Probes, Suggested Grade Levels, Concepts, and Related Disciplinary Core Ideas:

The Nature of Planet Earth

1- Is Earth Really Round? (3-8); spherical Earth; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the shape of the Earth. The probe is designed to reveal how students support their concept of the shape of the Earth. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

2- Where Do People Live? (3-8); spherical Earth, gravity; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the spherical shape of the Earth. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that they are standing on a sphere. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

3- Falling Through the Earth (6-12); gravity; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s gravity. The probe is designed to reveal how students think gravity would act inside the Earth. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

4- What Causes Day and Night? (3-8); day-night cycle, spherical Earth, rotation, spin; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the day/night cycle. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain the cycle of day and night. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

5- The Two R’s (3-12); day-night cycle, rotation, spin, revolution, orbit; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about two commonly confused words in earth and space science. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish between rotation and revolution. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe

6- Where Did the Sun Go? (3-8); day-night cycle, sun, sunset, sunrise, Earth’s rotation; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Earth-Sun system. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain where the Sun is in relation to the Earth in the nightime. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

The Sun-Earth System

7- Sunrise to Sunset (3-8); Sun, Sun’s path in the sky, sunrise, sunset, Earth’s rotation, Sun-Earth system; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the apparent movement of the Sun. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the Sun moves throughout the day. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

8- No Shadow (3-8); Sun, Sun’s path in the sky, shadows, Earth’s rotation, Sun-Earth system; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Sun’s motion during the day. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize the Sun is never directly overhead in the continental United States. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

9- What’s Moving? (3-8); Sun-Earth system, orbit; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s orbit. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize the Earth orbits around the Sun. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

10- Pizza Sun (3-12); relative size, Earth, Sun, Sun-Earth system; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the relative size of the Earth and Sun. The probe is designed to reveal how large students think the Earth is in comparison to the Sun. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe

11- How Far Away Is the Sun? (3-12); relative distance, Sun-Earth system; SS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about relative distance. The probe is designed to reveal how students use relative scale to estimate the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe

12- Sunspots (6-12); sunspots, Sun, surface features of the Sun; ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about a prominent feature of the Sun. The probe is designed to reveal what students think sunspots are. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

13- Shorter Days in Winter (6-12); Sun-Earth system, seasons, length of day; SS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about seasonal daylight hours. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain shorter daylight hours in winter. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

14- Changing Constellations (3-12); seasons, constellations, evening sky, Earth’s rotation, Earth’s orbit; SS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about seasonal changes in the night sky. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain why different constellations are visible in different seasons. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

15- Why Is It Warmer in Summer? (6-12); seasons, Earth’s axis, tilt, angle of sunlight; Earth-Sun system; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the cause of seasons. The probe is designed to reveal how students use Earth’s tilted axis to explain the seasons. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

Modeling the Moon

16- Seeing the Moon (3-12); Moon, day time sky, night time sky; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Moon. The probe is designed to reveal when students think the Moon is visible. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

17- Sizing Up the Moon (3-5); Apparent vs. actual size, Moon; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the size of the Moon. The probe is designed to reveal how students perceive the size of a far away object in the night sky. Type of Probe: Ranking Probe

18- Does the Moon Orbit the Earth? (3-12); Moon, Moon’s orbit sidereal month; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Moon’s motion. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the Moon’s orbit. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

19- Earth or Moon Shadow? (5-12); Moon, Moon phases; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Moon phases. The probe is designed to reveal whether students confuse an explanation for a lunar eclipse with an explanation for the phases of the Moon. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

20- Moon Phase and Solar Eclipse (6-12); moon phases, solar eclipse; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Sun-Earth-Moon system. The probe is designed to reveal how students’ explain the relationship between a Moon phase and a solar eclipse. Type of Probe: Puzzling Phenomenon Probe

21- Comparing Eclipses (6-12); lunar eclipse, solar eclipse, models; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about eclipse phenomena. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain why we see more lunar eclipses than solar eclipses. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

22- Moon Spin (6-12); Moon’s rotation; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Moon’s motion. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that the Moon spins on its axis. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

