9th Grade The Big Bang Lesson Plan

Topic: Big Bang Theory

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to describe and provide evidence for the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

Materials

• Handout with information and diagrams about light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe
• Images or videos of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe (optional)

Warm-up

• Have students close their eyes and think about what they know about the universe.
• Ask them to raise their hand if they think the universe is constantly expanding.
• Ask them to raise their hand if they think the universe has a center and the planets, stars, and galaxies move around it.
• Ask them to raise their hand if they think the universe has been around forever and will always be around.
• Ask them to raise their hand if they have heard of the Big Bang theory.
• Explain that today's lesson will be about the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

Direct Instruction

• Show the class a picture of the universe and ask them to describe what they see.
• Ask them what they know about the Big Bang theory.
• Explain that the Big Bang theory is the theory that the universe was once a very small and hot point, and then it rapidly expanded and cooled to form the universe as we know it today.
• Explain that the light spectra of distant stars and galaxies show that they are moving away from us, which supports the idea that the universe is expanding.
• Explain that the composition of matter in the universe shows that the universe was once made up of only hydrogen and helium, but over time stars have fused hydrogen and helium into heavier elements, such as carbon, oxygen, and iron.
• Ask the class if they have any other questions about the Big Bang theory.

Guided Practice

• Give each student a handout with a diagram of the early universe and questions about it.
• Ask the students to work in pairs and discuss the questions with each other.
• Remind the students to use the astronomical evidence presented in the direct instruction portion of the lesson to answer the questions.
• Allow enough time for the students to complete the activity and discuss their answers with their pairs.

Independent Practice

• Provide each student with a handout that includes a diagram of the early universe and several questions about it.
• Ask the students to work independently and answer the questions on the handout.
• Encourage the students to use the astronomical evidence presented in the direct instruction portion of the lesson to answer the questions.
• Allow enough time for the students to complete the activity and check their answers.

Closure

• Ask the students to share one thing they learned about the early universe during the independent practice portion of the lesson.
• Review the main points of the lesson, including the astronomical evidence for the Big Bang theory and the composition of matter in the early universe.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the guided practice and independent practice portions of the lesson to assess their understanding of the Big Bang theory and their ability to present their findings in a clear and organized way.
• Collect the students' completed worksheets and review them to assess their understanding of the Big Bang theory and their ability to classify matter into three categories: ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy.