Exploring Space Our Solar System Grades 3-6

Home , Astronomical symbols, Third from the Sun

Teacher’s Guide

OSTV CREDITS

Program Production Sunburst Visual Media

Teacher’s Guide Marianne Carney

Print Material Design Sean F. Geddes

Exploring Space: Our Solar System Table of Contents

Guide Information ...... 05

Fast Facts...... 07

Before Viewing Activities ...... 10

During Viewing Activities ...... 16

After Viewing Activities ...... 21

After Viewing Quizzes ...... 29

Additional Resources ...... 32

Answer Keys ...... 41

Script...... 51

Guide About This Guide Information Providing students with visual media is an excellent way to take them out of the classroom and into the real world. Our programs offer real-world footage, dynamic graphics, engaging dramatizations, and first-person testimonials that keep students interested and help them visualize difficult concepts. More importantly, they reinforce critical learning objectives shaped by state and national educational standards. However, the learning doesn’t begin and end when the program does. You can make the learning experience even more effective by using the materials provided in this Teacher’s Guide.

This guide is divided into the following sections:

• Fast Facts are designed to give your students a quick overview of the information presented within the video.

• Before Viewing Activities help identify what students already know about the subject, what they are curious about, and what they hope to learn.

• During Viewing Activities may be used during viewing to enhance students’ understanding of the video.

• After Viewing Activities help students summarize and draw conclusions from the information that was presented.

• After Viewing Quizzes test students’ retention of the information presented in the program and activity sheets.

• Additional Resources are designed to help you extend the information presented in the program into other areas of your curriculum.

• Answer Keys are provided for relevant activities or reproducible pages.

• Script content is provided in an unabridged version for future reference.

5 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Guide Program Overview Information Exploring Space: Our Solar System focuses on the Sun; the inner and outer planets; and other space objects, like asteroids, meteors and comets. In this video, two young girls, Tami and Renee, entertain students with fascinating Solar System movie reviews. The information presented in the first review explains how scientists believe our Solar System may have been created. It also covers the nine planets, the moons, and the asteroid belt. Using familiar movie titles, the girls continue through the Solar System by describing each planet in great detail through nine imaginative and often humorous movie shorts. Excellent photos and diagrams used in the movie shorts enable students to better understand our Solar System.

Viewing Objectives After viewing the program and utilizing the activities provided in the Teacher’s Guide, students will be able to:

• Describe the different parts of our Solar System. • Describe the difference between asteroids, comets and meteors. • Name the nine planets in order. • Explain that each planet has its own orbit or path around the Sun. • Explain that gravity is a force that attracts one thing to another. • Define the unique characteristics of each planet in our Solar System. • Compare characteristics of planets and moons in our Solar System. • Use selected vocabulary appropriately when speaking and writing.

6 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Solar System Fast Facts Fast Facts

Milky Way - this is what our galaxy is called; the Solar System is in this galaxy Solar System - the sun, the planets, moons, asteroids, comets and meteors The Sun - a medium-sized star (the only star in our Solar System); the center of our Solar System Asteroid belt - the area between Mars and Jupiter Asteroids - space objects made of rocks and metals that orbit the Sun Comets - small, irregularly-shaped space objects made of frozen gases and dust Meteors - objects that are smaller than comets and asteroids that go around the Sun Gravity - an invisible force that attracts one thing to another

The Four Inner Planets Mercury • Closest planet to the Sun • Second smallest planet • Orbits the Sun in 88 days • It can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit • The side away from the Sun reaches 276 degrees below 0 • It does not have a moon • No air or water • Covered with craters

Venus • Second planet from the Sun • Does not have a moon • Closest neighbor to Earth and called “sister” planets • Very solid with few craters • Atmosphere is made up of carbon dioxide – the gas we exhale on Earth • Covered with clouds made of sulfuric acid • Venus is very hot since the clouds hold in the Sun’s energy • Looks like a bright star because the clouds reflect sunlight • Appears low on Earth’s horizon during twilight hours

Earth • The perfect place for life • Third planet from the Sun • Not too close and not too far from the Sun • The atmosphere is made of nitrogen, oxygen, water and gases • The only planet with water and life • Takes a little over 365 days to orbit the Sun • Tilted on its axis, an imaginary line going from the North to South Poles • One moon that orbits the Earth

7 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Solar System Fast Facts Fast Facts

Mars • Fourth planet from the Sun • 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun • The day on Mars is 24 hours and 37 minutes • Tilted 25 degrees on its axis; almost the same tilt as Earth’s • It has a red appearance because of the iron in the dirt • Has the tallest mountains and deepest valleys • Thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide • A low of 207 below zero and a high of 32 degrees Fahrenheit • Ice made from carbon dioxide on North and South Poles • Two moons – Phobos and Deimos – shaped like potatoes

The Five Outer Planets Jupiter • Largest planet • Fifth from the Sun • 12 Earth years to orbit the Sun • It is so big that all of the planets can fit inside of it • The gas giant- it is made of hydrogen and helium • The “Great Red Spot” is a large moving area of gas – a big storm • Three Earths can fit into the Great Red Spot • The rings are small rocks and gas • 16-28 moons

Saturn • Planet of rings • Rings are made of tiny to extremely large rocks and gas • Sixth from the Sun • Second largest • Made of hydrogen and helium • 30 Earth years to go around the Sun • Spins faster than Earth • Very colorful planet • 18 moons

8 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Solar System Fast Facts Fast Facts

Uranus • Made of helium, hydrogen and methane • Color is blue and green- the color of methane gas • Seventh from the Sun • 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun • Very cold- 322 degrees below zero Fahrenheit • Spins on its side • Has rings • 20 moons

Neptune • A big, blue-green planet • Eighth planet • Made of gas • Has storms • 4 rings • 8 moons • 164 Earth years to orbit the Sun

Pluto • Ninth planet • Smallest planet • One moon • Charon – this moon is almost the same size as Pluto • 240 Earth years to orbit the Sun • Made of ice and rock

9 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name Before Viewing Activity 1

The Solar System Arrives with Five Fill in the KWHL chart below. In the “K” column, list five very interesting things you “know” about the Solar System. In the “W” column, list at least five topics you “want” to learn about. In the “H” column, tell “how” you will learn more about the Solar System. After viewing the video and participating in various activities, list five important things you “learned” in the “L” column. K W H L

Things you KNOW What you WANT Tell HOW you will List 5 important about Solar System to learn about the learn more about things you LEARNED Solar System the Solar System

10 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name Before Viewing Activity 2

Asteroids, Comets and Meteors, Oh My!

Read the facts below about asteroids, comets and meteors. Before viewing the video, sort the facts into the correct space object by placing the letter of the fact inside the object. Some facts may belong in all three objects. After viewing the video, change any facts that may have been put in the wrong object.

A. These objects go around the Sun or planets B. Small irregularly-shaped space objects made of frozen gases or dust C. A space object made of rocks and metal that orbit the Sun D. Too small to be a called an asteroid or a comet E. Found in the asteroid belt F. Orbits bring them close to the Sun and out into deep space past Pluto G. When it crashes into a planet, it is called a meteorite H. Scientists call them minor planets I. When they’re near the Sun, the gases evaporate creating a tail J. Some planets and some moons have been hit by these K. All part of our Solar System

11 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name Before Viewing Activity 3

Science Fact or Science Fiction

Before viewing the video, read the following sentences and decide whether each is a true fact about the Solar System or is it fiction. (A sentence that was made up and is not true). If it is a fact, put a check in the fact column. If it is a false sentence, put a check in the fiction column. After viewing the video, read the sentences again to see if you were correct.

