http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#discussion http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12762
Some general thoughts as a non-scientist reading through this.

1. SUMMARY: You mention that this is "ongoing" even today, giving the impression that it is occurring in other solar systems as we speak. I think it is important to realise that the different stages of the process are even occurring right now in our OWN solar system. It's a non-linear process even within our own system. (e.g. things are still being hit with objects, and I am sure there are still bits of gas particles floating around glomming together, and I am sure gravity is doing things to objects in the Kuiper belt still, and all that.) SO ... you might want the kids to attach "range bars" to their models to show the time frame of their processes merging and spreading into each other's models or something.

2. Do you have a vision of how kids might make a 3-d dust cloud? Are all the steps possible to model in a practical sense for kids? (Give them the challenge, I am sure they will come up with wonderfully inventive approaches!)

3. It would be good to celebrate the kids' final product in some way by displaying it directly, or displaying photographs on the web.

A fine project. If the kids really get into it and work to do it well to model the true process as best they can, the results could be spectacular.

Cheers,

J.


]]> James Tanton 1277650860 http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12762 http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12786
Producing models for steps of formation will certainly help students both understand and remember what they have been taught. Your activity, though, needs a lot more meat -- here are some questions that occurred to me while reading.

Where does the information on solar system formation come from?

How is it given to the students, and how are they guided to understand it?

How do you direct them to choose parts to model?

Do the teams work together to make a seamless series of models, or are they all separate?

How will you help them describe or show processes, and not just physical images?

Will you introduce the idea of uncertainty in this model and discuss which parts are best understood?

Do take care to move well beyond Wikipedia in your sources. Personally I like Wikipedia a lot but it should be a starting point, not an ending point.

I look forward to hearing how it goes!

all the best -

Lindy

]]> Lindy Elkins-Tanton 1277734800 http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12786 http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12868
I think that model making (like drawing or writing) allows one to express knowledge and also to further develop it through exposing uncertainties, conflicting ideas, and the like. For that reason it has real potential for students who are learning how the solar system formed (and is evolving).

To start on their models, students need to have quite a bit of knowledge already. The more concretely you plan how you will "get them there," the better. I know you plan a lecture. They may also need to integrate information from other sources.
Elaborating on your Learning Goal might be useful at this point. What, specifically, would a more complete understanding entail? Fleshing out the science in the Background section would also be a good move.

In the Assessment section, you note that the models will show what students know or don't. How about scheduling time for further research and discussion after this, so that students can clarify confusions and further develop their ideas? They can then "upgrade" their models accordingly.

It could be useful for kids to model "options" where different theories have been suggested.

I'll be interested to hear what the combination of lecture (and perhaps work with other sources) and modeling yeilds!

Ellen]]> Ellen Doris 1277871000 http://serc.carleton.edu/spaceboston/2010activities/46839.html#post12868