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SOLAR SYSTEM
RESOURCE GUIDE
TRUNK CONTENTS
Upon receiving the map, please check the trunk for all contents on this list. If anything is missing or
damaged, please call or email the National Geographic Society immediately at [email protected].
When you are done with the map, carefully check the trunk for all the contents on this list.
Please report any missing or damaged items before the map is picked up.
PROPS
[ ] 11.43 cm (4.5 inch) diameter ball to represent
Earth
[ ] 15.24 meter (50 foot) long rope, marked at 12.5
meters (41 feet)
[ ] 4-inch Styrofoam balls (8)
[ ] 1-foot long dowel rods (8)
[ ] 8-12 inch diameter balls (4)
[ ] Beanbags (40 total; 10 of each color: red, blue,
yellow and green)
[ ] Bingo chips (500)
[ ] Blocks (300)
[ ] Calculators (20)
[ ] Clothespins (10)
[ ] Diving rings (15)
[ ] Flashlight (1)
[ ] Hourglass timer (1)
[ ] Lanyards (40 total, 10 of each color: red, blue,
yellow and green)
[ ] Measuring tapes (8)
[ ] Planetary model balls (9)
CREDITS
Writers
Geoffrey Baker, Middle School Teacher,
Washington Waldorf School, MD
Mary C. Cahill, Academic Dean and Science Teacher,
The Potomac School, McLean, VA
Jennifer Flynn, Science Teacher,
Academy of Science, Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
Melissa MacPhee, National Geographic Society
Rose Tardiff, National Geographic Society
Samantha Zuhlke, National Geographic Society
Editors
Chandana Jasti, National Geographic Society
Melissa MacPhee, National Geographic Society
Samantha Zuhlke, National Geographic Society
Designer
Mara Shaughnessy, Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
Copy Editor
Jessica Shea
Fact Checkers and Researchers
Bob Connelly
[ ] Stopwatches (9)
[ ] Six-sided colored game die (1)
CARDS AND LABELS
[ ] Moon Cards (8)
[ ] Moon Phase Cards (8)
[ ] Objects in Space Cards (4)
[ ] Planet Cards (32 total, 4 per group)
[ ] Planet Feature Cards (40 total, 10 per group)
[ ] Solar System Information Cards (36 total, 9 per
group)
[ ] Sun Cards (32 total)
[ ] Timeline Cards (73 total)
KEYS
[ ] Giant protractor poster (9)
[ ] Seasons Diagram (1)
Borrowers will be financially responsible
for replacement costs of any missing or
damaged items.
Researcher
Dayne Weber, National Geographic Society
Educator reviewer
Anna Mika, M.S. Ed., NASA Network of Educator Astronaut
Teachers (NEAT)
Expert reviewer
Brendan Mullan, Ph.D., Director of Science, The Wrinkled
Brain Project
Photo researcher
Melissa MacPhee, National Geographic Society
Photo Credits, front cover
Winn Brewer, National Geographic Society
Created by National Geographic Society
Copyright © 2016 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.
For more information, please visit
www.nationalgeographic.com
or write to the following address:
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-4688 U.S.A.
More for kids from National Geographic: kids.nationalgeographic.com
Welcome to
THE
SOLAR SYSTEM
THE SOLAR SYSTEM FACTS & FIGURES
The solar system began to form 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of interstellar
gas and dust. It contains eight known planets: four inner, or terrestrial, planets (Mercury, Venus,
Earth, Mars) and four outer, or gas giant, planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). It is located in
one of the arms of the Milky Way galaxy and contains planets, comets, asteroids, meteors, dwarf
planets, and much more! All the planets revolve around the sun. Mercury has the shortest orbital
path, or shortest revolution, and Neptune has the longest.
Jupiter is the
largest known
planet but has
the shortest
days.
Venus has
the most
volcanoes and
the longest
days.
Jupiter’s
Great Red Spot
is a massive
hurricane-like storm
with winds up to 270
miles per hour. It
has lasted for
at least
300 years.
Ceres—the
largest known
asteroid—is
now considered
a dwarf planet.
Scientists believe
that about 500
meteorites reach
Earth’s surface
each year.
The sun’s
light travels at a
speed of 299,792 km
per second (186,287
miles per second). It
takes about 8.3 minutes
(499 seconds) for light
to reach the Earth
after it has been
emitted from the
sun’s surface.
The first
animals
launched into
space were
fruit flies in
1947.
A NOTE ABOUT THE SOLAR SYSTEM GIANT TRAVELING MAP
The scale on this giant infographic is accurate, though it is measured differently in certain parts:
• Images of all eight planets are nearly scaled to size relative to the size of Earth’s image
• A portion of the sun, scaled to the size of Earth’s image
• The orbital paths for all eight planets, scaled in astronomical units from the sun
OTHER MAP FEATURES
•
•
•
Pluto is the only known dwarf planet featured on the map
A timeline from 1600-2000
A calendar of Earth’s months, January – December
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PAGE 1
THE
SOLAR SYSTEM
ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
Use this overview to decide which activities to do with your students based on
their grade/readiness level and the amount of time you have available.
ACTIVITY 1: Revolve! Rotate!
4
Grades 1–8 • Time Needed: 30–40 minutes
Students model the difference between revolution and rotation as they travel around the sun like
planets, and play a game to check for understanding.
ACTIVITY 2: Race to the Planets
6
Grades 4–12 • Time Needed: 40 minutes
Students work in teams to investigate and describe the features of comets, asteroids, meteors, and
galaxies. Then students complete a relay race to accurately match planet fact cards to each planet on
the map.
ACTIVITY 3: Simon Says … Explore!
11
Grades 4–12 • Time Needed: 15 minutes or more
Students play this popular and fun game while exploring the solar system. (Can be used as a
pre-assessment or post-assessment tool.)
ACTIVITY 4: How Many Moons?
16
Grades 4–8 • Time Needed: 40 minutes
Students identify the planets in the solar system that have known moons and will demonstrate the
number of known moons found around each planet using blocks. Students describe the phases of
the moon that may be observed from Earth.
ACTIVITY 5: Gravity in Space
Grades 4–12 • Time Needed: 40 minutes
Students calculate their weight on each planet then use blocks to construct a three dimensional graph
of their weight. Students also model how it would feel to move on the planets by using gravity values to
measure the distance they jump.
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19
ACTIVITY 6: Space in Space
23
Grades 4–12 • Time Needed: 40 minutes
Students use astronomical units to measure distances in the solar system and create a model
solar system map along a 12.5 meter (41 foot) rope.
ACTIVITY 7: The Sun
26
Grades 5–9 • Time Needed: 60 minutes
Students work in groups to match facts and photographs about the sun by making trades with
other groups.
ACTIVITY 8: Space Exploration Timeline Challenge
32
Grades 6–12 • Time Needed: 30 minutes and up
Students learn relative and absolute dates of important events in the history of space exploration
by playing a game that challenges them to place events in chronological order.
ACTIVITY 9: Rotation, Revolution, Days, and Years
35
Grades 6–12 • Time Needed: 45 minutes
Students will understand the relationship between rotation and revolution and our time system on
Earth via mathematical calculations and kinesthetic movements.
ACTIVITY 10: Planet Features Revealed!
39
Grades 1–8 • Time Needed: 20 minutes
Students compete in teams to identify features of the solar system playing a beanbag toss game.
