“He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and might in power; his understanding has no limit.” Psalm 147:4-5
In this 10 day/ two week unit students will
discover what is beyond our galaxy; the Milky Way. Students will learn about
characteristics of stars, classifying stars and constellations, lives of stars,
star systems and galaxies, the history of the universe and tools of modern
astronomy. Students will learn the marvel and mysteries of the stars, the
galaxies, and the universe. These things that seem so distant and so far out of
reach can be understood and should be taught as part of the rest of creation.
They will se how these faraway mysteries can relate to their own lives through
their studies in science, language arts, math, social studies, Bible, art,
music, and physical education. All these areas have something important to offer
students about stars, the universe, and galaxies to further and deepen their
understanding.
“You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” Nehemiah 9:6
As a seventh grade class we will explore the amazing, limitless power and creativity of our God. Nothing that we are studying in this unit could have just appeared, there had to be an amazing Creator who made all of this happen. As Christians we believe that God created the world; all that is in it and all that is above it. We know and believe this according to scripture and God’s Word in Genesis. There are various other views that society has about how this amazing intricate universe was created. We will discuss these views and will focus on understanding what we believe as Christians and why we believe in God and not some of the other views. Seventh graders are at an age where they want to know the issues and feel responsible or important, as a result, discussing other view points can be very beneficial and important. Because of sin, we will never truly know the scope of our God and intricacies of His creation, but we are redeemed in Christ. By studying a unit like this one, we can better understand our God and closer to him through our awe and appreciation. We must not only try to better understand God but also our purpose here on earth, so that we can live a life that glorifies him; a life that watches over and restores his creation; being stewards. This includes learning how to take care of our world and also how to take care of the bigger picture, like our universe. What are the ripples of our actions? Students need to know how they can affect the world around them and how they can play important roles in their society and community. Space, universes, and galaxies seem to far away, but through studying about them I think we can show that we can have impact, we can be connected with space, and we can take care of it like we were called to. We can wrestle with the broadness of our calling to subdue the earth and rule over it. Does our calling to cultivate include space? Students are asking deeper personal questions about themselves, who they are, and how they fit into the world and society around them. I think through our studies, discussions, and activities students can find some identity in who they are in God and in the world he created. This unit will help students answer how they fit into God’s Creation by pushing students will try to live out their purpose through the exploration of his creation. Field trips, visual aids, group work, and night observations will all be a part of the students’ inquiry into God’s creation. In language arts, students will read stories about scientists and the discoveries they have made throughout the years. Creation reflects God’s creativity and power. How truly limitless is His creativity even as He is limitless. Students will use the same creativity to come up with their own adventures to describe the life of an astronaut in today’s technological world and also come up with their own constellations and galaxies.
This unit will allow student to dig deeper within their faith and to marvel at the beauty of the vast universe God placed before our eyes. Students will be challenged to think at a deeper level as well as build a growing appreciation and curiosity for the universe and God’s creation. They will be pushed to understand and comprehend the greatness of our God. Students must make decisions and draw conclusions for themselves about what they believe to be true and that are responsible and conscious about the fact that there is more out there than just us. Student might struggle with a concept that seems to distant and still somewhat unknown to the human race. The universe is so huge that we truly can not know or understand everything, but we need to acknowledge that there so much more beyond us and do our best to understand what we can. This unit will enable students to understand modern astronomy and technology used to study stars. Technology has changed since first studying space. Students will learn about the characteristics of stars, constellations, lives of stars and star systems. Greek mythology and astrology will be used to help build student’s understanding of stars. Math will be used to explain distances, angles, and speed of light as well as other applicable story problems. Language Arts will use literature and creative writing activities to expand student’s understanding. Faith and science will be incorporated to into galaxies and the universe. Students will learn the history of the universe both secular and Christian.
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