1. How have Theories of the formation and structure of the universe changed?
Instructional Approach(s): Introduce the essential question and the standard for the lesson.
S6E1a. Relate the Nature of Science to the progression of basic historical scientific models (geocentric, heliocentric) as they describe our solar system, and the Big Bang as it describes the formation of the universe.

2. Activating Strategy: Theory Challenge Activity
Suggested Instructional Approach(s): See pages 1-2 of the Theory Challenge Activity on the resource page to provide instructions and suggestions for implementation.

3. A Scientific Theory is an explanation or model backed by results obtained from many tests or experiments.
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher provides definition of a scientific theory and the students record the definition on their notes.

4. Greater telescopes and imaging technology
Why do theories change?
Scientific theories change when scientists discover new information
New technology, new tools, and/or new observations can provide new information.
Think back to the Theory Challenge Activity. What new technology and/or tool was mentioned?
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher asks the students “why do theories change?” and gather a few responses from students. If students cannot come up with responses, let them pair up and possible discuss with another student. However, do not spend more than 2-3 minutes discussing why theories change. After discussions, allow students to answer the question on their notes.
Greater telescopes and imaging technology

5. For centuries, there have been a variety of theories to explain the formation and structure of the universe.
We will examine some of these theories and identify the most widely accepted theory today.
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher reads the slide as a transition to the theories of the universe.

6. How and when did the universe begin
How and when did the universe begin? No one was around when the universe began, so who can say what really happened?
The best that scientists can do is work out the most foolproof theory, backed up by observations of the universe.
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher reads that slide as a transition to the Big Bang Theory.

7. Theory Activator [see resources]
Suggested Instructional Approach(s): This is an optional demonstration called the Balloon Bang [do not give the students the actual name of the demonstration because it will give away the answer before you are ready to discuss it]. Balloon Bang – Have students stand up and form a large circle. Without saying a word, go to the center of the circle and blow up a balloon filled with colored confetti. Hold the balloon high enough for all students to see clearly. Pop the balloon, still not saying a word. Ask the students “What happened? What event in the history of the universe could this represent?”

8. The Big Bang Theory
The most commonly accepted theory today of the formation of the universe is the Big Bang Theory.
The theory states that the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from an enormous explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature.
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher introduces the Big Bang Theory and the students answer a question on their notes about the Big Bang Theory.

9. Instructional Approach(s): Teacher uses the picture to show how the universe was formed over time in the Big Bang Theory

10. The Big Bang Theory Demonstration [see resources]
Instructional Approach(s): See the Big Bang Theory Demonstration on the resource page to provide instructions and suggestions for implementation.

11. Visualizations of the Big Bang
video clip of an ice skater spinning
Instructional Approach(s): Click on the link provided to show a visualization of the Big Bang Theory. o Another analogy that the students might be able to understand is the spinning ice skater. Ask students how many of them have seen an ice skater do a spin. Have students describe it. Show a video clip of an ice skater spinning. You might have noticed that when the twirling ice skater pulls in her arms, she spins faster. The same thing occurs when a cloud of gas, ice, and dust in a nebula contracts. As mass moves toward the center of the cloud, the cloud rotates faster.

12. the Big Bang video clip [see resources for examples]
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher selects a video clip to show to the class from the resource list.

13. In spite of its problems, the Big Bang is still considered by most astronomers to be the best theory we have.
As with any scientific hypothesis, however, more observation and experimentation are needed to determine its credibility.
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher reads or has students read the information on the slide. Possibly discuss briefly with the class about the impact of technology and how quickly technology changes. Additionally, theories may change more quickly now than in the centuries before because of the constant changes in technology and the new evidence that might be discovered.

14. Distributed Summarizing
Turn to a partner and describe the Big Bang Theory and why it is called a Theory.
Instructional Approach(s): Allow students to turn to a partner (without getting out of their seat), either one they select or if necessary one the teacher assigns, to discuss the Big Bang Theory and why it is a theory. Additionally, have students record on their notes an illustration or example of the formation of the universe by the Big Bang Theory (Balloon Bang, Big Bang Demonstration with the glitter in the water bottle, Ice Skater, or another example).

15. another theory about the universe…
Big Bang theorists claim that all of the galaxies, stars, and planets still hold the explosive motion of the moment of creation and are moving away from each other at great speed.
In 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble announced that all of the galaxies he had observed were moving back from us, and from each other, at speeds of up to several thousand miles per second.
Since the Big Bang explosion, they reason, the universe has been expanding.
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher reads through the information or has students read the information. The third bullet is the “big idea” of the slide. The students should answer the question on their notes about “another theory that is closely associated with the Big Bang Theory”.