Fact Fiction

1. The Sun is the center of our Solar System.

2. The Sun is the only star of our Solar System.

3. One inner planet is Mars.

4. The inner planets are further from the Sun.

5. There are four planets that have rings around them.

6. Neptune is the smallest planet.

7. Pluto is the furthest from the Sun.

8. All planets have moons.

9. Venus is really a star not a planet.

10. Earth is the only planet with life on it.

12 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name Before Viewing Activity 4

The Answers are in the Stars Before watching the video, think about what you already know about our Solar System. Write all of your thoughts in the middle of the two stars below. While watching the video, add additional accurate information under the correct heading below.

VENUS Inner

MERCURY Planets

EARTH

MOON

MARS

Outer Planets JUPITER

SATURN PLUTO

URANUS

NEPTUNE

13 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name Before Viewing Activity 5

Solar System Vocabulary Complete the following paragraph using words from the word bank. Check your answers after viewing the program.

Gravity Pluto Mercury Star Jupiter Gas Mars Comets Outer planets Dust Neptune Meteors Inner planets Earth Asteroid belt Orbit Venus Solar System Saturn Uranus Sun

Our ______began as a cloud of ______and

______. The cloud of gas and dust started spinning and getting smaller and

hotter. This became the ______.

The remaining cloud and dust continued to spin and pull tiny rocks around it until it formed

the ______. The left over gas became the ______

______.

The Sun is a medium-sized star. ______, ______, ______,

and ______are the inner planets. Between Mars and Jupiter is an area called the

______. Asteroids are made of rocks and metals. Don’t

confuse them with ______and ______. ______,

______, ______, ______, and ______, are the outer

planets because they are farther from the Sun than the inner planets.

Each planet has its own ______around the Sun. They are held in orbit by an

invisible force called ______. 14 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name Before Viewing Activity 6

Moons, Rings and Interesting Things While viewing the program use the Venn diagram to place the planets in the correct circle or intersection of circles. After viewing the video you may need to go back and make changes.

Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

15 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name During Viewing Activity 1

Charting the Planets While viewing the program, complete the chart below.

Period of Larger than Moons Rings PLANETS Rotation Earth

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

16 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name During Viewing Activity 2

The Inner Four Facts While watching the program, take notes on the topics below. After you have completed your notes, you and a partner will organize the information in a data chart that you create

Mercury Venus Revolution: Revolution: Landscape: Landscape: Atmosphere: Atmosphere: Moons: Moons: Other facts: Other facts:

Earth Mars Revolution: Revolution: Landscape: Landscape: Atmosphere: Atmosphere: Moons: Moons: Other facts: Other facts:

INNER Revolutions Landscape Atmosphere Moons Other Facts PLANETS

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

17 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name During Viewing Activity 3

The Outer Five Facts While watching the program, take notes on the topics below. After you have completed your notes, you and a partner will organize the information in a data chart that you create.

Jupiter Revolution: Landscape: Atmosphere: Moons and Rings: Neptune Other Facts: Revolution: Landscape: Atmosphere: Saturn Moons and Rings: Revolution: Other Facts: Landscape: Atmosphere: Moons and Rings: Pluto Other Facts: Revolution: Landscape: Atmosphere: Uranus Moons and Rings: Revolution: Other Facts: Landscape: Atmosphere: Moons and Rings: Other Facts:

OUTER Revolutions Landscape Atmosphere Moons & Other Facts PLANETS Rings

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

18 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name During Viewing Activity 4

And the Oscar® goes to… Tami and Renee just love movies about space! They will be reviewing ten movies with a Solar System theme. While watching the video, take notes on each specific planet that the two girls review.

Gone with the Planets ______

Raiders of the First Planet ______

Attack of the Stinky Planet ______

The Perfect Planet ______

The Iron Planet ______

Lord of the Planets ______

19 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name During Viewing Activity 4

And the Oscar® goes to…(cont.)

Planet of the Rings ______

Planet Inc. My Big Blue Green Planet ______

There’s Something About Pluto ______

Now, which movie will receive the Oscar®? Which is your favorite planet and why? ______

20 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Activity 1

Space Riddle Read each planet fact. Write the letter of each fact under the planet name it is describing. The number of facts for each planet is in parentheses. You may need to use your movie notes to help you. After you have filled in the spaces with letters, you may need to unscramble the letters to spell a word. All of the words put together will make a riddle. Some of the letters will have a number under them. Use those letters to solve the riddle at the end of the activity.

Mercury(4) Venus(5) Earth(3) Mars(4) ______1 3 7 Jupiter(1) Saturn(8) Uranus(2) ______6 Neptune(5) Pluto(5) ______? 5 8 4 2

W. Orbits the Sun in 88 days S. Last to be discovered O. It has eight moons W. The hottest planet I. Orbits on its side Y. Third from the Sun C. Sixth from the Sun O. Second largest planet C. Has the largest mountains in the Solar System O. Its cloud cover reflects light from the Sun U. Appears very bright in the night sky O. Perfect for living things P. Ninth planet from the Sun A. Smallest planet U. Eighth from the Sun H. Its surface contains many craters M. It has broad rings E. 18 moons

21 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name After Viewing Activity 1

Space Riddle (cont.) D. Very beautiful planet A. It has the deepest valleys in the Solar System T. Big blue green planet L. Its size is similar to Earth N. One year on this planet equals 84 Earth years E. It has four small rings C. It has one moon that is about the same size as the planet itself U. Its atmosphere is rich with oxygen and nitrogen L. Iron oxide gives this planet its reddish color L. Fourth from the Sun N. 30 Earth years to go around the Sun A. It has a very large spot which is really a storm T. Second smallest planet D. Second from the Sun A. Closest to the Sun R. 164 Earth years to go around the Sun E. For twenty years it was closer to the Sun than Neptune I. Very colorful planet A. Rings are made of pebble and house size rocks

Riddle Answer –

An ______12345678

22 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Activity 2

I Am the Solar System Below are three verses written about the planets that can be sung to the tune of “Clementine.” After viewing the program, pair up with a partner and create six more verses that tell a story about the planets. Remember to use your notes for factual information. Try to make the third and sixth line rhyme.

I am Mercury, I am Mercury, I am planet number one, The second smallest, And with no moon, I’m the closest to the Sun.

I am Venus, I am Venus, I am planet number ______, Sister planets Clouds all over The other planet without a moon.

I am Earth, I am ______, I am planet number ______, Lots of water A little tilted, The moon orbits with gravity.

I am ______, I am______, I am planet number ______, ______, ______, ______.

I am ______, I am______, I am planet number ______,

23 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name After Viewing Activity 2

I Am the Solar System (cont.)

______, ______, ______.

I am ______, I am______, I am planet number ______, ______, ______, ______.

24 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Activity 3

Weigh Out! Gravity is the force that pulls us down to Earth. Each planet has gravity, but the force of each planet is different from Earth’s. This means that we would weigh differently on each planet. On some planets we would weigh more and on some we would weigh less. We can calculate how much we would weigh on a planet by multiplying our weight by the gravity factor of the planet.

My weight on Earth: ______pounds

Planet Gravity Factor My Weight

Mercury 0.4 ______Venus 0.9 ______Mars 0.4 ______Jupiter 2.5 ______Saturn 1.1 ______Uranus 0.9 ______Neptune 1.1 ______Pluto 0.1 ______Sun 27 ______Moon 0.16 ______

On which planet would you weigh the most?

On which planet would you weigh the least?

On which planet or planets would your weight be closest to what it is on Earth?

Does the size of the planet or distance of the planet from the Sun make a difference on weight?

25 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name After Viewing Activity 3

Weigh Out! (cont.) Now that you have calculated your weight for the planets, the Moon and the Sun, complete the bar graph to show your results. Use the completed results to compare with other classmates.

Title______

MOON MERCURY VENUS EARTH MARS JUPITER SATURN URANUS NEPTUNE PLUTO or SUN

26 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Activity 4

Gathering and Comparing Now that you have viewed the program, use the notes that you have collected to find the number for each given fact. Write each number in the appropriate box. Then write <,>, or = in each circle to make the sentence true.

1. The number of inner planets the number of outer planets.

2. Number of moons for Uranus number of moons for Saturn.

3. Order from the Sun for Venus order from the Sun for Earth.

4. Length of Earth’s year length of Mercury’s year.

5. Coldest temperature on Mars coldest temperature on Mercury.

6. Number of Moons for Pluto number of Moons for Earth.

7. Order from the Sun for Jupiter order from the Sun for Neptune.

8. Length of Saturn’s year length of Uranus’s year.

9. Number of moons for Venus number of moons for Mercury.

27 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name After Viewing Activity 5

An Out of the World Vacation! Create a travel brochure or a travel poster for one of the planets in the Solar System. You may get your information for what you have learned from the video. You may also want to try and find additional information from books in the library or by using websites. Include tourist features, rare sites, and fun things to do on the planet.

What to See Tourist Features Race Sites and Do

28 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Quiz

Solar System Quiz – Part I

I. Matching

_____ 1. comets A. an invisible force that attracts one thing to another

_____ 2. meteors B. space objects made of rocks and metals that orbit the sun _____ 3. asteroids C. objects that are smaller than comets and asteroids that go around the Sun _____ 4. gravity D. this is what our galaxy is called

_____ 5. the Milky Way E. small irregularly shaped space objects made of frozen gases and dust _____ 6. Solar System F. a medium-sized star; the center of our Solar System

_____ 7. Sun G. planets, moons, Sun, asteroids, comets, and meteors

29 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Name After Viewing Quiz

Solar System Quiz – Part I (cont.) II. Fill in the Blank

Inner Outer Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

8. The ______is the third planet from the Sun.

9. The four planets closest to the Sun are known as the ______planets.

10. The five planets that are farthest from the Sun are known as the ______planets.

11. ______is the largest planet in the Solar System.

12. The clouds around ______hold in the Sun’s energy.

13. The rings of ______are made of tiny to extremely large rocks.

14. ______is the closest planet to the Sun.

15. The red appearance of ______is due to the iron in the dirt.

16. ______spins on its side.

17. ______has one moon that is about the same size as the planet.

18. It takes ______164 Earth years to orbit the Sun.

30 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Name After Viewing Quiz

Solar System Quiz – Part II

I. List the planets in order from the Sun outward.

II. Write a paragraph about your favorite planet. Give facts about the planet. Tell about its size, moon(s), atmosphere, and landscape.

III. Using the Venn diagram below, compare and contrast two other planets. Compare and contrast the planet’s size, temperature range, position in the Solar System, atmosphere, and any other unusual features.

31 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Math, Science, and Social Studies: Space Age: The nine planets in our Solar System travel around the Sun at different speeds. Earth takes 365.3 days or one year to orbit the Sun. If we use one Earth year as the standard measurement for a planet’s orbit, then Mercury’s orbit would be 88 days and Pluto’s would be 248 Earth years!

Your age would be very different compared to what it is on Earth if you were able to live on another planet. On Jupiter, some of you would only be 1 year old! Have your students use the following formula to calculate how old they would be on various planets ______x 365 days =______(my age in Earth years) (my age in days)

Now divide ______= ______(a planet’s “year” in days) (my age on the planet)

Mission Graph: Students will get into mission teams to create math graphs. Using a planet chart, create a graph that shows the distance of each planet from the Sun. Another graph may be created to show the diameter of each planet. Try making a graph to show the average surface temperature of each planet. A final graph may show the number of moons each planet has. Be creative. Allow the students to come up with their own graphs. Remember to report all findings to Mission Control!

Research: Have students locate newspaper and magazine articles in the library media center about discoveries or explorations in outer space. Other research topics could include the U. S. space program, eclipses, comets, meteor showers and other celestial occurrences.

Playground Solar System: Before going to the playground, the students will need to research how many miles each planet is from the Sun. You may have students to write this down in an organized graph. Now, have students stand on the playground according to the distance of the planets from the Sun. Let 1 inch equal 1 million miles. Mercury is 36 million miles from the Sun, so that student would stand 36 inches from the Sun. Now sequence the children by the size of the planet each will represent. How does this compare with their previous order based on distance?

32 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Jupiter in a Dish: In order to make a model of Jupiter’s bands of clouds, you will need the following: a round glass dish, a overhead projector, a coin, water, and a bottle of red food coloring. First place the coin on the overhead projector and under the round glass dish. This will help to make the dish turn easily. Next pour about half an inch of water into the pan. Now carefully place a large drop of the food coloring in the dish at the edge, and spin the dish slowly. Your students will notice how the streams of food coloring take the same shapes as Jupiter’s clouds.

Power of the Sun: The Sun is over 93 million miles from the Earth. Perform the following experiment to understand the power of the Sun. Gather the following materials: two rocks, two slices of apple, two sticks of butter, two rubber bands, two glasses of water, newspaper and index cards. On the index cards write the names of the objects twice. Place one set of objects and their cards in the Sunniest place in your classroom. Place the second set of objects in the shadiest place. Have students make predictions about what they believe will happen. Have them make observations twice a day for about two weeks to learn which objects were most effected by the Sun’s power. Students will record observations and come to conclusions with classmates.

Observing the Sun Safely: To observe the Sun safely, you will need to make a pinhole camera. Cut a piece 2 inches square from the end of a large box and tape aluminum foil over the opening. Make a small pinhole in the center of the foil. Tape an index card inside the box opposite the foil end. Outdoors, place the box over your head with the pinhole towards the bright sun light. DO NOT LOOK AT THE PINHOLE. Carefully observe the image of the Sun on the index card. You should see the colors of the Sun and maybe even some Solar flares. Have students record what they have seen.

Meteor Showers: Check newspapers for announcements of upcoming meteor showers. Try to observe these using a telescope or binoculars. Meteor showers usually occur on Jan. 3rd, April 20th, May 1st-11th, July 28th-Aug. 4th, Aug. 9th-13th, Oct. 19th-23rd, Nov. 14th-17th and Dec. 11th- 13th.

