Astronomy Curriculum Guide
for the North Carolina Standard Course of Study

Grade 6

Supported by the NASA Education Public Outreach Project
PI - Dr. Donald Ellison

Curriculum Guide Created by Tracy Weigold

Competency Goal: The learner will build understanding of the Solar System.

• www.thursdaysclassroom.com
  Teachers can subscribe to free email notification of latest space science headlines and related lesson plans. Also available is an archive of old lesson plans and schedule of upcoming lesson plans.
  
  
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild
  Sections with activities about the solar system, universe and space exploration at two educational levels. Online interactive and printable activities are multidisciplinary providing the possibility of tying space study to other curriculums.
  
  
• http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Space
  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center sponsored site for K-8 students with links to sections on the earth, the moon and the sun. Many online and printable activities and games.
  
  
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov
  Covers nearly every space science topic imaginable with a variety of educational resources. Includes instructional materials, classroom activities and online activities. Despite this somewhat overwhelming amount of information this site is easy to navigate with the alphabetized library and "cool picks" links.
  
  
• http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/EdActivities.html
  A FIVE STAR SITE. Activities listed in table of content type format that includes symbols to indicate appropriate grade level, space science topic and time required for each activity. Each activity includes learner objective, National Science and Math Education Standards that are met, great background information and step by step lesson plans.
  
  
• http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  Archive of astronomy picture of the day sorted by space science subject. Lots of great pictures for student and teacher use.
  
  
• http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu/
  Photos of Earth from space. Great pictures.

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Objectives

5.01 Analyze the components and cycles of the solar system including:

• Sun.
• Planets and moons.
• Asteroids and meteors.
• Comets.
• Phases.
• Seasons.
• Day/year.
• Eclipses.

• http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Space
  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center sponsored site for K-8 students. Includes online and printable activities and games. The Earth section includes links to articles about the current season with a related fill in the blank activity.
  
  
• www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/the_universe/uts/seasons1.html
  Discusses what causes the seasons written in the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The intermediate and advanced levels are most appropriate for this grade level.
  
  
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild
  Section on the solar system with resource material and activities at two educational levels. Online interactive and printable activities are multidisciplinary providing the possibility of tying space study to other curriculums. Includes an activity about how the seasons inspired a musical masterpiece.

5.02 Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of:

• Size.
• Composition.
• Relative distance from the sun.
• Ability to support life.

• http://www.nineplanets.org
  Page for each planet with planet specific information along with comparisons between that planet and Earth. Good resource material for teachers but terminology is a bit technical for student use.
  
  
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild
  Section on the solar system with resource material and activities at two educational levels. Online interactive and printable activities are multidisciplinary providing the possibility of tying space study to other curriculums. Includes activities specific to planetary facts.
  
  
• http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets
  Planetary specific statistics in easy to read tabular format. Large colored pictures of each planet.
  
  
• http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/sso
  "Teacher’s lounge" with planetary resource material, including lesson plans and activities. In addition, "kids corner" currently under construction promises to be useful to students.
  
  
• http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/planets/
  Designed especially for student use. Each planet has a page with pictures and information written in easy to read question and answer format.
  
  
• http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=1091
  Information about each planet written in easy to read format making it great for student use.

5.03 Relate the influence of the sun and the moon’s orbit to the gravitational effects produced on Earth.

• Solar storms.
• Tides.

• http://www.nineplanets.org
  Page on the moon that discusses the gravitational effect on tides and on Earth’s rotational speed. Good resource information for teacher or research information for student.
  
  
• http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/teachers/liftoff/toys.html
  Compares the way some basic toys work in space versus on earth. Great way for students to understand the effect of gravity on some common toys.
  
  
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild
  Section on the solar system with resource material and activities at two educational levels. Online interactive and printable activities are multidisciplinary providing the possibility of tying space study to other curriculums. A person’s weight and age on other planets can be calculated in one activity. This demonstrates how a planet’s gravitational pull and revolution relative to the distance from the sun effect weight and age calculations respectively.
  
  
• http://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/glossary/tidal_forces.html
  Discusses what causes the tides written in the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The intermediate and advanced levels are most appropriate for this grade level.
  
  
• http://www.astronomynotes.com
  Section on tides in Newton’s Law of Gravity chapter. Good resource for student research or teacher lecture material.

 

5.04 Describe space explorations and the understandings gained from them including:

• N.A.S.A.
• Technologies used to explore space.
• Historic timeline.
• Apollo mission to the moon.
• Space Shuttle.
• International Space Station.
• Future goals.

• www.thetech.org/exhibits_events/online/satellite
  Research or reference material on satellites in general with links to scientific research satellites that explore space. Build a research satellite online.
  
  
• http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov
  Official website of Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite that studies the sun. This material at this site is too technical but there are great photos of the sun including an online slideshow.
  
  
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild
  Section on space exploration with resource material and activities at two educational levels. Online interactive and printable activities are multidisciplinary providing the possibility of tying space study to other curriculums.
  
  
• http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Rockets
  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center sponsored site for K-8 students. Section on satellites, space shuttle and other spacecraft used to explore space.
  
  
• www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions
  Links to all current, past and future space exploration missions. Most are written to technically for student use but okay as a teacher resource

5.05 Describe the setting of the solar system in the universe including:

• Galaxy.
• Size.
• The uniqueness of Earth.

5.06 Analyze the spin-off benefits generated by space exploration technology including:

• Medical.
• Materials.
• Transportation.
• Processes.
• Future research.

http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/news
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center sponsored site for K-8 students. Recent space science news headlines that include articles on "spinoff" applications.

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