I.Grade Level/Unit Number:Grade 6/Unit 2

II:Unit Title: Solar Sensations

III.Unit Length:4 Weeks

  1. Major Goals and Outcomes
  • What are the major bodies in the solar system?
  • How are rotation and revolution different?
  • How do earth’s movements and relative position within the solar system cause cycles such as day/night, eclipses and seasons?
  • How is energy transferred through convection?
  • How is energy transferred through radiation?
  • How is thermal energy transferred between objects at different temperatures?
  • How is energy transformed not created or destroyed?
  • How is energy conserved?
  • How is energy transferred between objects?
  • How can you examine/measure energy transfer?
  • In a closed system, how does energy react according to the Law of Conservation of Energy?
  1. Objectives Included:

Number / Competency or Objective / RBT Tag
1.01 / Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations. / A1
1.02 / Develop appropriate experimental procedures for:
  • Given questions.
  • Student-generated questions.
/ B3
1.03 / Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies:
  • Recognize potential hazards.
  • Manipulate materials and equipment.
  • Conduct appropriate procedures.
/ A3
1.04 / Analyze variables in scientific investigations:
  • Identify dependent and independent.
  • Use of a control.
  • Manipulate.
  • Describe relationships between.
  • Define operationally.
/ B4
1.05 / Analyze evidence to:
  • Explain observations.
  • Make inferences and predictions.
  • Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
/ C3 (c4)
1.06 / Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations:
  • Measurement.
  • Analysis of data.
  • Graphing.
  • Prediction models.
/ A2
1.07 / Prepare models and/or computer simulations to:
  • Test hypotheses.
  • Evaluate how data fit.
/ B2
1.08 / Use oral and written language to:
  • Communicate findings.
  • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
/ A1
1.09 / Use technologies and information systems to:
  • Research.
  • Gather and analyze data.
  • Visualize data.
  • Disseminate findings to others
/ A1
1.10 / Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
  • Scientific text.
  • Articles.
  • Events in the popular press.
/ B4
2.01 / Explore evidence that "technology" has many definitions:
  • Artifact or hardware.
  • Methodology or technique.
  • System of production.
  • Social-technical system.
/ B3
2.02 / Use information systems to:
  • Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.
  • Locate resources to obtain and test ideas.
/ B3
2.03 / Evaluate technological designs for:
  • Application of scientific principles.
  • Risks and benefits.
  • Constraints of design.
  • Consistent testing protocols.
/ B4
2.04 / Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:
  • Products.
  • Processes.
  • Systems.
/ B3
5.01 / Analyze the components and cycles of the solar system including:
  • Sun.
  • Planets and moons.
  • Asteroids and meteors.
  • Comets.
  • Phases.
  • Seasons.
  • Day/year.
  • Eclipses.
/ B4
5.03 / Relate the influence of the sun and the moon's orbit to the gravitational effects produced on Earth.
  • Solar storms.
  • Tides.
/ B2
6.01 / Determine how convection and radiation transfer energy. / B4 (C3)
6.02 / Analyze heat flow through materials or across space from warm objects to cooler objects until both objects are at equilibrium. / B4
6.05 / Analyze the physical interactions of light and matter:
  • Absorption.
  • Scattering.
  • Color perception.
  • Form and function of the human eye.
/ B4
6.04 / Evaluate data for qualitative and quantitative relationships associated with energy transfer and/or transformation. / B6 (B5)
6.06 / Analyze response to heat to determine the suitability of materials for use in technological design:
  • Conduction.
  • Expansion.
  • Contraction.
/ B4
6.07 / Analyze the Law of Conservation of Energy:
  • Conclude that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another.
  • Conclude that the amount of energy stays the same, although within the process some energy is always converted to heat.
  • Some systems transform energy with less loss of heat than others.
/ B4 (B5)

VI. NC English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standard 4 (2008)- for Limited English Proficient students (LEP)

English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of science.

VII. Materials Needed:

1

  • Radiometers
  • Thermometers (metal backs)
  • Paper clips
  • Shielding materials such as clear transparencies, construction paper, waxed paper, etc.
  • Plexiglas
  • Rock
  • Drawing paper
  • Art supplies (markers, colored pencils)
  • Aluminum foil pans(assorted sizes)
  • Beakers
  • Graduated cylinders
  • Light sources such as flashlights, projectors, shop lights incandescent bulbs
  • Balls (Styrofoam, tennis, ping pong)
  • Computer and graphing software and internet access
  • Globe
  • Toothpicks and tape
  • Chart of planetary data

1

VII. Big Idea

The sun is the major source of heat and light energy for the solar system. Life on earth is possible because earth is at an optimal distance for the sun’s energy to provide just the right amount of heat energy to support life as we know it and to allow existence of water in all three states: solid, liquid, and gas.