33 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Creating Craters: Begin by collecting round objects of different sizes such as a marble, a golf ball and a tennis ball. Mix flour and water into a baking pan. The flour and water should be soft not runny. Completely fill the pan with the flour mixture. Take the pan out side and place it on the ground. Let your students stand over the pan and drop the round objects into the mixture from various heights. Carefully remove the objects after they are dropped. The students will see and understand how the craters were formed. What happens when a large object is dropped from a low height? What happens when a light object is dropped from the same height. Try dropping the objects at different speeds. Which makes the biggest size craters? You may have students predict the crater depth before they drop the object. Have students create a chart that shows objects dropped, weight of the object, width and depth of the crater, and height at which the object was dropped.

The Venus Greenhouse Effect: You will need an outdoor thermometer and a jar with a lid for this experiment. The experiment needs to be conducted on a sunny day. First place the jar outside with the lid off. Place the thermometer inside with the bulb pointing down. Wait for the temperature to stop, and then make an observation. Record the temperature reading. Now put the thermometer inside the jar with the bulb pointing up. Place the lid back on and put the jar in the Sun with the jar turned upside down. Wait for the temperature to stop rising. Has the temperature changed? You created a mini-greenhouse effect. What made the temperature inside the jar to warm up? Air could not escape and it just got hotter. This is the Venus effect.

The Making of Mars: Collect a clean piece of steel wool, water, a dish, and rubber gloves to protect your hands. First stretch out the piece of steel wool to loosen the tight weave, then place it in the dish and wet the steel wool. Leave it sitting there for one week. After a week, put the gloves on, and pick up the steel wool. Examine it very closely. What do you notice? How has the steel wool changed? The rusted wool will crumble. It will leave a reddish – orange residue. As the iron in the steel mixes with the water and oxygen in the air, it turns to rust. Rocks on mars sometimes contain iron-bearing minerals. These minerals slowly rust over time, leaving a rust colored dust on the surface of Mars.

Field Trips: A visit to a planetarium or a museum space display is an excellent way to wrap up a unit on the Solar System.

34 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Reading and Writing: A list of books relating to Solar System will be found on page 38.

Book Corner: Allow your students to read different book related to the Solar System. Put out books from the attached book list for your students to choose from. After reading a book, the students could write a book review. Have them list three things they learned from the book. Students may form literature circles to share their favorite books.

Poetry: • Choose a topic such as moons, stars or comets and describe it in a concrete “shape” poem. • Share the poetry book Space Songs by Myra Cohn Livingston with your students. Then have the students create their own poems about space and the Solar System. Compile the poems into a class book.

Science Fiction: • Have your students read books from the literary genre of science fiction. Discuss in groups which parts are fiction and which parts are science facts. • After students read science fiction books, have them write science fiction stories that take place on one of the planets.

The Daily Sun: Students will love creating the front page of a newspaper from a city on another planet. What will the newspaper be called? Include headlines for all major news stories. Remember to include the daily weather and a comic strip. What else is found in a daily newspaper?

Astronomical Symbols: Each planet has an astronomical symbol. Have the class to research to find what these symbols looks like. Using these, create a secret code that will allow you to communicate with others.

A Silly Sentence: The silly sentence “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” will help kids remember the order of the planets. The first letter in the sentence stands for the first letter of the first planet. The second letter in the second word of the sentence stands for the second planet and so on.

35 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Riddles: Kids love riddles. Using the knowledge they have gained from their notes, allow your students to create their own riddles about planets. Let each student share the riddles and have the other members of the class solve them. Compile the riddles into a class book.

Art, Drama and Games: Rockets: Design a rocket or other means of transportation that could be used in outer space. Collect recyclable items such as cups, plates, and paper towel tubes to construct the space craft.

Moon Creations: Students will research to find a detailed map of the moons surface to be the guide for this art project. Students will work together to create a papier maché moon, complete with craters and seas. Have students start with a balloon as the form.

Solar System Mobiles: Children can create their own Solar Systems by painting different sized Styrofoam™ balls. After they dry, hang the ball from a plastic or wire coat hanger.

Planet Creatures: Students will each choose a favorite planet. Earth cannot be a choice. Have students invent a creature which could live there. Remind students what the word adaptation means (a characteristic that helps a plant or animal survive). Explain that life on other planets, if present, would need adaptations to live. Students may draw and color their creatures. You may wish to have students make three-dimensional creatures. When all students have completed the creatures, have them present them to the class explaining the adaptations.

Bulletin Board Display: Make a Solar System on a bulletin board display. Use various-sized spheres to make a free hanging Solar System across the room. Arrange the planets in the proper order, starting with those closest to the Sun. Commercially-made planet mobiles are also available in educational supply stores.

Planet Art: Students may use finger paints or water colors to create paintings of the planets and the Sun. With finger paints students can create solar flares on the Sun.

36 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Additional Interdisciplinary Ideas Resources

Planet Pictionary™: The following items will be needed for this fast game of quick draw: a game board, clock with a second hand, die, game markers, planet word cards, paper and pencil. Divide the class into two teams. Place each team’s markers on the “start” square. Roll the die to see which team goes first. This team will start the game by rolling the die. The number on the die is the number of spaces the team is playing for. One team member takes a card, and without speaking, has one minute to draw the word on it for the other team members. The other team can keep track of the time on the clock. If the guesser guesses the word before one minute is up, the team moves their marker forward the number of spaces shown on the die. If the guesser does not get the word in one minute, then the team must leave the marker in the spot where they began their turn.

Planet Plays: Use puppets or kids to put on a play about the planets. Students can write their own scripts. Add costumes and props to make the play more interesting for those watching and acting. What will the planets say? What type of voices will be used? If there are enough students you may choose to add asteroids, comets and meteors.

Solar Tea: The Sun is the source of energy for growth and life. It gives us warmth. The energy from the Sun can be used to make tea. Place four tea bags and one quart of water in a clear, closed container. Place the bottle in the Sun for several hours until the tea has brewed. Serve the tea over ice with lemon. With students, you may want to use decaffeinated tea.

Space Camp: Culminate the Solar System unit with a space camp. Invite parents to come and join the fun. Parents can enjoy tasting solar sun tea while the students share Solar System research and projects.

37 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Additional Suggested Reading List Resources

General Reading Aronson, Billy. The Truth Behind Shooting Stars. Franklin Watts, 1996. Explains such things as the difference between a meteor, a meteoroid, and a meteorite.

Asimov, Isaac. Discovering Comets and Meteors. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1996. Discusses characteristics of comets and meteors. The book cites famous appearances of unexplained mysteries connected with them.

Branley, Franklyn. Comets. Harper Collins Pub., 1987. A wonderful reference book on comets. It explains what comets are, how they are formed, and how their unusual orbits bring them into Earth’s view at predictable intervals.

Branley, Franklyn. The Sun: Our Nearest Star. Harper Collins Pub., 1988. Describes the Sun and how it provides light and energy which allows plants and animals to live on Earth.

Burnham, Robert. The Reader’s Digest Children’s Atlas of the Universe. Weldon Owen, 2000. The book includes beautiful pictures of the planets. It includes maps, charts, and satellite photos of the planets, as well as hands on activities. Distant galaxies and black holes are topics that are discussed.

Gibbons, Gail. The Moon Book. Holiday House, 1997. Identifies the moon as our only natural satellite. It describes its movement and phases, and discusses how we have observed and explored it over the years.

Gibbons, Gail. The Planets. Holiday House, 1993. Explains the movements, locations and characteristics of the nine known planets.

