SC15.6.2 | ALEX

Science (2015) Grade(s): 6

SC15.6.2
Construct models and use simulations (e.g., diagrams of the relationship between Earth and man-made satellites, rocket launch, International Space Station, elliptical orbits, black holes, life cycles of stars, orbital periods of objects within the solar system, astronomical units and light years) to explain the role of gravity in affecting the motions of celestial bodies bodies (e.g., planets, moons, comets, asteroids, meteors) within galaxies and the solar system.

Unpacked Content

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Systems and System Models

Knowledge

Students know:

The solar system is a collection of bodies, including the sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and meteors.
A galaxy is any of the very large groups of stars and associated matter that are found throughout the universe.
The Earth's solar system is one of many systems orbiting the center of the larger system of the Milky Way galaxy.
Gravity is an attractive force between solar system and galaxy objects.
Gravity increases as the mass of the interacting objects increases.
Gravity decreases as the distances between objects increases.
Gravity affects the orbital motion of objects in our solar system (e.g., moons orbit around planets, all objects within the solar system orbit the sun).
Gravity is a predominantly inward-pulling force that can keep smaller/less massive objects in orbit around larger/more massive objects.
Gravity causes a pattern of smaller/less massive objects orbiting around larger/more massive objects at all system scales in the universe.
Gravitational forces from planets cause smaller objects (e.g., moons) to orbit around planets.
The gravitational force of the sun causes the planets and other bodies to orbit around it, holding the solar system together.
The gravitational forces from the center of the Milky Way cause stars and stellar systems to orbit around the center of the galaxy.
The hierarchy pattern of orbiting systems in the solar system was established early in its history as the disk of dust and gas was driven by gravitational forces to form moon-planet and planet-sun orbiting systems.
Objects too far away from the sun do not orbit it because the sun's gravitational force on those objects is too weak to pull them into orbit.
Without gravity smaller planets would move in straight paths through space, rather than orbiting a more massive body.

Skills

Students are able to:

Develop a model and identify the relevant components including gravity and celestial bodies.
Describe the relationships and interactions between the components of the solar and galaxy systems.
Use the model to describe gravity and its effects.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Gravity is an attractive force between solar system and galaxy objects.
Gravity causes a pattern of smaller/less massive objects orbiting around larger/more massive objects at all systems scales in the universe.

Vocabulary

Model
Simulation
Gravity
Gravitational force
Solar system
Galaxy
Milky Way galaxy
Sun
Planets
Moons
Asteroids
Asteroid belt
Stars
Celestial bodies
Elliptical orbit

Aligned Learning Resources

Straw Rockets

Make Your Own Space Shuttle Adventure

Our Solar System: Inner Planets StudyJam

Our Solar System: Outer Planets StudyJam

Gravity and Inertia StudyJam

The Moon StudyJam

The Universe StudyJam

Satellites and Gravity