Additional Activities
41
Grades 4–12
There’s so much more you can do. We invite you to try some of these, or use information in found in the
Appendix along with props and cards to create your own educationally rich activities.
Vocabulary43
Many of the activities introduce new vocabulary. Find select words and definitions here. Appendix47
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Atmospheric Gases Table
Distance between Sun and Earth Table
Distance of Orbit Around Sun Table
Equatorial Circumference Table
Planet Density Table
Planet Gravity Table
Planet Volume Table
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PAGE 3
ACTIVITY 1
REVOLVE! ROTATE!
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 1-8
TIME NEEDED: 30–40 MINUTES
Description
Students model the difference between revolution and rotation as they travel around the sun like
planets, and play a game to check for understanding.
Learning Objectives
Trunk Materials
Students will:
• demonstrate rotation and revolution
• model how various planets orbit around
the sun
• 8-12 inch diameter balls (4, more optional)
• Diving rings (15)
Preparation
• None
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
Rules
No writing utensils
on the map.
DIRECTIONS
1. Instruct students to walk around the map and to look at the paths of the planets drawn around the
sun at the map’s center. Explain that students are going to learn about how planets move around
the sun, and then play a fun game to demonstrate.
2. Explain that planets revolve around the sun. Remind students that the definition of revolution is the
orbit, or complete journey of an object around a more massive object, and that the verb “revolve”
means to orbit around something. Ask students: Which direction do the planets revolve around the
Sun? Tell students that planets revolve counterclockwise, as seen when looking down on it from
above the Solar System.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
Revolve! Rotate!
3. Stand on the sun in the center of the orbital paths. Have students walk around you, the sun,
counterclockwise. Make it clear that they are “revolving” by asking students to state what they are doing.
4. Divide students into four groups by asking them to count off until all students have a number. Ask each
group to stand in a different corner of the map. Explain to students that they are going to demonstrate
rotation. Rotation is defined as an object’s complete turn around its own axis. Ask: Which direction do
planets rotate? (The planets rotate in a counterclockwise direction except Venus. Explain to students that
Venus’ rotation is the opposite of other planets. Explain that Uranus’ axis is at 98 degrees, and revolves
around the sun with the axis pointing in the same direction. The north pole gets half the Uranus year in
full sun and then half the year in full darkness). Demonstrate rotation for students. Place a diving ring
on the map in the middle so all groups can see and place a ball in the ring. Spin the ball
counterclockwise looking from above. Explain to students that this models the rotation of a planet,
spinning around its axis. Give each of the four groups a ball and a ring and ask them to practice so each
person has a chance to try to spin the ball in the ring.
5. Once the students are comfortable spinning the ball counterclockwise in the ring, invite them to join you
at the center of the map. Have each group pick an orbital path of an outer, or exo, planet. Ask them to
spin the ball in the ring on their chosen path. As the ball is spinning, they should push the ring around
the sun counterclockwise along the orbital path. Explain to students that they are now modeling both
rotation and revolution. Have students take turns by switching group members each time the ball stops
spinning, or use additional balls and rings from the trunk.
6. After completing the model, have students stand along a selected planet’s orbital path. Have them form
a conga line and walk counterclockwise along the path. Then, ask them to spin and try to walk at the
same time. Explain that when the students are spinning, they are rotating. But, when they spin and
walk, they are revolving and rotating.
7. Play a Red-Light-Green-Light-type game to check for student understanding about the difference
between revolution and rotation. Have students line up on the timeline side of the map, facing the map.
Explain that you are going to play a game of “Revolve! Rotate!” Students will either “revolve” or “rotate”
to travel to the other side of the map. The first student to the other side of the map is the winner.
Remind students that there is no running on the map. This game has the similar rules to Red-LightGreen-Light. When you say “revolve,” students should walk slowly forward. When you say “rotate,” they
should spin in place. When you say “both,” they should move forward and spin at the same time. When
you say “stop,” students should freeze. Explain that students who do not do the correct movement will
be out. Play as many games as you wish!
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PAGE 5
ACTIVITY 2
Race to the planets
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 4-12
TIME NEEDED: 40 MINUTES
Description
Students work in teams to investigate and describe the features of comets, asteroids, meteors, and
galaxies. Then students complete a relay race to accurately match planet fact cards to each planet on
the map.
Learning Objectives
Trunk Materials
Students will:
• describe differences between comets,
asteroids, meteors, and galaxies
• identify major features of the eight planets
in the solar system
• describe main physical differences
between inner and outer planets
• Lanyards (40 total, 10 of each color: red,
blue, yellow and green)
• Objects in Space Cards (4)
• Planet Feature Cards (40 total, 10 per
group)
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
5 minutes
• Part One: Place one Objects in Space Card
in each correct corner of the map.
• Part Two: Place lanyards that match the
color of the Planet Feature Card sets in each
of the four corners of the map.
Tips
• This game could be used as a preassessment activity or an assessment after
studying the solar system and the map.
• Students may play this game multiple times
playing with a different set of cards; i.e.
switch team mascots so that the asteroid
teams plays with the comet team’s cards.
• Students may want to use the Planet Cards
for the “Space in Space” activity as
reference.
Shoes are not
allowed on the
map. Please have
students remove
shoes before
walking on the
map.
Rules
Modification
• Reduce the number of cards in each set for
younger students.
No writing utensils
on the map.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
Race to the planets
DIRECTIONS
PART ONE: COMETS, ASTEROIDS, METEORS, AND GALAXIES
1. Divide the class into four teams and gather each group of students at one of the four corners of the
map.
2. Ask each team to pick up the Objects in Space Card at their corner—comet, asteroid, meteor, or galaxy.
This space object will be their team “mascot.” Give each team their lanyards, having each student of the
team wear the same colored lanyard.
3. Give students time to read through the description of each feature and prepare how they would like to
present the information to the rest of the class. Suggest that students could perform a skit, a cheer, or a
song using the information on the card to introduce their “mascot.”
4. When students are ready, have each group present their team “mascot” to the entire class.
5. After all presentations are finished, have a quick discussion with the class about the differences
between comets, galaxies, asteroids, and meteorites. Ask:
• Which is the biggest? (Galaxy)
• How does location help define them? (Various answers including: Asteroids are in the asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter)
• Have you seen one in the sky? (Various answers)
• Do you know which space object is closest to Earth? (Meteor)
PART TWO: PLANET FACT RELAY RACE
1. Have students walk over the map noting different features and information that are included (especially
if this is one of the first activities students do on the map).
2. Redirect students to stand in their team corner. If they are not already, have each student on a team
wear the same colored lanyard. Explain that students are going to compete in a relay race to explore the
different features of the map and space. The first student in line will pick a Planet Feature Card, read the
description, deliver the card to the correct planet on the map, and return to their team corner. When the
first student returns to the corner, that student tags who is next in line. That student repeats the actions
of the first student with the next card in the team’s Planet Feature Card deck and so on until all the
cards have been delivered. When the team has delivered all of their Planet Feature Cards, they should
sit down in their corner to show they are done. As a class, determine if team members are allowed to
help each other out and discuss a possible answer before leaving the corner. Establish the other rules of
the game:
• No running,
• Only one team member may be out of the corner at a time,
• When a team member returns to the corner they must tag the next student before another team
member leaves the corner.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 7
Race to the planets
3. Stress to students the importance of accuracy and not just speed. Explain that you will use a point
system to determine the winner. There are both speed and accuracy points. The team with the most
points after delivering all of their cards is the winner.
