SHEREEN EL-REFAI & CINDY HONG JANUARY 9, 2014 LANGUAGE ARTS 9

WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THE STANDARD AND HOW YOUR PIECE RELATES TO IT.
Standard: Describe theories on the nature of the solar system (e.g., Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Kepler) For this standard we created a puppet show to demonstrate the different theories and how they relate to each other. We did this by allowing the 3 astronomers to have a conversation about their views on the solar system in a talk show. This relates to the standard because the puppet show explains their views and how they compare to one anothers. For example; Ptolemys views were not the same as Keplers and we emphasized that. We videotaped the puppet show with the help of my brother and James and edited it using a video editor. Ptolemy shared his views about a geocentric universe; the Earth is the center of the universe. He also explained his theory of the celestial sphere with all the planets; constellations, the sun, and moon in fixed positions. These celestial objects spun in circles called orbits in 8 concentric spheres. The celestial sphere completes 1 rotation around Earth every day, while Earth is motionless at the center. Copernicus countered Ptolemys theory with a heliocentric universe; the Sun is the center of the universe. He theorized that the planets travel in 8 circular orbits around the Sun. Copernicuss theory made more mathematical sense than Ptolemys because the Sun warmed all the planets, and with his theory that was possible. In the end Kepler proved Ptolemy and Copernicus wrong with Keplers Laws of Planetary Motion. Which are, #1 the planets travel in elliptical orbits around the Sun. The Sun is not at the center is it is at 1 focal point, nothing is at the other. #2 the speed of a planets orbit depends on its distance from the Sun. If the planet is closer to the sun it moves faster, if it is farther away it moves slower. #3 the farther away a planet / dwarf planet is the longer their orbit. If a planet/ dwarf planet is closer to the Sun its orbit is faster. Ex. Earth is closer to the Sun than Pluto is. Earths orbit takes 365 days, Plutos orbit takes 91 000 Earth days. Standard: Describe the formation of the Earths moon with reference to supporting evidence. For this standard we created a song to demonstrate how the Earths moon was formed and narrated the supporting evidence in the beginning. Our piece relates to this standard because it describes how the events of the formation of the moon occurred and gave supporting evidence to support it. We recorded the song and added in diagrams of the formation of the moon to help with the understanding of the song.

The big splash theory is supported by the evidence that came from the rock and soil samples taken during the Apollo landings on the moon in the 1960s and 1970s. 4.5 billion years ago the moon was formed. It all started because of large chunks of matter surrounding earth. The matter came together due to the force of gravity overtime to form an object the size of mars. It collided with Earth and heat and pressure caused it to explode. The dense matter attached to Earth core because of gravity, the less dense matter was strewn into space from the impact. Little bits of the edges of Earths surface broke off as well. Most of the rocky leftovers from the collision formed together over time in the atmosphere due to pressure, heat, and gravity to create Earths moon. This theory is known as the Big Splash theory. Standard: "describe the formation of the solar system (e.g., condensing nebula) and its components (e.g., planets, moons, comets, asteroids, the Sun) and the formation of the universe (e.g., Big Bang)" For this standard we created a Guess What? Guess Who? Book. For how the universe and solar system was formed it is just a description of the events that transcribed and images of the process. As for the components we used an image and described what the components are as characters. Ex: the Sun is a girl and is Earth's girlfriend. Our universe was formed 13.7 billion years ago from something no bigger than an atom, with high density and heat containing all the matter and energy in the universe. Ever since it has been continually expanding, this is the Big Bang theory also known as "singularity." Our solar system began as a collection of gas and dust (a nebula), consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium. These particles came from the explosion of a star at the end of its life time, a supernova. Due to gravity the particles began to come together causing the nebula to collapse, its internal temperature and pressure increasing. The nebula began to rotate due to the materials in the nebula getting denser, (condensing nebula). As the speed of the nebula's rotation quickened it started to contract and flatten out collapsing under the force of gravity. Once the nebula had flattened out in the center there was a bulge which would later become our Sun. The disk of cooler matter away from the Sun was to be used to form the planets. The disk broke apart into smaller chunks (protoplanets) that came together due to the force of gravity. Over time the terrestrial planets formed from this matter. When the internal temperature and pressure became too great it started to cause reactions. These reactions released large amounts of energy into the outer regions (hydrogen & helium) that would later form the outer planets. In the center of the nebula was our sun in development, leaving the denser matter near it. Planets, the planets formed when the sun released large amounts of energy and gases into the outer regions leaving the denser matter near the sun. From the gases in the outer regions the outer planets, also known as the gas giants were formed. They are mainly composed of hydrogen and helium, (Ex. Neptune & Jupiter). From the denser matter surrounding the sun, (protoplanets) the terrestrial planets also known as the inner planets were formed due to the force of gravity, (Ex. Mars & Earth). Moons are composed of the rocks that surround planets in a ring; the matter is attracted to planets due to gravity. When the matter comes together because of the force of gravity it forms a moon, the moon then revolves around the planet. Earth's moon steals the light from Earth and revolves around it.

