Proxima b: How Earth-like Is It?

In this lesson, students will analyze an intended to support reading in the content area. The article showcases the recent discovery of a planet orbiting our nearest star that may have the necessary ingredients to harbor life. The possibly Earth-like planet is 4 light years away, however. How might we explore it in greater detail? The lesson plan includes a note-taking guide, text-dependent questions, a writing prompt, answer keys, and a writing rubric. Numerous options to extend the lesson are also included.
Resource ID#: 163666 Type: Lesson Plan
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General Information

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8
Intended Audience: Educators educators
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area:Yes
Keywords: exoplanet, planet, galaxy, telescope, universal gravitation, orbit, light year, Proxima b, Proxima Centauri, text complexity, lesson plan
Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan,  Worksheet,  Assessment,  Video/Audio/Animation,  Text Resource,  Formative Assessment
Resource Collection: STEM Reading Resources

Aligned Standards

This vetted resource aligns to concepts or skills in these benchmarks.

Related Resources

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Lesson Plan

Space Telescope: Optics and the EM Spectrum:

In this MEA, students will:

  • identify and compare characteristics of the electromagnetic spectrum such as wavelength, frequency, and energy.
  • understand the benefits of studying astronomy using the electromagnetic spectrum and appreciate the amount of knowledge available through data and observations such as planetary images and satellite photographs.
  • assess the value of technology in science for such purposes as access to outer space and other remote locations, sample collection, measurement, data collection and storage, computation, and communication of information.
  • be able to describe the vast distances between objects in space using an understanding of light and how it travels.
  • be able to analyze scientific texts and support their findings with textual evidence.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Text Resource

Kepler A Search For Habitable Planets:

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The text describes NASA's "Kepler" mission, which uses a photometer telescope to examine our region of the Milky Way Galaxy for habitable planets similar to Earth.

Type: Text Resource

Tutorials

Antarctic Evidence:

Click "View Site" to open a full-screen version. This tutorial is designed to help secondary science teachers learn how to integrate literacy skills within their science curriculum. This tutorial focuses on using specific textual evidence to support students' responses as they analyze science texts. The focus on literacy across content areas is designed to help students independently build knowledge in different disciplines through reading and writing.

Type: Tutorial

Digging for Clues: Effective Vocabulary Strategies:

Click "View Site" to open a full-screen version. This tutorial is designed to help secondary science teachers learn how to integrate literacy skills into their science curriculum. This tutorial will demonstrate a number of strategies teachers can impart to students to help them use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words within science texts. It will also help them teach students how to select the appropriate definition from reference materials. The focus on literacy across content areas is intended to help foster students' reading, writing, and thinking skills in multiple disciplines.

Type: Tutorial