Interactive Models
Learning from Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map
Overview
In this story map lesson students will learn how living with a star can teach us about our universe. Through a series of learning activities, students will examine the benefits and hazards of living with a star, describe and/or demonstrate how we use eclipses to study the Sun and its features, and investigate how our Sun may be used to learn about other stars and our universe.
This story map is intended to be used with students who have access to a computing device in a 1:1 or 1:2 setting.
Materials Required
Resources Needed Per Student:
- Student Data Sheet
- Computer/Tablet
- Internet Access
- Link to Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map
Directions
Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.
- Using an internet accessible device, students open the link to the Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map to begin their exploration of this phenomenon.
- Distribute the Learning From Stars and Solar Eclipses Story Map Student Sheet. Have students navigate on their own through the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate tabs of the story map to answer the questions and complete the activities on their student sheet.
Teacher Note
Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we’ve had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.
Supported NGSS Performance Expectations
- MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons.
- MS-ESS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
- MS-ESS1-3: Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
- MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
- HS-ESS1-1: Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the Sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the Sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.
- HS-ESS1-3: Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.
- HS-ESS1-6: Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.
- PS1C: Nuclear Processes
- Students will describe the life cycle of a star.
- Students will examine the benefits and hazards of living with a star.
- Students will describe and/or demonstrate how we use eclipses to study the Sun and its features
- Students will investigate how our Sun may be used to learn about other stars and our universe.
- What does living with a star teach us about the universe?
- How do we study the Sun?
- What does the Sun teach us about other stars?
- Internet Required
- One-to-One (tablet, laptop, or CPU)