If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

Space

This version was saved 10 years, 4 months ago View current version Page history

Saved by Bill
on June 3, 2014 at 7:50:34 am

Space

In the sixth grade, students begin to study the key elements of the Solar System. Specifically, they'll look at the components of the solar system, compare the Earth to the other planets in the solar system, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of space exploration. By the end of this unit, students should be able to explain the role that galaxies, planets, stars, asteroids, meteors and comets play in the universe. Students should also be able to identify similarities and differences between the Earth and other planets, detail some of the major efforts to explore space in the past 60 years, and identify innovations that had their start in the space program.

Below, you will find unit overview sheets, a common assessment that is given by all teachers, samples of student work, and materials for possible lessons to support this unit of instruction.

I Can Statements

SolarSystem_ICan_StatementsREVISED.doc

This document includes a list of the objectives that students will be expected to master in their study of the solar system. It can be used as a checklist by teachers to guide their instruction and as a tracking sheet for parents and students to monitor progress towards mastery.

Common Assessment

Space Benchmark Assessment.docx

This document contains a 12 question multiple choice exam that covers content on both our I Can statements and district Blue Diamond assessments. It should be given at the end of every teacher's unit on the solar system and can be used as a guide when selecting content and lessons to teach.

Additional Assessment

Assessment_SpacePreTest.docx

This document contains a 15 question assessment that covers content on our I Can Statements. It can be used as a pretest or as a retest for any student that needs one.

Potential Lessons

Seasons Interactive Graphic

http://bit.ly/172J2GF

This interactive graphic provides students with the opportunity to see how the tilt of the earth impacts temperature and seasons. What's fun about the interactive graphic is it allows users to change the tilt of the earth -- which can be used to make additional observations about the impact that tilt has on weather on other planets.

The Reasons for the Seasons Viewing Guide

Handout_ReasonsforSeasonsViewingGuide.doc

In the Discovery Education video collection, there is a 20 minute video titled The Reasons for the Seasons that does a nice job introducing the basics of Earth's rotation and revolution. It also explains the impact that the tilt of the earth has on the seasons here on Earth. What's nice about the video is that it explains how the seasons have an impact on photosynthesis here on Earth -- which makes for natural connections to the key objectives in our Ecosystems unit. This viewing guide can be used by students when watching the video.

The Reasons for Tides

Video - http://bit.ly/11oYN6O

Video 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ohDG7RqQ9I

Interactive Graphic - http://to.pbs.org/13CuIPP

During the course of this unit, students are expected to understand how the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon combined with the rotation of the earth cause the tides to occur. The interactive graphic and YouTube video above can be used to teach these concepts. To teach this, ask students to review the reasons for tides on page D66 of the textbook and to see if they can explain how tides happen. Then, show the YouTube video to see if their predictions were correct.

Phases of the Moon

Video - http://bit.ly/10zyrz2

Interactive Graphic - http://bit.ly/12O5ZHD

Another bit of content that students are supposed to master during this unit is the reason that the moon appears differently over the course of a month. Both of the resources above can introduce these key ideas to students. The first is a History Channel tutorial that introduces the different vocabulary words connected to the phases of the moon. The second is an interactive graphic that allows students to control the time of month and day on earth to see what happens to the position and appearance of the moon in the sky.

Lunar Eclipse and Solar Eclipse Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49O2MsT1txU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_201ttTSG30

These two videos can be used to teach students about the position of the moon, earth and sun during both lunar and solar eclipses. This content is on our list of essential content.

Hubble Telescope Viewing Guide

ViewingGuide_HubbleTelescope.doc

Another key learning objective in this unit is for students to describe some of the most important space explorations that have happened in the past 60 years. Specifically, students are supposed to be able to explain what we've learned from some of the explorations that we've conducted. To meet this objective, Bill Ferriter will be showing the Hubble Telescope IMAX video. While watching the video, students will complete this viewing guide. If you want to show this video to your students, see Bill -- he can give you access to it.

How Many Habitable Planets are in the Universe?

http://bit.ly/11ChAqO

In January of 2013, astronomers made an almost amazing prediction: They believe that there are 17 BILLION planets in the Milky Way galaxy that are the same size as Earth. While that DOESN'T mean that those planets are habitable and capable of sustaining life, it DOES mean that there are a TON of potential homes for other life forms in the universe. This article from Gizmodo runs the math to figure out just how many potential homes are in our universe. This makes a logical follow-up to the Hubble Telescope video because the Hubble is being used to study exoplanets in the universe.

What Makes a Planet Habitable Graphic and Table

Graphic - http://bit.ly/12MefrP

Table - http://bit.ly/ZxFYNU

Table PDF - Habitable Planet Reference Table.pdf

One of the required objectives in our curriculum is for students to understand the characteristics that make a planet habitable. This graphic from the Hubble Telescope site introduces those characteristics to students -- and then describes the ways that the Hubble Telescope is being used to try to identify planets in different solar systems that have the conditions necessary to support life. It makes a nice connection and follow-up to the Hubble Telescope video. The table includes a description of the characteristics of habitable planets and some of the reasons that the planets in our solar system are not

What Makes a Planet Habitable Video

Handout_HabitablePlanetsViewingGuide.doc

Bill Ferriter has purchased a series of National Geographic videos that introduce students to the planets. He plans to ask the students to use the viewing guide above to (1). learn about the characteristics of habitable planets and (2). determine why other planets in our solar system are not able to support life. If you are interested in doing this activity with your students, see Bill -- he can give you access to the videos.

