Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Astronomy - Welcome to the Universe Name: Katie Pickett

Content Area: Grade Level: MS (Middle School) 7 & 8
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

MS-ESS1-1.
Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
MS-ESS1-2.
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Big Ideas

Essential Content:
The size and scale of the Universe
Night Sky and Planetary Orbits

Core Concepts:
Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models.
Earth and its solar system are part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of many galaxies in the universe.
The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects, including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun by its
gravitational pull on them.
This model of the solar system can explain eclipses of the sun and the moon. Earths spin axis is fixed in direction over the short-term but tilted relative to its
orbit around the sun. The seasons are a result of that tilt and are caused by the differential intensity of sunlight on different areas of Earth across the year.
The solar system appears to have formed from a disk of dust and gas, drawn together by gravity.

Cross-cutting Concepts:
We will be looking at:
Patterns: Observed patterns in nature guide organization and classification and prompt questions about relationships and causes underlying them.
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity: Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too
small.
Systems and System Models: Models can be used to represent systems and their interactionssuch as inputs, processes and outputsand energy and matter
flows within systems.

Skills:
Students will be able to
Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Unit Summary:

Apply scientific reasoning to future astronomical discoveries to understand their validity as well as to everyday situations.
Demonstrate an understanding that science is based upon observations of the universe and how that is used to understand some basic phenomenon of our
world.
Discuss how gravity is related to the formation, interaction, and evolution of the solar system.
Students will be able to:
Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level: Formative: Summative:
1. Brainstorm - What are the objects in our 1. 3-2-1 Countdown with a Partner-Share: 1. Guide to the Galaxy - Students will create a
night sky and Universe? Students will answer the following guide to the Milky galaxy, their own solar
questions system, and an infographic on objects in space
based on their learning about the night sky and 2. Final Project - Students will either create
universe: an educational video or podcast where
3 things they learned that they didnt know they discuss aspects of the Universe.
before
2 things that surprised them about the topics
1 thing they would like to do or explore with
something that they learned
Students will then pair up and discuss their
responses.
2. Ranking Assessment - Ranking night sky
objects from smallest to largest, closest to
Earth to farthest away.
3. Creative Extension Project - Students will
make a scale model of the Earth-Moon and
determine the distance between them using their
models.
4. Daily Kahoots quizzes - Students will
review information with daily classrooms
polls and debate the answer among their
 table/desk group.

Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence Lesson Activities: Students will create range rings around a known location by orders of magnitude.
To understand order of (Assessments): Students will then read an investigative article about measuring the scale of the universe and answer
magnitude and scale. In-Class Activity and questions about the article.
Answer Sheet
Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)
Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities: Students will use the app to observation the sky at any time. Students will record what
iPad Lesson. To use A guided worksheet that objects are in the sky at the moment, and use data from NOAA website to follow-up with their
technology to make requires students to test observations. Students will also learn about a constellation that they observe. Finally, students will
observations about the out different aspects of the research a Deep Sky object that they observe through the application.
night sky. iPad application.
Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)
Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities: Students will learn about and investigate twelve different space objects. From there,
Students will create a A completed and correct students will rank each object with the first ranking being the object closest to Earth.
graphic organizer with the graphic organizer.
rank of each object listed.
Unit Resources:

1. Welcome to the Universe

Useful Websites:
An1. Welcome to the Universe: This is the website for the source book for this unit. There is also a supplementary problems workbook
that accompanies the main text for this class.

2. Powers of Ten: 1977 film by Charles and Ray Eames about the scale of space as starting from a picnic in Chicago.

3. Cosmic Eye

4. Al Jarnows Cosmic Clock (1979)

5. SciShow: Space
6. Minute Physics

7. Astronomy Inter actives

8. GoSkyWatch Planetarium for iPad - Astronomy Guide

9. Anki

10. NASA for Students: