(PreK-2) E3

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 08/22/04

5-8

G5: Describe the motions of moons, planets, stars, solar systems, and galaxies.

Organizing Questions

What does it mean for a planet to orbit the Sun, or a moon to orbit a planet, or a solar system to orbit a galaxy?

What motions produce a planet's day and year?

Describe how the phases of the moon are produced.

Describe the motions of stars relative to each other (eg. expansion of the Universe).

Elaboration
Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. Those motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.NSES D3b.

Specific Ideas

The motion of an object is always judged with respect to some other object or point and so the idea of absolute motion or rest is misleading. Benchmarks 10A1

An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed or path of motion, or both. If the force acts toward a single center, the object's path may curve into an orbit around the center. Benchmarks 4F3

The moon's orbit around the earth once in about 28 days changes what part of the moon is lighted by the sun and how much of that part can be seen from the earth--the phases of the moon. Benchmarks 4B5

Large numbers of chunks of rock orbit the sun. Some of those that the earth meets in its yearly orbit around the sun glow and disintegrate from friction as they plunge through the atmosphere--and sometimes impact the ground. Other chunks of rocks mixed with ice have long, off-center orbits that carry them close to the sun, where the sun's radiation (of light and particles) boils off frozen material from their surfaces and pushes it into a long, illuminated tail. Benchmark s4A4

Nine planets of very different size, composition, and surface features move around the sun in nearly circular orbits. Some planets have a great variety of moons and even flat rings of rock and ice particles orbiting around them. Some of these planets and moons show evidence of geologic activity. The earth is orbited by one moon, many artificial satellites, and debris. Benchmarks 4A3

Developmental & Instructional Implications
The dependence of apparent size on distance can be used to pose the historically important puzzle that star patterns do not appear any larger from one season to the next, even though the earth swings a hundred million miles closer to them. Benchmarks p. 63.

Examples

Back to Big Ideas Grid G Back to Standard G Back to Index

Organizing Questions	What does it mean for a planet to orbit the Sun, or a moon to orbit a planet, or a solar system to orbit a galaxy? What motions produce a planet's day and year? Describe how the phases of the moon are produced. Describe the motions of stars relative to each other (eg. expansion of the Universe).
Elaboration	Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. Those motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.NSES D3b.
Specific Ideas	The motion of an object is always judged with respect to some other object or point and so the idea of absolute motion or rest is misleading. Benchmarks 10A1 An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed or path of motion, or both. If the force acts toward a single center, the object's path may curve into an orbit around the center. Benchmarks 4F3 The moon's orbit around the earth once in about 28 days changes what part of the moon is lighted by the sun and how much of that part can be seen from the earth--the phases of the moon. Benchmarks 4B5 Large numbers of chunks of rock orbit the sun. Some of those that the earth meets in its yearly orbit around the sun glow and disintegrate from friction as they plunge through the atmosphere--and sometimes impact the ground. Other chunks of rocks mixed with ice have long, off-center orbits that carry them close to the sun, where the sun's radiation (of light and particles) boils off frozen material from their surfaces and pushes it into a long, illuminated tail. Benchmark s4A4 Nine planets of very different size, composition, and surface features move around the sun in nearly circular orbits. Some planets have a great variety of moons and even flat rings of rock and ice particles orbiting around them. Some of these planets and moons show evidence of geologic activity. The earth is orbited by one moon, many artificial satellites, and debris. Benchmarks 4A3
Developmental & Instructional Implications	The dependence of apparent size on distance can be used to pose the historically important puzzle that star patterns do not appear any larger from one season to the next, even though the earth swings a hundred million miles closer to them. Benchmarks p. 63.
Examples