• Speed points
AA 1st place = 3 points
AA 2nd place = 2 points
AA 3rd place = 1 point
AA 4th place = 0 points
• Accuracy points
AA 1 point for every correct card placed
AA 0 points for every incorrect card placed
4. To start the game, put a pile of ten Planet Feature Cards face down on the map in each team’s
corner. Each team’s Planet Feature Cards are color coded to their lanyards. When all teams are in
line and ready, begin!
5. When all four corners have delivered all the cards, have a team travel to a planet and report out the
information that has been gathered for that planet. Use the answers provided in the Planet Feature
Cards Answer Key, found at the end of this activity, to ensure that all cards were placed correctly on
the map and have teams calculate their accuracy points.
6. Review the characteristics of each planet with students and discuss the major differences between
the inner planets and the outer planets. Have students share what they discovered: What was the
most amazing feature? Which planet is Earth’s sister planet? Which planet do you hope astronauts
might travel to?
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Race to the planets
Planet Feature Cards Answer Key
Use this answer key to calculate accuracy points at the end of the game.
RED CARDS (METEOR)
Clue
Hint
Answer
Largest Volcano in Solar System
(Olympus Mons)
Red Planet
Mars
Smallest planet without a moon
Closest to the Sun
Mercury
Planet with the largest number of rings
Gas Giant
Saturn
Planet considered to be Earth’s sister
planet
Planet is nearly the same size as
Earth
Venus
Terrestrial planet that rotates in 24
hours
The only planet we know with life.
Earth
Planet that has the strongest gravity in
solar system
Largest planet
Jupiter
Planet farthest from the sun
Deep blue color
Neptune
Planet with large dust storms
Red planet
Mars
Planets moons have names after
characters created by William
Shakespeare
Planet looks like it rotates on its side
Uranus
Rings made of ice and dust
Second largest gas giant
Saturn
BLUE CARDS (COMET)
Clue
Hint
Answer
Largest Planet in Solar System
Gas Giant
Planet is considered the hottest in the
solar system
Earth’s sister planet
The planet that has the largest canyon
in the solar system
Red planet
Planet that is one AU from the sun
Planet has a large amount of water
Earth
Coldest planet in solar system
Blue-green color
Uranus
Seasons last for 40 years
Deep blue planet
Neptune
Planet with iron core and a wrinkle-like
surface
Closest to the Sun
Planet has a moon larger than Mercury
Gas giant
Jupiter
Planet that takes 365.25 days to revolve
around the sun
Only planet with lots of liquid water
on the surface
Earth
Planet that orbits 9.5 AU from the sun
Known for its beautiful rings
Saturn
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
Jupiter
Venus
Mars
Mercury
•
PAGE 9
race to the planets
YELLOW CARDS (ASTEROID)
Clue
Hint
Answer
Smallest terrestrial planet
Closest to the Sun
Mercury
Planet that is known to have 67 moons
Largest planet
Jupiter
Planet with two small moons
Red planet
Mars
Consider to be the smallest gas giant
Deep blue color
Neptune
Surface of planet is covered in craters
Smallest planet
Mercury
Brightest object in night sky (other than
our moon)
Earth’s sister planet
Venus
“Third Rock” from the sun
Has one moon
Earth
Most distant planet seen without a
telescope
Is known for its beautiful rings
Saturn
Planet’s north pole receives sunlight
for 42 years; then is in darkness for 42
years
Planets looks to rotate on its side
Uranus
Planet that is an average of 30 AU from
the sun
Planet has a beautiful blue color
Neptune
GREEN CARDS (GALAXY)
Clue
Hint
Answer
Planet contains a giant storm called
“The Great Red Spot”
Largest planet
Jupiter
First planet discovered using a
telescope
Planet is blue-green and can look
almost featureless
Uranus
Planet that has two moons
Red planet
Mars
Takes 88 days to revolve around the sun
Closest to the Sun
Mercury
Planet that has 13 known rings; some
dark and some brightly colored
Planet looks to tilt on its side
Uranus
Atmosphere mostly made of carbon
dioxide
Earth’s sister planet
Venus
Cassini, the largest interplanetary
spacecraft ever built, orbits this planet
Planet has beautiful rings
Saturn
Only planet with one moon
Astronauts have landed on this
planet’s moon
Earth
The windiest planet—as stronger winds
and storms than Jupiter
Beautiful blue planet
Neptune
Sun rises in the west and sets in the
east
Planet has a beautiful blue color
Venus
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ACTIVITY 3
SIMON SAYS ... EXPLORE!
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 4-12
TIME NEEDED: 15 MINUTES
OR MORE
Description
Students play this popular and fun game while exploring the solar system.
Learning Objectives
Trunk Materials
Students will:
• explore the features of the solar system,
including individual planets
• identify the differences between a galaxy,
a comet, a meteor, and an asteroid
• engage with solar system vocabulary and
terminology
• Hourglass timer
• Lanyards (40 total, 10 of each color: red,
blue, yellow and green)
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
5 minutes
• Review the Simon Says statements for your
group size and familiarize yourself with the
statements, including locating the solutions
to any Simon Says commands that are
unfamiliar.
Tip
• This activity can also be used as a preassessment or post-assessment tool.
Rules
Modification
• This activity can be tailored to grade level,
group size, and amount of time. “Simon
Says” commands for large groups, small
groups, and older students are provided.
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
No writing utensils
on the map.
•
PAGE 11
SIMON SAYS ... EXPLORE!
DIRECTIONS
Simon says … explore!
1. Depending on experience and prior knowledge, students may need a general introduction or tour of
the solar system map. This step can serve as an introduction to, or review of, some of the major
features that students will visit during the game. Walk over the map and show (or have selected
students locate and stand on) the following:
Mercury
Mars
Uranus
Pluto
Venus
Jupiter
Neptune
Asteroid Belt
Earth
Saturn
the sun
Orbital paths
2. Divide the class into four teams—comet, asteroid, Milky Way galaxy, and meteor—and give each
team a different colored lanyard. Make the teams as even as possible. Instruct each team to gather
behind their “Base Camp,” by locating their team “mascot” on one of the four corners of the map.
Ask teams to work together to correctly identify the image of their namesake. Explain the
differences between an asteroid, a meteor, the Milky Way galaxy, and a comet as students locate
their basecamps. Definitions are in the back of the educator guide. (Correct locations: Milky Way
galaxy (lower left corner), meteor (upper left corner), comet (upper right corner), asteroid (lower
right corner)).
3.
Review the rules of “Simon Says” with students. No running is allowed. Students who run, touch,
or impede other students will be “out.” Remind students if they move toward a location that did not
begin with the direction “Simon Says,” or they choose an incorrect place, they will be “out.” When
a student is out, he or she will walk off the map and sit on the border of the map near his or her
team’s corner until the start of a new game. The hourglass timer will signal the end of each game.
The team with the most team members still on the map will be declared the winner of that game.
Assure students that each game will have a time limit of 5 to 10 minutes to keep “out time” to a
minimum. (This time is governed by the timer.)
