Essential Question. Enduring Understanding

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1 Earth In Space Unit Diagnostic Assessment: Students complete a questionnaire answering questions about their ideas concerning a day, year, the seasons and moon phases: My Ideas About A Day, Year, Seasons and Moon Phases: Before. Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Talking It Over: Sunlight and Shadows Investigation: Measuring Shadows, Measuring Time S1.2c S3.2b S3.2g 3 Standard 1 S2.2c S3.1a S3.2a How are accurate and complete observations of our world important for making conclusions about the natural world? If we did not have a clock, how would we know that a day has Scientists evaluate each others explanations. The apparent movement of the Sun during the day can be used to determine the time of day. Thinking about the Sun and the Moon, what are some observations you have made in the past? Are they observations or inferences or what you have learned? What is a shadow? How are shadows and shade alike or different? What is data? What do you think is causing the changes in the direction of the shadow from Tyler s tree from early to late in the day? What do you think is causing the changes in the length of the shadow from Tyler s tree from early to late in the day? What data would you collect to test your ideas? What was Tyler s investigation? What conclusions did Tyler have? Why does a science experiment need to be reproducible? What improvements could be made to Tyler s investigation? How would (student idea) improve the investigation? Sun affect you each day? If you recorded shadows during the day at the same times next month do you think your results would be the same or different?

2 Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Modeling: A Day on Earth If we did not have a clock, how would we know that a day has A day is 24 hours in length. The rotation of a planet around its axis explains the length of a planet s day What is a day? How long is a day? Do different planets have different lengths of daylight? If it is noon in Buffalo, is it noon everywhere in the world? What changes happen in the sky every day? What causes these changes? If you were to try to live on another planet, do you think it would be important to go to a planet with a similar length of day as Earth? Why or why not? Reading: As Earth Rotates f If we did not have a clock, how would we know that a day has A day is 24 hours in length. The rotation of a planet around its axis explains the length of a planet s day Science and technology have advanced through contributions of many different people in different cultures and at different times in history. Do you have friends or family that live in other parts of the US or world? Is it (state time) there now? How do you know? Do we need standardized When looking at the time zone map for the US, why aren t the lines dividing the zones straight? World? How have your ideas about the cause of Earth s day/night cycle changed since you began this unit?

3 Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Investigation: Sunlight and Seasons Computer Simulation: A Year Seen From Space 2 1.1c If we didn t have calendars, how would we know that a year has If we didn t have calendars, how would we know that a year has There is a relationship between the angle of the sun in the sky and seasons. The tilt of the Earth as it revolves around the sun is the cause of seasons. Earth s orbit is nearly a circle and it has a regular and predictable motion. The distance of Earth from the Sun does vary, but too slightly (<5%) to cause the degree of temperature variation from season to season. Earth is 6 million km closer to the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere s winter, rather than in its summer. What do you think caused the changes Tyler observed in the tree s shadow? What happens in a year? What causes these changes? What shape do you observe on the graph? How do December, June, March or September relate to seasons? What is a year? What happens to Earth in a year s What do you notice about the average temperatures and length of daylight hours in Melbourne, Australia and Chicago, Illinois in December and June? What role does the proximity to oceans have? Why does Melbourne have summer when Chicago has winter? When you think about how you learn, was it easier to see the pattern in the length of daylight hours and angle of the sun using the chart format or the line graph format? What made that format easier? Thinking about what you have learned about the average length of daylight hours and temperatures throughout the year, would you prefer to live in Chicago, Melbourne or Quito. Why?

4 Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Modeling: Explaining the Seasons Reading: The Earth on the Move 1 Standard f If we didn t have calendars, how would we know that a year has If we didn t have calendars, how would we know that a year has The tilt of the earth leads to different surface temperatures. The motions of rotation and revolution help us mark time. Does the distance between the Sun and Earth stay the same as the Earth rotates? Does the change in distance cause seasons? What is the cause of seasons? If the Earth did not have a tilt of 23.5 what would change? Does the angle that the flashlight is held when shinning light on the wall affect how much light you see? Why? How long is a day? What motion causes the day/night cycle. How long is a year? What motion causes the cycle of a year? What are seasons? Why do we have seasons? How does latitude affect the seasons? What is the Northern Hemisphere? Southern Hemisphere? Do the Northern and Southern Hemisphere have winter at the same How did each of the following models help you understand how Earth s tilt causes the seasons? The computer model The globe and a flashlight The solar cell and motor How have your ideas about the reasons for the seasons changed since you began this unit?

5 Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Field Study: The Predictable Moon Modeling: Explaining the Phases of the Moon Computer Simulation: Moon Phase Simulator 1- S1.1a S S2.1b 1 Standard 1 S2.1b lunar cycle help us mark lunar cycle help us mark lunar cycle help us mark The moon s appearance changes in a regular and repeated pattern. The Moon does not produce light moonlight is reflected from the Sun. The Moon s revolution around the Earth causes the Moon s phases What have you noticed about the moon? What time of day did you observe this? Is the moon only visible at night? What are some names for the different phases you have observed? How did you make your predictions for when the next full Moon will occur? How did you make your prediction for when the next new moon will occur? What changes take place in the visible shape of the moon? How long does it take for these changes to take place? What causes these changes? What phenomena can be represented by computer modeling? In the computer simulation, what does the dark half of the Earth represent? Dark half of the Moon? Light half of the Earth? Light half of the Moon? Why are the lighter colored halves of the Moon and Earth always shown facing the Sun? As you made your observations of the Moon over the last few weeks, what else did you notice in the sky that interested you? Why did it interest you? What questions do you have because of these observations? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the model you used to observe the phases of the moon? Does a computer model help you learn?

6 Unit : How is daily life connected to the regular and predictable motion of the solar system? Guiding s Investigation: Tides and the Moon Talking It Over: Marking Time S3.1a S3.2e 2-3 lunar cycle help us mark How is the perspective of the observer important as they observe the cyclical changes on Earth that are caused by the interactions among objects in the universe? There is a relationship between the phase of the Moon and extreme tides. Calendars meet the needs of society. Have you ever heard of high or low tides? How often do they occur? What is the average number of days in a lunar cycle? When looking at the drawing, what is the position of the Earth, Sun and Moon when extreme tides occur? Would there be extreme tides if there was no moon? calendar we use in our daily affairs relate to the motions of the Earth and Moon? What are the advantages of each of the proposed calendars? What are the disadvantages of each calendar? Would all societies identify the same advantages/disadvantages? How have your ideas about the reason for the phases of the Moon changed since you began this unit? What is the most important reason you use a calendar? Why is it important?

7 Investigation: Planets In Motion Student Presentations of Investigation Unit Written Assessment Complete: My Ideas About A Day, Year, Seasons and Moon Phases: After EARTH IN SPACE SUMMATIVE UNIT ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS # of 55 Assessment Activity Overview 3 Students work in pairs to analyze data about a fictional planet and use the data to predict the day length, year length, extent of seasonal variation, and tides for the plant 1 Students model and discuss the characteristics of their planet in a presentation to the class. 1 Students complete a written test that is comprised of multiple choice and constructed response questions. 1 Students complete My Ideas About A Day, Year, Seasons and Moon Phases: After NOTE: Once students have completed this worksheet, they will compare it to the My Ideas About A Day, Year Seasons, and Moon Phases: Before that they did on the first day of the unit to see how their understanding has changed over time.