Space Basics (lesson 1)
Part of Curriculum Unit:Space Spectacles
Abstract help
Students will develop background knowledge about planet and the solar system so that they will be able to comprehend basics of the space program as future voters and decision makers including a concept of diameter, space relations and magnitudes (distances from the sun). Students will use the internet to search for information and use that information to compose a written report which summarizes information they have located. Students will be placed in collaborative teams by interest to prepare an oral presentation on the planet they have selected. A summative assessment will present an usual question that requires students to process and apply their learning while thinking critically.
National Standards help
Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications.
Recognize and analyze explanations and models.
The sun, the earth, and the rest of the solar system formed from a nebular cloud of dust and gas 4.6 billion years ago. The early earth was very different from the planet we live on today.
The origin of the universe remains one of the greatest questions in science. The "big bang" theory places the origin between 10 and 20 billion years ago, when the universe began in a hot dense state; according to this theory, the universe has been expanding ever since.
Early in the history of the universe, matter, primarily the light atoms hydrogen and helium, clumped together by gravitational attraction to form countless trillions of stars. Billions of galaxies, each of which is a gravitationally bound cluster of billions of stars, now form most of the visible mass in the universe.
Stars produce energy from nuclear reactions, primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form helium. These and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all the other elements.
Recognize and analyze explanations and models.
The sun, the earth, and the rest of the solar system formed from a nebular cloud of dust and gas 4.6 billion years ago. The early earth was very different from the planet we live on today.
The origin of the universe remains one of the greatest questions in science. The "big bang" theory places the origin between 10 and 20 billion years ago, when the universe began in a hot dense state; according to this theory, the universe has been expanding ever since.
Early in the history of the universe, matter, primarily the light atoms hydrogen and helium, clumped together by gravitational attraction to form countless trillions of stars. Billions of galaxies, each of which is a gravitationally bound cluster of billions of stars, now form most of the visible mass in the universe.
Stars produce energy from nuclear reactions, primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form helium. These and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all the other elements.
Teacher Information help
Sun
has about 4.5 billion years to live
closest star - 145 million km
of the millions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy,
ours is an average, middle aged star
contains 99.86% of the mass of the solar system
core temp. of 16 million degrees, sustained by fusion
rotates every 26.8 days
PLANETS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Mercury
Named for Roman god of commerce and travel because of great speed
Closest planet to the sun
Weak gravity, no atmosphere
Ancent surface covered with impact craters
Spins slowly, moves around the sun quickly
Venus
Named for the goddess of beauty and love
Nearest planet to Earth (twins?).
High temps, 484 oC (900 oF) could melt lead.
Covered by a thick cloud layer of sulfuric acid
Atomosphere is carbon dioxide
Complex, fractured surface, volcanos ect.....
Morning and Evening Star.
Rotation is opposite from the Earth.
(Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.)
Has many electrical storms
Earth
Not named for a mythological diety
70% of surface is covered with water
Only planet that has life and flowing water.
The boundaries of sea and land change constantly.
Atmosphere mostly nitrogen (78%)
Strong magnetic field, radiation belts of charged particles
Mars
Named for the Roman God of War.
Red Planet
Seasonal changes and polar caps of dry ice
Volcanoes, canyons, dry river beds and channels.
Largest volcano, Olympus Mons (3x as high as Mount Everest)
Water may have flowed
Thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide
(fine dust makes the sky appear orange during the day and blue at sunset.)
(Source of many hostile science fiction invaders)
Jupiter
Named for chief god of Roman mythology
Largest planet
Second brightest planet
Larger and heavier than all of the other planets (Jupiter weighs twice as much as all the other planets combined !!).
Small core of rock and the rest of planet is gas.
Covered by thick clouds that form stripes
Great Red Spot, a gigantic hurricane
Atomosphere mostly hydrogen and helium
16 moons, the largest is Ganymede, also the largest moon in the solar system (may have water and life!).
Powerful magnetic field, emits more energy than it receives from the sun. (core = 25,500 oC)
Thin ring system, lightning in atomosphere, and aurorae.
Saturn
Named for the Roman god of Agriculture
Famous for its rings (thousands) composed of ice and dust (not the only planet with rings)
Appears yellow in color from Earth
Second largest planet in our solar system
Covered by clouds, strong winds (1,000 mph)
Atomosphere mostly hydrogen and helium
Magnetic field
Also emits more energy than it receives.
22 moons, the largest is Titan.
Light, will float on water
Uranus
Named for the Greek Sky god
First planet to be discovered by telescope, 1781
Thin rings.
15 moons
Atmosphere mostly hydrogen and helium, some ammonia, methane and water vapor.
Pale blue planet, color caused by methane
Below clouds, may have scalding oceans of scalding water and ammonia
One year is 84 Earth years!
