The Solar System
Astronomy
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The Solar System
Surrounding the Sun is a complex system of worlds with a wide range of conditions: eight major planets, many dwarf planets, hundreds of moons, and countless smaller objects. Thanks largely to visits by spacecraft, we can now envision the members of the solar system as other worlds like our own, each with its own chemical and geological history, and unique sights that interplanetary tourists may someday visit. Some have called these past few decades the “golden age of planetary exploration,” comparable to the golden age of exploration in the fifteenth century, when great sailing ships plied Earth’s oceans and humanity became familiar with our own planet’s surface.
In this unit, we discuss our planetary system and introduce the idea of comparative planetology—studying how the planets work by comparing them with one another. We want to get to know the planets not only for what we can learn about them, but also to see what they can tell us about the origin and evolution of the entire solar system. In the upcoming chapters, we describe the better-known members of the solar system and begin to compare them to the thousands of planets that have been discovered recently, orbiting other stars.
Suggested Course Sequence
Chapter 7 Introduction to the Solar System
Chapter 9 The Moon (omitting Mercury)
Chapter 10 Venus and Mars
Chapter 11 Giant Planets
Chapter 12 Rings, Moons, and Pluto (at least Pluto, briefly)
Chapter 14 Origin of Solar System [do Section 3 on the Formation of the Solar System only]
Unit Standards
What is the NGSS & 3 Dimensional Science Learning and Why is it Important?
Science Practices - Disciplinary Core Ideas - Crosscutting Concepts
HS-ESS1-1: Nuclear Fusion and the Sun's Energy
HS-ESS1-1: Nuclear Fusion and the Sun's Energy
Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy in the form of radiation. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)
Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy in the form of radiation. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the energy transfer mechanisms that allow energy from nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to reach Earth. Examples of evidence for the model include observations of the masses and lifetimes of other stars, as well as the ways that the sun’s radiation varies due to sudden solar flares (“space weather”), the 11-year sunspot cycle, and non-cyclic variations over centuries.
Boundary Statement: Assessment does not include details of the atomic and sub-atomic processes involved with the sun’s nuclear fusion.
HS-ESS1-2: The Big Bang Theory
HS-ESS1-2: The Big Bang Theory
Construct an explanation of the big bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe. (Energy and Matter)
Construct an explanation of the big bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe. (Energy and Matter)
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the astronomical evidence of the red shift of light from galaxies as an indication that the universe is currently expanding, the cosmic microwave background as the remnant radiation from the Big Bang, and the observed composition of ordinary matter of the universe, primarily found in stars and interstellar gases (from the spectra of electromagnetic radiation from stars), which matches that predicted by the Big Bang theory (3/4 hydrogen and 1/4 helium).
Boundary Statement: none
HS-ESS1-3: Stellar Nucleosynthesis
HS-ESS1-3: Stellar Nucleosynthesis
Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements. (Energy and Matter)
Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements. (Energy and Matter)
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the way nucleosynthesis, and therefore the different elements created, varies as a function of the mass of a star and the stage of its lifetime.
Boundary Statement: Details of the many different nucleosynthesis pathways for stars of differing masses are not assessed.
HS-ESS1-4: Orbital Motions
HS-ESS1-4: Orbital Motions
Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)
Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on Newtonian gravitational laws governing orbital motions, which apply to human-made satellites as well as planets and moons.
Boundary Statement: Mathematical representations for the gravitational attraction of bodies and Kepler’s Laws of orbital motions should not deal with more than two bodies, nor involve calculus.
Learning Objectives / Career Connections
By the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
Chapter 7
Describe how the objects in our solar system are identified, explored, and characterized
Describe the types of small bodies in our solar system, their locations, and how they formed
Model the solar system with distances from everyday life to better comprehend distances in space
Chapter 9
Discuss what has been learned from both manned and robotic lunar exploration
Describe the composition and structure of the Moon
Chapter 10
Explain why it’s difficult to learn about Venus from Earth-based observation alone
Describe the history of our interest in Mars before the Space Age
Compare the basic physical properties of Earth, Mars, and Venus, including their orbits
Chapter 11
Provide an overview of the composition of the giant planets
Chronicle the robotic exploration of the outer solar system
Summarize the missions sent to orbit the gas giants
Chapter 12
Briefly describe the system of moons around each of the jovian planets
Describe the basic composition of each jovian planet’s ring system
Chapter 14
Explain what a meteor is and why it is visible in the night sky
Describe the origins of meteor showers
Using ChatGPT to find local Colorado Phenomena
Use the following prompt, adjust accordingly. "I am a high school science teacher looking for a local Colorado phenomena to address NGSS standard (enter standard you are looking for... example HS-LS1-6)"
Career Connections
Connecting what students are learning to careers not only deepens their engagement in school but also helps them make more informed choices about their future. Browse the following related career profiles to discover what scientists really do on the job and what it takes to prepare for these careers. For additional profiles visit your Year at a Glance Page.
Hands On, Minds On Connections
Hands-On Labs / Lab Safety
St Vrain Science Center
Chapter 7 Introduction to the Solar System
Chapter 9 The Moon (omitting Mercury)
Chapter 10 Venus and Mars
Chapter 11 Giant Planets
Chapter 12 Rings, Moons, and Pluto (at least Pluto, briefly)
Chapter 14 Origin of Solar System [do Section 3 on the Formation of the Solar System only]
Simulations
GIZMOS
Nearpod Lessons / Activities / Videos
LabXchange Lessons / Activities / Videos
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