Learning Unit: Solar System

Content Knowledge

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What would life be like on any of the nine planets?
• Why is space exploration necessary?
• Thinking about the communities we live in today, what would space communities be like?
• How will the studying of space lead to a better earth?
• How is earth the only planet with living species?

Initiating Activity

Do a "K-W-L" chart on the Solar System. A K-W-L is what the students already Know about the subject, Want to know about the subject, and what they Learned about the subject.

"K"

1. Have a large sheet of chart paper on the board (more than one may be needed).
2. Have the children raise their hands and tell you everything they think they know about the solar system. Make this as non-threatening as possible. The teacher writes down everything the students say on the chart paper. Even if you know the information is incorrect, it gets put onto the paper. The whole point to this lesson is to get the students background knowledge out.

"W"

After completing the "K" do the "W".

1. Put more large chart paper on the board.
2. Ask the students what they want to learn from this unit. Again write down everything the students say, keeping the atmosphere non-threatening.
3. Let the students say anything as long as it has to do with the solar system.

After this is done pass out and read enclosed poem by Dee Leone "Planetary Knowledge".

"L"

After completing the whole unit, do the "L". You go over everything on the "K" and "W" charts to see what was accurate and what was not. They add anything they learned not already on either piece of paper. This is a nice informal way of checking how you did teaching the unit and how well the kids did learning what you taught.

Learning Experiences

The learning experiences will take roughly 15 days, spending 40 mins. per day teaching time. Also classroom access to the Internet is very important. The URL--www.tcsn.net/afiner/ is the backbone to this unit. It is an outstanding Website for third graders studying the solar system. If you do not have Internet access Frank Schaffer Publications, Inc. has a very good reproducible book on the Solar System I used for this unit. I also use Ideal School Supply Co. 1987 ed. Solar System Book. This is a very nice mobile and information packet. Since these are both copyrighted materials, they are not enclosed, but can be ordered through bookstores. Since I have found the Website listed above, that is all I really use. I use the mobile just as an extended activity because it was very popular with the students.

Daily Lessons: (I know the sun is not a planet but for now pretend it is.)

Each day assign a planet from the Website listed above. The following day go over the previous days work and discuss the important information on each page. also go over any questions or problems the children might be having. The Website has all the necessary information to complete the planetary knowledge chart (enclosed), the questions that are to be answered (enclosed), and the journal that is to be done.

To get the students to work cooperatively, I put them into groups of two to complete the Planets Chart. You can increase the size of the groups or not have groups at all. That all depends on your class. I find groups of two works well. It is very important the students get the correct information onto their chart because they will be used to complete their culminating activity.

I also have the students keep a short journal on each planet. They have to include the information we put on the Planet Chart and any other interesting information they find about the planet. There will also be a quiz given after completing the Inner Planets and then the Outer Planets (both enclosed).

Culminating Activity

Sakes alive! The president is worried that some day the earth is going to disintegrate. He wants us to be prepared just in case it does happen. What he has asked all of you to do, is make a model of a spaceship. He wants the model to be made of noting but recycled goods. He said recycled goods are anything that can be found in your house that is not being used for anything else. You may not go to a store and buy material to make your spaceship.

We must provide him with a written report stating what planet we are going to travel to, what the surface of that planet is like, what the atmosphere is like, and why you chose to go to this planet. He said to make sure you don't leave any details out. He needs this information so he can send the oxygen tanks you will need to use, while you are there.

He is also asking that you give an oral presentation about your project and report to your fellow classmates. The oral report can just be a summary of your written report plus a quick explanation how you made your spaceship. He wants everyone to see the great work you will all be doing. It has to be no longer than one minute, but if it takes longer that is fine.

He sends all of you the best of luck.

RUBRIC

I check off that the students do their daily work on my grading sheets and by collecting their work at the end of the unit. I also conference informally with the students about the work. All parts of the rubric shown above are weighted equally.

Connections to Standards

The following standards are being met from the Math, Science, and Technology portion of the NYS STANDARDS and BENCHMARKS:

Standard 2: Information Systems

Standard 2.1-Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Standard 4: Scientific Inquiry

Standard 4.1-The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process.

Standard 4.3-The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional and invented methods, provide new insights into phenomena.

Standard 5: Technology

Standard 5.1-Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization used to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

Standard 5.3-Computers. As tools for design, modeling, information processing, communication, and system control, have greatly increased human productivity and knowledge.

The following standards are being met through the English/Language Arts portion of the NYS Standards are Benchmarks:

Standard 1

Standard 1.1-Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.

Standard 1.2-Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one's own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

Integration Issues Curriculum Map

• Social Sciences-KWL, Sun, Planets, Space Travel, Space History

• Written/Oral Expression-speech, creative writing/journals
• Library Skills-research skills, computer usage, Internet skills
• Reading-journals/discussions, comprehension
• Art-coloring, making spaceship, cutting and pasting
• Math-addition/subtraction, problem solving

Enclosures:

Planet by planet comprehension questions.

