| (a) |
Describe scientific theories on the formation of the solar system, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. |
| (b) |
Describe scientific theories and models of the origin and evolution of the universe and the observational evidence that supports those theories (e.g., red shift of galaxies, cosmic microwave background radiation, and abundance of light elements). |
| (c) |
Construct and critique a visual representation of the life cycle of stars using appropriate scientific terminology and identify strengths and weaknesses of the representation. |
| (d) |
Explain the need for new evidence in order to continually test existing theories in science (e.g., explain the need for new evidence obtained from space-based telescopes and close-up observations by satellites, which can reinforce, adjust, or reject existing inferences based on observations from Earth). |
| (e) |
Identify new questions and problems that arise from what was learned about the origins of the universe (e.g., “What are the limits of space travel?”, “How old is the Universe?”, and “Is Earth the only suitable home for humans?”). |