4. Turn the hourglass timer to begin the game. Using the “Simon Says” statements provided, direct
students to visit various locations in the solar system. Allow students a few seconds to get to each
location that “Simon Says”. Make the game more difficult and control traffic with qualifiers, like
these:
• Simon Says everybody …
• Simon Says comet team …
• Simon Says all girls …
• Simon Says all boys …
Remember to mix in statements without saying “Simon Says” to catch students who are not
paying close attention. Feel free to create your own “Simon Says” statements.
5. When the timer is up, the game is over. Have students gather at their “Base Camp” for the start of a
new game. Repeat as many times as you’d like!
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
simon says … explore!
“SIMON SAYS” STATEMENTS FOR LARGE GROUPS
“Simon Says” statements for the start of the game or with larger numbers of students:
** Simon Says ...
• Stand on any gas giant. (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
• Stand on any terrestrial planet. (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)
• Sit on the planet with the largest volcano in the solar system. (Mars)
• Swirl around like a storm on the planet with the massive storm known as the Great Red Spot.
(Jupiter)
• Stand on any planet with one or more moons. (Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
• Revolve around the planet with the greatest number of rings. (Saturn)
• Walk a lap around the asteroid belt.
• Stand next to the planet knows as Earth’s “sister planet.” (Venus)
• Stand next to the smallest planet in the solar system. (Mercury)
• Sit on the largest planet in the solar system. (Jupiter)
• Spin around on the planet with the shortest length of day. (Jupiter)
• Revolve around on the planet with the longest length of day. (Venus)
• Walk around on the orbital path for one of the dwarf planets in our solar system. (Pluto)
• Make one revolution around the sun using an orbital path of an outer planet.
• Sit on the third brightest object in our sky, after the sun and moon. (Venus)
• Stand on the orbital path of Neptune at aphelion. (The point on Neptune’s orbital path furthest
from the sun.)
• Place one toe on the timeline in the year that humans first landed on the moon. (1969)
• Do a dance on a solar flare.
• Stand perfectly upright near the planet with the least axial tilt. (Mercury)
• Travel from one planet’s perihelion to another planet’s aphelion.
• Blast off like a rocket to a member of the Kuiper Belt. (Pluto)
• Stand between the two planets that are known to have water. (Earth and Mars)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 13
simon says … explore!
“SIMON SAYS” STATEMENTS FOR SMALL GROUPS
Simon Says statements for the end of the game or with smaller numbers of students:
** Simon Says ...
• Orbit around the planet with the moon Deimos. (Mars)
• Orbit around the planet with the moon Io. (Jupiter)
• Stand near the planet that has the most volcanoes. (Venus)
• Travel from the coldest planet in our solar system to the hottest planet in our solar system.
(Uranus to Venus)
• Lie down on a space body that came from the Oort cloud. (Comet)
• Stand on the planet whose gravity can force asteroids located in the asteroid belt out of orbit.
(Jupiter)
• Walk around the planet that has the densest atmosphere. (Venus)
• Touch the planet home to the largest canyon in the Solar System, the Valles Marineris. (Mars)
• Spin around on the fastest spinning planet in the solar system. (Jupiter)
• Line up on the orbital path of the planet whose seasons last more than 40 years, which is longer
than any other planet. (Neptune)
• Stand on the edge of a planet with no solid surface to walk on. (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
PAGE 14
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
simon says … explore!
“SIMON SAYS” STATEMENTS FOR OLDER STUDENTS
Review and make connections to space history and exploration with older students. For example,
use the following “Simon Says” statements:
** Simon Says ...
• Stand on the timeline in the century that Galileo observed Jupiter’s moons. (1600s)
• Put one finger on the month of the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. (March)
• Put one finger on the month of the vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. (September)
• Put one finger on the month of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. (June)
• Put one finger on the month of the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. (December)
• Stand on the month when Earth is furthest from the sun. (July)
• Place a hand on the decade in which Galileo discovered that the Milky Way is made up of thousands
and thousands of stars. (1610s)
• Place one foot on the timeline in any year Pluto is considered a dwarf planet. (2006-Present)
• If the age of the solar system were condensed into a single year, stand on the month that Earth
formed. (January)
• If the age of the solar system were condensed into a single year, stand on the month during which
life on Earth began. (March)
• If the age of the solar system were condensed into a single year, put one hand on the month during
which our human ancestors appeared. (December)
** You may think of other statements, based upon your curriculum or students´ interest.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 15
ACTIVITY 4
How many moons?
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 4-8
TIME NEEDED: 40 MINUTES
Description
Students identify the planets in the solar system that have known moons and will demonstrate the
number of known moons found around each planet using blocks. Students describe the phases of the
moon that may be observed from Earth.
Learning Objectives
Trunk Materials
Students will:
• define a moon
• observe that the giant gaseous outer
planets have more moons than the inner
terrestrial planets
• use blocks to compare number of moons
for all planets
• model how the moon revolves around
Earth and appears as different moon
phases
•
•
•
•
•
•
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
5 minutes
• Put blocks in a pile where students will
have access to them.
• Carefully attach Styrofoam balls to the
ends of the dowels using a gentle twisting
motion.
• Try to darken the room for Part Two of the
activity.
Tip
• The two parts of this activity can be done
on the same day or different days, time on
the map permitting.
4-inch Styrofoam balls (8)
1-foot long dowel rods (8)
Blocks, any color (173)
Flashlight
Moon Cards (8)
Moon Phase Cards (8)
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
Rules
PAGE 16
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No writing utensils
on the map.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
How many Moons?
DIRECTIONS
PART ONE: NUMBER OF MOONS
1. Gather students around edge of the map to have them observe the scale and size of the planet
illustrations. Explain that some of the planets have moons, which are not pictured on the giant map.
Ask students to describe what they know about Earth’s moon. Define the term moon using the
definition found in the vocabulary section of the guide.
2. Divide the class into five planet groups. Assign one group to the inner planets Mercury, Venus,
Earth, and Mars since these planets do not have many known moons. Assign the remaining groups
to each of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) since each of these planets has
many known moons.
3. Provide each group with a Moon Card that describes the number of moons found around each
planet they are assigned.
4. Ask students to build a tower of blocks to represent the number of moons around their assigned
planet. Each block represents one moon. For example, the planet Mars would have a two block
tower; Jupiter would have a sixty-seven block tower.
5. After students have finished building, ask them to stand around the edge of the map. Have students
observe the entire solar system of known moons; discuss the number of moons found around the
inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) versus the number of moons found around the
outer planets. Ask: Why do inner planets and outer planets have such different numbers of moons?
(The outer planets have more mass and were able to draw in more as they were forming). Ask
students to share some of the names of moons of the planets using information found on their
Moon Cards. Do they recognize some of the names from any of their studies?
Tip
Have older students create a bar graph of the number of moons found around each planet.
PART TWO: EARTH’S MOON PHASES
1. Explain to students that astronomers study the known moons of all the planets of the solar system.
The moon most studied and the only place humans have been in our solar system other than Earth
is, the Earth’s moon.
2. Have students describe their observations of Earth’s moon. Prompt students to share details about
what times of day they see it, what it looks like, and if it always looks the same. Ask: How does the
“shape” of its brightly-lit part (its phase) change over time? Have they seen the moon during the day?
When have students seen a full moon?
