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Grade: 4 Science Strand: Patterns, Cycles, and Change Curriculum SOL: 4.7 Unit Planner The student will investigate and understand the organization of the . Key concepts include a) the in the solar system;

b) the order of the planets in the solar system; and c) the relative sizes of the planets. SOL: 4.8 The student will investigate and understand the relationships among Earth, the , and the . Key concepts include a) the motions of Earth, the moon, and the sun; b) the causes for Earth’s ; c) the causes for the phases of the moon; d) the relative size, position, age, and makeup of Earth, the moon, and the sun; and e) historical contributions in understanding the Earth-moon-sun system.

Time: 5-6 weeks

1. Desired Results Enduring Understandings (BIG Ideas) There are integral relationships among the earth, moon, and sun. Humans use technology to explore space. Essential Questions • How is the solar system organized? • How do the physical properties of the sun and moon affect the Earth? • Why does the moon look different at different times? • Why do the movement and relative position of the Earth cause changes? • What causes the seasons? • How has our knowledge of the sun, earth, the planets (of our solar system), and moon changed over time? • How have humans applied technological skills to explore space? Understanding the Standard Essential Knowledge, Skills and Processes Students will: • Our solar system is ancient. Early astronomers believed that Earth was the center of the universe and all other heavenly • name the eight planets and describe whether they are a bodies orbited around Earth. We now know that our sun is terrestrial or a gas giant. the center of our solar system and eight planets, a handful of • dwarf planets, 170 named , dust, gas, and thousands of sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on asteroids and comets around the sun. their position from the sun. ( is the first from the sun, is the second, etc.) • Our solar system is made up of eight planets: Mercury, • Venus, Earth, , , , , and . sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on size (Jupiter is the largest, Saturn is next, etc.) • Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are considered terrestrial • construct a simple model of the sun and the planets in our

Arlington Public Schools 2013 planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are called gas solar system. giants. • Differentiate between and revolution. • Mercury is closest to the sun and is a small, heavily cratered • planet. Mercury looks like our moon. Since ’s Describe how the Earth’s axial tilt causes the seasons. reclassification from planet to dwarf planet, Mercury is now • Model the formation of the eight moon phases, the smallest planet in our solar system. sequence the phases in order, and describe how the phases occur. • Venus is second from the sun. It is similar to Earth in size and mass, and has a permanent blanket of clouds that trap so • Describe the major characteristics of the sun, much heat that the temperatures on the surface of Venus are including its approximate size, color, age, and overall hot enough to melt lead. composition. • Earth is third from the sun. Earth’s atmosphere, the liquid • Create and describe a model of the Earth-moon-sun water found on Earth, and its distance from the sun, among system with approximate scale distances and sizes. many other factors, make Earth a haven for life. • Compare and contrast the surface conditions of Earth, the • Mars is fourth from the sun. The atmosphere on Mars is thin moon, and the sun. and there is a vast network of canyons and riverbeds on the red planet. Scientists hypothesize that Mars once supported a • Compare and contrast an Earth-centered to the sun- wet, warm Earth-like . centered model of the solar system. • Jupiter is fifth from the sun. Jupiter is the largest planet in the • Analyze the differences in what Aristotle, Ptolemy, solar system and is considered a gas giant. Jupiter has no Copernicus, and Galileo observed and what solid surface. influenced their conclusions. • Saturn is sixth from the sun. Early scientists thought Saturn • Describe a contribution of the NASA Apollo missions was the only planet with rings, but we now know that all four to our understanding of the moon. gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings. • Uranus is seventh from the sun. Uranus is a gas giant. • Neptune is eighth from the sun. Neptune appears blue through telescopes and is a gas giant.

• The eight planets sorted by size from largest to smallest are:

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury. • Pluto is no longer included in the list of planets in our solar system due to its small size and irregular orbit. Many astronomers questioned whether Pluto should be grouped with worlds like Earth and Jupiter. In 2006, this debate led the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the recognized authority in naming heavenly objects, to formally reclassify Pluto. On August 24, 2006, Pluto's status was officially Science Vocabulary changed from planet to dwarf planet. Rocky inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars); gas • A new distinct class of objects called "dwarf planets" was giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune); sequence, size, identified in 2006. It was agreed that "planets" and "dwarf position, Sun, solar system, planet, atmosphere, revolution, planets" are two distinct classes of objects. The first members rotation, axial tilt of the Earth, moon, seasons, phases of the of the dwarf planet category are , Pluto and 2003 moon, mass, new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, UB313, given the name . More dwarf planets are waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, expected to be announced by the IAU in the future. waning crescent, size, color, age, star, rocky satellite, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, NASA Apollo • What differentiates a dwarf planet from a planet? For the missions, model, compare, contrast, analyze, describe, most part, they are identical, but there is one key difference: constellation, space probes and telescopes A dwarf planet has not "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit, which means it has not become gravitationally dominant and it shares its orbital space with other bodies of a similar size.

