The Solar System and Beyond
Learning Sequence 9
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Introduction With Gavin
The lesson delves into the vastness of our Milky Way, emphasizing its enormity with an estimated 100-400 billion stars and potentially even more planets.
Encouraging big picture thinking, students are challenged to grasp the scale and diversity of celestial bodies within our galaxy. The ultimate objective is to foster an appreciation for the cosmos, promoting curiosity and a broader perspective on our place within the universe.
This week, we’re talking all about galaxies near and far. We live in the Milky Way which has 400 billion stars and trillions of planets, but there are literally trillions of other galaxies to choose from.
This week, we are going to describe the differences between the two types of galaxies. Then, we’ll ask you to select your very own galaxy and conduct a research study to discover what it’s made of and where it’s located.
We will be venturing into deep space this week, and it’s getting very exciting indeed.
Quote of the Week - Neil Armstrong
As part of the course, we will revisit a series of inspiring quotes from the 12 astronauts who have had the privilege of walking on the moon. Each week, students will be asked to critically analyze and interpret one of these quotes to gain a deeper understanding of the message conveyed by the astronaut.
Students may also choose to conduct independent research on the astronaut or the particular space mission they were a part of, and record their findings in a notebook. To further enhance their engagement with the quote, students are encouraged to create an artistic representation, such as a drawing or visual art piece, that captures the essence of the message being conveyed.
Throughout this course, we’ll be exploring some inspirational quotes from the 12 astronauts who walked on the moon. Every week, you’ll get to read one of these quotes and try to figure out what the astronaut meant by saying it.
You can do some research to learn more about the astronaut or the space mission they were a part of, and write down your findings in your notebook. To make things even more fun, you can also create a drawing or artwork that shows what you think the quote is all about. This will help you engage with the quote and understand it better.
Weekly Keywords
Introduce the spelling word list and choose from this list of tasks that can be repeated and expanded upon if necessary.
Copy the words into a spelling list/vocabulary book for later reference.
Put each of the new words into a sentence and underline the new vocabulary in red pencil
Place the words in alphabetical order in a list.
Use a dictionary to define each of the words and place them into a vocabulary book.
Try to represent each of the words using a picture or a symbol and play the guessing game. (which image is matched to which word)
Write a paragraph containing all of the new vocabulary.
Make a vocabulary wall containing all of the new words.
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the words and create a synonym list.
These words will help you during this week’s lesson. You may already know some of these words however practice makes perfect!
First, read the words and then try to define them as simply as possible.
An example has been completed for you. You can write these into your books, and draw a picture to match or simply complete the task card.
Weekly Comprehension Activity - Galaxies and Beyond
Each week, we will provide you and your class with a reading comprehension activity. This can be done independently or tackled as a guided reading activity with your students.
Once the children have read the relevant information, they can then work through the comprehension questions until they become too hard,
The four levels of questions allow for your students to push themselves until they become too difficult. They may wish to use classroom resources to solve the questions they find too hard or they can be used as extension activities to be completed in free time or at home.
Read the information opposite on the Sun and Stars and use the information gained from the video above and attempt to answer as many of the comprehension questions as possible.
You may talk to the people in the classroom and use any resources available in the classroom to get the answers. You may even wish to continue your research at home on the questions that you could not solve.
We have made the questions range in difficulty, see how far you can get! Remember to answer the questions in full sentences and make notes of any diagrams or amazing facts that may help you remember the information later.
Teach a Lesson - Star Study
In this lesson, students embark on a journey through the Milky Way, delving into the diverse world of stars within our own galaxy. The primary objective is to foster research skills, prompting students to investigate the unique characteristics of neighboring stars.
By referring to a task card, students are guided in their exploration, ensuring structured yet independent inquiry. Emphasizing collaboration, learners are encouraged to pair up, facilitating peer discussions and shared insights. Overall, the lesson seeks to blend astrophysical content with the cultivation of research and collaboration competencies.
As we begin our journey into the Milky Way and beyond, we’ll first examine some of the stars that reside within our own galaxy.
Check out the task card on the opposite side and begin your research on some of the stars neighboring our own. You’ll quickly realize that each star is distinct and unique.
These are just a few of the stars that surround our solar system, and remember, there are literally trillions of these to explore and discover.