3. Explain to students that the moon looks different because it goes through phases in which people
on Earth see only the sunlit portion of the moon clearly. Explain to students that they will
demonstrate the phases of Earth’s moon as it revolves around Earth.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 17
How many moons?
4. Ask for nine volunteers. Have one volunteer hold a bright light on the sun edge of the map and shine
it across the map. It helps to dim all other lights in the room as much as possible.
Tip
If available, replace the student volunteer holding a flashlight in Part Two with a spare
overhead projector as a light source for the “Sun.”
5. Have all non-volunteer students sit together in a circle on the center of the map, facing outward, to
represent Earth. Provide these students with the eight Moon Phase cards and give them a chance to
review them as you set up the other volunteers.
6. Have the eight remaining volunteers stand at equal distances around the outside of the circle of
sitting students. Have each one hold a Styrofoam ball on a dowel. You will need to position the light
source so that the students do not block the light. Have the student holding the flashlight and acting
as the “sun” move closer if need be.
7. Once the eight volunteers are set and the students on “Earth” have reviewed the Moon Phase cards,
explain that the eight standing students each represent a different phase of the moon. The students
in the middle must work together to identify which student’s moon is in which phase by placing the
correct card in front of the correct student. Have the students begin by describing what they see.
(Starting from the moon closest to the “Sun,” and moving counterclockwise around the Earth should
represent new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous,
third quarter, and waning crescent.)
8. After the moon phases have been correctly identified, ask the students representing the moon
phases to describe what they see. (They should observe that half of their moon is lit in lunar day and
half of their moon is dark in lunar night.)
9. Have students switch positions so that the students sitting are now standing holding a moon and the
students that were standing are now sitting on the “Earth” observing the moon phases. Elect a new
“sun” volunteer.
10. Ask students to share their observations and compare their observations with the Moon Phase
cards. Ask: What moon phase do you see most often in the sky? How can you tell a waxing moon from a
waning moon? What moon phase is the moon in today?
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** This activity might lead some to believe the moon is only “above” the Earth as all the moon phasestudents are standing over the sitting students. Show students an image or animation of the moon
orbiting the Earth to show that it dips both above and below the plane of our orbit around the Sun.
** Have students investigate cultural ties to the moon. Ask them to do research to determine the dates
of the new moon phases and the full moon phases for the coming year and match it to the holidays
of: Rosh Hashanah (new moon), Ramadan (new moon), Chinese New Year (second new moon after
winter solstice), and Easter (first Sunday after first full moon after vernal equinox). Ask students to
share their family’s traditions and how/if they relate to the moon. Have a discussion on why the moon
has important cultural ties.
PAGE 18
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ACTIVITY 5
gravity in space
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 4-12
TIME NEEDED: 40 MINUTES
Description
Students calculate their weight on each planet then use blocks to construct a three dimensional graph
of their weight. Students also model how it would feel to move on the planets by using gravity values to
measure the distance they jump.
Learning Objectives
Trunk Materials
Students will:
• calculate weight on each planet
• use blocks to model weight on each
planet
• use each planet’s relative gravitational
strength to determine how they would be
able to move on each planet
• Blocks (300)
• Calculators (20)
• Measuring tapes (8)
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
5 minutes
• Place blocks on the center of the map so
that they are accessible to students.
• Place measuring tapes near edge of map
where months are displayed.
Tip
• Remind students to record units, when
necessary.
Rules
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
No writing utensils
on the map.
•
PAGE 19
Gravity in space
DIRECTIONS
PART ONE: WEIGHT IN SPACE
1. Have students gather along the edge of the map and ask them to observe the planet
illustrations and describe their size. Ask students questions such as: Do you think you would
weigh the same on every planet? What affects our weight on a planet? Do you think gravity is the
same on every planet?
2. Using the definitions provided in the vocabulary section of the guide, review gravity, weight, and
mass with students. Explain that people would weigh different amounts on different planets
because the planets have different gravities. Tell students they are going to calculate their
weight on each planet and see how it differs from planet to planet.
3. Ask students to leave the map and move to an activity space away from the map. The students
will be using calculators and writing utensils that are not allowed on the map.
4. Design a data sheet with students (or make copies of the sample provided) to record their
weight or other number to be used in their calculations. For younger students, a class average
may be used; for older students, individual weights may be calculated. Ask students to note the
relative gravitational strength of each planet provided in the data chart. Ask: Which planet has
the highest relative gravity compared to Earth? (Jupiter) Which planet has the lowest relative gravity
compared to Earth? (Mars)
Modification
Use a white board or easel to display the data sheet. Have students record their
answers for the class. Using white board markers, the data could be filled in then
wiped clean at the end of the activity.
5. Individually or in groups, have students calculate their weight on each planet in the solar system
by multiplying the figure they are using to represent their weight on Earth by the planet’s relative
gravitational strength given in the data chart. Have students record their newly calculated
weights on their data charts.
6. Explain to students that they are going to represent their “new” weight on each planet using
blocks, or bingo chips. Divide students into eight groups and assign each group to a planet.
Determine how many pounds, newtons, or kilograms each block will represent, e.g. each block
= 5 kilograms. Have students work in their groups to calculate how many blocks, or bingo chips,
they need to represent their weight on each planet.
7. Invite students back on to the map, and have students display their weight with blocks on each
planet based on their calculations. When all blocks have been displayed at each planet, have
students observe the differences between the planets. Ask: Which planet would you weigh the
most on? Why? Which planet would you weigh the least on? Why? Which planets would gravity feel
nearly the same as Earth? Why? Ask students to predict which planet they think they could jump
the highest on.
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Gravity in space
Modification
Have older students make a graph using graph paper to represent their weight on each planet
in addition to using blocks.
PART TWO: HOW FAR COULD YOU JUMP?
1. Have students line up in pairs and have one student stand at one end of the map and jump as far as
they can on the map.
2. Using a measuring tape, have their partner measure the distance the student jumped.
Modification
If time allows, have students complete three jumps and average their distance.
3. Have students switch places so that each student has a chance to jump and have their jump
measured.
4. Have students leave the map and obtain a calculator, writing utensil, and the data chart from Part
One. Students will be using calculators and writing utensils that are not allowed on the map.
5. Have the students calculate how far they would be able to jump on each planet by dividing the
distance they jumped on Earth with the relative gravity value provided on the data chart.
6. When all calculations have been completed, ask for eight student pairs to volunteer. Assign each
volunteer to a planet. Using a tape measure, have pairs measure the distance that students would
be able to jump on each planet and have the remaining students observe the differences between
the distances. Have a class discussion. Ask: Which planet could you jump the farthest on? Which
planet would be difficult to walk on? Which planet would be a great place to go and compete in the high
jump? Which planet would be most like Earth to jump on?
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** Have students include dwarf planets and moons in their gravity calculations. Have students
research the gravity on dwarf planets and moons, and add these values to their data tables. Have
students compare the relative gravitational strengths to planetary characteristics like mass and
size. Ask: How does a planet’s gravity compare to its radius and mass? (Hint: it is proportional to
mass, but inversely proportional to radius squared.)
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PAGE 21
Gravity in space
DATA SHEET
Use this data sheet in Part One and Part Two of the activity.
