SOLAR SYSTEM DAY
SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Our World
Scanning The Solar System
R-MWC Sponsored
Grade Levels: K-6
Subjects: Science and Mathematics
Topic: Solar System
Time frame: 2 hours
Concept: Our World - Beyond Earth
Rationale: The purpose of these lessons is to help students learn new science content and new science strategies that will help them gain confidence and expertise in their science abilities. Observation of how different outside influences affect our world is an important way to learn about our world. Through observation students can learn to compare, contrast, and note similarities and differences.
Goals:
Experience the richness and excitement of scientific discovery of the natural world through the collaborative quest for knowledge and understanding.
Develop scientific dispositions and habits of mind including:
·
curiosity;
·
demand for
verification;
·
respect for logic
and rational thinking;
·
consideration of
premises and consequences;
·
respect for
historical contributions;
·
attention to
accuracy and precision; and
·
patience and persistence.
Interrelationships
in Earth/Space Systems
1.6 The student will investigate and understand the basic
relationships between the sun and the Earth. Key concepts include
a) the sun is the source of heat and light that warms the
land, air, and water; and
b) night and day are caused by the rotation of the Earth.
Earth
Patterns, Cycles, and Change
1.6 The student will investigate and understand the basic
relationships between the sun and the Earth. Key concepts include
c) the sun is the source of heat and light that warms the
land, air, and water; and
d) night and day are caused by the rotation of the Earth.
4.7 The student will investigate and understand the relationships
among the Earth, moon, and sun. Key concepts include
a) the motions of the Earth, moon, and sun (revolution
and rotation);
b) the causes for the Earth’s seasons and phases of the
moon;
c) the relative size, position, age, and makeup of the
Earth, moon, and sun; and
d) historical contributions in understanding the Earth-moon-sun
system.
5.7 The student will investigate and understand how the Earth’s
surface is constantly changing. Key concepts include
a) Earth history and fossil evidence;
b) the basic structure of the Earth’s interior;
Interrelationships
in Earth/Space Systems
6.8 The student will investigate and understand the organization
of the solar system and the relationships among the various bodies that
comprise it. Key concepts include
a) the sun, moon, Earth, other planets and their moons,
meteors, asteroids, and comets;
b) relative size of and distance between planets;
c) the role of gravity;
d) revolution and rotation;
e) the unique properties of Earth as a planet;
f) the relationship of the Earth’s tilt and the seasons;
Cognitive Objectives:
The student will be about to describe the life needs of invertebrates as demonstrated through illustrations of appropriate habitats.
The student will be able to explain that day and night are caused by Earth’s rotation.
Students will construct a simple model including all nine planets in order in relation to the sun.
Content
- The
Sun is an ordinary, middle sized star, one of more than 100 billion stars
in our galaxy.
Mercury - a cold, blue-green gas planet just beyond Saturn.
Venus is the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and the Moon.
Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
Mars is often called the "Red Planet," because it looks red from the surface of Earth.
Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets put together. It is 318 times the size of Earth.
Saturn is famous for its rings, which are made up of ice and rock. Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune also have rings, but they are much harder to see
Uranus was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel, a famous astronomer.
Pluto is the farthest planet from the Sun and by far the smallest.
The discovery of a sizeable object
orbiting the sun out beyond Pluto could expand the number of planets in our
solar system to 10. Pluto's title as the outermost
planet could be in jeopardy, with the discovery of a large object orbiting the
Sun far further out than any other. The object, dubbed Sedna
for the Inuit goddess of the sea, lies about 10 billion miles from the Sun,
nearly twice as far as Pluto. Its estimated 2000-kilometre diameter is about 90
per cent the size of Pluto's, making Sedna the
largest Solar System object discovered since Pluto itself in 1930
Materials
Draw a scientist protocol
White Paper, markers, crayons, pencils
Styrofoam rings to be used for the base
Styrofoam balls 1”, 2”, 2.5”, 3”, 4”, 6”
Paint: yellow, orange, blue, green, red)
Dowels or wire
Paint brushes
Toothpicks
Rulers
Wire cutters
Planet books
Planet pictures
Solar system pictures
Pencils
Crayons
Procedures and Activities: (90 minutes)
Advance Organizer:
Introduce all the members of the camp. Review the procedures and how the day will scheduled.
Participants
Kiddy Tita
Staci Mason
Sara Lawrence
Schedule
Meet in the gym for opening presentation
Divide into small groups to go to classroom or large activity room
Guidelines
Treat all materials with care
Be respectful of each other and of the teachers
Be safe in your science experiments
Have fun
Show clip from Magic School Bus:
This time
On one side of the paper, write your name,
your age, and F (if you are a girl) and
M (if you are a boy). For the second part,
you are going to work by yourself. Do not talk to anyone around you. These ideas are going to be your own ideas.
On the other side of the paper, draw a picture of a scientist. Whatever you
think a scientist looks like or does.
Activity: Solar System Model:
Ask: What are the names of the planets in the Solar System? What order are they in?
Group 1 (Grades 1-2)
Divide students into groups of 3 or 4
Explain that they are going to create a model of a solar system (pass out solar system charts and pictures)
Distribute the materials – each group will need
Sun – 6” ball
Ring for base
Mercury 1”
Venus 1”
Earth 2”
Mars 1”
Jupiter 4”
Saturn 3” (make the ring out of construction paper)
Uranus 2”
Pluto (smallest ball)
Have the students paint the balls according to the chart below:
Cut the rods or wires to various lengths (try to get the children to estimate about how long the wire should be depending on how far the planet is from the sun. Insert the rods/sires into the sun – you may need to use a dab of glue to keep them in place.
Group 2 (Grades 3-5)
Break this group into groups of 3 or 4. Each group will work on researching and making a model of two planets to represent their planet. Each member of the group will fill in a task card about their planet. When the groups have finished they will get into two groups and share their information and then assemble their planet. This will result in two solar models.
Task Card 1 - Information about a Planet
Name:____________________
Date:_____________________
- Planet :___________________
- _________________ is the _____________ planet from the sun.
- How big is this planet compared to the Earth?
_________________________________________________________________
- How long is a day on this planet?
_________________________________________________________________
- How long is the year for this planet?
_________________________________________________________________
- Write down another interesting thing you found out about this planet:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
- What is the surface of the planet like?
__________________________________________________________________
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Name of Planet: |
|
|
Planet Feature |
Description |
|
gases in atmosphere |
|
|
number of moons/satellites |
|
|
length of planetary year |
|
|
length of planetary day |
|
|
high and low temperatures |
|
|
magnetic field |
|
|
density |
|
|
distance from sun |
|
|
diameter |
|
|
mass |
|
|
evidence of water in present and past |
|
|
date of discovery/discoverer |
|
|
significant surface features |
|
Earth