Next Generation Science Standards

Science literacy and critical thinking skills

Developing and using models
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematical and computational thinking

Three dimensional lesson summary for an astronomy or physics class:

Students use mathematical and computational representations of the physical and orbital properties of asteroids to reason how gravitational interactions, kinetic energy, and changes to asteroid orbits allow one to determine whether an asteroid will be potentially hazardous for Earth, and the overall damage it may cause.

Building towards:

HS-ESS1-4 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.


Science and Engineering Practices Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking	Use mathematical, computational, and/or algorithmic representations of phenomena to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations. Students first calculate the probability of an Earth impact, then make quantitative predictions about how probabilities will change as the result of adding additional observations of an asteroid. Students the calculate the asteroid diameter, volume, mass, and kinetic energy in order to assess its potential threat to Earth.
Disciplinary Core Ideas HS-ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System	Kepler’s laws describe common features of the motions of orbiting objects, including their elliptical paths around the sun. Orbits may change due to the gravitational effects from, or collisions with, other objects in the solar system. Students apply their understanding of the minimum orbit intersection distance to decide if an asteroid might experience a change in orbit, causing it to become a threat to Earth.
HS-PS2.B: Types of Interactions	Forces at a distance are explained by gravitational fields permeating space that can transfer energy through space. Students apply their understanding about how mass and distance affect gravitational forces to reason why orbits of some asteroids change over time.
HS-PS3.A: Definitions of Energy	Energy is continually transferred from one object to another and between its various possible forms. At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as in motion, sound, light, and thermal energy. Students are asked to evaluate the potential damage to structures and harm to humans that could occur when the kinetic energy of an asteroid is converted to other forms of energy upon Earth impact.
Crosscutting Concept Scale, Proportion, and Quantity	Students use algebraic thinking to examine scientific data and predict the effect of a change in one variable on another. Students perform calculations that estimate the asteroid diameter from its albedo and absolute magnitude; the asteroid’s mass from its diameter and density, and the asteroid’s kinetic energy from its mass and velocity. Students consider which factor (the asteroid’s mass or its velocity) is more significant in predicting the amount of potential damage if the asteroid impacts Earth.

Science and Engineering Practices

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Use mathematical, computational, and/or algorithmic representations of phenomena to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations.

Students first calculate the probability of an Earth impact, then make quantitative predictions about how probabilities will change as the result of adding additional observations of an asteroid.
Students the calculate the asteroid diameter, volume, mass, and kinetic energy in order to assess its potential threat to Earth.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

HS-ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System

Kepler’s laws describe common features of the motions of orbiting objects, including their elliptical paths around the sun. Orbits may change due to the gravitational effects from, or collisions with, other objects in the solar system.

Students apply their understanding of the minimum orbit intersection distance to decide if an asteroid might experience a change in orbit, causing it to become a threat to Earth.

HS-PS2.B: Types of Interactions

Forces at a distance are explained by gravitational fields permeating space that can transfer energy through space.

Students apply their understanding about how mass and distance affect gravitational forces to reason why orbits of some asteroids change over time.

HS-PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

Energy is continually transferred from one object to another and between its various possible forms. At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as in motion, sound, light, and thermal energy.

Students are asked to evaluate the potential damage to structures and harm to humans that could occur when the kinetic energy of an asteroid is converted to other forms of energy upon Earth impact.

Crosscutting Concept

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

Students use algebraic thinking to examine scientific data and predict the effect of a change in one variable on another.

Students perform calculations that estimate the asteroid diameter from its albedo and absolute magnitude; the asteroid’s mass from its diameter and density, and the asteroid’s kinetic energy from its mass and velocity.
Students consider which factor (the asteroid’s mass or its velocity) is more significant in predicting the amount of potential damage if the asteroid impacts Earth.

Three dimensional lesson summary for a geoscience class:

Students analyze data on the physical and orbital properties of an asteroid to predict whether the asteroid is likely to strike Earth. They calculate the incoming asteroid’s kinetic energy and consider what will happen when kinetic energy converts to other forms of energy on impact. Students then construct an explanation based on evidence of the potential damage and harm to life if the asteroid were to impact Earth.

Building towards:

HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

MS-ESS3-2 Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.


Science and Engineering Practices Analyzing and Interpreting Data	Consider limitations of data analysis (e.g., measurement error), and/or seek to improve precision and accuracy of data with better technological tools and methods (e.g., multiple trials). Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena. Evaluate the impact of new data on a working explanation and/or model of a proposed process or system.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions (HS)	Construct and revise an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Disciplinary Core Ideas HS-ESS3.B: Natural Hazards	Natural hazards and other geological events have shaped the course of human history at local, regional, and global scales.
MS-ESS3.B: Natural Hazards	Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region and understanding related geological forces can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.
Crosscutting Concepts Cause and Effect	HS: Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. MS: Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.
Energy and Matter	MS & HS: Within a natural system, the transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter. MS: Energy may take different forms (e.g. energy in fields, thermal energy, energy of motion).
Connections to Engineering Influence of Science, Engineering and Technology on Society and the Natural World	HS: Modern civilization depends on major technological systems.
Connections to Nature of Science Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems	HS: Science assumes the universe is a vast single system in which basic laws are consistent. HS: Scientific knowledge is based on the assumption that natural laws operate today as they did in the past and they will continue to do so in the future. MS: Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.

Physics - Earth-Space Science Correlation Table

Are you working on integrating Earth-Space Science standards into your Physics class? Click on the link below and make of a copy of this Google Sheet to search by Performance Expectation (PE), Disciplinary Core Idea (DCI), or Rubin Observatory investigation.

Physics - Earth-Space Science Correlation Table

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