How Does the Sun How Does the Sun Affect Earth?Affect Earth?

How Does the Sun How Does the Sun Affect Earth?Affect Earth?

Unit 1 Key ConceptsUnit 1 Key Concepts

6th Grade6th Grade

GEMS Space and Science SequenceGEMS Space and Science Sequence

Unit 1.2• The Sun is a star.

Unit 1.2• Scientists use models to

demonstrate ideas, explain observations, and make predictions.

Unit 1.2• The Sun is about 150,000,000 km

away from Earth.

Unit 1.2• Only a tiny amount of all matter and

energy that the Sun puts out comes toward Earth.

Unit 1.3• The visible light our eyes can detect is

a part of a larger spectrum of electromagnetic energy.

Unit 1.3• The Sun radiates the full spectrum of

electromagnetic energy.

Unit 1.3• The solar wind is a constant stream of

charged particles that the Sun puts out.

Unit 1.4• Solar flares and coronal mass ejections

(CME’s) occur during solar storms, when the Sun is active.

Unit 1.4• A solar flare releases large amounts of

electromagnetic energies and solar particles into space.

Unit 1.4• A CME ejects particles and material

from the Sun’s corona at high speeds into space.

Unit 1.4• Particles released by solar-storm

events - such as solar flares and CME’s - travel much more quickly that particles in the solar wind.

Unit 1.4• The amount of particles and energy put

out by the Sun is not constant.

Unit 1.4• Scientific explanations are based on

evidence gathered from observations and investigations.

Unit 1.5• Sheilds at various altitudes prevent

some solar energies from reaching Earth’s surface.

Unit 1.5• The magnetosphere sheilds Earth from

solar particles at a very high altitude.

Unit 1.5• The changing shape of Earth’s

magnetosphere during a solar storm can leave satellites and astronauts unshielded.

Unit 1.6• Everyone, especially those at high

altitudes, should be concerned about ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Unit 1.6• Earth’s ozone layer shields us from

some of the Sun’s ultraviolet energy.

Unit 1.7• Various materials can shield a person

from UV radiation, but some shields are more effective than others.

Unit 1.8• We must all be concerned about bursts

of energy from the Sun.