Changing Ideas About Space

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Space Exploration|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_KiRn5lnRgj

Understand that ideas about the solar system changed over time: ancient people believed Earth was at the centre (geocentric model, Ptolemy), until Copernicus proposed the Sun was at the centre (heliocentric model), later confirmed by Galileo’s telescope observations

Mastery Evidence

Describe the geocentric model (Earth at the centre) and name Ptolemy as its main proponent
Describe the heliocentric model (Sun at the centre) and name Copernicus as the person who proposed it
Explain that Galileo used a telescope to find evidence supporting the heliocentric model (e.g. moons orbiting Jupiter)

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] tell you that people used to think the Sun went around the Earth, and explain how scientists like Copernicus and Galileo changed our understanding?”

Prerequisites1

Earth's Spin & Orbit
hardAges 7—9

Show full prerequisite tree

Earth's Spin & Orbit hard
Must understand Earth's rotation and orbit before comparing geocentric vs heliocentric models
- Seasons & Weather Patterns soft
  Seasons concept benefits from knowing Earth orbits Sun
  - Seasonal changes soft
    Seasons/weather patterns parallels curriculum four seasons topic
    - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
      Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
      - Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Types of Weather soft
    Seasons benefit from weather vocabulary
- The Sun is a star hard
  Must know the Sun-centred system before understanding Earth's rotation and orbit within it
  - Sun, Moon & Stars hard
    Must know the Sun is a sky object before learning it is a star
    - Why seasons change soft
      Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
      - Naming the Planets soft
        Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Our Solar System hard
    Must know about the solar system before learning the Sun is at its centre
    - Sun, Moon & Stars hard
      Must know the Sun and stars before learning about planets and the solar system
      - Why seasons change soft
        Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification
        
        Naming the Planets soft
        Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically

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