Finding the Next Earth Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy0vCxiCbbU

This National Geographic video describes the space missions that are currently in place to discover habitable planets in the universe. Covered are projects designed by the United States and other countries. It details the steps that countries take with digital tools to identify planets that could potentially support life.

Curiosity Rover - Seven Minutes of Terror Video

http://bit.ly/18tB2i9

The most recent effort to explore the solar system is the Curiosity Rover project -- a new rover that landed on the surface of Mars in November of 2012. The project's goal is to try to spot signs that Mars was able to support life at one point in the past. This link connects to a video produced by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that details the landing mechanism used to get the Rover to the surface of the Red Planet.

Mars One Colonization Project

Story - http://bit.ly/13i6uu5

Video - http://bit.ly/13YoGLD

Probably the most INTERESTING effort to explore the solar system is the Mars One project -- a plan to send settlers to live on Mars for the rest of their lives. What makes this plan worth studying is that it is being completely funded through private dollars raised through advertising sold on a Mars One reality television show. Every step of the Mars One project -- from the selection of settlers to life and death on the planet -- will be filmed and broadcast back here on Earth. This raises interesting questions about who should bear the cost of space exploration -- and does space exploration change when it is conducted for a reality television show versus conducted by governments for scientific purposes?

International Space Station Interactive Tour

Tour - http://1.usa.gov/135cWpA

Video of Earth shot from ISS - http://bit.ly/15l5YwK

ViewingGuide_SpaceStation.doc

Another bit of recent space exploration history that is worth introducing to students is the International Space Station. What makes this project worth studying is that it is a joint effort between sixteen countries including Russia, the US, Canada and the European Space Agency. This means no single country had to pay for the entire project itself and that every country has a shared interest in seeing the Space Station succeed. This is a valuable shift in the way that space exploration has been done throughout history. This NASA site gives users an inside look at what life is like on the ISS. Also, Bill Ferriter owns a 47 minute IMAX movie that introduces students to the International Space Station. See him if you want to show it to your students.

Space Junk Lessons

Introductory Article - http://bit.ly/15l9G9D

More Recent Article - http://bbc.in/19oTnfc

Video Overview - http://bit.ly/15l9QOg

Video on Swiss Effort to Remove Space Junk - http://bit.ly/ZvnLmv

Video on Sling Sat Effort to Remove Space Junk - http://bit.ly/13leKJX

One of the unintended consequences of space exploration has been the dramatic rise in space junk -- thousands of abandoned satellites and rocket parts ranging in size from marbles to automobiles -- that are orbiting around the earth at alarming rates of speed. The problem of space junk has gotten so bad that scientists believe there may come a time that space is no longer accessible to humans. There are many current efforts underway to try to find ways to (1). limit the amount of new junk that we put into space and (2). remove some of the junk that is already in orbit around our planet. These resources are designed to get students thinking about the consequences of space exploration.

NASA Plans to Lasso Asteroid

http://nydn.us/112cIvd

In his 2013 budget, Barack Obama set aside $100 million dollars to start plans to lasso an asteroid and drag it into orbit around the Earth's moon. Then, plans are to land astronauts on the asteroid to assess the potential for mining for resources. Lawmakers believe that this project will (1). give us potential access to valuable minerals and natural resources, (2). give us experience in developing and landing vehicles that could come in handy if we ever send men to Mars and (3). give us experience that we can use if and when a large asteroid ever threatens Earth. Given the scare that a meteor crashing into Russia in February 2013 caused, this plan seems less ridiculous and more important than ever before.

Spinoff Benefits of Space Exploration

Trace Space Back to You Website - http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasacity/index2.htm

NASA Spinoff YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/NASASpinoff

One of the key points to make in our study of space exploration is that advances in space exploration often lead to advances here on Earth as well. That means the money that we invest in space exploration has other direct benefits for us. To teach that concept, consider using NASA's Trace Space Back to You website, which shows places where technology developed for space exploration is being used in our homes and cities. NASA's Spinoff YouTube channel is also a useful teaching tool. It contains a series of short videos describing ways that technology developed for space exploration is making an impact here on earth. Both sources could become interesting starting points for student research projects.

Spinoff Benefits Lesson Sequence - 100 Year Starship Project

Main 100 Year Starship Website - http://100yss.org/

How NASA is Recycling Urine - http://bit.ly/150R8JT

World Population Clock - http://www.census.gov/popclock/

How Much Fresh Water is on Earth? - http://bit.ly/196Hsld

The way that Bill teaches students about spinoff benefits of space travel is by talking about the 100 Year Starship project -- an effort to develop a vehicle that can travel beyond our solar system within the next 100 years. Currently, that trip would take 75,000 years. With a vehicle that can travel faster than the speed of light -- which is being dreamed of and designed by NASA -- that journey could take as little as two weeks.

Bill has students brainstorm what kinds of challenges interstellar travelers would face. Inevitably, finding food and water are mentioned by students. At that point, Bill shows students the video on NASAs efforts to design better systems for recycling ALL water on space vehicles -- including urine and water used for hygiene purposes.

Finally, he asks students to brainstorm potential uses for that technology here on Earth. To prompt their thinking, he shows them the world population clock (to make the point that the demand for fresh drinking water is always on the rise) and the How Stuff Works page on the amount of water on Earth (to make the point that while there is a lot of water on earth, only a very small percentage of it is fit for drinking). NASA's water recycling work could very much pay off here on Earth if we can come up with technologies that help secure the world's water supply for the future.