23- Chinese Moon (6-12); moon phases; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Moon phases. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the phase of the Moon who observed from different locations on Earth. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

24- Crescent Moon (3-12); spherical moon, moon phase, reflection; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about viewing a spherical Moon. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that the Sun always shines on one half of the Moon regardless of what the phase of the Moon is. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

25- How Long Is a Day on the Moon? (6-12); Moon’s orbit, Moon’s rotation, Moon’s day-night cycle; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the day-night cycle on the Moon. The probe is designed to reveal whether students coordinate two concepts- the Moon’s rotation and the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

26- Does the Earth Go Through Phases? (6-12); “Earth phases”, view of Earth from the Moon; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about “earth phases” and “Earth sets”. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the Earth would appear as viewed from the Moon. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

27- Is the Moon Falling? (6-12); Moon’s orbit, gravity, Earth-Moon system; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Moon’s orbit. The probe is designed to reveal whether students use the idea of gravity to explain how the Moon maintains its orbit. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

Dynamic Solar System

28- What’s Inside Our Solar System? (3-8); solar system objects; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the solar system. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish between objects found inside the solar system and objects outside the solar system. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

29- How Do Planets Orbit the Sun? (3-12); solar system, planets, orbits; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about representations of the solar system. The probe is designed to reveal the overall shape of orbits of the planets. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

30- Is It a Planet or a Star? (3-8); planet, star, position in the night sky; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about visible objects in the night sky. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish a planet from a star when viewed in the night sky. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

31- Human Space Travel (3-12); space exploration; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about space travel. The probe is designed to reveal how far students think humans have traveled in space since the year 2000. Type of Probe: Ranking Probe

32- Where Do You Find Gravity? (6-12); gravity; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System and PS2.B; Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about gravity. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that gravity exists everywhere in the universe. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

33- Gravity in Other Planetary Systems (6-12); gravity, mass of planets; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System and PS2.B; Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about gravity. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize the effect of mass on gravitational attraction. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe

34- Shooting Star (3-8); meteor; ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about objects in the night sky. The probe is designed to reveal whether students use stars, meteors, or comets to explain the “shooting star” phenomenon. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

35- Is the Sun a Star? (3-8); Sun, star; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Sun and stars. The probe is designed to reveal recognize that the Sun is a star. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

36- Where Are the Stars in Orion? (3-12); stars, constellations, magnitude, distance; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about stars. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the brightness and distribution of stars in a constellation. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

37- Which Is Bigger? (3-8); objects in the universe, size; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the size of objects in the night sky. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish apparent size from actual size. Type of Probe: Ranking Probe

38- What Are Stars Made of? (6-12); stars, composition of stars; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how astronomers investigate the composition of stars. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize how a star’s light spectrum is used to understand its composition. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

39- What Happens to Stars When They Die? (9-12); stars, stellar evolution; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about stars’ life cycle. The probe is designed to reveal what students think happens at the end of a star’s life. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

40- Do Stars Change? (9-12); stars, brightness and distance, composition, size, stellar evolution; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about stars. The probe is designed to reveal what students think happens to stars over time. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

41- Are We Made of Star Stuff? (9-12); stars, composition of stars, origin of elements; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about stars and the origin of chemical elements. The probe is designed to reveal what students think “being made of star dust” means. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe

42- Seeing Into the Past (6-12); galaxies, speed of light, stars, brightness and distance; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the role of the speed of light in what we see. The probe is designed to reveal how students explain how we can see into the past. Type of Probe: Follow the Dialogue Probe

43- What Is the Milky Way? (6-12); Milky Way, galaxy, stars; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars ; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s galaxy, the Milky Way. The probe is designed to reveal how students describe the Milky Way. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

44- Expanding Universe (9-12); Big bang theory, galaxies, speed of light; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Big Bang theory. The probe is designed to reveal the extent of students’ qualitative understanding of what is expanding according to the theory. Type of Probe: Puzzling Phenomenon Probe

45- Is the Big Bang “Just a Theory”? (9-12); Big bang theory, scientific theory; ESS1.A: The Universe and It’s Stars; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Big Bang theory. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish a scientific theory from the everyday use of the word, theory. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe