S+Fritschy+Rachel

** E-mail: ** rachel.fritschy@maine.edu
 * Teacher:** Ms. Rachel Fritschy
 * Office:** Room 211
 * Office Phone:** (207)778-8060
 * Office Hours:** MWTh 3:30-4:30pm

=Summary of Unit= In this unit, we will go on an expedition through the deep abyss of our solar system and universe. First, we will discover the many different objects that make up our solar system including the eight planets, asteroids, the sun, the moons, and comets. We will study the planets and their moons in depth looking at the many characteristics of each. At the end of the unit, we will add to our planet expertise with a fun filled project. Next, we will dive into the complex orbits that moons make around planets and that planets make around the sun. We will learn about the eight phases of the moon in detail and about how Earth plays a role in causing those phases. We will also learn about how the Earth's orbit around the Sun and its tilt causes the seasons. Lastly, we will explore how are solar system came to be in the first place by looking at the major theories of the solar system origin. We will answer the question “How did the sun and planets come to be what they are today?" At the end of this unit, you will be much more knowledgeable about the endless depths of our universe.

=Establish Goals= Maine Learning Results: Science and Technology D. Physical Setting D1. Universe and Solar System Grades 6-8 Students explain the movements and describe the location, composition, and characteristics of our solar system and universe, including planets, the sun, and galaxies. a. Describe the different kinds of objects in the solar system including planets, sun, moons, asteroids, and comets.

= = =Students will understand that= •there are many different kinds of objects in the solar system including planets, the sun, moons, asteroids, and comets. •earth days, years and seasons are related to orbits. •there are many theories about the origin of the solar system.

= = =Essential Questions= •How do the many objects in the solar system interact with each other? •Why do orbits play an important role on Earth? •How do the major theories of the origin of the solar system compare and contrast?

= = =Students will know= •Key Factual Information: the order of the planets and their composition due to their location. •Vocabulary: orbit, planet, gravity, dwarf planet, meteor, meteorite, meteoroid, comet, axis, solar and lunar eclipse. •Important Events and People: Galileo Galilei, Giovanni Cassini, the origin of the solar system, solar eclipse and lunar eclipse.

= = =Students will be able to= •a. Describe the different kinds of objects in the solar system including planets, sun, moons, asteroids, and comets. •Document the nightly phases of the moon in a journal for a month. •Create a model of the solar system which includes all of the planets in their correct order. •Argue which theory of the solar system's origin is the most likely to be true due to the evidence. •Consider the many theories about the origin of the solar system. •Recognize that the Earth's orbit around the sun results in Earth's years.

**Performance Task Overview** You are meteorologist on one of the most popular news stations on your planet. You absolutely love your job but your last few weather segments have not been up to par and the Network Directors are on the brink of firing you. Your news station is number one on the planet but the competition is catching up. They are coming up with catchy new ideas to deliver the weather that are working because their ratings have started to climb. Your bosses are starting to get nervous so they have put you under review and will be giving you one last chance to prove to them that you are a great and masterful meteorologist. They will be carefully observing your next presentation of a seven day forecast so it is your job to deliver an extraordinarily clear, detailed, and accurate forecast so you can keep your job and your news station at number one. Your seven day forecast will be based on the actual atmospheric conditions of any planet in our solar system other than Earth. It is important to thoroughly research your chosen planet in order to become a true expert and be able to deliver your best forecast. This is your job and your news stations number one status on the line so make sure to give it all you got and show those directors what you are really made of!!

=Expectations= This class will be a lot like your favorite serial T.V. show because if you miss episodes, then the ones you do watch just do not make any sense. Attendance is a crucial part of learning in this class because each class missed puts you further behind. I expect you to attend and be on time for every class. If you absolutely must be absent, it is your responsibility to communicate with me or a fellow classmate about the work you missed and complete it before next class. If you choose not to accept this responsibility then you will quickly see the consequences. Participation is also an important part of this class because your questions and involvement in the learning process is what drives the class.

I expect all assignments to be turned in on time and in your best quality, unless you have spoken to me in advance and we made separate arrangements. If for some reason you hand in an assignment late, you will receive a ten point deduction for every day that it is late. After the fourth day, the assignment will not be accepted and you will receive no credit for it. Most assignments will not be graded upon first submission which means that you will have a chance to go back and revise your work. When you make your final submissions, I expect you to submit the original draft along with the final in the best quality it can be. If you are absent the day an assignment is due, it is your responsibility to get it to me as soon as possible the next day.

Academic honesty and integrity is very important in this class. There is a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism which means that if you are caught plagiarizing, you will get an automatic zero on the assessment and will be reported to the office. Part of learning is creating your own work so why steal when you can use your own imagination.

If you have an identified learning disability and need special accommodations, please let me know immediately. =Benchmarks= Below is the point value for each assessment and your grade will be based on the percent of points earned from the total points of 400.

During our lesson on the phases of the moon, you will be required to take pictures yourself or get pictures offline of the moon in its different phases. You will then upload these pictures onto a wiki that you have created. There must be at least one picture of each phase and it must be clear. A description needs to be included for each photograph. //**Orbit iMovie (60 points)**// You will create an iMovie that demonstrates the Earth's orbit around the Sun. You will research and include what effects this orbit has on the Earth. Some effects that must be touched upon in the movie are the seasons and Earth years. It is up to you to make this as creative as you want because it shouldn't be just a boring presentation. You want to make sure that your audience will walk away from this knowing exactly what the effects are from Earth orbiting around the Sun. //**Theories of Origin Blogs (40 points)**// In class, students will lead a discussion about the major theories of solar system origin. Students will break up into small groups and discuss how they personally believe the solar system originated. They must provide evidence so that their teammates can understand why they believe the way they do. No theory is wrong and students must respect each other while they discuss their thoughts. That night, students will write a blog about what they learned in class. They must address their own personal beliefs regarding the solar system's origin and some other theories they heard from their classmates. If they changed their mind for some reason, they must discuss this change and what caused it. //**Planet ComicLife (60 points)**// Students will be responsible for researching one particular planet in our solar system. They must learn the basic characteristics of that planet and will present those characteristics to the rest of the class using ComicLife. Students do not need to go too in depth about the planet but they must know the fundamentals and what distinguishes it from the rest. The ComicLife must be rich with material, clear, and organized. //**Earth's Life Rap (50 points)**// During a lesson on the major theories of the solar system origin, you will learn exactly why Earth is the only planet in our solar system that can harbor life. Students will be paired up and will create a fun, musical rap involving the reasons why Earth is the only planet that has life on it. They must at least touch upon the Earth's distance from the Sun and what effects that has on the surface temperature but they must include other factors as well. The rap can be put to music or be accapella. //**Performance Task (100 points)**// The planets are very different from one another, especially with their atmospheric conditions. Each student will take on the role of meterologist and will be giving a seven day forecast from any planet in our solar system other than Earth. You will become an expert about your planet and inturn know a lot more about the complex elements of our solar system. This will be the final assessment for the unit. //**WebQuest (50 points)**// You will separated into small groups and required to complete a modified version of this [|WebQuest]. =Grading Scale= A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).
 * //Wiki Scrapbook (40 points)//**