SUN

1. What is a star?
2. Which star is in our solar system?
3. How far is the sun from Earth?
4. What color is the sun?
5. Why does the sun look larger to us than other stars?

MERCURY

1. Which planet is closest to the sun?
2. How long does it take Mercury to revolve around the sun?
3. Why do scientists have a hard time studying Mercury with a telescope?
4. What did Mariner X do?
5. Describe Mercury's surface.

VENUS

1. Why is Venus called Earth's twin?
2. How long does it take Venus to revolve around the sun?
3. Why is Venus easier to see than any other planet?
4. What is the surface on Venus like?
5. How many moons does Venus have?

EARTH

1. Why is Earth the only planet with water?
2. How far is Earth from the sun?
3. What does Earth have that no other planet has?
4. What is one of the main gases in Earth's atmosphere?

MARS

1. What planet from the sun is Mars?
2. What is Mars nickname?
3. How many moons does Mars have?
4. In what year did two U.S. spacecrafts land on Mars?

JUPITER

1. Jupiter is _____ planets from the sun.
2. How many times bigger is Jupiter than Earth?
3. How fast does Jupiter rotate?
4. How many moons does Jupiter have?
5. What is Jupiter's great red spot thought to be?

SATURN

1. For what is Saturn best known?
2. What is on idea scientists have about how Saturn's rings were made?
3. How does Saturn compare in size with the other planets?
4. Why is Saturn colder than Earth?
5. How many moons does Saturn have?

URANUS

1. How many times bigger is Uranus than Earth?
2. Uranus is _____ planets from the sun.
3. How many rings does Uranus have?
4. What is different about the way Uranus rotates?

NEPTUNE

1. What kind of gas does Neptune have in its atmosphere?
2. What does Neptune have in common with Uranus?
3. How many moons does Neptune have?
4. Why can't Neptune be seen without a telescope?

PLUTO

1. How far is Pluto from the sun?
2. What planet from the sun is Pluto?
3. Why is little known about Pluto?
4. Is Pluto bigger or smaller than Earth's moon?

Inner Planet Quiz

1. Why can't we see the sun at night?
2. Why is the sun so important to life on Earth?
3. List the 4 inner planets in order from the sun.
4. Choose two of the inner planets and give two important facts about them.
5. One the back of this paper, draw a picture of the sun and label the sunspots and prominence.
6. The sun is a _________ sized __________. Why does it look so big?
7. How far is the Earth from the sun?

Outer Planet Quiz

1. What planet is farthest from the sun?
2. What do the outer planets all have in common?
3. List the planets in order from Mars.
4. Choose two of the outer planets and give two important facts about each.
5. Which outer planet has the most moons?
6. What is the biggest outer planet?

Revolution/Rotation worksheet (I use this before I start any planet research)

Every planet in our solar system travels around the sun. The scientific word for this is revolves. The planets go in circular paths around the sun. These paths are called orbits. Because the planets are at different distances from the sun, they all take a different length of time to revolve once around the sun. One complete revolution is called a year.

1. What word means travel around?
2. What are the planet paths around the sun called?
3. Why do the planets take different lengths of time to revolve around the sun?

All of the nine planets in our solar system spins on a line through its center. This is called rotating. The line through the planet's center is an imaginary line called an axis. Every planet rotates at a different speed. One complete rotation is called a day.

1. What do we call the imaginary line through the center of a planet?
2. What does rotate mean?
3. How long does it take Earth to rotate once on its axis?
4. How long does it take Earth to revolve once around the sun?

Planetary Knowledge Poem--by Dee Leone (I like to use this poem right after the KWL. It is a nice ending to it, in my opinion.)

"Some planets I know a lot about, but others I know very little.

Jupiter has a big red eye and it's the one in the middle.

Mercury is the closest to the sun. It's hot there with little shade.

It's also the planet, I do believe, where the thermometer stuff is made.

The planet Venus is one of two planets, that doesn't have a moon.

The jumping cow must have knocked it off it's course, when 'the dish ran away

with the spoon'.

I used to think that little green men lived on the planet Mars,

but now I know that Mars is the place where they make chocolate candy bars.

Saturn is one of the richest planets with its great big enormous rings.

The rings are made of silver and gold, and other expensive things.

From Pluto comes a famous dog. It's inhabited by dogs alone.

That's because the entire planet is one big juicy bone.

Uranus is a planet that's tilted strangely on it's side.

Up and down it's rings go around-It's a giant ferris wheel ride.

Of the distant planet, Neptune there really is not much to know

but that is where all the foods that taste 'out of this world' grow.

The planets mentioned so far are places to visit but not to stay.

Each of those planets is unique and important in its own way.

Most important of all is the planet Earth (I think you'll agree),

cuz, it's the only place known for sure with intelligent beings…like me!"

This is the PLANET CHART

If your students don't know how to use the Internet, you will have to spend a day showing them how to log onto it. Make sure there is permission from parents and school officials before any student tries to use it. Also make sure supervision is very good while the students are on the Website. It is very easy to change sites and some students will try. I have also found that this Website runs best on Internet Explorer.