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Uncovering Student Ideas in Astronomy: 45 New Formative Assessment Probes


By: Page Keeley and Cary Sneider

$29.56 - Member Price  
$36.95 - Nonmember Price

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$38.43 - Member Price  
$48.04 - Nonmember Price

$24.02 - Member Price  
$27.71 - Nonmember Price

Details

Type of Product:NSTA Press Book (also see downloadable PDF version of this book)
Average Rating:
 based on 1 review
Publication Date:3/15/2012
Pages:255
Stock Number:PB307X
ISBN:978-1-936137-38-1
Grade Level:Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Read Inside:Read a sample chapter: Shorter Days in Winter

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Our reviewers—top-flight teachers and other outstanding science educators—have determined that this resource is among the best available supplements for science teaching.
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Description

What do your students know—or think they know—about what causes night and day, why days are shorter in winter, and how to tell a planet from a star? Find out with this book on astronomy, the latest in NSTA’s popular Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series. The 45 astronomy probes provide situations that will pique your students’ interest while helping you understand how your students think about key ideas related to the universe and how it operates. The book is organized into five sections: the Nature of Planet Earth; the Sun-Earth System; Modeling the Moon; Dynamic Solar System; and Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe. As the authors note, it’s not always easy to help students untangle mistaken ideas. Using this powerful set of tools to identify students’ preconceptions is an excellent first step to helping your students achieve scientific understanding.


Ideas For Use

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Earth's revolution
Earth's rotation
Moon
Seasons
Sun
Gravity
Meteoroids
Moons
Planets
Stars
Suns
Days
Phases of the moon
Seasons
Years
Scientific habits of mind
Intended User Role:Curriculum Supervisor, Elementary-Level Educator, High-School Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher
Educational Issues:Assessment of students, Classroom management, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies

Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
About the Authors
Introduction
Section 1: The Nature of Planet Earth

Concept Matrix
Teaching and Learning Implications
Curriculum Topic Study Guides
Related NSTA Science Store, Journal Articles, and Learning Center Resources
1. Is Earth Really “Round”?
2. Where Do People Live?
3. Falling Through the Earth
4. What Causes Night and Day?
5. The Two Rs
6. Where Did the Sun Go?
Section 2: The Sun-Earth System
Concept Matrix
Teaching and Learning Implications
Curriculum Topic Study Guides
Related NSTA Science Store, Journal Articles, and Learning Center Resources
7. Sunrise to Sunset
8. Shortest Shadow
9. What’s Moving?
10. Pizza Sun
11. How Far Away Is the Sun?
12. Sunspots
13. Shorter Days in Winter
14. Changing Constellations
15. Why Is It Warmer in Summer?
Section 3: Modeling the Moon
Concept Matrix
Teaching and Learning Implications
Curriculum Topic Study Guides
Related NSTA Science Store, Journal Articles, and Learning Center Resources
16. Seeing the Moon
17. Sizing up the Moon
18. Does the Moon Orbit the Earth?
19. Earth or Moon Shadow?
20. Moon Phase or Solar Eclipse?
21. Comparing Eclipses
22. Moon Spin
23. Chinese Moon
24. Crescent Moon
25. How Long Is a Day on the Moon?
26. Does the Earth Go Through Phases?
27. Is the Moon Falling?
Section 4: Dynamic Solar System
Concept Matrix
Teaching and Learning Implications
Curriculum Topic Study Guides
Related NSTA Science Store, Journal Articles, and Learning Center Resources
28. What’s Inside Our Solar System?
29. How Do Planets Orbit the Sun?
30. Is It a Planet or a Star?
31. Human Space Travel
32. Where Do You Find Gravity?
33. Gravity in Other Planetary Systems
Section 5: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
Concept Matrix
Teaching and Learning Implications
Curriculum Topic Study Guides
Related NSTA Science Store, Journal Articles, and Learning Center Resources
34. Shooting Star
35. Is the Sun a Star?
36. Where Are the Stars in Orion?
37. Which Is Bigger?
38. What Are Stars Made of?
39. What Happens to Stars When They Die?
40. Do Stars Change?
41. Are We Made From Star Stuff?
42. Seeing Into the Past
43. What Is the Milky Way?
44. Expanding Universe
45. Is the Big Bang Just a Theory?


This Title Also Available as Part of a Set:
Set: Uncovering Student Ideas in Science (set of 7 books)
Member Price: $168.45 Nonmember Price: $210.57

National Standards Correlation

This resource has 23 correlations with the National Standards.  
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This resource has 23 correlations with the National Standards.  
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  • Earth Science
    • Objects in the sky
      • The sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, and airplanes all have properties, locations, and movements that can be observed and described.
      • The sun provides the light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature of the earth.
    • Changes in earth and sky
      • Objects in the sky have patterns of movement.
      • The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes slowly over the seasons.
      • The moon moves across the sky on a daily basis much like the sun.
      • The observable shape of the moon changes from day to day in a cycle that lasts about a month.
    • Earth in the solar system
      • The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets. (5-8)
      • The sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system. (5-8)
      • Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. (5-8)
      • The motions of most objects in the solar system explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.
      • Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and governs the rest of the motion in the solar system. (5-8)
      • Gravity alone holds us to the earth's surface and explains the phenomena of the tides. (5-8)
      • The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth's surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle. (5-8)
      • Seasons result from variations in the amount of the sun's energy hitting the surface, due to the tilt of the earth's rotation on its axis and the length of the day. (5-8)
    • Origin and evolution of the universe
      • The "big bang" theory places the origin between 10 and 20 billion years ago, when the universe began in a hot dense state; according to this theory, the universe has been expanding ever since. (9-12)
  • Science as Inquiry
    • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.
      • Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
      • Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence. (9-12)
  • Process Standards for Professional Development
    • Evaluation
      • Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. (NSDC)
  • Teaching Standards
    • Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.
      • Select science content and adapt and design curricula to meet the interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities, and experiences of students.
      • Select teaching and assessment strategies that support the development of student understanding and nurture a community of science learners.
    • Teachers of science engage in ongoing assessment of their teaching and of student learning.
      • Analyze assessment data to guide teaching.
      • Use multiple methods and systematically gather data about student understanding and ability.


Customer Reviews
Uncovering Astronomy Conceptions
  Reviewed by: Sandy Gady (Renton, WA) on April 11, 2012
  I love Page Keeley. Her prompts always bring the best out in students and help reveal their misconceptions in a totally non-threatening way. This is the seventh in a series that just been released. As a National Board Certified teacher, this is one of two series I would not be without in my professional library. I use this series with my middle school students in my classroom every opportunity I have. I also recommend them to those that are undertaking the National Board Certification process to help identify student misconceptions and providing evidence of student growth in learning. This book covers concepts associated with Astronomy. The sections are divided into, “The Nature of Planet Earth”, “The Sun-Earth System”, “Modeling the Moon”, “Dynamic Solar System”, and “Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe.” I am particularly in love with Prompt 5, “The Two Rs”. This prompt ferrets out student understanding around rotate and revolve. I also really like at the end of some prompts there is an “NSTA Learning Center Resources” section that tells you where you can go within the Learning Center for more help – SciGuides, SciPacks, Science Objects and other resources. All of the prompts have a “References” section with resources that range from articles, to websites, to applets and interactives.

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