6.1.1 Patterns in the Solar System
Teacher instruction and hints are included within the speaker notes section
Teacher Overview: Episode 1
Phenomenon: The moon’s appearance changes over time.
Learning Goal: Students will develop a model to make sense of cyclical patterns of the Moon’s changing appearance.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: Observing and identifying a predictable cycle in the Moon’s appearance.
Cause and Effect: Recognizing that the Moon’s changing appearance is caused by its position relative to Earth and the Sun.
Systems and System Models: Developing models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system to explain the observed phases.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Observe and record the Moon’s appearance over time.
Develop and use physical and digital models (e.g., Universe Sandbox) to simulate the lunar phases.
Use evidence from observations to argue for the cyclical nature of the Moon’s phases.
Episode 1
Today’s Objective: I can construct an explanation about patterns of the changing appearance of the moon.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Observations | Questions |
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Reason
Communicate
In your journal, draw and describe how the appearance of the moon changes and the pattern it follows.
Prompts-
If the moon’s appearance is a fully lit circle what would you expect to see in the following days. How do you know?
Teacher Overview: Episode 2
Phenomenon: The moon appears to change in a cyclical pattern.
Learning Goal: Students will discover how the Sun, Earth, and Moon interact in a system to cause the cyclical pattern of moon phases.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Cause and Effect: Students investigate how the positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun cause observable patterns in the Moon’s appearance.
Patterns: Students recognize and explain the repeating lunar phases as a pattern caused by celestial motion.
Systems and System Models: Students create models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system to explain how system components interact.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Obtain information from simulations (Universe Sandbox) and curated videos to make observations about Moon phases.
Develop and use physical models to demonstrate the positions and motions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun.
Communicate understanding through models and written explanations of how the system causes lunar phases.
Episode 2
Today’s Objective: I can develop a model about how the Sun-Earth-Moon system cause the changing appearance of the moon.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Observations | Questions |
| |
Reason
Communicate
In your journal, draw and describe how the Sun, Earth, and Moon work as a system and cause the moon’s appearance to change.
Teacher Overview: Episode 3 Part 1
Phenomenon:� Sometimes I can see the moon during the day. Sometimes I can’t.
Learning Goal:�Students will make sense of why we can see the moon during the day and why the moon’s cycle is approximately 28 days using evidence from simulations and models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.
CCCs:
Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: The appearance of the moon changes in a repeating 28-day cycle.
Cause and Effect: The moon’s simultaneous rotation and revolution result in only one side being visible from Earth.
Systems and System Models: The Sun-Earth-Moon system can be modeled to understand and explain lunar phases and visibility.
SEPs:
SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Construct explanations supported by evidence about the visibility of the moon during the day and the moon’s 28-day cycle.
Episode 3 Part 1
Today’s Objective: I can construct an explanation about patterns of the moon’s visibility and the duration of it’s cycle.
Phenomenon Observation
Sometimes I can see the moon during the day. Sometimes I can’t.
Gather
Why can I sometimes see the moon during the day? | |
Observations | Questions |
| |
Reason
Communicate
Construct an explanation of how the Sun-Earth-Moon system causes the moon’s cyclical pattern to be approximately 28 days and why we can sometimes see the moon during the day.
You may want to include drawings to help explain your understanding.
Teacher Overview: Episode 3 Part 2
Phenomenon:�Even though the moon’s appearance changes daily, the parts of the moon that are illuminated look the same each day.
Learning Goal:�Students will make sense of why we can see the moon during the day and why the moon’s cycle is approximately 28 days using evidence from simulations and models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.
CCCs:
Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: The appearance of the moon changes in a repeating 28-day cycle.
Cause and Effect: The moon’s simultaneous rotation and revolution result in only one side being visible from Earth.
Systems and System Models: The Sun-Earth-Moon system can be modeled to understand and explain lunar phases and visibility.
SEPs:
SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Develop a Model supported by evidence about why we only see one side of the moon from Earth.
Episode 3 Part 2
Today’s Objective: I can develop a model and construct an explanation about cause of the moon’s appearance of the from Earth.
Phenomenon Observation
Even though the moon’s appearance changes daily, the parts of the moon that are illuminated look the same each day.
