, Population III stars, interstellar matter, Sagittarius A*, two-stage collapse model

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “The Milky Way” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Video clips:

○ Supermassive Black Hole at the center of the Galaxy ○ Crash Course Astronomy - The Milky Way



ELL (SEI) ● Visuals

● Repeat/Rephrase ● Tutoring/Extra Help





● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Milky Way Overview” , “The Galactic Center” , “Evolution of the Milky Way”

● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Research: How did various ancient cultures explain what they saw in the sky (the

Milky Way)? ]

Unit 10: Galaxies






● ESS1.A: The Universe and its Stars ● PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter ● PS2.A: Forces and Motion ● PS2.B: Types of Interactions







● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. ● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning











● N/A













Essential Questions

● Which galaxies are closest to the Milky Way? ● What was “The Great Debate of 1920”? ● What are the three major types of galaxies? ● What have we learned from the red-shift of light from other galaxies? ● What happens when galaxies collide? ● What have we learned from Hubble’s Deep Field Image? ● How are galaxies grouped in space?

Labs/Activities ● Galaxy Sorting Activity

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 16 - The Milky Way Galaxy, Ch 17 - Galaxies) ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary Milky Way, Andromeda, the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, irregular galaxies, barred spiral galaxy, S-zero galaxy, Hubble’s Galactic Evolution, red-shift, blue shift, galactic cannibalism, radio galaxies, dwarf galaxies, , starburst galaxies, Hubble’s Deep Field Image, active galaxies, Seyfert galaxies, Radio galaxies, quasars, galaxy clusters, The Local Group, super clusters, The Virgo Supercluster

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “Galaxies” ● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom ● Video clips:

○ When Galaxies Collide ○ Active Galaxies ○ How Big, How Far, How Fast? (How big is the Universe?)








● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Discovering Galaxies and The Redshift” , “Galaxy Interactions, Evolution, and Active Galaxies” ,

“Galaxy Clusters” ● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Galaxy Sorting Activity ]

Unit 11: Cosmology






● ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars ● PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter ● PS2.A: Forces and Motion ● PS2.B: Types of Interactions ● PS1.C: Nuclear Process



NJSLS-M ● HSSID.B.6: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how those variables are related.

● HSNQ.A.3: Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities.



Standards for ● MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Mathematical Practices

● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. ● MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. ● MP.6 Attend to precision. ● MP.7 Look for and make use of structure. ● MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.











● N/A













Essential Questions

● What is the Cosmological Principle? ● How fast are galaxies moving with respect to the Milky Way? ● Who first suggested “The Big Bang Theory” and how was the theory received? ● What is the cosmic horizon? ● What is theorized to have happened in the seconds after the Big Bang? ● What is the current curvature of the Universe? ● What is the fate of our Universe?

Labs/Activities ● Make a Scaled Universe Timeline from the Big Bang to today

Resources ● Text: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy (Ch 18 - Cosmology) ● Internet (for research)

Vocabulary The Cosmological principle, Hubble’s Law, Hubble’s Constant, Primeval Atom, Olber’ paradox, cosmic horizon, antimatter, The Recombination Era, cosmic microwave background, protogalaxies, curvature of the universe, inflation, cosmological constant, critical density, dark energy

Technology/GAFE ● PowerPoint: “Cosmology”

● Notes and announcements posted on Google Classroom








● Formative Assessments: Quick Quizzes to spot-check knowledge throughout the unit ○ “Observations of the Universe” , “The Origin of the Universe” , “The Curvature and Fate of our

Universe” ● Summative Assessment: Unit Test (Fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, essay free response) ● Alternative: Lab work [ Make a Scaled Universe Timeline from the Big Bang to today ]

course of study unit planning guide for astronomy - google...this astronomy course will cover...

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