Astronomy Lesson Notes

In this unit, students will be exploring the early universe. Students will be researching galaxies and how the stars are a small part of each galaxy. They will also look at the sun, the planets and the moons. Students will engage in measuring distance in space and how large space is. Lastly, students will be engaging in the Aboriginal Knowledge of astronomy and how technology has impacted space travel.

Lesson # Lesson Notes1 Cosmos Episode 12 Early Universe3 Early Universe Activity4 Galaxies5 The Stars Universe Quiz6 The Planets and Moons7 Measuring Distance in Space8 The Earth, Moon, and Sun9 Aboriginal Knowledge of Astronomy Solar System Quiz

10 Technology11 James May goes to the Moon12 The Martian13 Interstellar

Curricular CompetenciesQuestioning and Predicting

Students will be questioning and predicting the structure of the universe and how the different parts of the universe interact

Planning and Conducting Students will be planning and conducting various ways to measure distance in space

Processing and Analyzing Data and Information Students will be processing and analyzing the data from the galaxies and the

relationship between themEvaluating

Students will be evaluating the impacts of astronomy and how technology has benefited and is detrimental to humanity

Applying and Innovating Students will be applying and innovating various ways to implement technology from

astronomy into real world situationsCommunicating

Students will be communicating their understanding in a debate

Lesson #1 - Early Universe

Big Idea: The early universe began with a Big Bang

Who was Edwin Hubble?

What is Hubble's Proposal?

What is Red Shift Analysis?

Video: (Red Shift and Doppler Effect) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tKC3nEx2I

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Lesson #2 - Galaxies

Big Idea: There are billions of galaxies which each have billions of stars

How many stars are there in the Milky Way

How many galaxies are in the universe?

What are the shapes of galaxies?

What are star clusters?

Lesson #3 - The Stars

Big Idea: A star is an object in space made up of hot gases, with a core that is a thermonuclear reactor. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on Earth

How do stars form?

What is the evolution of stars?

What are Black Holes?

Video: LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4XzLDM3Py8)

How big are stars?

What is the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram?

What are the characteristics of stars?

Lesson #4 - The Planets and Moons

Big Idea - The sun has its own planetary system as many other stars do

What is a planet?

How fast is the Earth moving?

How did the Solar System form?

What is the sun?

What are solar winds?

What are other solar system bodies?

Lesson #5 - Measuring Distance in Space

Big Idea: The universe is vast and unknown.

Scale of the Universe Simulation

What is a light-year?

What are the ways we can measure distance in space?

How does triangulation work?

Example 1. What is the length of our classroom? What is the width?

What is parallax?

Lesson #6 - The Earth, Moon, and Sun

Big Idea - The Earth, Moon, and the Sun all interact and has produced many astronomical events

What is the history of the Earth, Moon, and Sun?

What is the moon?

How does the moon affect the Earth?

How does the Earth rotate?

What are eclipse?

What are constellations?

What are meteors?

Lesson #7 - Technology

Big Idea: Technology has helped progress our understanding of space and space travel

What are telescopes?

What are non-optical telescopes?

What are satellites?

What are probes?

What are rovers?

What are some technologies of space travel?

Video: Youtube ISS Live Feed

What are the rewards of space travel?

What are some risk of space travel?

What are some new technologies?