Anchoring Phenomenon: You

are a chemical archeologist

trying to answer the question:
Crosswalk Big Idea: We are
where do the elements come
from? Are we made of the same
made of star stuff
“stuff” as dinosaurs?

Concepts Skills Products

Anchoring Activity: Where do the Develop an initial model: Where

Modeling
elements come from? do the elements come from?

Mathematical and
Atomic Structure – Review & computational skills Stable/Unstable graphing activity
isotopes that are stable/unstable (band of stability)
HS-PS1-1 Analyze and interpret data

Half-life pennies activity

Analyze and interpret data
Radioactive decay – how do we
date ancient artifacts? Reading: Carbon dating –
Negotiation of expository text
HS-PS1-8 annotate and summarize
Modeling
Partial model revision – are we
and dinosaurs the same?

Fission – You are a politician for

your city, should you allow Socratic seminar – nuclear energy
Construct a scientific argument
construction of a nuclear power vs. renewables
plant nearby?
HS-PS1-8

Mathematical and E=mc2 calculations

computational skills
Fusion – How does the sun create
energy and light? Partial model revision – where
Analyze and interpret data
HS-ESS1-1 does all of our light & energy
come from?
Modeling

Stars are the source of all

elements Modeling Summative Model
HS-ESS1-3