Asteroids are objects composed or rock and metal that revolve around the sun due to gravity but are too small to be called planets. They are leftover matter from the formation of the planets. Most asteroids are a part of the asteroid belt. The Sun is a star on the main sequence that will later become a red giant at the end of its lifetime, then a white dwarf, and finally a planetary nebula. I Comets are composed of frozen matter in chunks that orbit the sun in long elliptical paths. As it comes near to the sun it melts from the heat causing it to become gases, producing a glowing comets tail due to solar wind and pressure. They are from the outer regions past Neptune. Their periods around the Sun are very predictable allowing us to anticipate when we will be able to see them.

Standard: Describe the significance of Earths rotation, revolution, and axis tilt (e.g., seasons, day/night)

For this standard we created a TV tower. What it basically is-is a cylinder where you can turn the slides to see the other side of descriptions & diagrams. We created this because we believed it would be an interesting way to demonstrate the significance of rotation, revolution, & axis tilt. Rotation is the spinning of an object on its axis. Earth completes one full rotation on its axis every 24 hours (1 day). When a part of the Earth is facing the Sun it is experiencing daylight, when it is facing away from the Sun it is experiencing night. Earth's rotation also causes the movement of objects in the sky; the sun, moon, and the planets. Ex: Retrograde motion which is the slowing, reversal, and then looping of planets in their path across the sky. Revolution is the movement of an object around another object. Earth completes one full revolution around the Sun every 365 1/4 days (1 year). Earth revolves around the sun in an ellipse, in it there are 2 focal points, the Sun is at 1 focal point, and nothing is positioned at the other. When the Earth is closest to the Sun throughout its revolution it is called perihelion, when it is farthest from the Sun is called aphelion. (January 3, July 4) Axis tilt is an imaginary line that shows how many degrees from perpendicular an object is leaning on. Earth's axis tilt is 23.5 degrees. The seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis. Summer in the Northern hemisphere is caused when Earth is tilted towards the Sun. Winter is caused when Earth is tilted away from the Sun. During summer, the sun is higher in the sky so its rays are more concentrated over a small region. In winter, the Sun is lower in the sky and its rays are less concentrated over a large region. Precession is the changing direction of Earths axis, which completes a full circle in the sky every 26 000 years. This movement changes the position of the North Celestial Pole. Ex. Right now the north celestial star is Polaris during Jesus time it was Pieces. Standard: explain and illustrate solar and lunar eclipses For this standard we created a website to explain solar and lunar eclipses with visuals. We also added a form of our other projects onto the website as well.

A lunar eclipse can only occur if Earth is positioned between the Sun and Moon. It happens when the entire Moon passes through Earth's shadow. When only half of the Moon passes through Earth's shadow it is called a partial lunar eclipse. During a full lunar eclipse the Moon is barely visible but something else can occur as well, a red Moon (bright red glow).A red Moon occurs due to refraction, which is the bending of sunlight in Earth's atmosphere onto the surface of the Moon. If the wavelengths are shorter (bluer) they get scattered away in Earth's atmosphere but if they are longer (redder) they are visible on the face of the Moon. A solar eclipse can only occur during a new Moon, when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun. The Sun and Moon appear to be the same size because the Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away from Earth. During a total solar eclipse only the outer atmosphere of the Sun; corona is visible since the Moon completely covers the Sun. If the Moon does not full cover the face of the Sun is it either an annual or partial lunar eclipse. A total solar eclipse can last from a few second to 7 minutes. Astronomers can safely study solar flares from the Sun (bursts of gas) without damaging their eyes during a total solar eclipse.