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Lesson Title: What's in the Stars?
Universe
Grade Levels: 7-9
Connection To Curriculum:
Science and Mathematics
Teacher Prep Time: 2.5 hour
Lesson Time Needed: 3 hours
Complexity: Moderate
Keywords: stars, galaxies,
constellations, chemistry, elements,
stellar evolution, star cycle
Materials:
Gloves or wet wipes for safe food handling
Large bowl to mix beads
Multicolored pony beads or beads of the same size and weight (at least 10 colors)
Small scoops or Dixie cups
Uncooked white and brown rice
Dry split peas
Dry black beans
Dry white beans
Dry pinto beans
Dry red beans
Dry red lentils
Dry brown lentils
8-oz clear bottles with lids
Large bowl to mix beads
Multicolored pony beads or beads of the same size and weight (at least 10 colors)
Small scoops or Dixie cups
Uncooked white and brown rice
Dry split peas
Dry black beans
Dry white beans
Dry pinto beans
Dry red beans
Dry red lentils
Dry brown lentils
8-oz clear bottles with lids
Description
This lesson guide integrates a series of activities designed to look at stellar evolution and composition.
Objectives
Students will:
• Discuss the basic steps of stellar evolution and contrast them with Navajo creation stories.
• Discriminate between samples representing elemental abundances in the solar system.
• Discuss the fusion process in a star.
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Lesson Guide What's in the Stars? Lesson [75KB PDF file] |
Professional Development Training Module for This Lesson
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Lesson Activities and Sequence
The suggested sequence introduces students to stellar evolution then progresses to stellar and universe composition.
- Cycles in the Cards
Students explore stellar evolution and draw parallels to Navajo creation stories.
Keywords: Native Americans, star cycles - Elements and You
Students investigate elemental abundances in the universe using random sampling.
Keywords: chemistry, elements, fusion, star cycles, stellar evolution - What's Out There
Students look at dry food mixtures in sealed bottles to compare elemental abundances in stars and other celestial bodies.
Keywords: chemistry, elements, fusion, star cycles, stellar evolution
National Standards:
National Science Education Standards, NSTA
Science as Inquiry
• Skills necessary to become independent inquirers about the natural world.
• An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in science.
Physical Science
• Interactions of energy and matter.
• Transfer of energy.
• Structure and properties of matter.
History and Nature of Science
• Science as a human endeavor.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, NCTM
Statistics and probability
• Use random sampling to draw inferences about a population.
Science as Inquiry
• Skills necessary to become independent inquirers about the natural world.
• An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in science.
Physical Science
• Interactions of energy and matter.
• Transfer of energy.
• Structure and properties of matter.
History and Nature of Science
• Science as a human endeavor.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, NCTM
Statistics and probability
• Use random sampling to draw inferences about a population.