Hamilton, John. Mars, Myths and Legends. Abdo Publishing Company, 1998. This introduction to planet Mars shares traditional myths and legends.

Harris, Nicholas. The Incredible Journey to The Planets. P. Bedrick Books, 2002. The planets are introduced discussing the location, size, and climate of each one. Through the holes in the wonderful illustrations, the reader will be taken on a trip across the Solar System.

Kerrod, Robin. Giant Planets. Thameside Press, 2000. The two largest planets in our Solar System are described, including their formation, location, appearance, and moons.

38 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Additional Suggested Reading List Resources

Leedy, Loreen. Postcards from Pluto: A Tour of the Solar System. Holiday House, 1993. Dr. Quasar gives a group of children a tour of the Solar System describing each planet from Mercury to Pluto. The students on the adventure write postcards to friends and family as they explore each of the planets.

Livingston, Myra Cohn. Space Songs. Orchard Books, 1990. A beautifully illustrated book of poems about space.

McNab, David and James Younger. Solar System: The Planets. Yale University Press, 1999. Full of amazing pictures taken from Viking and Apollo missions, it truly expresses the wonders of the planets.

Ride, Sally and Tam O’Shaughnessy. Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System. Crown Publisher, Inc., 1992. The twelve years of the Voyager missions are described in this book. The missions include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Beautiful color photographs of the spacecraft and the discoveries of these planets are included in this book.

Simon, Seymour. The Sun. Mulberry Book, 1986. Describes the nature of the Sun, its origin, source of energy, layers, atmosphere, sunspots and activity. You will find excellent pictures of solar flares.

West, Krista. Hands-On Projects About Earth and Space. PowerKids Press, 2002. Easy step-by-step instructions for eight projects that will teach kids about Earth and the Solar System. It includes making a model of the Solar System and measuring Earth’s gravity.

Fiction For Grades 3- 8

Cole, Joanna and Bruce Degen. The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System. Scholastic Inc., 1990. Ms. Frizzle’s class is excited about going to the planetarium. They soon get off course as their bus begins to blast off. They enjoy visiting all of the planets and the Moon.

39 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Additional Internet Sites Resources

Below is a list of sites that you may use to find more information about the Solar System. Due to routine web maintenance, not all of the links will be accurate at the time of access. If the link is not available, try to conduct a search on that topic from the main site or from a search engine.

StarChild A lively site full of information on the Solar System. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Mars Today On this site you will find great information about the latest discoveries on Mars. www.reston.com/astro/mars/catalog.html/mars

The Nine Planets A great website for research and pictures. You will find an overview of the history of each planet along with current scientific knowledge of each. http://www.nineplanets.org

Amazing Space: Explorations Your students will really enjoy the interactive games about space. http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/index.shtml

A Virtual Journey Into the Universe Get ready to go on a virtual journey into the universe. This cool interactive site will take your students on imaginary trips to the planets. Excellent graphics and very informative. http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/?tqskip1=1

NASA Spacelink This is one of NASA’s electronic resources that is specifically developed for use by the education community. It is an electronic library that offers teachers guides, wall sheets, and listings of computer software, and other materials that have been developed to meet the national education standards. http://spacelink.nasa.gov

40 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Answer Key - Before Viewing Activity 2

Asteroids, Comets and Meteors, Oh My!

Questions Answers A. These objects go around the Sun or planets. Q AA. All three B. Small irregularly-shaped space objects made of frozen B. Comet gases or dust C. A space object made of rocks and metal that orbit the Sun C. Asteroid D. Too small to be a called an asteroid or a comet D. Meteor E. Found in the asteroid belt E. Asteroid F. Orbits bring them close to the Sun and out into deep space F. Comet past Pluto G. When it crashes into a planet, it is called a meteorite G. Meteor H. Scientists call them minor planets H. Asteroid I. When they’re near the Sun, the gases evaporate creating a tail. I. Comet J. Some planets and some moons have been hit by these J. Meteor K. All part of our Solar System K. All three

41 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Answer Key - Before Viewing Activity 3

Science Fact or Science Fiction

Fact Fiction

1. The Sun is the center of our Solar System.

2. The Sun is the only star of our Solar System.

3. One inner planet is Mars.

4. The inner planets are further from the Sun.

5. There are four planets that have rings around them.

6. Neptune is the smallest planet.

7. Pluto is the furthest from the Sun.

8. All planets have moons.

9. Venus is really a star not a planet.

10. Earth is the only planet with life on it.

42 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Answer Key - Before Viewing Activity Sheet 5

Solar System Vocabulary Complete the following paragraph using words from the word bank. Check your answers after viewing the program.

Gravity Pluto Mercury Star Jupiter Gas Mars Comets Outer planets Dust Neptune Meteors Inner planets Earth Asteroid belt Orbit Venus Solar System Saturn Uranus Sun

Our ______Solar ______System began as a cloud of ______gas and

______.dust The cloud of gas and dust started spinning and getting smaller and

hotter. This became the ______.Sun

The remaining cloud and dust continued to spin and pull tiny rocks around it until it formed

the ______inner ______. planets The left over gas became the ______outer

______.planets

The Sun is a medium-sized star. ______,Mercury ______, Venus ______, Earth

and ______Mars are the inner planets. Between Mars and Jupiter is an area called the

______asteroid ______.belt Asteroids are made of rocks and metals. Don’t

confuse them with ______comets and ______. meteors ______, Jupiter

______,Saturn ______, Uranus ______, Neptune and ______, Pluto are the outer

planets because they are farther from the Sun than the inner planets.

Each planet has its own ______orbit around the Sun. They are held in orbit by an

invisible force called ______.gravity 43 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Answer Key - After Viewing Activity Sheet 1

Mercury(4) Venus(5) Earth(3) Mars(4) W H A T W O U L D Y O U C A L L 1. 3. 7. Jupiter(1) Saturn(8) Uranus(2) A C O M E D I A N I N 6. Neptune(5) Pluto(5) O U T E R S P A C E? 5. 8. 4. 2.

44 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Answer Key - After Viewing Activity Sheet 1

Riddle Answer – An A S T R O N U T 12345678

45 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Answer Key - After Viewing Activity Sheet 3

My weight on Earth: ______pounds

Answers will vary depending on the weight of each student.

Planet Gravity Factor My Weight

Mercury 0.4 ______Venus 0.9 ______Mars 0.4 ______Jupiter 2.5 ______Saturn 1.1 ______Uranus 0.9 ______Neptune 1.1 ______Pluto 0.1 ______Sun 27 ______Moon 0.16 ______

On which planet would you weigh the most? Jupiter

On which planet would you weigh the least? Pluto

On which planet or planets would your weight be closest to what it is on Earth? Venus, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are all acceptable.

Does the size of the planet or distance of the planet from the Sun make a difference on weight? The bigger the planet, the greater a person’s weight would be.