Pair up with a friend and start your research on each star, noting its features and descriptions. Once complete, compare your research with another team and see if you can share ideas and thoughts on each of the stars mentioned.
Types of Galaxy - Which is Which?
In this activity, students delve into identifying two distinct types of galaxies as introduced by Dr. Karl. The primary emphasis is on honing their descriptive skills, applying active listening to grasp detailed characteristics, and mastering identification techniques.
Using task cards, learners analyse images, conduct research on unique galaxy features, and document their findings. This foundational knowledge is pivotal for the activities that follow, ensuring students not only recognize but also deeply understand the nuances of each galaxy type.
Dr. Karl discussed two distinct types of galaxies and described each using unique descriptions.
Refer to the task card opposite and try to determine which type of galaxy is depicted in each image. After you’ve made your decision, begin researching the unique characteristics of each type and jot down your findings in the white section provided.
Your research will be useful for the following activity.
Bringing Mathematics To Life - The Power of Doubling!
In this lesson, students explore the exponential growth of doubling numbers, using the context of the universe’s expansion as an analogy. Drawing inspiration from an ancient Chinese proverb, learners are challenged to double the number 1, 64 times, revealing the staggering increase that results from consistent doubling.
This activity aims to provide students with a tangible understanding of exponential growth and how quickly values can escalate when numbers are continuously doubled.
The Universe has been expanding for billions of years, and it continues to grow every day at a rate beyond our imagination. The count of stars and planets can escalate rapidly.
Today, we will challenge you to grasp the magnitude of numbers by doubling the number 1, 64 times.
Read the ancient Chinese proverb on the task card opposite and try to calculate just how many grains of rice the servant would have after merely doubling 64 times.
Prepare yourself; the numbers grow enormously in no time.
Choose Your Galaxy - Teaching Resource
In this lesson, students explore galaxies beyond the Milky Way, promoting real-world learning about the vastness of our universe. They create comprehension task cards based on their chosen galaxy, emphasizing independent research.
The cards, shared with peers or other schools, not only enhance global citizenship by connecting learners worldwide but also instill appreciation for our cosmic place, fostering global awareness and interconnectedness.
We live in the Milky Way, but as mentioned earlier, there are many other galaxies out there that we know about.
This week, we want you to create your very own comprehension task card based on a galaxy of your choosing. We have chosen the Milky Way, but we’d like you to select another galaxy from the 100 trillion available.
Once you’ve decided on your galaxy, conduct your own research and create a task card similar to the one opposite. When completed, these can be sent to other classes or even other schools to help children learn about the far reaches of our solar system.
Let’s Create with Jordan - Making a Galaxy
Activity: Galaxy Lamp
Core Curriculum Connection: Science, Mathematics
Elemental Foci: Value, Shape, Space
Principle Foci: Contrast, Emphasis, Rhythm
Goal: Students will create a model of a galaxy using light and contrast.
Criteria:
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Find a lamp or light you can cover with a solid sheet of black paper.
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Make sure your black paper completely covers the light coming out of your lamp.
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Create a spiral or elliptical galaxy by poking holes in the paper.
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Attach your paper to the lamp so your galaxy shines through the holes.
Relevance: Through this project, students will learn about the light given off by galaxies of stars that allow us to see them.
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Every week, we’ll provide you with an art activity related to what we’ve been learning about in class. It’s an opportunity for you to enhance your artistic abilities and learn more about the Solar System and Space!
Jordan will be joining us every week to brainstorm creative ways to showcase what we’ve learned about Space while also doing some good for the world.
We may challenge you to use recycled materials for your artwork, encourage you to teach someone else using what you create, or simply give it away as a gift to brighten someone’s day.
Take a look at the video on the other side and then do your best to follow Jordan’s guidance to make the world a better place with your creative skills.
To fully understand what we will be creating this week, you may wish to watch the full video below before starting.
Let’s get creative!
Let's Create With Jordan - Full Video
Watch the video with your class and support them as they use the skills demonstrated in the video in their own work tasks.
Watch Jordan’s full video here before starting your creative art project and remember that your work does not need to match Jordan’s exactly. Use it as a guide and try to make your work unique and be as creative as you like!