Table of Contents - science-fest.org

1 Table of Contents Topic of the Goal of Module ..1 Targeted Grade Level ..1 Prerequisite ..1 Objectives ..2 Time Needed ..3 Glossary .. 5-7 Science content ..8 From The Beginning: Solar System Formation .. 8-9 The Sun Is A Star .. 9-10 Terrestrial Planet ..10 Crater Face, Mercury .. 11-12 Venus, The Hottest 12-13 The Greenhouse Effect ..14 Life On Earth .. 15-16 Earth s Moon .. 16-17 Is There Life On Mars, The Red 18-19 Gas Giants .. 19-20 The Largest Planet, Jupiter .. 20-21 Jupiter s Big Four .. 21-22 The Rings Of Saturn .. 23-24 Uranus Is 24-25 Neptune Will RIP You To Shreds .. 25-26 Pluto Is Not A Planet .. 26-27 Possible 10th Planet ..28 How Does This All Work? .. 28-29 Kepler s Laws Of Planetary Motion.

2 29-30 Other Solar Frequently Asked Questions .. 30-33 Day One ..34 Materials Needed By The Teacher .. 35-39 Introduction: From the Beginning, Solar System 39-41 Demonstration #1: Planetary 41-43 Demonstration #2: Planetary Orbital .. 43-45 Activity #1: Diameter .. 46-47 Demonstration #3: Activity #2: Appearance and Atmosphere .. 48-50 Activity #3: Crater Face Mercury .. 50-53 Activity #4: Simon Says Solar System 53-56 Worksheet-3rd Planet: Earth .. Appendix C Worksheet-1st Planet: Mercury .. Appendix C Day Materials Needed By The Teacher .. 58-62 Introduction: First Four Planets ..62 Activity #5: The Greenhouse Effect .. 63-64 Activity #6: Venus, The Hottest Planet .. 64-66 Demonstration #4: Is There Life On 66-67 Activity #7: Mars, The Red Planet.

3 67-68 Activity #8: Terrestrial 68-70 Activity #9: Terrestrial Planet Game ..71 Worksheet-2nd Planet: Venus .. Appendix C Worksheet-4th Planet: Mars .. Appendix C Day Materials Needed By The Teacher .. 73-77 Introduction: Planet Hand Signals ..77 Activity #10: Gas 78-80 Activity #11: The Largest Planet, Jupiter .. 80-81 Activity #12: The Rings Of Saturn .. 82-83 Activity#13: Terrestrial Versus Gas Giants ..83 Worksheet- 5th Planet: Appendix C Worksheet-6th Planet: Saturn .. Appendix C Day Four ..84 Materials Needed By The Teacher .. 85-89 Introduction: The Last Day ..89 Activity #14: 89-90 Activity #15: Activity #16: Pluto, Dwarf 92-93 Activity #17: Solar System 93-94 Solar System Game Appendix E Worksheet- 7th Planet: Uranus.

4 Appendix C Worksheet- 8th Planet: Neptune .. Appendix C Worksheet- 9th Planet: Pluto .. Appendix C Resources and 96-99 Planet Hand Signals .. Appendix A Materials Needed for entire Module .. Appendix B Overhead Appendix C Student Workbook .. Appendix D Teacher s Guidebook .. Appendix E Solar System Game F 1 TOPIC OF THE MODULE Students will explore the nine planets and nine main features for each planet. Specifically, students will investigate the features of rotation; orbit; a planet's diameter; distance from the Sun; appearance; atmosphere; whether or not life can be sustained; whether or not a planet has moons and if so, how many; and interesting facts about each planet. Students will discuss the possible tenth planet in our solar system.

5 Students will also discover that the universe is made up of many other solar systems, each with a Sun and planets rotating and orbiting around it. GOAL OF THE MODULE The goal of this module is to spark each student's interest in the fascinating and mysterious features of the planets in our solar system. This module provides students with a deeper understanding of each individual planet, being able to identify it in order, as well as describe main fun facts about each planet. TARGETED GRADE LEVEL This module is designed for third grade students. This module can be adapted for students in the first through fifth grade. PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE There are no pre-requisite skills or knowledge needed to successfully complete this module.

6 2 OBJECTIVES At the end of the module, students will be able to: Define a planet, moon and Sun. Demonstrate and describe rotation and orbit. Explain Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion. Explain, measure, and demonstrate the diameter of a circle and how it relates to our planet's diameters. Describe the relative size of the planets as compared to the size of the Sun. Identify and demonstrate each planet in the order from the Sun, using hand signals. Draw and identify the planets by their appearance. Describe a terrestrial and a gas giant planet. Identify similarities and differences between terrestrial and gas giant planets. Identify and explain how each planet is classified, as either a terrestrial or gas giant planet. Determine if the planet has an atmosphere and if so, decide and explain why a planet can or cannot sustain life.

7 Determine which planets have moons and which planets do not have moons. Explain why some planets have moons and others do not. Explain why there are other solar systems in the universe. 3 TIME NEEDED The expected time line for this module is four days for one hour per day and an outline is presented below. Day Topics Discussed 1 Story explaining how the solar system was formed Discussion of planet Earth Rotation and orbit Discussion of planet Mercury Solar System Simon Says Game 2 Discussion of planet Venus Discussion of planet Mars Characteristics of terrestrial planets Terrestrial Planet Game 3 Review of terrestrial planets Characteristics of gas giants Discussion of planet Jupiter Discussion of planet Saturn Terrestrial versus Gas Giants Game 4 Discussion of planet Uranus Discussion of planet Neptune New Horizon Mission - Pluto Discussion of possible tenth planet Discussion of other solar systems Solar System

8 Game 4 STANDARDS Coming To A Planet Near You aligns with the California State Science content Standards and National Science Education Standards. California Science content Standards for Grade 3: EARTH SCIENCE 4. Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns. As a basis for understanding this concept: d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits Earth. National Science Education Standards: PHYSICAL SCIENCE content Standard B: * Position and Motion of Objects EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE content Standard D: *Objects in the sky * Changes in the Earth and Sky 5 GLOSSARY The following words and their definitions are commonly used throughout the module.

9 Appearance: an object s physical features or what an object looks like. Astronomical Unit: measures the distance from the Sun to a planet. 1 AU = 93 million miles away. Atmosphere: gaseous mass surrounding a celestial body. Asteroid: a piece of rock left over after the formation of the solar system about billion years ago. Big Bang Theory: states that a tiny hot ball contained everything in the universe which exploded about 14 billion years ago. Comet: composed mainly of ice and dust leftovers from the early formation of the solar system referred to as dirty ice balls.

10 Diameter: a straight line measuring the center of a circle, from end to end. Distance: the amount of space between two objects. Dwarf Planet: must orbit the Sun; must have nearly a round shape; and has not cleared away objects in its neighborhood. Erosion: a process which the surface is worn away by the action of water, waves, wind, or other means. Exo-Planet: a planet that orbits a star other than the Sun. Galaxy: a large group of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity. There are three main types of galaxies, the spiral, elliptical and irregular. 6 Gas Giants: outer planets including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.