Origins of the Universe MEL

The Origins of the Universe MEL asks students to explore the connections between evidence and competing models about how the Universe began. It is one of the most fundamental and existential questions humans have asked.

MEL Activities

There are two forms of this MEL Origins of the Universe Activity....a pre-constructed (pcMEL) and a build-a-MEL (baMEL). The pcMEL limits student choices, which may be good for the first time the activity is introduced to a class or if you are working at earlier grade levels. The baMEL allows more choices, which may be good for students who have used the MEL before or are at an advanced grade level. Below the activity links are additional teaching resources that will help students learn more about light spectra and characteristics of a universe changing through time.


Overview

This article provides an introduction to the Origins of the Universe MEL build-a-MEL (baMEL). It is useful even if you are using the Origins of the Universe pcMEL with your students. The primary difference between the pcMEL and the baMEL is that with the pcMEL students are given two models and four lines of evidence in a preconstructed diagram where as with the baMEL students choose two models from three and select four lines of evidence from eight to create their own MEL diagram.

The Origins build-a-MEL Article Cover
The Origins build-a-MEL (Acrobat (PDF) 492kB Feb8 21)

Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations

HS-ESS1-2: Earth's Place in the Universe

  • Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

MS-ESS1-2: Earth's Place in the Universe

  • Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

Lateral Reading (LR) Resources

There are no source articles for the Origins of the Universe MEL.


Other Resources

This Plausibility Ranking Task (PRT), which may be completed prior to using any MELs, helps students to understand the role of evidence in supporting or refuting models.

Digital Resources

The Big Bang CERN
The Big Bang, a google project in collaboration with CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), provides access to a video, an augmented reality app, and a series of articles about the Big Bang and the origin of the universe.


The Big Bang NASA Science
The Big Bang from NASA Science shares how the universe evolved and describes its fundamental forces and composition, through big bang stories, multimedia and more!


SPEREx website screenshot
SPHEREx Observatory will collect data on more than 450 million galaxies along with more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way in order to explore the origins of the universe. NASA's newest astrophysics space telescope launched in March 2025. SPHEREx is delivering its sky survey data to a public archive on a weekly basis, allowing anyone to use the data to probe the secrets of the cosmos.