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:

Life Cycle of a Star 5E Instructional Model Plan

Plan for teaching the life cycle of a star using the 5E Instructional Model as a framework

7-9 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.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 1.2

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

ES 1.2b

MAJOR UNDERSTANDING 1.2b: Stars form when gravity causes clouds of molecules to contract until nuclear fusion of light elements into heavier ones occurs. Fusion releases great amounts of energy over millions of years.

ES 1.2b.i
  • The stars differ from each other in size, temperature, and age.
ES 1.2b.ii
  • Our Sun is a medium-sized star within a spiral galaxy of stars known as the Milky Way. Our galaxy contains billions of stars, and the universe contains billions of such galaxies.
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

NY State Earth Science Reference Tables:
ESRT 26

Characteristics of Stars (p.15)

Common Core Learning Standards - Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects:
9-10.R.ST.2

Reading: Key Ideas and Details

Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.

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.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.

Modern technology has allowed us to study the universe, and now we know that stars are not static objects floating in space, but they are born from clouds of gas and dust, live as they get their energy from nuclear fusion that makes them shine and eventually die. In this 5E plan, students will use simulators which provide data that will allow them to explain the life cycle of stars with different masses, and use this understanding to determine which kind of star(s) are most likely to host habitable exoplanets.

Resources: