Transcript Earth and Space Science - science

Earth and Space Science
General Science, Academic, Grade 9
Big Ideas
• Different types of celestial objects in the solar
system and universe have distinct properties
that can be investigated and quantified
• People use observational evidence of the
properties of the solar system and the
universe to develop theories to explain their
formation and evolution.
• Space exploration has generated valuable
knowledge but at enormous cost
Overall Expectations
• Assess some of the costs, hazards, and benefits of
space exploration and the contributions of
Canadians to space research and technology
• Investigate the characteristics and properties of a
variety of celestial objects visible from Earth in
the night sky
• Demonstrate an understanding of the major
scientific theories about the structure, formation,
and evolution of the universe and its components
and of the evidence that supports these theories
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
Ancient Astronomy
In the Night Sky:
Constellations
The Solar System
*Planet Bio project
Assigned
The Earth’s
Journey around
the Sun:
Tilt & Seasons
Our companion
The Moon: Phases
& Tides
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
DAY 9
DAY 10
The Others:
Asteroids, Meteors
& Comets.
Crater Formation
Lab
The Sun & Its
Structure.
The Birth, Life and
Death of a Star
*Spectral Lines
Gizmo Lab
Planet Bio
Presentation
DAY 11
DAY 12
DAY 13
DAY 14
DAY 15
Quiz (Day 1-7)
Space Tech.
*STSE Project
Assigned
The Galaxy
The Universe
Unsolved
Mysteries
DAY 16
DAY 17
DAY 18
DAY 19
DAY 20
(Quiz Day 8-15)
STSE Work Period
Review
Review
*STSE project due
UNIT TEST
Investigate the
Brightness of
Stars
STSE Work Period
Applications: Space Tech in our lives
Misconceptions
Question 1: What causes the earth to
experience different seasons?
a) The position of the moon relative to the sun
and the earth
b) The earth’s distance from the sun
c) The tilt of the earth’s axis
d) The sun spot cycle
Correction strategy: Flashlight Inquiry Lab
Question 2: Which of the following
statements is true?
a) We always see only one face of the moon
throughout the entire year
b) It takes the moon 30 days to make 1 full orbit
around the earth
c) The moon doesn’t rotate on an axis
d) None of the above
Correction strategy: synchronous
rotation demonstration
Question 3: What is a constellation?
a) a group of stars that resemble a recognizable
shape
b) Stars that form patterns in the sky
c) Celestial bodies that resemble a Greek
mythological figure
d) A defined area in the celestial sphere
Correction Strategy: update textbooks
and stay up-to-date with new research
Question 4: If the sun was the size of a
basketball, how far away would the earth
have to be?
a)
b)
c)
d)
10 feet away
30 feet away
50 feet away
90 feet away
Misconception
• Students have a false perception of how close
the planets are to each other
• There is A LOT of space in between the planets
• Many of the diagrams of the solar system are
not drawn to scale
Correction Strategy: Visual illustration
of the real distance between planets
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ob0xR0
Ut8
• Real Scale of solar system in UTS hallway
Question 5: Can we look into the past?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Maybe
It takes 8 minutes for the light from
the sun to reach the earth
Unresolved Mysteries
• Dark Matter: Scientists noted while observing the
Andromeda galaxy that the stars orbit the centre of the
gravity much faster than predicted by the galaxy’s mass.
90% of the galaxy’s mass comes from something that emits
no light.
• Dark Energy: After the Big Bang, the Universe’s expansion
should have slowed down due to gravity, yet Supernovae
light intensity studies show it has in fact accelerated. There
is a mysterious anti-gravity force at work.
STSE topics
Better technology or social justice?
• Cost
– 1 billion dollars invested into NASA each year
• Benefit
– Better radiation protection equipment, more
powerful robots and computers, antibacterial
water filters, broadcasting and internet, GPS
• Private companies collect all profits from tech
Space Junk
• Who is responsible for protecting from spacelittering?
• Technologies to capture space junk or force it
to fall back to earth are expensive.
• Accumulating space junk is becoming a
collision risk affecting the path of current
space-missions.
The Next Frontier: The 2020 Moon
Base
• NASA intends to return to the Moon by 2020,
establish a base there and use it as a
launching pad for other space missions (eg.
Mars).
– Who owns space and its various celestial bodies?
– Who has the right to use its resources?
– How should space be used? Waste disposal area?
Source of resources? New home?
The US Strategic Defense Initiative:
Dubbed the “Star Wars” project
• Should space be home to missiles and antimissiles?
• Should space be a theatre of war?
• Who should control space?
Safety Advice
• In Classroom Safety
– Ensure that during investigations with light students are not
shining strong or harmful light sources into each others eyes.
– Hardware and technology used for some lessons tend s to be
rare and expensive and should be handled with care.
• Observation Safety
– Observing the sun with the naked eye, and especially observing
the sun during partial eclipses can damage retinal cells leading
to temporary and (sometimes) full blindness. Observing by
projection is always a better idea.
– Students may be asked to do star observation during the
evening hours. Advise students that any such observations that
require them to leave the home in the evening should be
accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult.
References
ED Quest
• Provides resources for grades 7-9 Science
teaching (Academic and Applied Level).
Includes Class Notes, Teacher Notes, a Topic
Summary for Each Unit, Concept Map and a
Review booklet to use. Also includes Unit
Plans (may need some re-adjusting, appear to
be aimed at the Alberta Curriculum). Further
resources available to paying members.
• Website: http://www.edquest.ca/
Learning Star Constellations
• A resource from the University of
Massachusetts with a series of illustrated
exercises teaching about the stars to look for,
when trying to identify constellations visible
from middle northern altitudes.
• Website:
http://www.astro.umass.edu/~arny/constel/le
arn_const.html
NASA: Solar System Exploration
• A section in NASA's website dedicated to
exploring the members of the solar system,
from planets and dwarfs, to asteroids and
comets, the website provides stats for each
object, 3D exploratory simulation for some
objects, and highlights ongoing and upcoming
missions targeting each location.
• Website:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm
Kid Astronomy
• A kid-friendly website with a dynamic applet
allowing kids to target various members of the
solar system and get a well written story on the
basic facts. Some good illustrations to explain
certain ideas and properties. The website is adpowered with ads appearing on the side (but
most appear to be family friendly and/or
educationally related).
• Website:
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.ht
m
The Space Review
• A website dedicated to articles about Science,
Technology and Controversy of space program
undertakings and exploration. A good first
stop for STSE assignment ideas. Links back to
three more sites each concerned with up-tothe minute space news, space politics, and
space entrepreneurialism.
• Website:
http://www.thespacereview.com/index.html
Khan Academy
• A collection of short, easy to understand video
explanations concerning primarily topics in
Math and Sciences. To be used either as a
student resource for clarification, or as a
source of videos to support and enhance
lesson delivery.
• Website: http://www.khanacademy.org/
New York Times Lesson Plans
• Full lesson plans with differentiated
instruction ideas, activities, demonstrations,
videos, and links to current news stories
– http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2001/08/14/w
hat-a-cosmic-web-we-weave/
– http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/1999/08/10/lo
ok-on-the-bright-side/
– http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/1998/11/17/co
nstellation-prizes/
Apple Space Applications
• GoSkyWatch Planetarium
– Telescope simulator that allows the user to navigate
through the constellations seen in the sky view of
your location
– http://www.gosoftworks.com/GoSkyWatch/GoSkyWa
tch.html
• Skyview free
– Telescope simulator that tracks the position of the sun
and the moon in real time
– http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/skyview-free-exploreuniverse/id413936865?mt=8