16. Expanding the Universe on a Balloon Demo
Astronomers use the analogy of cooking raisin bread to demonstrate the expanding universe
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher uses the illustration of cooking raisin bread as an example of the expansion of the universe. Students should explain on their notes how cooking raisin bread demonstrates the expansion of the universe. Another approach is to conduct the Expanding the Universe on a Balloon Demonstration. See “Expanding the Universe on a Balloon Demonstration” on the resource page with teacher directions for conducting the demonstration.
Expanding the Universe on a Balloon Demo

17. the Universe After its Big Bang…
The Universe includes living things, planets, stars, galaxies, dust clouds, light, and even time.
The Universe contains billions of galaxies, each containing millions or billions of stars. The space between the stars and galaxies is largely empty.
So, if the universe supposedly was formed by the Big Bang, how did these other objects form?
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher reads the slide to transition to the next concept.

18. the Universe After its Big Bang…
As millions of years passed, the dense areas of the universe pulled in material because they had more gravity. Finally, about 100 million years after the Big Bang, the gas became hot and dense enough for the first stars to form. Large clusters of stars soon became the first galaxies.
Scientists believe that Solar Systems formed in similar ways. Giant clouds of dust and gas began to collapse under the weight of its own gravity. As it did so, the matter contained within it began to move in a giant circle, much like the water in a drain moves around the center of the drain in a circle.
In short, after the Big Bang, dense clouds of gas and dust from the “bang” either collapsed or stuck together to form the parts of the universe we know today.
Further away from the center of this mass where the star was forming, there were smaller clumps of dust and gas that were also collapsing.
The star in the center eventually ignited forming our Sun, while the smaller clumps became the planets, minor planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.
At the center of this spinning cloud, a small star began to form. This star grew larger and larger as it collected more and more of the dust and gas that collapsed into it.
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher should slowly take the students through the animated ppt slide describing what happened after the “big bang”. At the end of the slide, an “in short” box summarizes the events that led to the formation of other objects in our solar system. The students should record how other parts of the universe were formed on their notes.

19. anOther Theory which has changed over centuries is the scientific model of our solar system
Instructional Approach(s): Teacher should read the first bullet slide that leads to the next activity, Great Debate! Model of the Solar System Activity.

20. The Great Debate! Models of the solar system activity Scene: Courtroom Year 1515
Instructional Approach(s): See the resource page for the Great Debate Activity. The teacher should follow the directions in the Great Debate activity to facilitate the first courtroom scene. After the first courtroom scene, the teacher should show the ppt slide on Ptolemy’s Model and Copernicus’ Model of the solar system. Students should record the important information on their notes and draw a simple diagram of each model.

21. Ptolemy’s Model of the Solar System
Ptolemy’s theory is known as the Geocentric Model because he thought the Earth was the center of the universe
In Greek, “Geo” means earth
He believed his theory for several reasons
Gravity of all objects were attracted to the earth, which suggested to him that the earth must be the center.
He thought the Earth did not move because objects fell in the same place if thrown up in the air. He thought if the earth moved, objects would fall in a different place.

22. Copernicus’ Model of the Solar System
Copernicus’ theory is called the Heliocentric Theory because he thought the sun was the center of the universe.
In Greek, “helios” means sun
Galileo made additional observations using a telescope which supported the heliocentric theory.
Galileo observed that Venus went through a full cycle of phase’s like the Moon. This could only be explained if Venus were orbiting the Sun.

23. The Great Debate! Models of the solar system activity Scene: Courtroom Year 1610
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher should facilitate the last scenes of the Great Debate activity.

24. Why was the geocentric model of the solar system replaced by the heliocentric?
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher should pose the question to the class. Either have students do Think, Pair, and Share or have an open classroom discussion about why the theory changed.

25. Models of the Solar System
Video Clip of Models:
Animation of the Geocentric Model:
Animation of Heliocentric Model
Instructional Approach(s): The teacher should show each short clip or animation to reinforce the difference between the two models.

26. Distributed Summarizing:
You are Galileo, write a letter to Copernicus’ ghost to tell him how Galileo has saved his name – be sure to include Galileo’s findings, how he fixed Copernicus’ reputation, and what the solar system has been proven to actually look like (which solar system model). The letter must be a minimum of 5 sentences.
Instructional Approach(s): The students should complete the distributed summarizer individually as a type of formative assessment. The teacher should read the student responses to determine if the students understand the model of the solar system.

27. Summarizing sTrategy
3 – Identify three people who have contributed to the models of our solar system
2 - Describe two models that were debated for hundreds of years
1 - Name of the theory that explains the formation of the universe
Instructional Approach(s): The students should complete the summarizer.