Connect Reading and Writing

Vocabulary

  • distances

  • orbit

  • space

  • telescopes

  • temperatures

  • unit

  • universe

  • vary

Critical Thinking

  • 1. SUM IT UP With a partner, complete your KWLS Chart from page 448. Add facts you learned about space and information you still want to learn.

    Kwls Chart
    WHAT I KNOWWHAT I WANT TO KNOWWHAT I LEARNEDWHAT I STILL WANT TO LEARN
    The sun is a star.How big is the sun?A million Earths could fit in the sun.How long will our sun last?

  • 2. Speculate Review the information on page 457 about the size of the sun. Then look at page 460. About how many Earths could fit in a young blue giant?

  • 3. Compare “A Universe of Stars” and “The Astronomer” both tell about scientists studying the universe. Do the authors feel the same way about this topic? Explain.

  • 4. Infer How have telescopes changed our understanding of the universe?

Reading Fluency

Phrasing Read the passage on page 587 to a partner. Assess your fluency.

  • 1. I read

    • a. great

    • b. OK

    • c. not very well

  • 2. What I did best in my reading was ______.

Reading Strategy

Make Inferences

With a group, share inferences you made and how your inferences changed as you read more details.

Vocabulary Review

Oral Review Read the paragraph aloud. Add the vocabulary words.

Scientists use a variety of tools and methods to study the stars and other objects in ______. They use a ______ of measurement called the light-year to determine the vast ______ to some stars. Scientists look through ______ and launch rockets. Rockets carry probes that gather data about the ______. Rockets also place satellites that ______ Earth. The purpose of satellites can ______. For example, some satellites gather ______ and other weather data.

Written Review Imagine that you have just discovered an object in space such as a new planet. Write a description of it using five vocabulary words.

Illustration of a pen icon Write About the Guiding Question

Explore the Power of the Stars

Do you think it is important to study the universe? Why or why not? Support your opinion with evidence from the text.