Distance from the sun, rotation, revolution, and tilt of the axis affect the amount of solar energy reaching any given point on the surface of the planet. The earth’s north-south axis is tilted at an angle, as compared with the plane of its revolution around the sun. The rotation of the earth causes all parts of the earth to experience periods of daylight and darkness. The revolution of the earth around the sun on its tilted axis along with its daily rotation causes varying lengths of daylight on the earth’s surface as well as changes in the directness and intensity of sunlight. This results in a yearly cycle of seasons for much of the earth’s surface.

Energy from the sun travels through space by the process of radiation. Heat flows through materials or across space from warm objects to cooler objects, until both objects are at equilibrium. Heat travels through solids, primarily by conduction.

Light is a form of energy emitted by the sun and other stars as well as light-producing objects on Earth. Light can be absorbed or reflected by objects depending upon the properties of the object and the type and angle of light when it hits the object. Some materials scatter light and others allow light rays to pass through, but refract the light by changing its speed. We see the moon as a result of reflected sunlight. No light rays are absorbed, therefore molecule motion increases and the temperature of an object increases.

There are many forms of energy such as thermal, mechanical, light, sound, electrical, solar, chemical, and electromagnetic. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another. This means that the total amount of energy in a system stays the same. Energy conversion is never perfect and usually heat is released in the process.

Humans have learned to use these forms of energy in many ways to meet our basic needs and enrich our lives. Humans have developed many tools and instruments that detect the many forms of energy. These instruments help us understand the properties of materials which determine their suitability for technological design.

IX. Notes to Teacher:

Unit 2 combines topics from several curriculum goals and integrates life, earth, and physical science as students explore the effects of solar energy and gravity and planetary motions on earth and its living things. The Law of Conservation of Energy is illustrated by tracing the flow of solar energy through living (food chains) and non-living (radiometer energy chain) systems. The effects of planetary tilts and motions on day/night, year, and seasons are explored on the earth and other planets.

Several lessons in this unit may extend over a period of months. For example, the lesson on seasonal change might be introduced at the fall equinox and returned to at the winter solstice and again at the spring equinox. Also, a phase of the moon observation works best if the observation period begins at the new moon and continues for two cycles. Begin the observations a few weeks before instruction on the lesson begins. Check sky maps to see what planets may be visible during the observation period. Emphasize that though these planets may look like stars, they are actually visible due to reflected sunlight.

X. Global Content

NC SCS
Grade 6 / Activity title / 21st century goal
1.01,1.02, 1.03,1.04,1.05, 1.06, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 5.01, 6.01 6.02,6.04, 6.05 / Energy from the Sun / •Learning new software programs - computer knowledge
•Organizing and relating ideas when writing - language skills/ writing
•Working on a team- teamwork
•Taking initiative- teamwork
1.01,1.02, 1.03,1.04,1.05, 1.06, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 6.01, 6.06, 6.07 / Energy Chains / •Working on a team - teamwork
•Organizing and relating ideas when writing- language skills/ writing
•Working on a team- teamwork
•Taking initiative- teamwork
1.05, 1.07, 1.08, 2.02, 5.01 / Rotation and Revolution / •Conveying thoughts or opinions effectively - communication skills
•Explaining a concept to others-communication skills
1.01,1.02, 1.03,1.04,1.05, 1.06,1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 5.01 / Seasons on Earth and Mars / •Identifying cause and effect relationships- language skills /reading
•Learning new software programs - computer knowledge
•Explaining a concept to others - communication skills
1.01,1.02, 1.05,1.06,1.07, 1.08, 2.02, 5.01, 5.03 / Lunar Phases / •Working as a team- teamwork
•Identifying cause and effect relationships - language skills /reading

Rotation and Revolution on a Planetary Scale

Objectives

1.05, 1.07, 1.08, 2.02, 5.01

Teacher Notes

This lesson begins with a set of kinesthetic activities to build the notion that bodies in space are moving in different ways to produce cycles of day and night, seasons, phases of the moons, and eclipses.

Materials

Chart of planetary data (will need period of rotation and revolution and axis of rotation)

Engage

Describe a carnival ride on which you rotate and revolve. Show motions on the ride with a diagram. Compare and contrast with the motions of a planet in the solar system.

The teacher will use the following questions for class discussion:

  • What is a day?
  • What is a month?
  • What is a year?
  • What determines these time periods?
  • Is a day and a year the same on Mars as it is on Earth?
  • How old in earth years would you be on Mars, on Mercury, and on Jupiter?
  • How long is a day on the moon or on Venus or Neptune?
  • Is a planet’s day always shorter than its year?
  • How can we find answers to these questions on a chart of planetary data?

Have students decide what must be done to model each of these. Ask for student volunteers to try to demonstrate these movements.

  1. Rotation of a planet.

Have 8 different students model the relative rotational rates of the 8 planets. Have planet name tags for students. Have them line up in order of shortest day (rotation) to longest day. Let them show “rotation” and attempt to model relative rates with the first student turning fastest and the last one in line turning slowest.

2. Rotation of the earth’s moon

Show rotation rate of the moon by adding another student to the line. Have this student find his/her place in line. Planets rotate one more time with the earth’s moon in the line.