Gather:
Have you ever heard of the dark side of the moon? How can this be?
Reason
Communicate
Construct an explanation of the cause of why we always see the same side of the moon from Earth.
Include evidence of patterns you found to support your model.
Teacher Overview: Episode 4
Phenomenon: The appearance of the moon is different in different hemispheres.
Learning Goal: Students will use their models to argue from evidence to explain patterns in the moon phases in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: The moon shows a consistent pattern of phases, but its appearance changes based on the observer's location.
Systems and System Models: The Sun-Earth-Moon system can be modeled to explain differences in lunar phase appearance from different hemispheres.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Obtain and evaluate visual data from both hemispheres to identify differences in moon phase appearance.
Develop models to describe how position on Earth affects perspective.
Construct explanations from evidence for the moon’s orientation and appearance.
Episode 4
Today’s Objective: I can develop a model to explain patterns between moon phase, the moon’s position in its cycle, and the position of the viewer on Earth.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
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Observations | Questions |
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Reason
Write and/or draw to explain why the moon’s appearance looks different in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
Reason
If you know what the moon looks like, and the hemisphere the viewer is standing in, can you determine where the moon is positioned in its orbit around the Earth?
not to scale
not to scale
Communicate
Identify the position of each moon phase in its cycle.
Remember we are looking at the Sun and Earth from the Northern Hemisphere, or in other words from above the Sun and Earth.
Teacher Overview: Episode 5
Phenomenon: In 2017, the people of Idaho Falls experienced a sudden, dramatic change in daylight for a few minutes of the day.
Learning Goal: Students will develop and use a model to construct an explanation of what causes eclipses to happen.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Cause and Effect: Students explore how the alignment of celestial bodies causes the temporary darkening of the sun or moon.
Patterns: Students examine the repeating yet rare pattern of eclipses and how this relates to the moon's orbit.
Systems and System Models: Students use and refine models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system to represent and explain eclipses.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Students gather information from videos, simulations, and readings to build understanding.
Develop and use Models: Students develop a model based on evidence for how and why eclipses occur.
Episode 5
Today’s Objective: I can develop and use a model to help me construct an explanation of what causes the Sun or Moon to sometimes go dark.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Observations | Questions |
| |
Reason
Communicate
Construct an explanation that you could share with a fifth grader to help them understand the of the cause of solar and lunar eclipses. Include drawings to help explain your model.
Teacher Overview: Episode 6
Phenomenon: In 2017, the people of Idaho Falls experienced a sudden, dramatic change in daylight for a few minutes of the day.
Learning Goal: Students will develop a model of eclipses to deepen understanding and construct a revised explanation of the cause of eclipses.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: Students analyze repeating events (e.g. moon phases, eclipses) to understand when eclipses do and do not occur.
Systems and System Models: Students explore how specific alignments in the Sun-Earth-Moon system lead to particular effects (e.g. shadows, light blockage)
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Developing and Using Models – Students build and manipulate physical models to represent the positions and motions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon during eclipses.
Asking Questions – Students generate and refine questions about eclipse frequency and conditions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence – Students write explanations using evidence from their models to clarify why eclipses occur and why they are rare.
Episode 6
Today’s objective: I can develop a model to explain the cause of solar and lunar eclipses.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Questions |
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Reason
Communicate
Draw a picture of your model and construct an explanation describing how solar and lunar eclipses happen.
Teacher Overview: Episode 7
Phenomenon: In some places in Alaska they experience summer days where it doesn’t get dark.
Learning Goal: Students will collect and analyze length of day data while looking for patterns for why there are different lengths of daylight in different locations.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Patterns: Students identify and interpret patterns in the length of daylight throughout the year in different locations.
Cause and Effect: Students determine the cause of varying daylight hours by analyzing the temperature and daylight hours of varying locations.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Analyze and interpret data: Students graph and analyze daylight data from Alaska and Utah.
Asking Questions – Students generate and refine questions about daylight hours in different locations.
Construct explanations: Students develop explanations about why the length of daylight changes depending on location and time of year.
Episode 7
Today’s Objective: I can analyze data to construct an explanation about patterns of length of day.
Phenomenon Observation
In some places in Alaska they experience summer days where it doesn’t get dark.
