Unit 5: Science or Fiction? Study Guide
UNIT 5 STANDARDS:

Inferences (Made Out of Meat Exploration Report, Anatomy Lesson Visualization Notes)

Analyze text (War of the Worlds Target Notes, Anatomy Lesson Visualization Notes)

Sources that support analysis of text (Anatomy Lesson Visualization Notes)

Simple, complex, and compound sentences (Class notes, Weebly process peer conference)

Phrases and clauses (Class notes)

Analyze how authors use different evidence to write about the same topic (Intro to Science Fiction 3 Column
Notes, Weebly research questions, Practice ERQ)

Dangling modifiers (Class notes)

Introductions in informational writing (Weebly process introduction notes, pre-writing organizer)

Transitions in informational writing (Weebly process peer conference)

Relevant facts, details, etc. in informational writing (Weebly research questions)

Organizational structures (classification, cause/effect, definition, comparison/contrast) in informational writing
(Weebly process essay extensions)

Domain specific vocabulary in informational writing (Weebly process essay extensions)

Formal style in informational writing (Weebly process formal style notes)

Conclusions in informational writing (Weebly process conclusion notes)

Using formatting, style, and multimedia in presentations and informational writing (War of the Worlds broadcast
Target Notes, Weebly process formal style notes, Weebly presentations)
REVIEW STANDARDS:

Connotation and denotation

Figurative language

Theme

Point of view
The following is an adapted excerpt from Exploring Space by Leigh Hope Wood. Read the passage and then answer the
questions that follow.
The Sun
Although it’s an average-sized star, the Sun is the largest object in the solar system. It contains about 98 percent of all
the solar system’s solid material. It’s so big, more than one million earths could fit inside. On the surface, the Sun is about 14,000
degrees Fahrenheit.
About every 11 years, the Sun develops an unusual number of spots. These dark patches on the Sun’s surface are
thousands of degrees cooler than the area surrounding them. Near the spots, huge columns of gas shoot out dramatically above
the surface. Thin columns are called solar flares.
Sometimes colorful, shimmering curtains of light fill the night sky near the north and south poles. These lights are called
auroras, caused by radiation from solar flares. Attracted to the magnetism of the Earth, the radiation spirals toward the poles as it
approaches.
The Sun is like a huge nuclear furnace, producing incredible amounts of energy and radiation. Blowing out from the
corona – the outer layer of the Sun – is a stream of particles known as solar wind. The wind gusts at 450,000 to 2 million mph, to
the far reaches of the solar system.
The following is an article excerpted and adapted from NASA’s website.
Studying the Sun
Looking at the sky each day, the sun rises. It’s bright, it’s big and it warms us up. Our sun happens to be the brightest
object in our universe and naturally we are really curious to know more about it.
First of all, our sun gives us light, heat and energy. It may seem that energy comes from other sources such as gasoline
and electricity, but the ultimate source of energy for the Earth is nothing else but the sun. Without the sun life on Earth would not
exist. It would be so cold that no living thing would be able to survive and our planet would be completely frozen.
Another reason we should study the sun is because it helps us know more about our universe. The sun is a normal star.
It is much closer to us than any other star, and by studying the sun, we can therefore learn more about other stars. The better we
understand other stars, the more we know about the Milky Way. From there we know more about other galaxies and in the end
we learn more about the universe.
The sun plays the role of a big anchor, which creates gravity that keeps our planet and the other planets of the solar
system in a small space. If it weren't for the sun, our planet would simply fly off loose into the universe.
Extended Response
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
18. The excerpts from NASA’s website and Exploring Space include information about the same
topic. After reading the excerpts from NASA’s website and Exploring Space, complete the
following task:
A. Analyze how the two texts emphasize different evidence about the same topic.
B. Support your analysis with at least TWO pieces of key information from EACH of the
texts.
Score
4
3
2
1
0
Blank
Scoring Guide/ORQ Title
Description
 Accurately analyzes how the two texts emphasize different evidence.
 Accurately supports the analysis with TWO pieces of key information from EACH of the
texts.
 Accurately analyzes how the two texts emphasize different evidence.
 Accurately supports the analysis with ONE piece of key information from EACH of the
texts.
 Generally analyzes how the two texts emphasize different evidence.
 Generally supports the analysis with ONE piece of key information from EACH of the
texts.
 Attempts to analyze how the two texts emphasize different evidence.
 Attempts to support the analysis with ONE piece of key information.
 Response is totally incorrect or has nothing to do with the question.
 No response given at all.