In the first unit of 5th grade science, students investigate the origin, formation, and evolution of the universe. They start by studying the Big Bang as the source of all energy, working to construct a model that can bring to the life the start of the universe within the confines of the classroom. With this, students describe the atomic building blocks unleashed and scattered by the Big Bang, analyzing the “fallout” of their model, and discussing how uneven distribution of matter led to the formation of stars and galaxies. Students then fashion what they believe to be a model of atomic structure. They evaluate and compare their models to the ever-evolving understanding of the atom in a discussion that both assesses the accuracy of small-scale representations and addresses the dynamic equilibrium of scientific knowledge. Students conclude the quarter by synthesizing their knowledge about the start of the universe by writing a story from the perspective of a hydrogen atom. While giving students a tremendous amount of creative license, this activity challenges students to conceptualize the abstract and use concrete examples to make it clearer.