46 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Answer Key - After Viewing Activity Sheet 4

1. The number of inner planets the number of outer planets. 4 < 5

2. Number of moons for Uranus20 > 18 number of moons for Saturn.

3. Order from the Sun for Venus2 > 3 order from the Sun for Earth.

4. Length of Earth’s year365 > 88 length of Mercury’s year.

5. Coldest temperature on Mars -207 > -276 coldest temperature on Mercury.

6. Number of Moons for Pluto1 = 1 number of Moons for Earth.

7. Order from the Sun for Jupiter5 < 8 order from the Sun for Neptune.

8. Length of Saturn’s year29 < 84 length of Uranus’s year.

9. Number of moons for Venus0 = 0 number of moons for Mercury.

47 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Answer Key - After Viewing Quiz

Solar System Quiz – Part I

I. Matching

E 1. comets A. an invisible force that attracts one thing to another

C 2. meteors B. space objects made of rocks and metals that orbit the sun B 3. asteroids C. objects that are smaller than comets and asteroids that go around the Sun A 4. gravity D. this is what our galaxy is called

D 5. The Milky Way E. small irregularly shaped space objects made of frozen gases and dust G 6. Solar System F. a medium-sized star; the center of our Solar System

F 7. Sun G. planets, moons, Sun, asteroids, comets, and meteors

48 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Answer Key - After Viewing Quiz

II. Fill in the Blank

Inner Outer Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

8. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun.

9. The four planets closest to the Sun are known as the Inner planets.

10. The five planets that are farthest from the Sun are known as the Outer planets.

11. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System.

12. The clouds around Venus hold in the Sun’s energy.

13. The rings of Saturn are made of tiny to extremely large rocks.

14. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

15. The red appearance of Mars is due to the iron in the dirt.

16. Uranus spins on its side.

17. Pluto has one moon that is about the same size as the planet.

18. It takes Neptune 164 Earth years to orbit the Sun.

49 © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Exploring Space: Our Solar System Answer Key - After Viewing Quiz

Solar System Quiz – Part II

I. List the planets in order from the Sun outward.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

II. Write a paragraph about your favorite planet. Give facts about the planet. Tell about its size, moon(s), atmosphere, and landscape.

Answers will vary. Students should include a concise, well-written paragraph that includes true facts about the planet’s size, moons, atmosphere, and landscape. Other facts may also be included.

Answers will vary. Students should pick two different planets to compare and contrast. Students will compare the size, temperature range, position in the Solar System, moons, atmosphere, and any other unusual features.

50 Exploring Space: Our Solar System © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Script

CAST Aaron ...... Student Tami ...... Student Renee ...... Student Narrator

SCENE ONE- INTRODUCTION AARON Ok, I’m set. Are you two ready?

TAMI Yep.

RENEE Let’s go!

TAMI Hi, I’m Tami.

RENEE And I’m Renee.

TAMI And welcome to Super Cool Movie Reviews.

RENEE Today, we’re going to be reviewing a few movies with the same theme, the Solar System.

TAMI Cool! I just love movies about space! Remember that one with the light sabers and the awesome…

RENEE Tami, let’s get back to the show…

TAMI Oh, sorry.

RENEE Let me introduce our technical guru…the guy behind the scenes…my little brother…Aaron.

RENEE That’s enough, Aaron. He’s got all the movie clips so what can we do.

TAMI The first movie we’re going to review is incredibly beautiful in scope, it’s an epic..it’s…

RENEE Um, could you bring it down a notch? Stick to the script, Tami.

TAMI Oh, all right. It’s the movie to beat all Solar System movies. This is the one that brings it all together…

RENEE It covers all the coolest parts of the Solar System, from the planets and moons to the asteroid belt. It’s a dramatic piece called “Gone with the Planets.” Play the preview, Aaron.

SCENE TWO - GONE WITH THE PLANETS NARRATOR A long, long time ago, In a galaxy called the Milky Way, It began as a cloud of gas and dust… It is…OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

The cloud of gas and dust started spinning, getting smaller and smaller and hotter and hotter. This became the Sun, which is the center of our Solar

System. The remaining cloud of gas and dust continued to spin. It pulled in all the tiny rocks around it until they formed the inner planets. The left over gas became the outer planets. All the planets kept going around the Sun in the same direction.

The Solar System is made up of the Sun, which is a medium-sized star, and the nine planets orbiting it. They are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are known as the inner planets. They are mostly made of rock and go around the Sun FASTER than the other planets because they’re closer to it.

Between Mars and Jupiter is an area known as the asteroid belt. Asteroids are space objects made of rocks and metals that orbit the Sun. They’re too small to be considered planets, so some scientists call them minor planets.

Don’t confuse them with comets or meteors. Comets are small, irregularly- shaped space objects made of frozen gases and dust. Their orbits bring them close to the Sun and out into deep space, even past Pluto! When they’re near the Sun, the gases evaporate creating a tail.

Meteors or meteroids are objects that go around the Sun or a planet. They’re too small to be called an asteroid or comet. When a meteor crashes into a planet, it’s called a meteorite. Several of the inner planets and some moons have been hit by meteorites.

Along with the moons and planets, those millions of asteroids, comets, and meteors moving through space are all part of our Solar System.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are the outer planets because they’re further away from the Sun. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are mostly made of gases and have rings around them. The rings are made of gases, ice, and rocks.

The smallest planet, Pluto, is made of rock and does not have rings. It’s the furthest planet from the Sun.

Each planet has its own orbit or path around the Sun. They are held in their orbit by an invisible force, gravity. Gravity is a force that attracts one thing to another, like the planets to the Sun or the moons to the planets. The Sun is the largest object in the Solar System so it has a very strong gravitational hold on the things that orbit it.

TAMI I really liked that movie. It was cool to see how the Sun was formed, you know, with all the gas and dust spinning around until it got smaller and hotter.

RENEE I totally agree. And I didn’t know the Sun was a star, the only star in our Solar System!

TAMI And of course gravity played such a big role in the movie. I mean it practically pulled the whole thing together!

RENEE Right. Since all the planets are held in their orbits by the gravitational force between them and the Sun. Without gravity, this movie would have lost its direction.

TAMI I’m giving it 4 stars out of a possible 5.

RENEE And I’m giving it 3 stars.

TAMI Our next movie goes into more depth about the planets, actually the planet closest to the Sun, Mercury.

RENEE It’s an action-adventure flick and it reveals a secret at the end. Let’s watch…

SCENE THREE - RAIDERS OF THE FIRST PLANET NARRATOR You’re about to begin an adventure…An adventure to the first planet in the Solar System, Mercury. It’s the closest planet to the sun, but NOT the smallest planet. Mercury is actually the SECOND smallest planet and is almost the same size as Earth’s moon.

Mercury has a relatively short orbit compared to the other planets. It takes 88 Earth days to go around the Sun. The temperatures on Mercury reach the extremes. When it faces the Sun, it can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit on the surface. The side away from the Sun can be 276 degrees BELOW zero! Not only that, but Mercury has no air or water so it cannot support life.

Its surface is covered with craters, which are holes formed by space rocks that crashed into the planet. And here our adventure ends…but wait…there’s one more thing… Mercury doesn’t have a moon.

TAMI I would have never guessed! I mean I thought all the planets had moons.

RENEE Nope. Mercury is one of two planets in our Solar System that doesn’t have a moon. We’re about to find out the other one.

TAMI You mean…

RENEE Shhhh…yes, but don’t tell them yet. So did you like “Raiders of the First Planet?”

TAMI Yeah, kind of. I wanted a little more action, like when Mercury was going around in it’s orbit. I mean it’s only 88 Earth days. Mercury goes around the Sun FOUR times before Earth completes ONE orbit! That’s quick!

