Investigation Driving Question

How has the distribution of galaxies in the Universe changed over time?

Storylines

The storyline process is intended to be student-driven and connect lessons within the unit. The Observable Universe investigation, including this phenomenon, would fit best into unit storylines geared toward understanding the structure and evolution of the Universe.

Possible storylines include:

• How are galaxies arranged in space?
• How big is the Universe?
• How can we view the Universe at different times in its history?
• How has the structure of the Universe changed over time?

Instructions for Introducing Phenomenon

1. Before class starts, arrange a Driving Question Board (DQB) so it is visible to all students. This can be created using sticky notes or in a digital format (see other resources here). The DQB should include the investigation driving question, “How has the distribution of galaxies in the Universe changed over time?” Students will be revisiting this DQB throughout the lesson. If you have a driving question for the unit or already created a DQB board, this investigation driving question can be used as a sub-question.
2. Have students read and think about the driving question before doing the activity. (3 minutes)
3. Begin by saying: “Today we are going to watch some computer simulations of what the structure of the Universe looks like on a large scale. As you watch this, record what you notice and wonder about the structure of the Universe.” (Students can set up a notice and wonder T-chart in their notebooks to record observations and questions.
4. Then play this video: Large Scale Structure Simulations Video
5. After the video, provide students with the zoomable version of the largest 3D map of the Universe created by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Survey 5-year Plot Coming Soon and (DESI) Year-3 Fan Plot | NOIRLab (easier to see features such as voids with this smaller data set). Tell students Earth is at the center of the two fans, and bluer points indicate more distant objects.
   1. Students can add what they notice and wonder about the structure of the Universe in their T-Chart.
   2. Ask students to sketch a “pie slice” of the map in their notebooks. Encourage students to label Earth's location.
6. When students are done exploring the map and recording, they should share their noticings and wonderings in a small group and, as a group, select their top three questions about the structure of the Universe to share with the whole class.
7. Gather the class’s questions by asking for a group to share one of their questions. After a question has been shared, ask the class if any other group had a similar question. Group similar questions together on the DQB. Some questions may be different than any other and be placed alone on the DQB. (10 minutes)
8. As a whole class, facilitate a discussion about the questions. Begin by identifying and grouping common questions into categories. (10 minutes)
9. Revisit the investigation driving question and tell students they will be completing an investigation that will help them answer this driving question and their generated questions about the Universe.
10. Begin the Observable Universe Investigation.

Additional notes: The colors in the first fly-through simulation sequence represent matter in galaxies (yellow) and dark matter (purple). Pink shows areas of overlap. The “z” numbers that show up in some of the simulations are redshift values. Redshift numbers will also be used in the investigation. Higher numbers illustrate views from further distances and therefore earlier times in the history of the Universe. Lower numbers show how the Universe looks in more recent times.

Checkpoints - Revisiting the Phenomenon

Checkpoint 1 (End of p. 5)

• Students should return to their pie-slice sketch of the Universe.

• Ask students to add a label indicating areas of higher redshift and a time scale representing regions from the early Universe.

• As a whole class, revisit the DQB to see if you can now answer any of the questions, or add new questions.
  

Checkpoint 2 (End of p.11)

• Students should return to their pie-slice sketch of the Universe.

• In small groups, students should discuss how their sketch of the Universe or the DESI map supports the cosmological principle.

• As a whole class, revisit the DQB to see if you can now answer any of the questions, or add new questions.
  

Checkpoint 3 (End of p.14)

• Students should return to their pie-slice sketch of the Universe.

• Ask students to add labels for voids, filaments, and galaxy clusters.

• As a whole class, revisit the DQB to see if you can now answer any of the questions, or add new questions.

After the Investigation - Making Sense of the Phenomenon

• Provide time for students to add any final details to their sketch of the Universe.

• Students should then add a written explanation to answer how the distribution of galaxies in the Universe has changed over time. Ask students to include the role of gravity in the explanation.