Arlington Public Schools 2013 • Pluto is smaller than seven of the moons in our solar system and cannot be seen without a telescope. • Earth completes one revolution around the sun every 365 ¼ days. The moon revolves around Earth about once every month. • Due to its axial tilt, Earth experiences seasons during its revolution around the sun. • The phases of the moon are caused by its position relative to Earth and the sun. The phases of the moon include the new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last (third) quarter, and waning crescent. • The sun is an average-sized yellow star, about 110 times the diameter of Earth. The sun is approximately 4.6 billion old. • Our moon is a small rocky satellite, having about one-quarter the diameter of Earth and one-eightieth its mass. It has extremes of temperature, virtually no atmosphere or life, and very little water. • The Earth is one of eight planets that revolve around the sun and comprise the solar system. Earth, the third planet from the sun, is one of the four rocky inner planets. It is about 150 million kilometers from the sun. (The emphasis is placed on the Earth, rather than the other planets.) • The Earth is a geologically active planet with a surface that is constantly changing. Unlike the other three inner planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), it has large amounts of life-supporting water and an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The Earth’s protective atmosphere blocks out most of the sun’s damaging rays. • Our understanding of the solar system has changed from an Earth-centered model of Aristotle and Ptolemy to the sun-centered model of Copernicus and Galileo. • The NASA Apollo missions added greatly to our understanding of the moon. • Our understanding of the sun, moon, and the solar system continues to change with new scientific discoveries.

2. Assessment Evidence Prior Knowledge Throughout the Unit • Students record what they know about the sun, earth, Formative Assessment: and moon in a three-column chart or on an • Teacher observation /anecdotal records of students Inspiration concept map (no resources should be engaged in cooperative learning investigations. used; only prior knowledge). • KWL • Science notebook (questions, predictions, observations, • Students depict size relationships of sun, earth, and summaries, charts, drawings)

Arlington Public Schools 2013 moon, representing these objects on paper or with • Conduct simple experiments using appropriate tools three-dimensional objects. (Teachers make note of • Record data on scientific investigations performed size misconceptions.) • • Students draw a model of the solar system, showing Role-play in small groups the movements of sun, earth’s position. Earth, and moon to show how they move in relation to each other (rotation and revolution).

• Diagram the axial tilt of the Earth relative to the sun, to demonstrate how seasons occur.

• Simulate the phases of the moon with physical objects and explain why the moon looks different at different times.

• Compare and contrast the sun, Earth, and moon using a Venn diagram with three overlapping rings.

• Groups present a mini-lesson on a key figure in the historical development of our understanding of celestial relationships (sun, Earth, moon).

Summative Assessment: • Test/assessment • Develop a board game, complete with rules, to represent concepts learned in this unit. Teachers use rubric to assess understanding

3. Learning Plan References to Adopted Materials: • Science Fusion – Unit 6: Earth and Space Lesson 1 “How do the Sun, Earth, and Moon interact?” Lesson 2 “What are moon phases?” Lesson 3 “How does the moon move around Earth?” Lesson 4 “What are the planets in our solar system?” Lesson 5 “How can we model the sun and planets?”

Suggested Activities: • Students research the features of the sun, earth, moon, and planets and record information in charts for comparative purposes. • Students need to physically act out the different movements of celestial bodies (sun, Earth, moon) to understand their relationships and relative distances from each other. Role-playing and simulation work well to build conceptual understanding. • Encourage students to create models of the solar system, earth-moon-sun positions, and the earth’s axial tilt.

Students can work in groups to take positions of the sun, moon, and earth (using a source of light for the sun) to illustrate how the moon’s changing position influences what we see from earth (moon phases). For video on waxing and waning, as well as an explanation, visit http://www.newtonsapple.tv/video.php?id=1671 To see a calendar of current moon phases, visit http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml

• This Science activity, part of a unit on the Solar System, uses role playing to demonstrate the universe and its connection

Arlington Public Schools 2013 to the sun.

Materials: one yellow punch ball, nine balloons of different colors, chalk or string to mark , resource material to check orbits of the nine planets

Activities and Procedures:

1. Children will blow up a yellow punch ball to its fullest and balloons of nine different colors to sizes representing the nine planets. 2. Take the class outside or go into the gym inside. Have nine paths marked on ground or floor with string or chalk. 3. Have one student hold each balloon. Another student will hold the yellow punch ball which represents the sun. 4. The "sun" stands in the middle of a circle. The other children take their places on the marked paths. Teacher will need to give each child the name of his/her planet and direct him/her to the correct place. 5. Begin the experiment by having children walk in their path or "orbit" around the sun. Stress that the planets never leave their own orbits. This travel around the sun is called "revolution". This term should now be introduced. 6. After the children have orbited the sun once, bring in the added concept of "rotation". While moving around the sun, the children should also start to spin around like tops. (Caution them against becoming dizzy.) This demonstrates "rotation". Tell children that it takes one for the earth to revolve around the sun, and it takes one day for the earth to rotate on its own axis. 7. Point out that "rotation" or spinning on one's own axis takes much less time than going all the way around the sun, "revolution." 8. Give all children in the class a chance to try the experiment. • Tying it all Together: After returning to the classroom, demonstrate the principle just learned with the globe. Let someone spin the globe and walk around a "sun" to show "rotation" and "revolution". For children who have trouble keeping "rotation" and "revolution" straight, here is a tip: the middle sound of "rotation" has the same vowel sound as "day" and it takes the earth one day to rotate. This same type of activity can be used to show the relationship between the moon and the earth. Role play is an excellent way to teach primary children and makes these abstract concepts come to life. Review Activities: • Bingo with related vocabulary • Matching –vocabulary words with their definitions and/or pictures Outdoor Connections: • Make a model of the solar system by placing students in appropriate locations on the blacktop or the playground. • Can you use shadows to tell time? Record shadow lengths throughout the day and ponder how to make a sundial. • Earth is unique among the planets in its ability to control temperature and other factors despite continual increase in solar radiation. How does it do that? Investigate and measure factors the might control temperature, e.g. % cloud cover, early morning temperatures on days with different humidity levels (water vapor acts as a greenhouse gas), temperature in wooded vs. exposed areas, etc. • Observe the sun! You will need a thick piece of welder’s glass. This can be purchased at Home Depot. Students can observe the sun while looking directly through this glass. They should first look through the piece of glass while looking down, then they can lift their head and find the sun! Upon returning to the classroom show students pictures of the sun. wwww..gov is a great place. Also, to tie in the rotation of the Earth,I use Google Earth on the SMARTBoard. Spin the Earth with your index finger and watch the rotation!! 4. Resources Trade books: • Starry Messenger by Peter Sis Web Sites: VDOE Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/ VDOE Science Enhanced Scope/Sequence Sample Lesson Plans: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/2010/lesson_plans/index.shtml

Arlington Public Schools 2013 • www.brainpop.com (Moon Phases, , Seasons, Galileo, Solar System, Space Flight, Sally Ride, International Space Station) • Smartboard, Powerpoint and SOL review activities: http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/elementary/4science.htm • http://www.challenger.org/resources/for-students/ Links from Challenger Center; teacher information about Earth, moon, and solar system. • http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html Fun, engaging site about the sun, moon, and planets. • http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/ Displays information about relative distances in the universe. • http://aa.usno.navy.mil/idltemp/current_moon.html Visuals of moon phases on any date. Videos/DVDs: • All About the Sun, Schlessigner Media, c1999 • All About the Earth, Schlessinger Media, c1999 • Sun, Earth, Moon, Educational Videos, c • The Moon (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c1995 • Outer Space (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c1995 • Moon, Schlessinger Media, c2006 • NASA: 25 years Triumph and Tragedies, Madacy Entertainment Group, c1998 • Exploring our Solar System, National Geographic, c1990 • Space, Earth, and Atmosphere, Tell Me Why, c1987 • Studying the Solar System, Schlessinger Media, c2006 • Planets and the Solar System, Schlessinger Media, c2006 • The Solar System and Stars, Discovery Communications, c2004 • The Planets (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c2003 • The Magic School Bus: Space Adventures, Warner Home Video, c2003 • The Sun: Our Star Attraction, United Learning, c2001 • All about the Planets, Library Video Company, c1999 • All about the moon, Library Video Company, 1999 • (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c1997 • Planets, DK Vision, c1997 • The Sun(Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c1996 • The Magic School Bus: Gets Lost in Space. KidVision, c1995 Discovery Education: • Space Exploration: Phases of the Moon. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 2:30 • A Closer Look at Space: The Moon. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 20:00 • Junior Space Scientist: Voyage to the Moon. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 10:02 • A First Look: The Sky Above. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 17:00 • A First Look: Earth. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 20:00

Arlington Public Schools 2013 • Junior Space Scientist: Our Solar System. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 9:33 • The Solar System: Above and Beyond. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 15:00 • TLC Elementary School: The Story of the Solar System. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 24:34 • A Closer Look at Space: The Planets. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 20:00 • Our Home in Space. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 15:00 • The Reasons for the Seasons. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 26:05 • TLC Elementary School: The Moon and Beyond. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 24:40 • A Closer Look at Space: The Sun and Stars. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 20:59 Field Trips: • National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Other: • Engineering is Elementary Unit – A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (Grades 3-5) • Sally Ride Science Career Books (see your science lead teacher for more information) • Project WET: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide • Project WILD: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide • Project WILD – Aquatic: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guides • Environmental Education Activity Guide: PreK-8, Project Learning Tree

Arlington Public Schools 2013