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Acknowledgements
Bethany Blackwood
Laura Boyle
Gretchen Brinza
William Brown
Joanna Calandriello
Eu Choi
Kevin Connolly
Fitzgerald Crame
James Edstrom
Melinet Ellison
Jeffrey Erickson
Laura Frcka
Katleya Healy
Tracy Iammartino
Leigha Ingham
Sandra Jackson
Marianna Jennings
Edward Kania
Molly Lahart
Albert Lang
Chris Layton
Preston Lewis
Sushma Lohitsa
ShuJuana Lovett
Juven Macias
Kendra Mallory
Daphne Moore
Oscar Newman
Tim Nuttle
Lidia Ortiz
Tasia Pena
Kyle Radcliff
Bessie Rahman
Libby Robertson
Jennifer Schultz
Halyna Sendoun
Karoline Sharp
Thomas Sherlock
Lucas Smith
Andrew Stricker
Valia Thompson
Stephen Tow
Aurora Tyagi
Tracey Walker-Hines
Delora Washington
Jeanettra Watkins
Darnella Wesley
Melanie Yau
Lucy Young
Punya Mishra
Missy Cosby
Akesha Horton
Candace Marcotte
Rohit Mehta
Kyle Shack
Carl Sagans
Cosmos:
A personal voyage
The educators perspective
Ch. 1
THE
BIG
Humans have adapted to search for meaning and making sense of where we are in the
universe has been important throughout history.
We need to explicitly introduce the ideas of astronomical distance and geologic time to our
students.
Students need to become familiar with the types of evidence used to establish dates and
distances - the types of evidence required to discuss these ideas.
Science requires habits of mind such as curiosity and skepticism in order to advance
knowledge. For example, Eratosthenes was able to derive a method for determining the
size of the Earth based on a shrewd observation of shadows.
Students need to become familiar with conventions for large (and small) numbers.
Educators need to explicitly make students familiar with examples of scientific thinking
across cultures.
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 1
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 1
Students will expand their definition of what resources they have to answer questions to
include: family members, observations, thought experiments, and peers in addition to
traditional resources like texts and the Interweb.
Students will become more adept at sharing what they have learned.
Students will exhibit habits of mind like curiosity, skepticism, and openness to new ideas.
As a result of these developments, students will begin to view their school as a forum
to explore curiosity.
Ch. 2
Cosmic Fugue
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
People believed that God created the Earth for us or could believe that we adapted to the
Earth as it is.
Students make an argument and use this knowledge as Evidence to support their argument
FOR
Ch. 2
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 2
Ch. 3
And if we live in an
unpredictable world, where
things change in random,
or very complex ways, we
would not be able to figure
things out. Again, there
would be no such thing as
science.
The Harmony of Worlds, page 41
Image retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Phyllotaxis
THE
BIG
Math and science are interconnected and do not stand alone. One concept lends itself to
understanding another, especially as we acknowledge how they connect across disciplines.
STEM
EDUCATORS
They allow us to question about the relationships around us and the factors that
influence them.
The more things change, the more they stay the same because everything is based on
patterns. The building blocks of math and science allow for sequential learning, determining
how cause and effect relate to understanding the world around us.
FOR
IDEA(S)
Ch. 3
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 3
Ch. 4
The Earth is a tiny and fragile world. It needs to be cherished. - Carl Sagan pg. 107
THE
BIG
The Cosmos is full of planets with their own conditions however the Earth is the only planet
that we know of that has the unique conditions to support many versions of life.
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
FOR
Ch. 4
Our planet has a unique atmosphere that not only sustains life but protects it; the
composition of gases in the atmosphere and how these gases moderate temperature.
These gases protect the planet from solar radiation and cosmic debris.
The atmosphere of Venus and Mars and how their atmospheres make those planets barren
of life.
Certain conditions are needed to sustain; this includes chemical compositions.
There must be an appreciation of just how unique Earth is within the Cosmos. The
conditions on Earth (how far away we are from the sun, relative size of the Earth, relative
size of the Sun, the star stage of our Sun) make it unique.
Humans impact the Earth in many ways; those human impacts affect its atmosphere and
ecosystems.
The Earth is affected by random cosmic events.
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 4
When given data sets (atmospheric conditions of various planets, distance from the sun,
relative size of the planet compared to the sun), determine whether life as we know can
exist on said planets.
Create an organism that can live on Venus and Mars as it currently exists.
Journal about two factors that could be changed on Venus and Mars so the planets are
able to support life. Include an explanation of what would change about the organism
created.
Debate the immediate and long term effects of a cosmic event on Earth.
Ch. 5
STEM
EDUCATORS
Introduce concepts in relationship to the cosmos, the unknown. We dont know what we
are going to find. We are venturing to the unknown.
Our preconceived idea of what life is may be different from what we will find out. Is there
more for you to learn?
There is so much out there that we dont know, and that is okay.
There are multiple ways to get from the known to the unknown (problem solving).
Be persistent.
The cosmos is so vast, but if we together study and discover more about it, the cosmos
do not seem so large. You have to focus to get more out of it.
