Science
Grade: 9th
SCI.V.4.1
Strand V:
Using Scientific Knowledge in Earth Science
Standard 4:
Galaxy and Universe- All students will compare and contrast our
planet and sun to other planets and star systems.
Benchmark 1:
Compare our sun to other stars.
SCI.I.1.3 - Recognize and explain the limitations of measuring devices
SCI.I.1.4 - Gather and synthesize information from books and other sources of information.
SCI.II.1.1 - Justify plans or explanations on a theoretical or empirical basis.
SCI.II.1.4 - Discuss the historical development of key scientific concepts and principles.
Vocabulary
Context
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Temperatures
Colors and sizes
Apparent and absolute magnitude
Double stars or Binary
White dwarf
Red Giant
Stellar evolution
Black Hole
Neutron star
Energy
Hertzsprung- Russell diagram
Main-sequence star
Supernova
Red shift
Observing color and brightness of stars
Observing double stars
Knowledge and Skills
Students will:
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Explain why the Sun is a star
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Compare and contrast the Sun with
other stars
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Deduce that the Sun is not an unusual
star based on common star
characteristics
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Explain how scientists measure
characteristics of stars: temperature,
color, size, apparent brightness, and
absolute brightness
Resources
Coloma Resources:
Glencoe CH 30 Stars
Glencoe Labs
30.1 Diameter & Rotation of the Sun
30.2 Constellations and the Seasons
Other Resources:
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Michigan Teacher Network Resources
http://mtn.merit.edu/mcf/SCI.V.4.HS.1.html
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Your Sky: a useful resource for obtaining sky maps
for “any time and date, viewpoint, and observing
location. http://www.fourmilab.to/yoursky/
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Scope Unit – Solar System, Galaxy and Universe
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NASA's Photo Gallery http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
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Stanford Solar Center. MESTA, 98.2.
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/
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Virtual Sun.
http://www.michielb.nl/sun/
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SOHO – Exploring the Sun - Awesome, excellent
site from NASA and ESA!!!
Instruction
Assessment
Benchmark Question: How does our Sun The teacher will give each student a list of
characteristics for five unnamed stars. The student will
rate as a star?
plot the position of each star on the H-R (HertzsprungFocus Question: How are stars
Russell) diagram. The student will construct a data table
compared to each other?
and classify each according to size (dwarf, average,
giant, supergiant) and color (white, yellow, red.) based
The teacher should review with students
on their location on the H-R diagram.
the ideas of measuring a star's magnitude
(brightness) and the relationship between
The student will write a prediction that answers the
temperature and a star’s color. The
question, “Which of the stars is most likely to be the
teacher should provide students with a
Sun?”
data table listing a minimum of twenty
different stars of different types, with their
Criteria
Apprent. Basic
Meets
Exceeds
brightness and temperature.
Each student should plot each star on a
graph. There are many different ways to
make such a graph, and students should
have the opportunity to set it up their own
way. Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams are
commonly set up with magnitude
(brightness) on the vertical axis and
temperature on the horizontal with highest
on the left. The Sun’s position on the
graph compared to other stars should be
observed and discussed.
Correctness of
diagram
Plots one
to two
stars
correctly.
Plots
Plots four
three stars stars
correctly. correctly.
Correctness of
classification
Classifies Classifies
one to two three
stars.
stars.
Classifies
four stars.
Classifies five
stars.
Correctness of
prediction
Does not
locate Sun
on main
sequence.
Locates
Sun on
main
sequence
with proper
magnitude
and
temperature.
Locates Sun on
main sequence
with proper
magnitude and
temperature
and compares
its size and
temperature to
other stars on
the diagram.
Locates
Sun on
main
sequence
with
proper
magnitude or
temperature.
Plots five stars
correctly.
Teacher Notes:
Comparing and contrasting our planet and the sun to other planets and star systems
Students' understanding of the solar system, galaxy and universe begins with understanding our sun,
earth, and moon system. In the earliest grades, children can be introduced to the concepts that the
earth is a planet, the sun is a star and the earth orbits the sun. Research with children tells us that
the ideas that our sun is a star and that the earth orbits the sun are difficult ideas for students to
understand.
Observations of the moon may include the identification and prediction of moon phases. These
observations provide first hand experiences for students to which they can tie their subsequent
learning. Repeated in the middle school years, these same observations might be extended by
telescopes or binoculars and include other space objects such as other planets and their satellites,
stars, constellations, and comets.