Neptune
Named for the Roman sea god
Discovered mathematically
Dim, greenish
Made of rock, iron, ice and gases
Great Dark Spot, Scooter (winds to 2,000 km per hr)
Pluto
Named for the Roman god of underworld
Discovered in 1930
Coldest planet
Maybe Neptune's moons that escaped
Smallest (even smaller than our moon!)
Each moon in the solar system continually faces its parent body.
Awsome Alien
Students should be provided with graph paper and the following planet diameters relative to Earth.
Pluto - 1/6
Mercury - 1/3
Mars - 1/2
Venus - 1
Earth - 1
Neptune - 4
Unanus - 4
Saturn - 9 1/2
Jupiter - 11
Earth has been arbitrarily assigned the unit of '1' and all the other planetary diameters are set relative to Earth.
Students should use the diamters to create a space alien on their graph paper using the relative diameters to help them
develop a sense of how large large is. On this scale, the
has about 4.5 billion years to live
closest star - 145 million km
of the millions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy,
ours is an average, middle aged star
contains 99.86% of the mass of the solar system
core temp. of 16 million degrees, sustained by fusion
rotates every 26.8 days
PLANETS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Mercury
Named for Roman god of commerce and travel because of great speed
Closest planet to the sun
Weak gravity, no atmosphere
Ancent surface covered with impact craters
Spins slowly, moves around the sun quickly
Venus
Named for the goddess of beauty and love
Nearest planet to Earth (twins?).
High temps, 484 oC (900 oF) could melt lead.
Covered by a thick cloud layer of sulfuric acid
Atomosphere is carbon dioxide
Complex, fractured surface, volcanos ect.....
Morning and Evening Star.
Rotation is opposite from the Earth.
(Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.)
Has many electrical storms
Earth
Not named for a mythological diety
70% of surface is covered with water
Only planet that has life and flowing water.
The boundaries of sea and land change constantly.
Atmosphere mostly nitrogen (78%)
Strong magnetic field, radiation belts of charged particles
Mars
Named for the Roman God of War.
Red Planet
Seasonal changes and polar caps of dry ice
Volcanoes, canyons, dry river beds and channels.
Largest volcano, Olympus Mons (3x as high as Mount Everest)
Water may have flowed
Thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide
(fine dust makes the sky appear orange during the day and blue at sunset.)
(Source of many hostile science fiction invaders)
Jupiter
Named for chief god of Roman mythology
Largest planet
Second brightest planet
Larger and heavier than all of the other planets (Jupiter weighs twice as much as all the other planets combined !!).
Small core of rock and the rest of planet is gas.
Covered by thick clouds that form stripes
Great Red Spot, a gigantic hurricane
Atomosphere mostly hydrogen and helium
16 moons, the largest is Ganymede, also the largest moon in the solar system (may have water and life!).
Powerful magnetic field, emits more energy than it receives from the sun. (core = 25,500 oC)
Thin ring system, lightning in atomosphere, and aurorae.
Saturn
Named for the Roman god of Agriculture
Famous for its rings (thousands) composed of ice and dust (not the only planet with rings)
Appears yellow in color from Earth
Second largest planet in our solar system
Covered by clouds, strong winds (1,000 mph)
Atomosphere mostly hydrogen and helium
Magnetic field
Also emits more energy than it receives.
22 moons, the largest is Titan.
Light, will float on water
Uranus
Named for the Greek Sky god
First planet to be discovered by telescope, 1781
Thin rings.
15 moons
Atmosphere mostly hydrogen and helium, some ammonia, methane and water vapor.
Pale blue planet, color caused by methane
Below clouds, may have scalding oceans of scalding water and ammonia
One year is 84 Earth years!
Neptune
Named for the Roman sea god
Discovered mathematically
Dim, greenish
Made of rock, iron, ice and gases
Great Dark Spot, Scooter (winds to 2,000 km per hr)
Pluto
Named for the Roman god of underworld
Discovered in 1930
Coldest planet
Maybe Neptune's moons that escaped
Smallest (even smaller than our moon!)
Each moon in the solar system continually faces its parent body.
Awsome Alien
Students should be provided with graph paper and the following planet diameters relative to Earth.
Pluto - 1/6
Mercury - 1/3
Mars - 1/2
Venus - 1
Earth - 1
Neptune - 4
Unanus - 4
Saturn - 9 1/2
Jupiter - 11
Earth has been arbitrarily assigned the unit of '1' and all the other planetary diameters are set relative to Earth.
Students should use the diamters to create a space alien on their graph paper using the relative diameters to help them
develop a sense of how large large is. On this scale, the
Student Activity help
Students will listen as information is presented, view models, discuss information and respond to questions.
Assessment help
An informal assessment is all that is required so that the teacher can determine mastery of basic understandings. Students must understand the difference between sun, star, moon, planet and other related terms by the end of instruction.
Enrichment / Alternative Activity help
The instructor could take the students to the internet lab and have them access sites where specific information on the planets is available and highlight certain information just to develop familiarity that will later be expanded.