Georgia S6E1

S6E1 is a Georgia science standard. These are the elements under it.

• S6E1.a

  Ask questions to determine changes in models of Earth's position in the solar system, and origins of the universe as evidence that scientific theories change wi...

• S6E1.b

  Develop a model to represent the position of the solar system in the Milky Way galaxy and in the known universe.

• S6E1.c

  Analyze and interpret data to compare and contrast the planets in our solar system in terms of: * size relative to Earth, * surface and atmospheric features, * ...

• S6E1.d

  Develop and use a model to explain the interaction of gravity and inertia that governs the motion of objects in the solar system.

• S6E1.e

  Ask questions to compare and contrast the characteristics, composition, and location of comets, asteroids, and meteoroids.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students gather information from reliable sources about the universe, including its structure, scale, and expansion. They explain how new observations and tools caused scientific models to change over time.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students describe a current model accurately and support it with evidence from observations. They compare earlier and current models, explain why views changed, and judge whether a source is reliable.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may treat a scientific theory as a guess or assume older models changed only because scientists disagreed. They may confuse a light-year with time or think the universe expands from one central point.

04

How to Assess It

Give students three evidence cards about galaxy motion, telescope images, and cosmic background radiation. Ask them to explain which scientific view each supports and why.

1. 01

   Use balloons, dot stickers, and rulers to model increasing distances between galaxies as space expands.

2. 02

   Write a claim explaining why scientific views of the universe change, using one historical observation and one modern observation.

3. 03

   Play a card sort matching scientists, tools, observations, and models, then defend one match to a partner.

4. 04

   Compare a recent space telescope news article with its source agency release, highlighting claims, evidence, and unsupported conclusions.

• S2P1

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the properties of matter and changes that occur in objects.

• S7L1

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically.

• S2E2

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to develop an understanding of the patterns of the sun and the moon and the sun's effect on Earth.