12-Week Astronomy Program

Students investigate what waves are and distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves. Although sound cannot travel through space, understanding waves provides an important foundation for understanding how astronomers collect information. Students explore light as an electromagnetic wave and learn why light is the most important source of information for observational astronomy.

• Define a wave and describe its basic properties.
• Explain wavelength, frequency, amplitude and wave speed.
• Distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
• Explain why sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space.
• Recognize that different types of waves carry information.
• Explain that visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
• Identify different types of electromagnetic radiation.

Students learn how lenses bend light and how convex and concave lenses are used in optical instruments.

• Explain refraction.
• Describe how convex and concave lenses affect light.
• Identify focal point and focal length.
• Explain how a convex lens can produce a magnified image.
• Connect lenses to telescopes and cameras.
• Explain how a pinhole camera forms an image.
• Identify how cameras and telescopes use similar optical principles.

Students discover how astronomers use telescopes to collect and magnify light and explore the major types of telescopes.

• Explain the main purpose of a telescope.
• Describe how refracting and reflecting telescopes work.
• Explain why larger telescopes can collect more light.
• Understand the importance of magnification and resolution.
• Identify different types of astronomical telescopes.

Students investigate inner and outer planets and their characteristics.

• Identify the four inner planets.
• Identify the four outer planets.
• Compare their sizes, atmospheres and temperatures.
• Explain the difference between terrestrial and gas/ice giant planets.
• Compare gas giants and ice giants.
• Describe planetary rings and moons.
• Identify major features of each planet.

Students study the Sun as a star and the main source of energy for Earth. Students explore Earth as a planet and investigate its rotation, revolution, and atmosphere.

• Describe the basic structure of the Sun.
• Explain how the Sun produces energy.
• Explain nuclear fusion in simple terms.
• Describe Earth's rotation and revolution.
• Explain the causes of day and night.
• Explain the reason for seasons.

Students investigate the Moon's formation, surface, phases, movement and relationship with Earth.

• Describe the main features of the Moon.
• Explain the phases of the Moon.
• Distinguish between the Moon's rotation and revolution.
• Explain why we see nearly the same side of the Moon.
• Describe the importance of the Moon to Earth.

Students learn how the alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon produces solar and lunar eclipses. Students work practically to construct a model demonstrating solar and lunar eclipses.

• Explain how a solar eclipse occurs.
• Explain how a lunar eclipse occurs.
• Identify the umbra and penumbra.
• Construct a working Sun–Earth–Moon model.
• Correctly explain the position of the three bodies.

Students compare Mars with Earth and investigate planets outside our Solar System.

• Describe the major characteristics of Mars.
• Explain why Mars is considered a candidate for past or present life.
• Define an exoplanet.
• Explain basic methods used to detect exoplanets.
• Understand the concept of a habitable zone.

Students discover that stars have different masses, temperatures and colours and follow different evolutionary paths.

• Explain what a star is.
• Compare stars by colour, temperature and size.
• Describe the basic life cycle of a star.
• Distinguish between low-mass and high-mass stars.
• Explain how stars can end as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes.

Students explore the enormous systems of stars, gas, dust and dark matter called galaxies.

• Define a galaxy.
• Identify spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies.
• Compare different galaxy types.
• Explain that galaxies contain billions of stars.
• Describe the structure of the Milky Way.
• Explain the approximate scale of our galaxy.

Students investigate one of the most extreme objects in the universe and distinguish scientific facts from popular misconceptions. Students study the evidence that the universe is expanding and explore the Big Bang model.

• Explain what a black hole is.
• Describe the event horizon.
• Explain what is meant by an expanding universe.
• Describe the Big Bang model.
• Identify major evidence supporting the Big Bang.

Students explore the concept of a cosmological singularity and discuss what current scientific theories can and cannot explain.

• Define singularity in the context of cosmology.
• Understand why the concept creates problems for current physics.
• Distinguish established evidence from scientific hypotheses.
• Develop arguments using scientific evidence.
• Recognize the limits of current scientific knowledge.