Planet
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Gravity
relative
to Earth
0.378
0.907
1.0
0.377
2.36
0.916
0.889
1.12
Weight
on Earth
Weight
on
Planet
Jump
Distance
PAGE 22
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ACTIVITY 6
space in space
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 4-12
TIME NEEDED: 40 MINUTES
Description
Students use astronomical units to measure distances in the solar system and create a model solar
system map along a 12.5 meter (41 foot) rope.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• measure and communicate the relative
distances between each planet in the
solar system using astronomical units
Trunk Materials
• 15.24 meter (50 foot) long rope, marked at
12.5 meters
• Calculators (20)
• Clothespins (10)
• Measuring tapes (8)
• Planet Cards (32 total, 4 per group)
Preparation
5 minutes
• Place a tape measure and a clothespin at each planet along the edges of the map.
• Place a 12.5 meter (41 foot) rope along the edge of the Giant Solar System map where the sun is
partially displayed.
• Establish a place away from the map where students may record their measurements; i.e. white
board, paper on easel.
Rules
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
No writing utensils
on the map.
•
PAGE 23
Space in space
DIRECTIONS
1. Gather students around the map to observe the scale size of the planets printed on the map edges.
Call the students’ attention to planet features such as color, shape, and size. Ask: What do you notice
about the sizes of the inner planets and the outer planets? How many Earths do you think would fit in
Jupiter?
2. Divide the class into eight planet teams and have each team sit on the edge of the Giant Solar
System map near their assigned planet.
3. Provide each team with their respective Planet Card (four copies of each Planet Card) which lists
information on physical characteristics of their team’s planet (diameter, distance in miles,
kilometers, and astronomical units from the sun).
4. Have students gather along the sun edge of the map. Encourage students to observe
characteristics of the sun by asking: What can you tell me about the sun? Does the sun have
features that are not found on planets? (Sample answers: Sunspots, solar wind, solar flares).
Explain that the entire sun could not fit on this map; the sun’s diameter is 1.392 million km (864,938
mi). Using the Earth’s diameter 12,756 km (7,926 mi) scaled to 11.5 cm (4.5 in) on this map, the sun
would be 1,254.9 cm or 12.5 m (494.1 in or 41.2 feet).
5. Lay out the 15.24 m (50 foot) rope, marked at 12.5 m (41 feet), to demonstrate the relative size of the
sun. Have students stand along the rope and gaze back to their planet along the edges of the Solar
System map. Ask: how does the relative size of the sun compare to the size of the planets?
6. Use the enclosed 11.5 cm (4.5 in) ball to further demonstrate the relative size of Earth to the size of
the sun. Ask students to consider why the sun does not look so large in the sky. Encourage students
to think about the distances that exist in space as they prepare for the next activity.
7. Have students return to their planet team and sit near their respective planets.
8. Explain to students that previous astronomers and mathematicians studying the solar system used
astronomical units to describe distances in the solar system. Astronomers such as Tycho Brahe,
Johannes Kepler, and Giovanni Cassini all tried to perfect the measurement of an astronomical
unit. In 2012, the International Astronomical Union defined the astronomical unit to be 149,597,870.7
km (round to 150 million km). Ask students if they know of other units used to measure distances in
space, e.g. light years or parsecs.
9. Have students locate the measurements of 20 AU 30 AU, and 40 AU on the Solar System map. Let
students walk around the orbits at those distances. Have students describe what they observed on
their “travels” in the solar system.
10. Lay the 15.24 m (50 foot) rope, marked at 12.5 m (41 feet), from the sun end on the Solar System
map to the opposite end.
11. Working in their planet teams, have students read the AU data on the their Planet Cards to see the
number of AU each planet is from the sun. Using the scale of 1 AU = 30.5 cm (1 foot), have students
calculate how many feet/meters their planet is from the sun. Check student work using the Relative
Planet Distances Answer Key, found at the end of this activity.
PAGE 24
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Space in space
12. Have students measure their calculated distance from the sun end of the rope and place a clothespin
on the rope at the location of each planet:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mercury 5 cm - 4.6 inches
Venus 11 cm - 8.76 inches
Earth 30.5 cm - 12 inches = 1 foot
Mars 46. 3 cm - 1.52 feet = 18.24 inches
Jupiter 158.2 cm = 1.52 m - 5.19 feet = 62.3 inches
Saturn 291.39 cm = 2.91 m - 9.56 feet = 114.72 inches
Uranus 583.7 cm = 5.83 m - 19.15 feet = 229.8 inches
Neptune 913.4 cm = 9.13 m - 29.97 feet = 359.6 inches
Just to note: Pluto would be at 1215.16 cm = 12.1 m - 39.9 feet = 478.8 inches
13. Observing the clothespins on the rope, discuss with students the location of the inner planets (Mercury,
Venus, Earth, and Mars) and the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Have students
describe what separates the inner planets from the outer planets (the asteroid belt).
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** Incorporate more math by having students calculate each planet’s distance from the sun in
astronomical units and compare their answers to the values provided on the Planet Cards. To calculate
the distance for each planet, divide the planet´s distance from the sun in kilometers by the Earth’s
distance from the sun in kilometers (1.50 X 108 kilometers).
** Additionally, have older students calculate the light minutes to each planet from the sun using the
scale of 1 AU = 30.5 cm (1 foot). The speed of light is 300,000 km/s or about 186,000 mi/s. Older students
can also calculate the number of Earths that can fit into each planet by volume, not just by diameter.
(Remember the volume of a sphere equals (4/3)πr3.)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 25
ACTIVITY 7
The Sun
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 5-9
TIME NEEDED: 60 MINUTES
Description
Students work in groups to match facts and photographs about the sun by making trades with other
groups.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• apply investigative thinking to match facts
with pictures
• present about the magnitude, power, and
effects of the sun
Trunk Materials
• Lanyards (40 total, 10 of each color: red,
blue, yellow and green)
• Sun Cards (32 total)
Preparation
• None
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
Rules
No writing utensils
on the map.
DIRECTIONS
1. Explain to students that they will be learning about the sun. Have students line up and count off 1- 4
until all students have a number. Ask all the ones to go to the meteor corner, twos to the comet
corner, threes to the galaxy corner, and fours to the asteroid corner. Give each group a set of
lanyards, so that each team has its own color.
Tip
Use Part One of the Race to the Planets activity to assign students groups.
PAGE 26
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
The Sun
2. Give each group their corresponding set of Sun Cards to match their lanyard colors. Each set will
have 8 cards, four of them with photographs, and four of them with definitions. Explain that students
are going to trade their photograph cards with other groups in order to have four photograph cards
that match their definition cards. Students should not trade their definition cards. The goal is that
each group will end up with four picture cards that have matching definitions. After they have
successfully completed their trades, the group will need to work together to determine a place to put
each card pair on the giant map in a location that makes sense. They will need to be prepared to
explain their reasoning.
3. Start by explaining that each group has one correct picture-definition match in their eight-card set.
Have each group figure out which one of their definitions matches up with their photograph. Once
each group has figured out their own match, each group must place it on the map somewhere that
makes sense. Ask each group to share their pair and its location with the class. Check student pairs
using the Sun Answer Key, found at the end of this activity. Groups will need to work with other
groups to create their other three matches. Have the ones meet with the twos and the threes meet
with the fours. Have one group read a definition from their remaining three definitions and have the
other group look at their pictures and see if one picture matches the description. If it does, the group
with the definition puts the pair aside and the other group reads a definition. If it doesn’t, they read
another definition until a match is made. The other side does the same. When both groups have
made all possible matches, they should place their cards on the map in places that makes sense.