THE
BIG
FOR
IDEA(S)
Ch. 5
PERFORMANCES OF
Life is the concepts or topics in the curriculum - testing the instrumental knowledge
and the relational understanding. Be able to support ideas and understanding by analyzing,
discussing, and making meaningful connections. Expand upon basic understanding of the
concept of idea.
Show students how different inventions were developed for different reasons. (Example,
silly putty was developed during WWII to find a different way to manufacture rubber
w/o petroleum). Students would then come up with other ideas.
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 5
Ch. 6
telescope
an extension
represent
of human vision to the
realms of the very small and the
http
s:
kr/p //flic.
/6Jg
w6v
JD H
anco
ck
Orde
Lar
r of
Toas ge
t
very large.
p. 151
Travelers Tales
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 6
As educators, we should allow students to question, internalize, and synthesize the results
of their explorations.
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 6
Keep a journal
Generate a list of observations
What do these observations mean to you?
Produce an artifact
This would communicate understanding from their journey
Peer reflection
Ch. 7
The sky is important. It covers us. It speaks to us. Before the time we found the flame, we
would lie back in the dark and look up at all the points of light. Some points would come
together to make a picture in the sky... Could they be the pictures of the powerful beings in the
sky, the ones who make the storms when angry? (Sagan, page 176).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29233640@N07/3731507326
THE
BIG
In spite of the best efforts of the mystics to contain scientific inquiry, science trumps
mythology through QUESTIONING and EXPERIMENTATION to make sense of the Cosmos.
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 7
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 7
Ch. 8
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 8
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 8
Ch. 9
It would be clear from such a world, as it is from ours, how our matter, our form, and much of
our character is determined by the deep connection between life and the Cosmos. (pg. 255)
-Carl Sagan
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 9
Everything in the universe is related; from the smallest piece of matter to the largest
collection of matter that has yet to be discovered.
At our very core life is all related, we are all built using common parts.
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 9
Ch. 10
http://traceywalkerhines.weebly.com/
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
FOR
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 10
Observed evidence tells us that the universe is expanding and has been doing so since the
big bang.
Theories about the fate of the universe are constantly being argued and revised.
All cultures have myths about the creation of the universe.
The universe began with the big bang.
This theory is based on the doppler effect:
Light from objects that move away from an observer appear more red (redshift)
Aside from a few local galaxies, all of the galaxies observed have a redshift and are
moving away from the Earth
This means that the universe is expanding equally in all directions
Extrapolating this back through time, we rationally arrive at the Big Bang (pop!)
The fate of the universe is still unknown, (expanding infinitely vs. oscillating between big
bangs and big crunches).
Much data has been gathered since this book was published which has supported
the expansion theory but left us with many new questions.
Every culture has a myth about the creation of the universe
These are often beautiful, but are ultimately based on premonitions
Understanding the mind blowing nature of the cosmos requires an understanding of multiple
dimensions (which is inherently very difficult!).
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 10
Ch. 11
THE
BIG
Intelligence can be seen in computers, whales, DNA, human brains, and man-made
structures such as cities, libraries, books and satellites). Can it exist in other worlds?
Allows us to to see intelligence as being contained in broader contexts than merely the
brain.
Computers and intelligence - bits and bytes as basic units of information
Consider animal intelligence (as exhibited by whales and their unique mode of
communication)
The role of DNA and other genetic forms of intelligence
Intelligence lies in the brain
The evolutionary aspects of developing human intelligence
Intelligence lies in structures made by humans
Cities, libraries, books, computers, satellites as all being forms of inhabiting
collective intelligence.
The distinct possibility of alien intelligence
The odds for and against
Communicating with alien intelligences (how can it be done)
IDEA(S)
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 11
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 11
Define intelligence
And its many manifestations on this planet
Recognizing intelligent behavior
Provide examples of intelligence in humans, animals, cities and computers
Discuss how this has implications for the development of alien intelligence
Life on other worlds
Challenges to the origin of life on other worlds
The probability of life on other worlds
Communicating with alien intelligences
Mathematics v.s. Music
Ch. 12
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
FOR
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 12
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 12
Students debate and attempt define life. How can we distinguish life from non-life?
Students debate and attempt to define intelligence?
Students explore the idea that computers can be intelligent?
Students play the Turing Test against bots on the Internet?
Watch the moving The imitation game and debate the value of the Turing test
Students explore on the internet and find examples of animal intelligence.
Students attempt to define what makes it different from human intelligence?
Debate questions: Is intelligence an inevitable consequence of evolution?
Does intelligence necessarily mean technological proficiency?
How can one communicate with intelligent beings? Animals? Aliens?
Ch. 13
Chapter 13
Who
Speaks
for
Earth?
THE
BIG
IDEA(S)
There is no other species that does science...its not perfect, it can be misused, it is only a tool,
but is by far the best tool that we have. It is self-correcting, on-going, applicable to
everything. pg. 352 Value knowledge and act wisely to pass this knowledge on.
Apply your understanding and share your passion with others to create enthusiasm. We cannot
stand alone.
FOR
STEM
EDUCATORS
Ch. 13
PERFORMANCES OF
UNDERSTANDING
Ch. 13
The End