RENEE Yeah, I would have liked to see more of the craters. If the whole planet is covered by them, why didn’t they fill in the gaps? I mean tell us more about them.

TAMI What more can they say? Space objects crashed into Mercury which made craters…end of story.

RENEE Oh, all right. I give it 2 stars.

TAMI And I’m giving it 3 stars. Our next movie is the only scary horror movie we have to review. I’m sure you’ll be surprised by the ending. It’s called “Attack of the Stinky Planet.” Play it, Aaron.

SCENE FOUR - ATTACK OF THE STINKY PLANET NARRATOR In a dark and desolate place… Full of dread and despair… There’s also…A SMELL! The time has come…to visit the second planet from the Sun, Venus.

Earth is its closest planet neighbor. Astronomers call them “sister” planets. They’re almost the same size and have nearly the same densities, which means they’re very solid. Both have few craters and both planets are made of similar chemicals.

But Venus is quite different from Earth. First, its atmosphere is almost entirely carbon dioxide, the gas people on Earth EXHALE. Second, it’s hard to see what Venus’ surface looks like because it is completely covered with thick clouds made of sulfuric acid. The clouds hold the Sun’s energy in so Venus is extremely hot. A lead ball would melt like ice cream if placed on the surface of the planet! Those sulfuric acid clouds also make Venus a SMELLY planet. It smells like stinky feet or rotten eggs.

The clouds move fast because strong winds blow them around. They also reflect or shine sunlight so Venus looks like a bright star to people on Earth. It appears low in Earth’s horizon during twilight hours, so it’s known as the morning star or evening star. But remember, Venus is NOT a star at all. It’s a planet.

Finally, Venus spins slowly compared to Earth and it spins in a DIFFERENT direction than all the other planets. So instead of spinning counterclockwise, it spins in a clockwise direction. It takes 255 Earth days to go around the Sun.

Watch out! It’s the attack of the stinky planet! Venus- you don’t want to be there. And one more thing…it’s the other planet in our Solar System that doesn’t have a moon.

TAMI Ah ha! I was right. Mercury and Venus are the only two planets in our Solar System that don’t have moons.

RENEE Right. I thought this movie was great! I mean it’s Earth’s “sister” planet and all so they have some things in common. But Venus has its own special parts too. Like the acid in the clouds, the clockwise spin, and the fact that it’s so hot there that it can melt lead! Totally awesome!

TAMI I don’t agree with you at all. This movie stunk and I don’t mean just because Venus is a stinky planet. The clouds just cover up too much of Venus so you really can’t get the true story behind the planet.

RENEE Well, I liked it. So I’m giving it 4 stars.

TAMI And I’m giving it one star for effort.

RENEE Our next movie I’m sure everyone will love. It’s about our home- the planet Earth.

TAMI This movie rocks! And I’m not just saying that because Earth is one of the rocky inner planets. Its just got so many cool things that I can’t wait to see it again!

RENEE It’s a short-subject documentary that’s been nominated for several awards, including the Golden Palm at the Fan Film Festival. Ok, Aaron- roll the Perfect Planet.

SCENE FIVE - THE PERFECT PLANET NARRATOR Earth- the perfect place for… LIFE! People, animals, trees and plants thrive on the third planet from the Sun. It’s the best place for life to exist since it’s not too close and not too far from the Sun.

It’s surrounded by an atmosphere made mostly of nitrogen, then oxygen, and the remainder being other gases and water. The atmosphere protects us from the harmful rays of the Sun and gives living things the air they need to survive.

Most of the planet is covered by water. Earth is the only planet that has liquid water on it’s surface. But water can be found as a solid and a gas, too. When water freezes, it becomes ice. And when it’s heated or evaporates from the surface of the planet, it becomes water vapor, which is a gas. That’s what makes the clouds.

It takes a little over 365 days, or one year, to orbit the Sun. Like the other planets, it spins as it travels around the Sun. Earth doesn’t stand straight up in its orbit. It’s tilted a little bit on its axis, an imaginary line going from the North to South Poles. The tilt is the reason many places on Earth have four seasons- spring, summer, fall and winter.

Earth’s nearest neighbor in space is its moon. The moon orbits the Earth, held in this orbit by gravity. Two friends- the Earth and the Moon, hanging out together in the most perfect place in space. The fact that Earth is the ONLY planet in our Solar System that has life makes it the most unique planet of all.

TAMI I loved it!

RENEE Me too! It was outstanding!

TAMI After watching this movie, you come away with a real appreciation of our home planet.

RENEE The Earth IS the perfect place because if we were any closer to the Sun we’d be too hot and if we were any further we’d be too cold. And there wouldn’t be any life at all.

TAMI Well, I’m giving this movie 5 stars out of 5. It was the best!

RENEE I agree. 5 stars from me too. Now, let’s move on.

TAMI The movie “The Iron Planet” is a spy thriller and detective movie rolled into one. Kick it, Aaron.

SCENE SIX - THE IRON PLANET NARRATOR On a planet… Where only robots have visited… You will find… Lots of rocks!

So far, we’ve gathered the following clues about the Iron Planet. It’s slightly smaller than Earth and the last of the rocky inner planets. It’s the fourth planet from the Sun with an orbit lasting 687 Earth days. Its kind of like Earth in two ways- its day lasts 24 hours and 37 minutes and its tilted 25 degrees on its axis.

Pretty close to the Earth’s day and tilt, but its definitely not the Earth. See…this planet looks red because of the iron in the dirt. You will also find craters there. And the tallest mountain- Olympus Mons- and deepest valleys in our Solar System. Incredible!

Oh and it has an atmosphere, but not like Earth’s. Its atmosphere is very thin and almost entirely made of carbon dioxide, the gas people on Earth EXHALE.

But you won’t find any people on this planet. It’s much colder than Earth because it’s further away from the Sun. Temperatures range from 207 degrees below zero to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a typical summer day here. You’d think it would be covered in ice, being so far from the Sun, but it only has a little ice on its North and South Poles. The ice is frozen water and solid carbon dioxide or dry ice.

And look at that…those two things orbiting the Iron Planet are its moons- Phobos (FOH-bus) and Deimos (DEE-mos). Hey, they’re shaped like potatoes!

So have you figured it out? The clues add up to only one possible planet…It’s Mars! If you ask the right questions, you too can uncover all the mysteries of…the Iron Planet.

TAMI I don’t know about you, but I was absolutely captivated by this movie. First of all, my favorite color is red so the fact that Mars looks red really appealed to me.

RENEE It’s red because of the iron in the dirt.

TAMI Right. And second of all, I just loved the views of the valleys and mountains on Mars. I mean if those fly-bys can’t keep your attention then nothing will!

RENEE It was cool to find out that Mars has ice on its North and South poles.

TAMI But it’s not totally water ice, like we have on Earth. It’s also carbon dioxide ice. What we know as “dry ice.” If you put dry ice in a liquid, it gets all smokey. Like that…

RENEE Freaky! Well, I liked this movie. I give it 4 stars.

TAMI I liked it too and I give it 4 RED stars.

RENEE Now it’s time for the grandest movie of all time.

TAMI I heard it cost 100 million dollars to make!

RENEE Could be…but what else can you do when you’ve got to make a movie about the LARGEST planet in the Solar System. It’s an epic style movie and it’s called “Lord of the Planets.”