4. After this step, group 1 goes to group 3 and group 2 goes to group 4. Repeat step 5.
5. Group 1 meets with group 4 and group 2 goes to group 3. Repeat step 5.
Tip
If students are struggling to make their matches, narrow down options by letting students know
which group has the photograph card they need. Use the Sun Answer Key provided to give them
hints.
6. Once all groups are finished and all card pairs are placed on the map, have each group present their
pairs and explain why they placed them where they did on the map. Explain that students will need to
pay attention and recall this information in a game that they will play next.
7. Check for student understanding by playing a giant game of memory! Have students stay in their four
teams and line up in their respective corners of the map. Layout all 64 cards, face down on the center
of the map. Explain that one group member at a time will go out to the cards, turn two over, and try to
make a match. If the student correctly makes a match, they should take the pair back to their corner
with them. If they do not make a match, they need to turn the cards face down again. After the
student has attempted a match, they should return to their corner, tag the next group member in
line, and go to the back of the line. The tagged group member should then try to make their own
match. Group members may help each other out by sharing what cards they turn over and past
turners can share what they turned over. The team that makes the most matches in 10 minutes is the
winner. Use the hourglass timer provided, and check student matches using the Sun Answer Key,
found at the end of the activity.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 27
THE SUN
Sun Answer Key
RED GROUP (METEOR)
Card Definition
Card Image
The solar system is made up of the sun and eight planets that
orbit it. The solar system also consists of moons, comets,
asteroids, minor planets, dust, and gas.
NASA
Sunspots are spots or patches on the sun’s surface that are
cooler and appear darker than the surrounding photosphere.
NASA/SDO
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks light from the sun
preventing it from reaching the moon, causing a shadow to fall
on the moon.
NASA Ames Research Center/Brian Day
A photon is a particle representing a unit of light or
electromagnetic radiation.
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
PAGE 28
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
THE SUN
GREEN GROUP (GALAXY)
Card Definition
The sun's light travels at a speed of 299,792 km per second
(186,287 miles per second). It takes about 8.3 minutes (499
seconds) for light to reach the Earth after it has been emitted
from the sun's surface. The time it takes for light to reach
planets in our solar system varies from about 3.2 minutes (193
seconds) for Mercury, to about 4.1 hours (14998 seconds) for
Neptune. Light from the sun will continue through space unless
it is blocked or absorbed by something. Our sun is 4.5 billion
years old. Some of the light from our sun has traveled 4.5 billion
light years away from us.
Card Image
Light traveling from the Sun to Earth
8 minutes
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
Solar wind is the continuous flow of charged particles from the
sun that flow through the solar system at speeds as high as 900
km per second.
SOHO (ESA & NASA)
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is directly between the
Earth and the sun, causing a shadow to fall on the Earth,
blocking the view of the sun from wherever the shadow falls on
Earth.
CNES/CNRS/NASA
In the basic hydrogen fusion cycle, four hydrogen nuclei
(protons) come together through nuclear fusion to make a
helium nucleus. Hydrogen fusion generates energy in the sun.
Deuterium
+
Fusion
+
+
Hélium
+
+
Energy
+
Tritium
Neutron
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 29
THE SUN
BLUE GROUP (COMET)
Card Definition
The sun is thought to be organized in layers, similar to Earth,
with a core in the center, followed by a radiative layer, a
convection layer, and then photosphere. The core is very dense
and contains about 50% of the sun’s mass. It is incredibly hot
and has a very large amount of pressure. The sun has an
atmosphere that surrounds these layers. The layers of this
atmosphere are the photosphere, the chromosphere, the
transition region, and the corona.
Card Image
Convective Zone
Radiative Zone
Core
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
A corona is an extended outer atmosphere of the sun. It has a
temperature of over a million degrees and extends millions of
kilometers into space. It is most easily seen during a total solar
eclipse, but it is also observable with a coronagraph.
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
A solar flare is the sudden release of intense high-energy
radiation that occurs when built up magnetic energy in the
solar atmosphere is suddenly released. Solar flares can affect
radio communication, and power line transmission on Earth.
NASA/SDO
The Earth spins on an axis that is tilted at 23.5° with respect to
the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This tilt gives Earth its
seasons and prevents temperature extremes anywhere on the
planet.
NASA
PAGE 30
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
THE SUN
YELLOW GROUP (ASTEROID)
Card Definition
Card Image
You would have to line up 109 planets the size of the Earth to
match the diameter of the sun.
109 Earths across Sun’s diameter
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
The sun affects weather on Earth by warming our planet’s
atmosphere and surface. This warming produces our wind,
rain, storms and other weather events.
William Putman/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Halley's comet is a famous comet that returns to Earth's
vicinity about every 75-76 years, making it possible for a
human to see it twice in their lifetime. Halley’s comet has been
seen since 240 BC. The last time people saw it was in 1986,
and it is projected to return in 2061. The comet is named after
English astronomer Edmond Halley, who concluded that the
comets reported approaching Earth in 1531, 1607 and 1682
were actually the same comet, Halley’s comet.
Eventually, as the Sun consumes all of its Hydrogen, it will
expand, becoming so large that it will reach as far as Earth’s
orbit, consuming the Earth and inner planets.
Halley Multicolor Camera Team/Giotto Project/ESA
Today
Sun
Earth
Mars
7.5 billion years from now
Mars
Sun as red giant
Little Monster Educational Resources & Design
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 31
ACTIVITY 8
Space Exploration Timeline
Challenge
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 6-12
TIME NEEDED: 30 MINUTES
AND UP
Description
Students learn relative and absolute dates of important events in the history of space exploration by
playing a game that challenges them to place events in chronological order.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• learn about the history of space
exploration by placing important space
events in chronological order
• demonstrate the difference between
absolute and relative
• observe patterns in advances in space
technology and discuss the roots of those
patterns
Trunk Materials
• Bingo chips (100)
• Lanyards (40 total, 10 of each color: red,
blue, yellow and green)
• Six-sided colored game die (1)
• Timeline cards (73 cards)
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
•
Tips
• The game gets progressively more difficult
as the game goes on and the space between
consecutive events gets smaller and
smaller. Encourage students to lock their
cards frequently as the game goes on.
• Students can use the cards already on the
timeline as hints for where to locate their
new event. Encourage students to
continually read the dates on the timeline
for hints. For example, man could not have
sent a probe to Pluto before Pluto was
discovered.
None
Shoes are not
allowed on the
map. Please have
students remove
shoes before
walking on the
map.
Rules
No writing utensils
on the map.
Modifications
• This game can be played with more, or
smaller, teams depending on your group
size.
• If time is limited, the first group to 5 chips
can be declared the winner.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
SPACE EXPLORATION TIMELINE CHALLENGE
DIRECTIONS
1. Divide students into four teams. Assign each team a mascot: comet, asteroid, Milky Way galaxy, or
meteor, and have them sit in the corresponding map corner. Pass out lanyards to each student so
that each team wears the same lanyard color.
Modification
See Part One in activity Race to the Planets to incorporate a fun way to break students into teams.
