Content Standard: G. The Universe
Students will gain knowledge about the universe and how humans have learned about it, and about the principles upon which it operates.
Common Assessment(s): LAD Task: The Stars Above

Performance Indicators Students will be able to:	Essential Elements (Specific grade level learning objectives)			Suggested Performance Activities	Suggested Classroom Assessments	Vocabulary
1. Compare past and present knowledge about characteristics of stars and explain how people have learned about them.	Students will understand past and present theory and characteristics of stars. They will understand how scientists collect information about them. They will understand the life cycle of stars.			Students will read characteristics of stars and stars life cycle in Exploring the Universe, Prentice Hall. Students will conduct spectroscopy and flame test labs. Students will view star live cycle video. Students research and compare and contrast past and present day astronomers.	Students complete performance assessment in which they role-play a famous astronomer who writes an article for a famous magazine describing a recently discovered star.The article details the stars characteristics. See detailed product descriptor. Super Star Project	Star size mass color temperature brightness giant stars super giant stars white dwarfs neutron stars apparent magnitude absolute magnitude Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram nuclear fusion planetary nebula telescope Galileo Kepler's Laws
2. Describe the concept of galaxies, including size and number of stars.	Students should understand the size, composition, and make-up of galaxies. They should compare and contrast Milky Way with Andromeda.			Students will perform comparison lab of stars to grains of sand. Students will compare and contrast various known galaxies.	Students will produce drawings along with descriptions of the various galaxies.	Spiral galaxy elliptical galaxy irregular galaxy
3. Compare and contrast distances and the time required to travel those distances on earth, in the solar system, in the galaxy, and between galaxies.	Students should understand the concept of the light year. They should understand the relationship between the relative size of planets, solar systems, galaxies, and the universe.			Students will investigate how scientists measure distances within the universe.	Students will be responsible for completing various worksheets over performance activities.	Parallax degrees brightness and apparent magnitude speed of light light year