4-0 Objectives & Sequence

Astrophysics

Students explore vocabulary and activities about the interrelation of Astrophysics and STEM disciplines.

Writing Definitions

Students practice writing definitions and using definitions to help support content in academic essays. 

APA Guidelines

Students learn APA format and citation rules for academic essays and practice with both exercises and a full essay.

 Math Vocabulary

Lessons continue introducing algebra vocabulary from polynomials to logarithms, and students practice these words in exercises.

Presentation

Students practice synthesizing material and applying ideas in a multitude of contexts. For this unit's presentation, students respond to a video about a mission to Mars. 

Reading Strategies

Students learn new reading strategies and practice previously learned skills like prediction, reading for main ideas, and reading for details.

4-1 Humanity: An Interplanetary Species

Students discuss the social and scientific importance of space exploration and watch a video of Stephen Hawking explaining more about this topic.

4-2 Saving Earth

Students discuss catastrophic threats Earth could face and watch a video on the feasability of exploring Earth-like planets as a solution.

4-1 One Astrophysics Research Project at a Time

This lesson is paired with Listening 4-1, this reading focuses on promoting inclusion in STEM. The reading includes vocabulary, prediction and completion exercises.

4-2 Are American Astrophysics Papers Accepted More Quickly Than Others?

In this lesson, students read an abstract and then a full, published scientific study about bias in the publication of astrophysics papers.

4-3 Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species

This lesson includes reading strategies for remaining engaged in academic reading, as well as exercises for summarizing and analyzing using an article by Elon Musk. 

4-4 A Planet Hotter Than Most Stars

Students discuss what they know of stars and planets, read an article about a planet with star-like qualities, and answer comprehension questions.

4-1 Promoting Inclusion in STEM

This lesson is paired with Reading 4-1. These listening exercises include note-taking, prediction, summarizing and categorizing.

4-2  The Banach-Tarski Paradox

Students watch a video introducing concepts of infinity and paradox using an intriguing mathematical paradox. Students complete a variety of note-taking and comprehension exercises.

4-3 Neil deGrasse Tyson

Students research online to find videos with or about the famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Students share their findings in groups and conduct critiques.

4-1 Mars Trek

Students watch a video on terraforming and complete a variety of vocabulary and comprehension exercises.

4-2 Buying a Telescope

Students watch a video on telescopes and practice transitions and academic vocabulary.

4-3 What Shape is the Universe?

Students watch a video about three possible shapes of the universe. The exercises include listening for numbers and listening for key concepts.

4-1 Algebra: Expressions with Multiple Terms, Order of Operations and Factoring

A lesson and exercises introducing key vocabulary used in algebra, focusing on manipulating polynomials. 

4-2 Algebra: Imaginary and Complex Numbers, Rational Exponents, and Exponentials and Logarithms

Students learn and practice vocabulary and pronunciation for words related to imaginary numbers, exponentials and logarithms.

4-3 Math Review: Real World Practice

Students read an article describing how logarithms are used to graph the distance between stars. Students answer comprehension topics about the article and its relation to algebra.

4-1 Careers in Space Studies

Students explore jobs within three different categories of space science and conduct research to find more information.  

4-2 Presentation: Mars Mission Briefing

Students continue building on the Mars Mission Briefings they created in Media & Tech 4-1, developing a 3-5 minute presentation.

4-1 Writing Definitions

Students review definition writing, focusing on classifying, characterizing, clarifying, and exemplifying.

4-2 APA Guidelines

This lesson introduces APA and some general information about references and citation.

4-3 APA Format

Students learn how APA essays should appear, focusing on characteristics like font, spacing and indentations.

4-4 Essay

Students use the skills they've learned in this unit for writing definitions and using APA citation to write an essay about Earth-like planets.