Curriculum Overview

Subject: Science

Course: Astronomy (250)

Grade Level: 9-12

                                                                                                                       

Concepts

Topics/Units

Content/Skills

Essential Activities/Agreements

 

Students will:

 

·         learn about the current theories of the origin of the universe and how scientists are currently studying deep space and the solar system.

 

·         Investigate how gravity influences the life cycles of the galaxies, stars, planetary systems, and residual material left from the creation of the solar system

 

·         Learn how to make observations of objects in the sky and how to communicate those observations to others.

 

·         Understand how our Earth is influenced by its cosmic environment.

 

·         Understand the history of human understanding of Earth’s position in the universe, from early recorded history through the present era.

 

Observation by Eye

 

Observation with Telescope

 

Our Solar System

 

Stars

 

Cosmology

 

 

 

 

Students will:

 

·         Construct a historical time line

·         Build and interpret a celestial sphere model

·         Understand relative motion of objects in the Solar System

·         Read and interpret star maps

·         Understand directional orientation.

·         Analyze horizon diagrams for the northern hemisphere

·         Apply order of magnitude concepts to sizes of celestial objects

·         Observe, record, and report on real phenomena

·         Draw scale diagrams and demonstrate understanding of scale modeling

·         Extract information from computer sources

·         Differentiate between earth-centered and sun-centered models.

·         Relate equations to observational phenomena

·         Construct computer models

·         Describe models for the formation of the solar system

·         Describe differences between terrestrial and Jovian planets

·         Diagram and model eclipses

·         Model seasons on Earth.

·         Analyze relative motions

·         Analyze H-R diagrams

·         Analyze actual star data

·         Use a spectroscope

·         Predict the evolutionary path of a star.

·         Use really BIG numbers

·         Classify and identify galaxies from Hubble photographs

·         Formulate analogies

 

Common Laboratory Experiments:

·         Student observations of the night sky

·         Locating objects in the sky

·         Plotting the daily motion of the sun

·         Modeling the reasons for the seasons

·         Modeling the sun’s motion on the celestial sphere

·         Building and using a celestial sphere model

·         Computer orbit simulations

·         Relative position and motion using the Earth, Sun, Moon models

·         Kepler’s Third Law activity

·         Plotting an H-R diagram lab

·         Spectra of elements lab

·         Measuring with color lab

·         Parallax of a star

·         Distances to a star

·         Proper motion of a star

·         Classifying and identifying galaxies

·         Stellar evolution

 

Other Essential Activities:

 

·         Pre and Post Tests

·         Unit Tests and Quizzes

·         Notebook Check

·         Observational Project

·         Honors Extensions (for students taking the course with an honors option)

rev. 9/20/06