The earliest scientists did empirical science with the observation of stars. We will use that heritage to study and explain the universe and fundamental changes in energy that occur beyond the sky.
The Heavens and All They Contain
1.3.7. Understand how stars, solar systems, galaxies, and the universe were formed and how these systems continue to evolve.
Explain phenomena caused by the regular and predictable motions of planets and moons in the Solar System. [lunar cycles, eclipses, equinoxes and solstices, zodiac constellations]
Describe how the Solar System formed.
Describe that the Solar System is part of the Milky Way Galaxy and how the Milky Way and other galaxies appear from Earth.
Describe the formation and life cycle of stars. [stellar evolution hypothesis]
Describe the properties of different stars (e.g., size, temperature, age, formation, energy production). [Hertzsprung Russell diagram and stellar evolution]
Describe how the Big Bang theory explains the observed properties of the universe (e.g., expansion, evolution, structures, element generation by fusion).
1.1.3. Analyze sound waves, water waves, and light waves using wave properties, including frequency and energy. Understand wave interference.
Describe the relationship between the wave properties of amplitude and frequency and the energy of a wave (e.g., loud vs. soft sound, high vs. low pitch sound, bright vs. dim light, blue light vs. red light).
[TOPS Sound]
Explain the relationship between a wave's speed and the properties of the substance through which the wave travels (e.g., all sound regardless of loudness and pitch travels at the same speed in the same air; a wave changes speed only when traveling from one substance to another).
Predict and explain what happens to the pitch of sound and color of light as the wave frequency increases or decreases.
Compare the properties of light waves, sound waves, and water waves.
Describe the effects of wave interference (constructive and destructive).
1.2.5. Understand that the Solar System is in a galaxy in a universe composed of an immense number of stars and other celestial bodies.
Describe how the Solar System is part of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Compare how stars and other celestial bodies (at least 100 billion) are similar and different from each other (i.e., size, composition, distance from the Earth, temperature, age, source of light, and movement in space).
Describe how other galaxies and other celestial bodies appear from Earth.