Earth & SpaceEarth & Space

MST Inquiry UnitED 713.22

By Chandra Ramsundar

Jennifer Winkler Andrew Cohen-Gael

MST Inquiry UnitED 713.22

By Chandra Ramsundar

Jennifer Winkler Andrew Cohen-Gael

MST Inquiry UnitGraphic Organizer

MST Inquiry UnitGraphic Organizer

Lesson 1:What is the Solar System?Lesson 1:What is the Solar System?• Students will recognize that the

Sun is the center of our Solar System.

• Students will discover features and characteristics of the eight planets and the Sun.

• Using this information, students will create a graphic organizer of the planets and the Sun using Inspiration.

• Students will create mobiles of the planets and the Sun (as shown).

• Students will recognize that the Sun is the center of our Solar System.

• Students will discover features and characteristics of the eight planets and the Sun.

• Using this information, students will create a graphic organizer of the planets and the Sun using Inspiration.

• Students will create mobiles of the planets and the Sun (as shown).

Student Made Graphic Organizer of Solar SystemStudent Made Graphic Organizer of Solar System

Made using

Lesson 2:How can we find out how far away each planet is from Earth?

Lesson 2:How can we find out how far away each planet is from Earth?• Students will be able

to identify the distance of the planets from Earth in Astronomical Units (AU).

• Students will complete a bar graph mathematical representation of the data (as shown).

• Students will be able to identify the distance of the planets from Earth in Astronomical Units (AU).

• Students will complete a bar graph mathematical representation of the data (as shown).

How Far is Each Planet from Earth?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

Planets

Astronomical Units

Distance

Bar GraphData SpreadsheetBar GraphData Spreadsheet

Planets Distance in AU

Mercury 0.61

Venus 0.28

Mars 0.5

Jupiter 4.2

Saturn 8.5

Uranus 18.2

Neptune 29.1

Lesson 5:How does the Earth’s Rotation Affect the Time of Day?

Lesson 5:How does the Earth’s Rotation Affect the Time of Day?• Students will

discover how day and night occur.

• Students will demonstrate the Earth’s rotation.

• Students will analyze data on the internet.

• Students will discover how day and night occur.

• Students will demonstrate the Earth’s rotation.

• Students will analyze data on the internet.

Scavenger HuntScavenger Hunt• Go to http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/k2/s_nightDay.html

Questions:1) How many hours equal one day and night on earth?

2) Where does the sun rise and set?

• Go to http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0021-understanding-time.phpQuestions:

1) What are the three natural methods for measuring the passage of time?

2) What were sundials used for?

• Go to http://kids.nineplanets.org/earth.htmQuestions:

• Draw a picture of the Earth’s symbol.

• What makes up most of Earth’s surface?

• Go to http://www.kidsastronomy.com/our_sun.htm

Questions:

• How many years ago was the sun born?

• What have scientists named the sun?

• Go to http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/earth.html

Questions:

• What three elements make up the Earth?

• Which planets are bigger than the Earth?

• Go to http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/k2/s_nightDay.htmlQuestions:

1) How many hours equal one day and night on earth?

2) Where does the sun rise and set?

• Go to http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0021-understanding-time.phpQuestions:

1) What are the three natural methods for measuring the passage of time?

2) What were sundials used for?

• Go to http://kids.nineplanets.org/earth.htmQuestions:

• Draw a picture of the Earth’s symbol.

• What makes up most of Earth’s surface?

• Go to http://www.kidsastronomy.com/our_sun.htm

Questions:

• How many years ago was the sun born?

• What have scientists named the sun?

• Go to http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/earth.html

Questions:

• What three elements make up the Earth?

• Which planets are bigger than the Earth?

Filamentality WebpageFilamentality Webpage

http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listearthsjw.htmlhttp://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listearthsjw.html

For Further Research…For Further Research…

• Reasons for the seasons:http://www.neok12.com/Seasons.htm

• Links about the Earth:http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/

Space/Solar_System/The_Earth/index.htm

• Help save the Earth:http://www.kidsforsavingearth.org/

• Astronomical units:http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/

cosmic_kids/AskKids/def_au.shtml

• Reasons for the seasons:http://www.neok12.com/Seasons.htm

• Links about the Earth:http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/

Space/Solar_System/The_Earth/index.htm

• Help save the Earth:http://www.kidsforsavingearth.org/

• Astronomical units:http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/

cosmic_kids/AskKids/def_au.shtml

View the Earth from SpaceView the Earth from Space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwwioJhQzeghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwwioJhQzeg

We hope you enjoyed the show!

We hope you enjoyed the show!