SCENE SEVEN - LORD OF THE PLANETS NARRATOR Jupiter- the LARGEST planet in the Solar System. It’s the 5th planet from the Sun and takes almost 12 Earth YEARS to travel around it. It’s so big that ALL the OTHER planets could fit inside of it.

Jupiter is called a gas giant because it’s made mostly of gases, specifically hydrogen and helium. The gases are found in bands that swirl around the planet. Astronomers have observed the Great Red Spot, a large moving area of gas. It’s a big storm, like a hurricane, that has lasted for hundreds of years. Three Earth-sized planets could fit into the Great Red Spot.

Like all the gas giants, Jupiter has a few rings. They’re made of small rocks and gas. And astronomers have found 16 moons that orbit the planet. But, it may have more than 28!

Jupiter- it’s large and it’s in charge. And don’t you forget it.

TAMI OK, can you say “very cool!”

RENEE I think Jupiter is one of the most beautiful planets in our Solar System. Those colorful bands around it look like paintings!

TAMI And don’t forget about the Great Red Spot. It’s a huge storm! I can’t even imagine how long it’s been around.

RENEE Jupiter is this gigantic gas planet that can fit all the OTHER planets inside of it. Amazing!

TAMI OK, we could go on and on about Jupiter, but let’s get to the rating. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

RENEE And I’m giving it a 5. Our next movie is the only foreign one on our list. It’s a timeless tale, a beautiful story of one planet’s most amazing feature. It’s called “La Planete des Anneaux” or “The Planet of the Rings.”

SCENE EIGHT - PLANET OF THE RINGS NARRATOR In another place, Far away from the Sun, It’s another gas giant planet.

Saturn- probably the most beautiful planet in the Solar System. Its rings make it stand out from all the rest. They’re made of ice and rocks, and some of those pieces can be as small as pebbles or as big as a house! Scientists believe the rings were made when comets and meteorites smashed the moons around Saturn, breaking them into tiny pieces. Saturn’s gravitational pull shaped the small pieces into rings.

It’s the second largest planet by size, but it’s the least dense. So if you could put Saturn in a large tub of water, it would FLOAT! The gases that surround the planet are hydrogen and helium, but it does have small amounts of water, ammonia, and methane.

Saturn takes 30 Earth years to orbit the Sun. It spins faster than Earth, which causes winds to blow. The bands of gas blown by the wind makes Saturn one of the most colorful planets in the Solar System. Astronomers have found 18 moons around Saturn.

But without its spectacular rings that make it stand out, Saturn would be just another gas giant planet.

TAMI I absolutely LOVED this movie.

RENEE I thought visually it was the best movie of all because Saturn really stands out.

TAMI Those rings make the planet unique. And I can’t believe they’re just plain ole rock and ice!

RENEE Well, I couldn’t believe that Saturn is so light that it would float in water. But it’s made of gas, so I guess it could happen.

TAMI I gave this movie 5 stars. It was really beautiful.

RENEE And I’m giving it 4 stars. Our next movie is called Planet, Inc. It’s a comedy about a planet with a different “spin” on things. Let’s watch.

SCENE NINE - PLANET, INC. NARRATOR Hi folks, it’s time once again to introduce another gas giant! It’s Uranus! Uranus is made almost entirely of gases, especially hydrogen, helium and methane.

The planet looks blue-green in pictures because of the methane gas in its atmosphere. It’s known as an outer planet and takes 84 Earth YEARS to travel around the Sun. You can imagine being that far away makes Uranus a VERY cold planet. Temperatures average 322 degrees BELOW zero!

And as it goes around the Sun wacky Uranus spins on its side! That’s right, folks! So instead of spinning like this, it spins like this. So what we would call its North Pole would always point at the Sun. Amazing!

Uranus has some rings, but not as many as Saturn. And it has at least 20 moons. We don’t know much about Uranus since it’s so far away, but we’re learning more and more each day. What we do know is that it does it’s own thing, it’s got it’s own spin, and it’s cool, baby.

TAMI OK, this movie simply left me cold, and not because Uranus is so far from the Sun that it is a very cold planet. I guess I didn’t find the spinning on its side very funny.

RENEE I totally disagree. I mean Uranus is doing its own thing. It spins differently than the other planets! Uranus is independent. It’s blazing it’s own trail. Don’t you agree with that?

TAMI Yeah, I guess it’s good to think for yourself, but I just didn’t believe the movie showed Uranus to be THAT different. It’s still like the other gas giants: its got rings, moons and is made mostly of gases.

RENEE Well, I’m giving it 4 stars.

TAMI And I’m giving it 2 stars.

RENEE Our next movie is a short-subject documentary from King of the Sea productions. It’s about Neptune, a planet I really don’t know much about. So hit it, Aaron.

SCENE TEN - MY BIG BLUE GREEN PLANET NARRATOR It’s blue; it’s green. Is it Uranus? No! It’s Neptune!

Neptune is another big, blue-green planet. It’s mostly made of gas like the other gas giants, but it’s got some ice and rock too. And it can get pretty stormy there. See these dark areas…they’re storms. Like the other gas giants it has rings- 4 in all. It’s also got at least 8 moons. Oh, what more can I say? Ah, yes! It takes 164 Earth years to go around the Sun. Neptune- it’s not just my big, blue, green planet- it’s for everybody!

TAMI That was fast!

RENEE Right. They didn’t have much to say about Neptune.

TAMI I mean it’s so far away, I don’t know if those script writers could find out anything about the planet.

RENEE So what did they tell us? It’s a gas giant; it’s got a little ice and rock; it gets stormy there…

TAMI It has 4 rings and at least 8 moons.

RENEE Pretty standard stuff. Well, it was short, but got to the point. And I like that. So I’m giving it 4 stars.

TAMI And I’m giving it 3 stars. Our final movie is a love story between a planet and its moon. Let’s watch “There’s Something About Pluto.”

SCENE ELEVEN - THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT PLUTO NARRATOR Pluto- the last planet in our Solar System. It’s the smallest planet of all and it’s very, very far away from the Sun. And yes, it’s cold, but it has one moon, called Charon, to keep it company. Pluto and Charon are almost the same size.

Some people call it a double planet because they’re so close. Both are made of rock and ice. It takes 248 Earth years to make one complete orbit around the Sun. And for 20 of those years, it’s actually closer to the Sun than Neptune because Pluto’s uniquely shaped orbit. Pluto and Charon- a planet and its moon- close to each other, but yet so far away from everything else.

TAMI I laughed…I cried. This movie had it all.

RENEE I thought the story between Pluto and Charon was so touching. I mean they only have each other since they’re so far out in the Solar System. What’s a planet without a moon, a lonely place.

TAMI Well, Venus and Mercury don’t have moons, but they didn’t seem lonely to me. I mean they’re one of the inner planets. Mercury is so close to the Sun and Venus is closer to the Earth than any other planet. They don’t need moons. Pluto needs a moon.

RENEE You’re right. I’m giving this movie 5 stars.

TAMI And I give it 4 stars.

SCENE TWELVE - CONCLUSION TAMI I guess that does it for us. Thanks for watching Super Cool Movie Reviews!

RENEE Save us some popcorn and we’ll see you next time!

TAMI Or when Aaron gets more movies for us to watch!