3. Show rotation of a planet with its axis tilted to the plane of revolution.

Have 8 students wearing planet name tags model this for the 8 planets (one at a time – this can get crazy for ones like Uranus!)

  1. Show revolution of a planet.

Let one student model the sun and have 9 different students model the relative rotations rates of the 8 planets in order out from the sun.

Who walks fastest and completes one orbit the fastest? Which planet is the slowpoke in the solar system when it comes to completing one revolution around the sun?

  1. Show the rotation of a planet as it revolves around the sun.

Use earth as an example.

  1. Show rotation of the earth’s moon on its axis as it revolves around the earth. Use this to show why we always see the same side of the moon. The face of the student representing the moon will always be toward the student representing the earth because as the moon moves one quarter the way round the earth it has rotated one fourth of the way around its axis.

7. Show revolution of a moon around a planet as the planet rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun. This really gets tricky. Make it even trickier by having the moon rotate on its axis as it revolves around the planet. Caution students to be careful with this one.

Explore

Complete an illustrated double Venn on rotation and revolution on poster paper or white board to share with the class. Include diagrams and information on these motions as they relate to planets in the solar system and the earth’s moon.

Make a list of the planets in order of period of rotation.

Make another list of planets in order of period of revolution.

Have the student groups consider these questions from charts or diagrams:

  1. Are the lists the same?
  2. What general statements can be made in comparing the two lists?
  3. What motion creates day and night?
  4. Which motions defines the terms “day,” “month,” and “year.”
  5. How are these motions related to seasons?
  6. Which motion is related to lunar phases?
  7. How do the rotation and revolution of the moon result in seeing one side of the moon from earth?
  8. Is there any relationship between the period of rotation and revolution?
  9. Do all planets rotate in the same direction?
  10. Do all planets revolve in the same direction?
  11. Include weird or surprising information about rotation and revolution that you discover.

For example, is there a planet whose “year” is longer than its “day”?

  1. What interesting and surprising facts can you find about rotation and revolution of moons of other planets?

Explain

Share Venn diagrams with class. Discuss list of planets in order of rotation and revolution. Discuss as a class the answers to the twelve questions within the Engage activity.

Elaborate

Create a four part Frayer model on rotation and another on revolution. Include these blocks:

  • What it is (include a diagram)
  • What it is not
  • Astronomical effects related to this motion with diagrams (day/night, seasons, length of daylight hours, year, tides, lunar phases, eclipses, etc.)
  • Examples (include examples from astronomy and daily life such as a skater spinning on ice, a top, a race car circling a race track, electrons circling the nucleus of the atom)

Complete these analogies. Write some of your own.

Rotation is to revolution as ______is to ______.

Revolution is to a race car as rotation is to a ______.

Rotation is to day as ______is to ______.

Spinning is to ______as ______is to revolution.

Day is to ______as year is to ______.

Ex of the Frayer model

What is it?
/ What is it not?
Astronomical effects related to
this motion with diagrams / Examples

Evaluate

The teacher will evaluate the students’ Venn diagrams and/or Frayer Models.

Lunar Phases, Tides, and Eclipses

Objective

1.01,1.02, 1.05,1.06,1.07, 1.08, 2.02, 5.01, 5.03

Materials

  • Strong incandescent light bulb and shop lamp
  • Sphere (tennis ball, plastic ball, foam ball, ping pong ball, etc.)

For some students, it may be helpful to paint one half of each sphere black to help them clearly visualize that the moon has no light of its own and the side away from the sun will be dark.

Teacher’s Notes

An understanding of phases of the moon is not developed in a single lesson or over a short period of time. Even superficial understanding will require observations over time of the moon in the night sky including its position relative to the horizon, rising and setting times, and the pattern of changing shapes. Keeping a record of the phases of the moon might be a part of the daily science journal entry and would indicate the cyclic nature of changing phases and the time periods related to this cycle. Observations of the moon should come before this lesson. A moon log (see example of a data sheet) should be started at least a month before this lesson is taught in the classroom. This first moon log should be completed before this lesson is introduced so the drawings can be used in the engage portion of this lesson. Initial observations recorded in the log may be only the shape and time of day that the moon was observed.

Another month of lunar observations focuses not only on the phase of the moon, but where the moon is in the sky at sunset. Is it near the west and the setting sun? Is it near the east and the rising sun? How many degrees above the horizon? Are there other bright stars nearby? Students can observe not only changing phases but the different position of the moon in the sky during the course of the month. Have students design their own charts for recording this data. A sample chart is included. Use this website pull up information for any calendar month and any location for sky information such as sun rising and setting times, visible planets, meteor showers, etc. Such calendars show students that lunar changes and other night sky phenomena are predictable.

Encourage students to look at the surface features of the moon with binoculars if they have access to them to identify surface features. Solicit parental involvement in lunar observations to encourage families to enjoy backyard astronomy. Perhaps have a night sky observation party before and/or after a PTA meeting or ball game. Familiarity with the changing patterns in the night sky is something that students can enjoy for the rest of their lives if knowledge of and appreciation for these patterns is developed at a young age!