Unit Plan 9 (Grade 6 Science): Space Systems — Quarter Synthesis

Focus: Model celestial motions, gravity-driven orbits, and solar system scale relationships, then apply these ideas to an engineering design challenge related to space systems.

Grade Level: 6

Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science — Space Systems • Engineering Design)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This quarter-synthesis unit brings together students’ learning about the Earth–Sun–Moon system, gravity and orbits, and solar system scale. Through stations, models, and a culminating design challenge, students show how celestial motions create phases, seasons, and eclipses, how gravity governs orbital paths, and how data reveal the scale of solar system objects and distances. Teams then define and tackle an engineering problem connected to space systems (e.g., planning an observation, stabilizing a satellite, or modeling orbital paths), using their science understanding to guide criteria, constraints, and design evaluation.

Essential Questions

• How do Earth’s motions and the Moon’s orbit create day and night, seasons, phases, and eclipses?
• How does gravity control the motions of planets, moons, and other objects in the solar system?
• What can data on sizes and distances tell us about the scale of the solar system, and why are many diagrams not to scale?
• How can we use our understanding of space systems to define and solve an engineering design problem related to space exploration or observation?
• Why is it important to use a systematic process to compare and test space-system design ideas?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Develop and use models of the Earth–Sun–Moon system to explain lunar phases, seasons, and eclipses (qualitatively).
2. Use orbital models to describe how gravity keeps planets and moons in motion around more massive bodies in the solar system.
3. Analyze and interpret data on solar system objects (diameter, distance) to describe scale properties and identify strengths/limitations of common diagrams.
4. Define a space-system engineering design problem with clear criteria and constraints (e.g., designing an observation tool, planning a model-based demonstration, or stabilizing a satellite model).
5. Evaluate and refine competing design solutions using a systematic process, including testing or data collection, and justify which solution best meets the criteria and constraints.

Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NGSS-based custom)

• MS-ESS1-1 — Develop and use a model of the Earth–Sun–Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses, and seasons.
• MS-ESS1-2 — Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motion of objects within the solar system.
• MS-ESS1-3 — Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of solar system objects.
• MS-ETS1-1 — Define design problems with sufficient criteria and constraints to ensure successful solutions.
• MS-ETS1-2 — Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints.
• MS-ETS1-3 — Analyze data from tests to compare the performance of different designs.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can use a model of the Earth–Sun–Moon system to explain why we see different phases and how eclipses and seasons happen.
• I can show, with models or diagrams, that gravity keeps planets and moons in orbit around more massive objects.
• I can use data tables or graphs to describe how big and far apart solar system objects are and explain why diagrams are usually not to scale.
• I can state a design problem, list criteria and constraints, and create more than one possible solution related to space systems.
• I can test or compare design ideas with a scoring system or data table and explain why one solution is best (or how to improve it).