ES: Origin of the Universe and Our Solar System

16 Components
Unit Overview
Origin of the Universe & Solar System Unit Plan Earth is an Ideal Place for Life Anchor Phenomenon Hunting for Earth 2.0 Performance Task Unit 1 Regents-Based Item Bank
5E Instructional Model Plans
Origin of the Universe 5E Instructional Model Plan Life Cycle of a Star 5E Instructional Model Plan Structure of the Solar System 5E Instructional Plan Orbital Motion of Celestial Objects 5E Instructional Model Plan
Laboratory Experience
What is Density? Lab
Highlighted Resources
Waves, Redshift, and Blueshift (Doppler Effect) Forces Within A Star - Fe [26] Game Gravity Investigation Star in a Box What Types of Stars are in Our Universe? - Creating and Analyzing a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Planet Data Cards Modeling Scale & Structure of the Universe
ES Unit 1: ES: Origin of the Universe and Our Solar System
Browse Components
Unit Overview
Origin of the Universe & Solar System Unit Plan Earth is an Ideal Place for Life Anchor Phenomenon Hunting for Earth 2.0 Performance Task Unit 1 Regents-Based Item Bank
5E Instructional Model Plans
Origin of the Universe 5E Instructional Model Plan Life Cycle of a Star 5E Instructional Model Plan Structure of the Solar System 5E Instructional Plan Orbital Motion of Celestial Objects 5E Instructional Model Plan
Laboratory Experience
What is Density? Lab
Highlighted Resources
Waves, Redshift, and Blueshift (Doppler Effect) Forces Within A Star - Fe [26] Game Gravity Investigation Star in a Box What Types of Stars are in Our Universe? - Creating and Analyzing a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Planet Data Cards Modeling Scale & Structure of the Universe
5E Instructional Model Plan:

Structure of the Solar System 5E Instructional Plan

Plan for teaching the structure of the Solar System using the 5E Instructional Model as a framework

5-7 days
See Standards
Earth Science (NY State Core Curriculum, 2005) - Standard 4:
ES 1

Key Idea 1: The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative motion and perspective.

ES 1.1

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 1.1: Explain complex phenomena, such as tides, variations in day length, solar insolation, apparent motion of the planets, and annual traverse of the constellations.

ES 1.1a

MAJOR UNDERSTANDING 1.1a: Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion.

ES 1.1a.ii
  • Gravity influences the motions of celestial objects. The force of gravity between two objects in the universe depends on their masses and the distance between them.
ES 1.1b

MAJOR UNDERSTANDING 1.1b: Nine planets move around the Sun in nearly circular orbits.

ES 1.1b.i
  • The orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the Sun located at one of the foci.
ES 1.2

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 1.2: Describe current theories about the origin of the universe and solar system.

ES 1.2c

MAJOR UNDERSTANDING 1.2c: Our solar system formed about five billion years ago from a giant cloud of gas and debris. Gravity caused Earth and the other planets to become layered according to density differences in their materials.

ES 1.2c.i
  • The characteristics of the planets of the solar system are affected by each planet's location in relationship to the Sun.
ES 1.2c.ii
  • The terrestrial planets are small, rocky, and dense. The Jovian planets are large, gaseous, and of low density.
Analysis, Inquiry, and Design SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY (NY State Core Curriculum, 2005) - Standard 1:
SI 1

KEY IDEA 1: The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing and creative process

SI 1.1

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 1.1: Elaborate on basic scientific and personal explanations of natural phenomena, and develop extended visual models and mathematical formulations to represent one's thinking.

SI 1.2

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 1.2: Hone ideas through reasoning, library research, and discussion with others, including experts

SI 1.3

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 1.3: Work towards reconciling competing explanations; clarify points of agreement and disagreement

SI 3.1

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 3.1: Use various methods of representing and organizing observations (e.g. diagrams, tables, charts, graphs, equations matrices) and insightfully interpret the organized data

SI 3.3

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 3.3: Assess correspondence between the predicted result contained in the hypothesis and actual result, and reach a conclusion as to whether the explanation on which the prediction was based is supported

NY State Earth Science Reference Tables:
ESRT 3

Equations (p.1)

ESRT 27

Solar System Data (p.15)

Common Core Learning Standards - Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects:
9-10.R.ST.3

Reading: Key Ideas and Details

Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text. 

9-10.R.ST.4

Reading: Craft and Structure

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 9–10 texts and topics.

9-10.R.ST.7

Reading: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.

9-10.R.ST.9

Reading: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.

9-10.R.ST.10

Reading: Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently

9-10.W.HST.10

Writing: Range of Writing

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

In this 5E plan, students will look at data to surface patterns in the structure of our solar system and explore the concepts related to these patterns through a lab and simulator in order to explain the patterns and how they are connected. A focus on density and temperature through particle models will help students understand the big idea from this 5E plan and the big ideas from many important topics later in the course, including convection in the mantle and atmosphere.

Resources: