Why Black Holes Are Awesome to Learn About

There are some topics that instantly grab a room full of teenagers, no matter how tired they are. Black holes are absolutely one of them.

The idea that there are places in space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape? That time itself stretches near the event horizon? That we’ve actually heard black holes collide through gravitational waves? For middle and high school students, this feels like science fiction that turns out to be 100% real.

That’s exactly why I love building a whole mini-unit around black holes: the curiosity is already there. The challenge is channeling that “whoa!” into real, standards-aligned science learning instead of just a fun side-tangent.

Black Holes Focus Unit Bundle

To do that, I use a Black Holes Focus Bundle built around four main resources (plus a bonus), all designed for grades 6–12:

• A science reading passage with questions

• A black holes research project template

• A multi-tier critical thinking framework

• A Strange But True + Two Truths & a Lie activity set

• And now a hexagonal thinking template as a bonus

Together, they create a complete path from first exposure to deeper understanding, using NGSS-style practices, low-prep lesson materials, and formats that work in both digital and print classrooms.

Why black holes are freaking amazing to teach

Before I talk resources, let’s be honest about why black holes are such a powerful topic in the first place:

• They link gravity, relativity, waves, light, and matter in one concept.

• They connect directly to current science: LIGO detections, Event Horizon Telescope images, and active research questions.

• They’re packed with built-in misconceptions (“They suck in everything!”) that are perfect for evidence-based discussion.

• They sit right at the intersection of physics, space science, and critical thinking.

When you teach black holes well, you are not just teaching “space stuff.” You are teaching how scientists gather clues from what we can see, build models to explain what we can’t see directly, and argue from evidence rather than hype.

That’s the heart of this focus bundle: turn the drama of black holes into a structured, repeatable way for students to read, write, think, and talk like scientists.

Resource 1: Black Holes Science Article – reading that actually lands

The first piece in the bundle is a clear, classroom-ready black holes science article with questions. It comes in:

• Google Docs – teacher and student versions

• Microsoft Word – teacher and student versions

• PDF – teacher and student versions

Teacher versions include answers and embedded text boxes; student versions have room to write directly (digital text boxes or blank space in PDF).

This black holes article walks students from:

• Everyday gravity →

• Stellar collapse and stellar-mass black holes →

• Supermassive black holes in galaxy centers →

• Accretion disks, jets, and event horizons →

• Gravitational waves and recent discoveries

I use it to:

• Build background knowledge before any videos or demos

• Practice science reading comprehension and vocabulary

• Support CER writing (Claim–Evidence–Reasoning) with real content

• Give subs something meaningful that doesn’t require extra prep

Because it’s available in multiple formats, it works just as well in a Chromebook classroom, a printer-only classroom, or a mix of both.

Resource 2: Black Holes Research Project Template – guided inquiry without chaos

The second major resource is a Black Holes Science Research Project Template, again in Google Docs, Word, and PDF. Each format includes:

• A 7-page teacher version with supporting appendix items

• A 3-page student version with text boxes/answer spaces

• A 1-page, 20-point rubric for self- or teacher assessment in all formats

This template is one of my favorite ways to move from “Wow, black holes are cool!” to “I can research and explain a specific black hole question.”

Students can choose topics like:

• How do we know the Milky Way has a supermassive black hole?

• What did LIGO actually detect in 2015?

• How do black holes affect galaxy evolution?

• What’s the evidence behind the first black hole image?

The template breaks the project into manageable checkpoints:

• Understanding the driving question

• Collecting and summarizing sources

• Interpreting a simple figure, diagram, or data set

• Explaining cause and effect in their own words

• Reflecting on what they still wonder

The rubric makes grading much easier, but it also helps students self-assess: they know what “good” looks like.

Resource 3: Black Holes Critical Thinking Framework – 9, 6, and 3 step versions

This is the deep-thinking engine of the bundle: a multi-tier black holes critical thinking framework tailored specifically to black holes.

You get:

• A 4-page completed exemplar showing how a student might work through the framework, with “why” questions and suggested key problems

• A 3-page full scaffold (9-step) in PDF, Doc, Google Doc, and editable Google Slides

• A 3-page ladder version (9-step) for more independent use

• A 2-page step-ladder (6-step) for a lighter but still rich exploration

• A 1-page 3-step version for quick or introductory use

• A 3-page implementation guide with ideas for stations, group discussion, journaling, peer teaching, and assessment

The idea is simple but powerful: you can choose the depth and support level that matches your students.

For example:

• With younger or less confident students, I might start with the 3-step version:

  1. Describe the problem / big question.

  2. Summarize the evidence we have.

  3. Explain what we still don’t know and why.

• With older or advanced classes, I’ll use the 9-step version, which includes:

  • Identifying the key question

  • Exploring possible explanations

  • Examining evidence and sources

  • Considering limitations and alternative ideas

  • Proposing and justifying a best explanation

The exemplar is gold when you first introduce the framework; students can see what a completed, thoughtful response looks like before trying it themselves.

And yes, the Doc versions are cleverly designed: the content is an image with editable text boxes overlaid, so the structure stays clean and students can’t accidentally break the formatting.

Resource 4: Black Holes Strange But True Facts + Two Truths & a Lie – misconception-busting fun

This set is where the “freaking amazing” part really shines.

You get:

• A 5-slide digital Google Slides version for student use in a Two Truths and a Lie activity

  • 10 factual statements

  • 5 carefully crafted lies

• A 12-slide visual presentation with 10 Strange But True Facts about black holes

• A 6-page PDF print version with:

  • Answers

  • Mix-and-match 2 Truths and a Lie

  • Color Strange But True fact set

Across these, there are 20 black hole facts and 5 lies, presented in multiple formats so you can use them as:

• Bell-ringers

• Discussion starters

• Stations tasks

• Quick formative assessments

• Sub-day activities

I love using this set to:

• Confront misconceptions – for example, the idea that black holes “suck” everything like a vacuum

• Build vocabulary naturally (event horizon, singularity, accretion disk, gravitational lensing, supermassive black hole, etc.)

• Practice evidence-based reasoning – students must explain why they think a statement is true or false, not just guess

You can run it “no internet for round one,” then let students verify their thinking with the science article, a short video, or reputable links. It’s a perfect mix of fun and rigor.

Bonus Resource: Hexagonal Thinking Template – connecting the dots

To round out the bundle, there’s also a black holes hexagonal thinking template focused on black holes.

Hexagonal thinking is a powerful collaborative strategy where students:

• Get hexagon tiles labeled with key terms, ideas, or events

• Arrange them so connected ideas touch sides

• Justify each connection out loud or in writing

With a black hole set, tiles might include:

• Event horizon

• Gravity

• Mass and density

• Gravitational waves

• LIGO

• Supermassive black hole

• Accretion disk

• Galaxy evolution

• Time dilation

• Light / electromagnetic spectrum

Students have to argue for why those tiles belong next to each other. It is a brilliant way to see how their mental models are forming and where gaps still exist.

How this bundle fits into a black hole unit (and your year)

Because the resources are modular, you don’t have to use them all at once. Here are some favorite ways to slot them into a middle or high school science course:

• Unit launch:

  • One or two Strange But True slides

  • A short discussion using the critical thinking framework’s key question

  • Then the science article as a guided reading

• Mid-unit inquiry:

  • Students start the research project template while rotating through hexagonal thinking and T2L stations.

  • Use the 6-step framework version to structure a seminar on “How do we know black holes are real?”

• End-of-unit synthesis:

  • Groups complete the 9-step critical thinking scaffold or present a research product (poster, slide deck, podcast).

  • Run T2L as a review game and use the Strange But True slides as a playful, memorable recap.

Because everything is ready as Google Docs, Google Slides, Word documents, and PDFs with built-in answer keys and rubrics, it also works well as:

• Emergency sub plans

• Enrichment for early finishers

• Extension activities for astronomy clubs or STEM nights

Why this setup works so well for middle & high school science

In practice, this black hole focus bundle helps you:

• Engage instantly – Black holes hook even reluctant learners.

• Differentiate easily – Multiple templates, step levels, and formats let you support a wide range of abilities.

• Teach real science practices – Reading, research, critical thinking, and argument from evidence are all built in.

• Save planning time – Everything is pre-formatted, student-friendly, and classroom-tested.

• Strengthen science literacy – Students read, write, speak, and think about complex concepts in structured ways.

And honestly, it’s fun. Students love the weirdness and scale of black holes. You get to tap into that, but instead of it being a one-off “cool video day,” it becomes a coherent, rigorous, and memorable part of your astronomy or physics curriculum.

If you’re looking for a way to make gravity, space, and high-level physics feel accessible, engaging, and genuinely exciting for grades 6–12, black holes are the perfect topic—and this focus bundle gives you everything you need to teach them deeply, not just dramatically.

Thanks for reading

Cheers and stay curious

Oliver - The Teaching Astrophysicist