Goldberry's Science Blog: June 2013

“It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.”
― Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong Describing View of Earth

Circinus Galaxy

OBJECTIVES AND SCHEDULE

5/9/13	4.01 The Sun 4.01 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 1: The Sun
5/9/13	4.02 Solar Phenomena 4.02 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 2: Solar Phenomena
5/10/13	4.03 The Earth-Moon-Sun System 4.03 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 3: The Earth–Moon–Sun System
5/10/13	4.04 Lab: Solar Energy 4.04 Discussion	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 4: Laboratory: Solar Energy
5/10/13	4.05 Solar & Lunar Eclipses 4.05 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 5: Solar and Lunar Eclipses
5/13/13	4.06 Moon's Influence 4.06 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 6: The Moon’s Influence
5/13/13	4.07 Earth Movement & Seasons 4.07 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 7: Earth Movement and Seasons
5/14/13	4.08 Lab: Earth, Moon, Sun Motion	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 8: Laboratory: Earth, Moon, Sun Motion
5/14/13	4.09 Lab: Sunrise & Sunset	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 9: Laboratory: Sunrise and Sunset
5/15/13	4.11 Mid-Unit Test	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 11: Mid-Unit Test
5/15/13	4.12 Solar System Origins 4.12 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 12: Origin of the Solar System
5/15/13	4.13 Gravitational Forces 4.13 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 13: Gravitational Forces in the Solar System
5/16/13	4.14 Solar System Features 4.14 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 14: Features of the Solar System
5/16/13	4.15 The Planets 4.15 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 15: The Planets
5/17/13	4.16 Planetary Impacts 4.16 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 16: Planetary Impacts
5/20/13	4.17 Electromagnetic Spectrum 4.17 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 17: Electromagnetic Spectrum
5/20/13	4.18 Light : Tool for Astronomy 4.18 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 18: Light: A Tool for Astronomy
5/20/13	4.19 Distances in Space 4.19 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 19: Distances in Space
5/21/13	4.20 Star Life Cycle 4.20 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 20: Life Cycle of a Star
5/21/13	4.21 Star Color & Brightness 4.21 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 21: Color and Brightness of Stars
5/21/13	4.22 Data about Stars 4.22 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 22: Data about Stars
5/22/13	4.23 What's a Galaxy 4.23 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 23: What’s a Galaxy?
5/22/13	4.24 Searching for Space Objects 4.24 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 24: Searching for Objects in Space
5/22/13	4.25 Big Bang Theory 4.25 Quiz	Unit 4: Astronomy Lesson 25: The Big Bang Theory

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

core, nuclear fusion, solar flares, convection, photosphere, chromosphere, phases of the moon, spring and neap tides. lunar month, lunar eclipse, perigee, epigee, tides, tidal bulge, perihelion, gravity, planetisimals, nebular, protostar, emission spectrum, absorption spectrum, Doppler effect, reflection, refraction, adaptive optics, wavelength

STANDARDS & OBJECTIVES

Utah Earth Science Standard 1

Students will understand the scientific evidence that supports theories that explain how the universe and solar system developed.

Objective 1
Describe the big bang theory and evidence supporting it.

Objective 2
Relate the structure and composition of the solar system to the processes that exist in the universe.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How does evidence of red and blue shifts used to determine whether the universe is expanding or contracting? (1)
What is the big bang theory and how does the red shift evidence that support this theory? (1)
When has science changed the accepted ideas regarding the nature of the universe throughout history? (1)
How has technology helped scientists investigate the universe? (1)
How do elements formed in the big bang (hydrogen, helium) differ from elements formed through nuclear fusion in stars. (2)
Why does the life cycle of stars of various masses correlate to the relative mass of elements they produce? (2)
What is origin of the heavy elements on Earth (i.e., heavy elements were formed by fusion in ancient stars)? (2)
What present evidence support the process that formed Earth’s heavy elements continues in stars today? (2)
How is the life cycle of our sun, differ from the life cycle of other stars? (2)
What is the relationship between the structure of the solar system and
the forces acting upon it? (2)