patterns(in(thesky:(moon(phases(and(more: (90$minutes ...louisville.edu/planetarium/schools/grades...

UofL Rauch Planetarium Program Offerings – Grades 3-‐5

Patterns in the Sky: Moon Phases and More: (90 minutes) Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS1.A, ESS1.B, ESS2.C, PS4.B

• The sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer. Stars range greatly in their distance from Earth. (5-‐ESS1-‐1)

• The orbits of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns. These include day and night; daily changes in the length and direction of shadows; and different positions of the Sun, Moon, and stars at different times of the day, month, and year. (5-‐ESS1-‐2)

• An object can be seen when light reflected from its surface enters the eyes. (4-‐PS4-‐2) • The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and measured; when that past motion exhibits a regular pattern, future motion can be predicted from it. (3-‐PS2-‐2)

Science and Engineering Practices

• Engaging in Argument from Evidence: Support an argument with evidence, data, or a model (e.g. using models of Earth-‐Moon-‐Sun to explain what we see from Earth’s perspective; sunrise and sunrise, seasons, East-‐West movement, lunar phases)

• Developing and Using Models (e.g. Modeling Earth-‐Moon-‐Sun interactions to account for patterns observed on Earth)

Crosscutting Concepts • Patterns (e.g. East-‐West movement of objects in the sky, phases of the Moon, sunrise and sunset, annual seasonal changes)

• Scale, Proportion, and Quantity (e.g. The size of the Sun, Earth and Moon, the distances between the Sun, Earth, and Moon)

Program Description From making sense of the patterns affecting our world to navigating featureless deserts and seas, the night sky has been a source of inspiration, information and navigation since the beginning of time. Students take an immersive visual journey through space and time to learn how our ancestors pieced together patterns, enabling them to measure time, create calendars and understand celestial phenomena such as moon phases. The wonder of the intricate dance of the Sun, Earth and Moon comes to life on the dome as our virtual journey illustrates key points such as the Earth’s rotation, day and night, patterns of the Sun’s motion across the sky, moon phases and more. Learners intuitively grasp difficult-‐to-‐understand concepts in this journey of discovery. This exploration includes the show Perfect Little Planet, which features an alien cartoon family touring our solar system for the perfect vacation spot, encountering unique and interesting elements of our solar system along the way. The experience concludes with a short tour of the constellations in the night sky as we turn our imaginations outward.


Seasons, Daily Weather, and Climate: 3-‐5 (90 minutes) Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS1.B, ESS2.A, ESS2.D

• The orbits of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns. These include day and night; daily changes in the length and direction of shadows; and different positions of the Sun, Moon, and stars at different times of the day, month, and year. (5-‐ESS1-‐2)

• Earth’s major systems are the geosphere (solid and molten rock, soil, and sediments), the hydrosphere (water and ice), the atmosphere (air), and the biosphere (living things, including humans). These systems interact in multiple ways to affect Earth’s surface materials and processes. The ocean supports a variety of ecosystems and organisms, shapes landforms, and influences climate. Winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with the landforms to determine patterns of weather. (5-‐ESS2-‐1)

• Scientists record patterns of the weather across different times and areas so that they can make predictions about what kind of weather might happen next. (3-‐ESS2-‐1)

• Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years. (3-‐ESS2-‐2)

Science and Engineering Practices • Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information (e.g. Using information about weather such

as temperature and amount of daylight to create patterns and use to predict future weather) • Developing and Using Models (e.g. Using models of the Earth-‐Sun to explain seasons)

Crosscutting Concepts • Patterns (e.g. Climate is based on a long-‐term pattern, the Earth revolves around the Sun and is on a tilt)

Program Description Weather is everywhere on Earth, all the time, changing daily, varying by location. Students get a space-‐eye view that allows them to easily grasp complex 3-‐dimensional aspects of seasonal variation. This visual immersion enables students to instinctively understand ideas such as the forces and elements that cause Earth’s dynamic, daily weather – the heating of the Sun, the winds that result, and interactions with water – as well as climate. Students virtually cruise in Earth’s orbit to compare various climate regions of the world and make connections to the Sun’s heating and to water. The flight to airless and waterless Mercury highlights a climate that is primarily divided into two different types – very hot and dry, and very cold and dry. A visit to Venus reveals even more extreme climate – where clouds and precipitation aren’t liquid water, but sulfuric acid. This exploration includes the show Oasis in Space, which tours our solar system for liquid water – a key ingredient for weather and for life. The experience concludes with a short tour of the night sky as we turn our imaginations to what else might be out there.


Earth’s Changing Landscape: 3-‐5 (90 minutes)

Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS1.C, ESS2.A, ESS2.B

• Local, regional, and global patterns of rock formations reveal changes over time due to earth forces, such as earthquakes. The presence and location of certain fossil types indicate the order in which rock layers were formed. (ESS1.C)

• Rainfall helps to shape the land and affects the types of living things found in a region. Water, ice, wind, living organisms, and gravity break rocks, soils, and sediments into smaller particles and move them around. (4-‐ESS2-‐1)

• The locations of mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, ocean floor structures, earthquakes, and volcanoes occur in patterns. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans. Major mountain chains from inside continents or near their edges. Maps can help locate the different land and water feature areas of Earth. (4-‐ESS2-‐2)

• Earth’s major systems are the geosphere (solid and molten rock, soil, and sediments), the hydrosphere (water and ice), the atmosphere (air), and the biosphere (living things, including humans). These systems interact in multiple ways to affect Earth’s surface materials and processes. The ocean supports a variety of ecosystems and organisms, shapes landforms, and influences climate. Winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with the landforms to determine patterns of weather. (5-‐ESS2-‐1)

Science and Engineering Practices • Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Identify the evidence that supports particular points in an explanation (e.g. Evidence of rock layers added over time and events leading to the formation of new rocks, the role of wind and water in natural processes on Earth, slow and fast changes contributing to a changing Earth)

Crosscutting Concepts • Patterns (e.g. How various landforms are shaped from weather and rock formation)

Program Description Our journey will begin by observing the local environment around the University of Louisville and Kentucky before taking a virtual spaceship back in time. We will fly to the outermost distances of space and time that we currently have knowledge of and discuss early events that occurred during the formation of our universe. The Milky Way galaxy and our solar system will be explored, as we then uncover how Earth came to be in its current state. As we fly back to our planet, the importance of plate tectonics and natural processes will become clear in the formation of different rock types and a very different landscape than what once existed on Earth. Over billions of years, our landscape has changed dramatically and Kentucky has experienced a booming industry thanks to the changes that have taken place. Rich deposits of limestone have contributed to the evolution of horses and as a result, Kentucky is known for producing strong, fast thoroughbred horses. Join us in exploring the importance of our past for explaining our current success. This exploration includes our show, Supervolcanoes, which looks back at rare classes of eruptions that have marshaled the energy that lurks, like a sleeping dragon, beneath the surface of planet Earth. The experience concludes with a brief tour of the constellations in the night sky.


Teacher/Educator Resources: Patterns in the Sky: Moon Phases and More

• Interactive Classroom Materials • Calendar • Journal

Seasons, Daily Weather and Climate

• Interactive Classroom Materials • Activities/Resources

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Activities and Resources NASA NOAA Multiple Activities and Simulators: University of Nebraska – Lincoln

• Class Action • Class Action Version 2

Astronomy.com Kidsastronomy.com Next Generation Science Standards

patterns(in(thesky:(moon(phases(and(more: (90$minutes ...louisville.edu/planetarium/schools/grades...

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