Teacher’s Name: Janelle Wilson Overarching Theme: Exploration Grade Level: Sixth Grade Science Topic of Unit: The Solar System Lesson Style: Mystery Name of Lesson: Exploration: How exploration has helped us to understand our place in the universe. Essential Question: Where are we? AKS: 11d ‐ locate the solar system in the Milky Way Galaxy and our galaxy within the universe Gifted Standards: Thinking Skills: Conceptualize complex and abstract ideas. Problem Solving: Collect and interpret appropriate data. Learning Styles: The Mystery lesson model is best fit for understanding and self‐expressive learners. It is a natural fit to introduce new material but can also fit with minimal effort in practice and application. Curry/Samara Placement: Infer our place in the universe. This is global critical thinking on the Curry/Samara Unit Matrix, which is quadrant 4. Purpose of the Mystery: Where are we? The purpose of the mystery is to understand where we are not only within our solar system but also in our galaxy and the universe as a whole.
Lesson Procedure: 1. Activating Activity a. Remember we learned that several scientists made observations about our solar system that led us to our current view of the solar system. Brainstorm the observations that they made to help develop our current understanding. 2. An alien has crash landed on Earth. His navigation systems are damaged. He knows where is home is, but he does not know where we are. You need to help him determine where we are in the universe so he can find his way home. a. What do you know about our place in the solar system? b. What do you know about our galaxy? c. What do you know about our position in the universe? d. How do scientists figure out where we are in the solar system? Galaxy? Universe? 3. Pass out graphic organizer. Here are some things we need to determine to help our friend find his way home. a. How do we know we live in a galaxy? b. What galaxy do we live in? c. Where are we located in our galaxy? d. How did we figure out where we are located in the galaxy? e. Where is our galaxy located in relationship to other galaxies in the universe? 4. Pass out clues to groups of students (4‐6 students). All clues will be given out at the same time. Give each student per group 5‐6 clues. Explain to students that they should use the clues to figure out where we are in space and to answer the questions that were posed. Work together as a group to form initial hypotheses about where we are in the universe. Record on graphic organizer. 5. Discuss as a class the hypotheses each group developed. 6. As groups to refine their hypotheses and a form one final hypothesis about our place in the universe. 7. Then, give each group a piece of chart paper or poster board. Have them draw a map of our galaxy and local galactic neighborhood labeling where we are. (Like a “You are here” map at the mall.) 8. Have groups share posters. 9. Discuss with class where we are and how we know. 10. Assessment Activity: see below. 11. Evaluation of Thinking: As part of ticket out the door, ask students to answer the following questions: a. How did you go about this process? b. In what ways did you have to think differently than you have before? c. What did you learn about the process of solving a mystery by working with your groups? Synthesizing/Assessment Activity: Students will write a blog post to be featured on http://www.mrswilsonscience.com. The article will explain where we are in the universe in case any other aliens get stranded on planet Earth. The article should include the following information: •
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A description of our solar system: Our place in the solar system: A description of the types of galaxies: Detailed information about the Milky Way Our location in the Milky Way Our galaxy’s location in the universe Correct grammar usage Creativity in writing Two images References for images 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points Bibliography: Bagenal, F. (n.d.). Solar System Formation. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from University of Colorado: http://lasp.colorado.edu/~bagenal/1010/SESSIONS/11.Formation.html Becker, G. (2010). A Possible Sequence of Events for the Formation of the Solar System. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Astronomy.org: http://www.astronomy.org/astronomy‐survival/solform.html Exline, J. (2002). Earth Science. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Griswold, B. (2009, February 19). How old is the universe? Retrieved March 23, 2010, from NASA Universe 101: http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html Harvard‐Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. (2010, February 23). Classroom‐Ready Activities. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Chandra X‐Ray Observatory: http://chandra.harvard.edu/edu/formal/ Netting, R. (2010, January 11). NASA Science: Astrophysics. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Stars: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/how‐do‐stars‐form‐and‐evolve Netting, R. (2010, January 11). NASA Science: Astrophysics. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from The Big Bang: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/what‐powered‐the‐big‐bang Rothstein, C. L. (n.d.). The Big Bang. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from University of Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm Team, W. (1999, January 18). Solar System Formation. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Windows to the Universe: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/our_solar_system/formation.html&sw=f&edu=high University of Minnesota. (2010). Formation of the Solar System. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from EMuseum: http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/solarsystem/formation.html