Lesson 5: Galaxies in Motion
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will be able to analyze galaxy motion within clusters using redshift and blueshift data, evaluate gravitational interactions such as mergers, and construct evidence-based explanations of how these interactions shape galaxy evolution.
-How do gravitational interactions influence galaxy motion within clusters?
-What evidence shows that galaxy mergers affect star formation rates?
-How is redshift used beyond cosmic expansion to analyze local galaxy motion?
-What patterns emerge from studying galaxy clusters over time?
-How do collisions reshape galaxies structurally and chemically?
Redshift
Blueshift
Galaxy cluster
Galactic merger
Doppler effect
Starburst galaxy
Gravitational interaction
Dark matter
Velocity dispersion
Large-scale structure
HS-ESS1-2 – Use astronomical data to explain galaxy motion and interactions within cosmic structures.
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
-Cause and Effect
-Patterns
-Systems and System Models
-Stability and Change
-Students will analyze velocity and redshift data from galaxy clusters
-Students will interpret simulation data of galaxy collisions
-Students will construct explanations of galaxy evolution using observational evidence
Students will explore how galaxies interact through gravitational forces, including collisions and mergers. They will analyze real astronomical data and simulations to understand how interactions influence galaxy structure and star formation.
They will compare observational evidence with simulation outcomes to identify how galaxies change over time.
Purpose
Strengthen ability to interpret complex dynamic systems using multiple data sources and construct evidence-based explanations of galaxy evolution.
DOK Level
DOK 4 – Extended Thinking
(Multi-system analysis, interpretation of dynamic processes, and evidence-based reasoning)
Students connect to modern astronomy research from telescopes like Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope, which study galaxy collisions and the evolution of cosmic structures across billions of years.
-Students may think galaxy collisions destroy galaxies completely instead of reshaping them
-Students may confuse redshift with changes in color rather than wavelength shift
-Students may assume galaxies evolve independently rather than within clusters
-Guided worksheets for redshift and velocity interpretation
-Visual simulation supports for galaxy collisions
-Structured comparison charts for before/after galaxy interactions
- Galaxy cluster data interpretation
- Constructed response explanations using evidence
- Simulation-based modeling tasks
- Galaxy collision simulations
- Redshift and velocity datasets
- Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope imagery