This 5 th /6 th grade earth science class is scheduled for 1.5
hrs, 3days per week. Anticipatory Set: (20 min) go into the
computer lab with the worksheet Planet Relative Size Have students
enter info and create a bar graph of planet diameters. Have
students create bar graph of planet relative distances. Print and
answer questions for homework. Activity # 1 (20 min)Using The text
book pictures compare /contrast the inner & outer ss., using
composition of planets, orbit, distance and diameter. Directing
students to put info into foldee( a sheet of paper folded in half
lengthwise and then the short way. One half will be Inner SS the
left side will be the Outer SS. The inside will compare Activity #2
(5min) Use PP as the visual to show relative size of planets. Make
sure to tie in the relative sizes of stars that was learned in last
chapter. Activity #3 (5 min) Give a gentle high five to your
partner and Partner up, Have each group make a Venn diagram in
notebook, comparing Inner and outer planets. Composition, Density,
volume,Diameter and atmosphere. Share with class. Activity # 4 :
(10 min) Use text book read sections on orbits of planets. Remember
to emphasis, circle is an ellipse. Activity # 5 : (10 min) Have the
computer operator (I have a schedule for each student to have the
opportunity to be my techee for the day) Back to PP, to show the
applet on the orbits of planets in inner and outer SS. Remember to
ask students, how else you would like to the operator to change the
orbits. Activity # 6 (5 min) Discuss Plutos difference. Go thru
orbit applet again. Focusing on Pluto Wrap up (10 min) Go to Inner
Planets Slide go to applet of where planets are positioned today.
Also put in date of Christs birth, Date Constitution was signed.
Remind students to answer question from graph as homework. Warm up
for next lesson:Give a gentle high five to your group.Use the
precut and measured planet orbits, go into the gym and become the
solar system. Using the premeasured orbit, use the shyest student
as the sun, have groups hold up orbit at my waist level. Show
orbits. Make sure kids can explain why all at waist level. Notice
differences between Pluto and rest. This same PP will also be used
in the next two Earth science classes we will go thru Inner and
outer planets individually. Switching between text and PP pictures.
Benefits of this lesson: Relative distances of planets Relative
size of planets Compare and contrast Inner SS and Outer SS Benefits
of using the internet: One of the reasons citizens of the U.S. need
to have an understanding of the solar system is to make an informed
decision about whether or not we, as a nation, can or should fund
more space exploration. Is this information we have gleaned so far,
useful to us in our lives? Does learning about other planets help
us to learn about Earth? I hope to show that the answer is
Probably. If I just present a series of facts about each planet and
ask my students to memorize this info because it will be on the
test, It can be a little dry. Even if I think up clever little ways
to get that info into their heads, I do not engage the students
curiosity, and natural wonder about the system we live in. Im so
glad I found these applets to use while teaching this material. I
think they clearly show the difference and similarities of not only
the distance each planet is from the sun but also why Pluto is so
different from the other 9 planets.. I think this is exactly why we
need to have the internet readily available in every classroom.
This lesson would be enhanced if every child or at least every
partner group could manipulate the applet. Unfortunately, my school
has only one computer in my classroom. Our principal does not see
the benefit of having the internet accessible in our computer lab.
Yes I did show him this lesson plan. The internet is providing the
most current information about the content we are required to
cover. There have been so many spacecraft sent into our solar
system in the last 5-6 yrs that information acquired has drasticly
changed ourview of the celestial bodies nearest to us. It is so
easy to get pictures from these various satellites and use this
very current info to shape what our students see of our Solar
system. Challenges of this Lesson: The excel part of this lesson
took way too long. Some students are faster typist than others,
thus they were ready to tackle the graphs sooner and consequently
it was a little chaotic in the lab until I start asking the fast
students to mentor the slower typist on the mechanics of producing
the graphs. Good learning there but it still took too long. Next
time I use this lesson I will have the excel file pre loaded on
each students computer. (Our computers are not networked) and we
will create the graphs together, this should speed up the process.
NOTES Why are kids so upset about Pluto becoming an UNplanets?
Slide 5
Planets
Slide 6
Larger Planets
Slide 7
Our Star the Sun Big Right !!!
Slide 8
Slide 9
How about now?
Slide 10
GalaxiesGalaxies
Slide 11
Close up of one small part of previous picture
Slide 12
Slide 13
Inner Planets Terrestrial Planets Rocky Dense Metal cores
(iron) Images: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178
Slide 14
Inner Planets (details)
Slide 15
The Outer Planets The Gas Giants Image: Lunar and Planetary
Laboratory:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178
Slide 16
End for Now
Slide 17
Slide 18
MercuryMercury
Slide 19
MercuryMercury
Slide 20
MercuryMercury
Slide 21
MercuryMercury
Slide 22
MercuryMercury
Slide 23
MercuryMercury
Slide 24
MercuryMercury
Slide 25
VenusVenus
Slide 26
Pictures and Facts of Venus
Slide 27
Reference 1. Meta page for current Solar system stuff
www.vendian.org/mncharity/dir3/solarsystem
