A Walk Through the Solar System

Lesson Plan

A ‘Walk’ through the Solar System 6 th Grade Science

Objective: To give students a visual representation of the relative size of the planets in our solar system and their relative distance from each other and the sun. To give the students a frame of reference for comparing other planets to Earth. To provide an explanation for the laws of motion in the solar system. Background Knowledge: Teacher/Presenter can review background information provided, as well as consult any of the web sites cited. Alignment with National Standards and NC Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS): National Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science: Earth in the Solar System (Place of Earth in the solar system; one of many bodies in system; Sun is center of system; objects in solar system are in regular and predictable motion, thus defining phenomena such as the day, year, phases of the moon and eclipses; gravity is the force that keep planets in orbit and governs motion in the system) NCSCOS Competency Goal 3: The learner will build understanding of the Solar System Objective .02: Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of: size, composition, relative distance from the sun and ability to support life. Objective .05: Identify technologies used to explore space. Objective .06: Analyze the spin-off benefits generated by space exploration technology. Resources (include web sites): www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/index.html Hawaii Spacegrant Consortium-Background information and lesson plans www.nineplanets.org – A multimedia tour of the solar system http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/ - NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s site for teachers and students has pictures and animations of space related things as well as classroom activities. The list of links is good as well. http://www.eduref.org/ - a good resource site for teachers in general; searching on ‘solar system’ brings up a list of 46 links to information and activities/lesson plans. Http://solar.physics.montana.edu/tslater/plunger/tissue.htm - is one of the many sites utilizing the toilet paper approach to space travel! Materials (specific and in list form): Pictures of the nine planets and the sun on posterboard or construction paper OR Relative sized models of the planets, using an exercise ball or other very large ball for the sun (measurements attached) (or build your own with Model Magic) One roll of toilet paper Introduction (background information for lesson; set-up): It is very difficult to show, in two dimensional pictures, the vastness of our solar system. Obviously, personal experience with travel outside of our Earth-moon system is currently impossible for humans. It is important for students to understand the magnitude of the system to understand how it works and what a challenge interplanetary travel is due to the huge distances between the bodies. The fact that the Voyager II spacecraft took 12 years to reach Neptune, even traveling at 50,000 miles per hour, or that applying current knowledge a trip to Mars takes over six months helps somewhat to illustrate but a visual representation is useful for real understanding. This lesson imparts both understanding of the relative size of the planets to our own Earth, and the relative distance of the planets to the Sun, and the resulting impact on that planet’s ability to sustain life as WE know it. Investigation: 1a. If using drawings and/or pictures of the planets, have the students work in teams to draw or print a picture of a planet (assigning all plus the Sun) on each piece of posterboard. An extension of the activity would include having them add relevant characteristics such as size, rotation, orbit, composition, exploration, etc. 1b. If using scale models of the planets, use the attached scale to build a model of each planet. Crayola’s Model Magic (available in craft stores) works well for most of the planets, although Jupiter takes a large amount. You could also use a balloon blown up to approximate size for Jupiter and Saturn, or a similarly sized play ball, or paper mache over a balloon for a more permanent model. If students are building these, have them work in teams and color (markers work well on Model Magic) the planet appropriately. Be sure to have them label each planet! 2. Begin the lesson with a drawing on the board of the layout of the solar system. Point out the limitations of two dimensions when discussing very large objects. The purpose of this part is to give them a reminder about the order of planets from the sun. 3. Give a model (including the Sun) to each of 10 students, and have them choose a partner (or teacher can assign). Begin at one end of a long hallway, with the class gathered around the presenter. Place the sun on the floor. Place the end of the toilet paper roll under the sun. 4. After giving a brief overview of the Sun, have the student who is holding Mercury and his/her partner come up. Tell the students the number of toilet paper ‘squares’ (each square representing 10,000,000 miles) Mercury, the closest planet, is to the sun. Have the partner count squares and the other student put the model of Mercury at the appropriate place on the paper strip. 5. Continue with the remaining planets. Most rolls of toilet paper will have enough squares to get out to Pluto. At each planet, stop to tell the students some facts about the planet: composition, atmosphere, gravity, rotational speed, orbital time, etc. (A chart with toilet paper measurements and a fact sheet is attached). Discussion: The kids are normally amazed at the difference in distance from the Sun. Another point of interest is the very obvious gap between Mars, the last terrestrial planet, and Jupiter, the first gas giant. A discussion about the asteroid belt typically ensues. This would be a good homework assignment: investigate the theories about the ‘empty’ space between the two. Pluto and its size typically generates questions as well: is it a planet or a comet, are there other planets past it, etc. Another potential extension or homework assignment is to research and report on the way we’ve learned about the planets: technology in observation from Earth has improved, NASA probes and exploration spacecraft, etc.

Reflection: A science journal assignment could involve asking the students to speculate on what lies outside of our solar system, what kind of spacecraft and supplies would humans need to travel to (pick one) a planet, etc. Extension/Summary: This exercise in scale is helpful for the students to understand perspective and relative location, distance and size. Modeling as a scientific tool is useful in the study of other matters of physics, specifically chemistry and motion.

Assessment: Students will demonstrate comprehension of the lesson by being able to articulate:  the layout of the solar system (spoken and/or written)  the differences between the planets closer to and farther away from the Sun in terms of environment and composition and the ability to support life  the effect of gravity on the motion of the bodies in the solar system  and how technology has and continues to help us understand the solar system.

Additional Material attached: Dimensions to build your own relatively sized planets Chart of relative distance from the sun as measured in squares of toilet paper’ Key facts about each of the 10 system bodies we discussed To build planets in relative size:

Body Model Actual diameter diameter (inches) (miles) Sun 60.0 1391900 Mercury 0.25 4866 Venus 0.5 12106 Earth 0.5 12742 Mars 0.3 6760 Jupiter 6.0 139516 Saturn 5.0 116438 Uranus 2.0 46940 Neptune 2.0 45432 Pluto 0.1 2274

SCALE MODE: Using a scale of 1 standard sheet of toilet tissue as 10,000,000 miles, we can use the unwound length of the roll of tissue as a ruler for a scale model of the solar system.

Number of # of Tissues Celestial Sheets from previous Object from Sun object Sun 0.0 0.0 Mercury 3.6 3.6 Venus 6.7 3.1 Earth 9.3 2.6 Mars 14.1 4.8 Jupiter 48.4 34.3 Saturn 88.7 40.3 Uranus 178.6 90 Neptune 280.0 101.0 Pluto (avg. 366.4 86.4 orbit)