Gather
Questions |
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Observations |
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Reason
Collect and analyze the following data and record your findings in your science journal.
Once you have gathered the data, graph the data on graph paper or Excel.
Using your graphed data, predict possible causes of the longer length of days in Alaska compared to the length of days in Utah.
Communicate
As a group, use the data, your graph, and your findings to construct an explanation for why summer days are longer in Alaska and shorter in Utah.
Teacher Overview: Episode 8
Phenomenon: Seasons are opposite of one another in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Learning Goal: Students will obtain and evaluate data to develop a model of how the tilt of the Earth causes seasons.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Cause and Effect: Students explore how the tilt of the Earth causes change in sunlight intensity and duration, which lead to seasons.
Energy and Matter: Students investigate how sunlight (energy) is distributed differently across the Earth and affects temperature and seasonal changes.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Obtain and evaluate information: Students read and discuss information about Earth’s tilt and seasonal changes.
Develop and use models: Students collaboratively build a conceptual model showing how Earth’s tilt results in opposite seasons in different hemispheres.
Construct explanations and argue from evidence: Students use evidence from readings, simulations, and discussions to explain how Earth’s tilt affects the seasons..
Episode 8
Today’s Objective: I can obtain and evaluate data to construct an explanation about the cause of seasons in different hemispheres.
Phenomenon Observation
Utah in December
Australia in December
Gather
Why are seasons opposite?
Tilt of the Earth | Seasons | Relationships | Patterns |
| | | |
Reason
Share your findings from the reading with your group.
As a group, make a list of patterns that you found and identify the causes of those patterns.
Begin building an explanation for the phenomena using your findings as evidence to support your explanation.
Communicate
Individually construct an explanation for how the tilt of the Earth causes seasons.
Teacher Overview: Episode 9
Phenomenon: The tilt of the Earth and the Earth’s orbit around the Sun cause seasons.
Learning Goal: Students will continue to build and use their model to deepen understanding of the cause of seasons to include Earth’s position in its orbit and Earth’s tilt. They will construct an explanation for the cause of seasons.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Cause and Effect: The tilt of the Earth causes different intensities and durations of sunlight, resulting in seasonal changes
Patterns:Students will identify seasonal patterns related to the Earth’s orbit and the Earth’s tilt.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Develop and use models: Students use simulations and classroom modeling activities to investigate Earth’s rotation, revolution, and constant tilt to identify seasonal patterns.
Construct explanations and argue from evidence: Students use group models and explanations to justify the cause of seasons.
Episode 9
Today’s Objective: I can develop my model to construct a deeper explanation about the cause of seasons.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Observations | Questions |
| |
Reason
Not to Scale
Communicate
Sketch your model and construct an explanation of why we have seasons on Earth.
Teacher Overview: Episode 10
Phenomenon: The tilt of the Earth and the Earth’s orbit around the Sun cause seasons.
Learning Goal: Students will will revise their models and construct explanations of the phenomenon and argue from evidence that the Sun-Earth system is the cause for seasons.
CCCs:� Use the CCCs as a lens to help focus your lesson, questions, discussion, etc.
Cause and Effect: The tilt of the Earth causes different intensities and durations of sunlight, resulting in seasonal changes
Patterns: Students will identify seasonal patterns related to the Earth’s orbit and the Earth’s tilt.
SEPs:� SEPs are actions that students complete to interact with the phenomena.
Develop and use models: Students use simulations and classroom modeling activities to investigate Earth’s rotation, revolution, and constant tilt to identify seasonal patterns.
Construct explanations and argue from evidence: Students use group models and explanations to justify the cause of seasons.
Episode 10
Today’s Objective: I can revise my model and construct an explanation that the Sun-Earth system is the cause for seasons.
Phenomenon Observation
Gather
Use your models, readings, and observations to help you develop a model of the seasons and the tilt of the earth phenomena.
As a group, begin building an explainable model of the system.
Reason
Share your models with the class using evidence to support your model and explanation of the system.
Communicate
Construct an explanation of your model of the seasons and how they are caused by the Sun-Earth-Moon system in a way that a fifth grader, who doesn’t know very much about why we have seasons, could understand.
Assessment