2. Ask students: Why do we explore our solar system? Explain that what we know about the solar
system and how we come to acquire that knowledge has changed dramatically over the past 500
years. In this activity, students will be challenged to put in chronological order events from solar
system exploration history, and explain how events have shaped how we understand our solar
system.
3. Review the rules of the timeline game below by completing a practice round with the students before
you begin, officially. Explain that the objective of this game is to earn chips by placing 10 important
events in space history in the correct relative or absolute order. The game ends when one team has
10 chips. Discuss the idea of relative versus absolute time. Explain that relative means that you place
it in the correct order. Absolute means that you acknowledge the exact date an event took place. This
will matter when it comes to a team’s strategy to earn chips.
4. To begin, place one card from any deck on the proper year below the timeline on the bottom edge of
the map. Explain again that you are going to do a practice round to help clarify the game rules before
beginning.
5. When it is a group’s turn, one member from the group rolls the die. The colors on the die correspond
to a different category of space history. If a color is rolled and there are no more cards in the deck
matching that color, the rolling team simply rolls again.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Red – Space Grab Bag
Blue – Manned Space Exploration
Green – Space Technology
Yellow – Planetary Explorations
White – Choose Your Own Category
Black – Next team (clockwise) chooses your category
6. The team counterclockwise from the rolling team picks a card from the rolled-color deck and reads
the description to the rolling team. Together, the team decides where, relative to the other cards
already on the timeline the new event should go. The reading team confirms the accuracy of the card
placement, as the actual date is printed on the card.
7. If the rolling team answers the first question correctly, they have a choice. They can either roll again
to try to place another card in the correct position (and opt for double-or-nothing if they wish – see
step 9), or they can “lock” their cards. Locking cards means that a team collects the same number of
chips that correspond to correct card placements. So, if a team chooses to lock their cards after
placing their first card, they will receive one chip. Play then moves to the next team counterclockwise.
If a team opts to try for another card, they will have the opportunity to earn more chips and lock their
cards after each successful attempt. But, if a team incorrectly places a card, they will lose all cards
and chips they have not locked, and the turn moves to the next team. Students can earn more chips
per turn but risk gaining no chips if they place the cards incorrectly.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
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PAGE 33
SPACE EXPLORATION TIMELINE CHALLENGE
8. Teams can also bet double-or-nothing by trying to identify the absolute date rather than the
relative date upon their initial guess on placing a card. If a team correctly guesses an absolute
date, they receive double the amount of chips that they would have earned on that turn. If a team
incorrectly guesses an absolute date, they lose all chips from that turn and play moves on to the
next team. If a team chooses not to identify an absolute date, the reading team identifies the
correct date at the end of a team’s turn to ensure that the timeline is being created correctly.
9. At the end of the game, ask students to observe any patterns they notice about space history.
Ask: Does the exploration of space tend to be evenly distributed, or does it occur in clumps? What
may be a driving factor in that? Observe the colors of the cards that correspond to a different
category of space exploration. Ask: What color cards are predominantly on the beginning of the
timeline? What color cards occur later in the timeline? Why do you think this is? Ask students about
the role of technology. Ask: How is technology related to space exploration?
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** Students can be tasked with creating their own set or an extension set of cards based on space
history.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ACTIVITY 9
Rotation, Revolution, Days,
and Years
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 6-12
TIME NEEDED: 45 MINUTES
+ MATH MODIFICATIONS FOR GRADES 6-9
Description
Students will understand the relationship between rotation and revolution and our time system on Earth
via mathematical calculations and kinesthetic movements.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• investigate the relationship between
rotation and days, and revolution and
years
• compare the lengths of days and years of
different planets and Pluto
Preparation
•
copies of each card)
Tips/Modifications
None
Rules
Trunk Materials
• Calculators (optional)
• Giant protractor poster (9)
• Planetary Model balls (9)
• Stopwatches (12)
• Solar System Information cards (36, 4
Shoes are not
allowed on the
map. Please have
students remove
shoes before
walking on the
map.
No writing utensils
on the map.
Tip
• When modeling the revolution speed of the
planets, the longest orbit will have a
revolution time period of 11 minutes
(Neptune) using the scale 4 seconds = 1
Earth year. If you feel that speed around
Earth or Mercury is too fast, you can scale
down the speed to a more manageable
speed for your class.
Modifications
• Instead of using models to represent the tilt
of the planet, students can use their bodies
and align them to a relatively proper angle.
Uranus will have to roll along the floor!
• Have students complete Part Two: Seasons,
for the Southern Hemisphere.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 35
Rotation, Revolution, Days, and Years
DIRECTIONS
PART ONE: REVOLUTION AND ROTATION
1. Ask students how we define a day on Earth. Have students stand anywhere on the map facing the
giant sun on the edge of the map. Ask them to rotate, or spin, counterclockwise in a circle to
represent a day. Call attention to the word rotate and share its definition from the vocabulary
section at the back of the guide. Explain to students that one complete rotation of a planet on its
axis is one day.
2. Divide the class into nine equal groups, and assign each group a planet or the dwarf planet Pluto.
Give each group a Solar System Information Card. The outer planet groups should stand on their
planets’ relative orbital path around the sun in the center of the map, and the inner planet groups
should stand on the image of the planets on the edge of the map. Explain to students that they are
going to practice rotating and revolving. Inform students that the relative size of the orbits of the
inner planets are too small to have them revolve on the actual orbital path, so when the time
comes, they will revolve around their planet image instead.
3. Have students read aloud from their Solar System Information Card their planet’s rotation time, and
decide as a class which planet group should rotate/spin the fastest or slowest to represent a day on
their planet. Have students take turns rotating as different “planets” so they can feel the relative
speed of rotation of the planets. Lead a discussion as to how the length of our day is determined by
how fast our planet rotates on its axis. Planets with slower rotational times will have longer days;
planets with faster rotational times will have shorter days.
4. Ask students: Other than a day, what other measure of time do we derive from the movement of our
planet in space? (A year.) Explain that a year is defined by how long it takes for a planet to make one
complete revolution around the sun.
5. Ask: Which planet has the longest year compared to Earth? (Neptune) The shortest? (Mercury) Using
the scale of 4 seconds = 1 Earth year and the information on the Solar System Information Cards
(revolution time), have students calculate and convert the length of their planet’s orbit around the
sun, or year, in terms of minutes and seconds. Have students do the calculation in their notebooks,
away from the map. Have students share the results of their calculations with the group and record
all speeds in their notebooks. Check student work using the Revolution and Rotation Answer Key,
found at the end of the activity. Ask students to return to the map and stand on either their planet’s
orbital path or image. Give each group a stopwatch and tell students they must complete their
“revolution” in the time they calculated. Yell, “Go!” Some groups will not complete the revolution,
but that’s OK. Ask: Which groups had more time? Which groups had less time? How do these times
compare to one another? Was anything surprising?
PART TWO: SEASONS
1. One Earth year, which is defined as how long it takes Earth to revolve around the sun, has four
distinct seasons. Ask students: What factors about our planet in space cause us to have seasons?
Have students walk along an outer planet’s orbital path to the location which they believe would be
the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Lead a discussion on the relationship between
perihelion, aphelion, orbital tilt, and seasons. Ask: Is the summer solstice in the Northern
Hemisphere necessarily at the closest point in the orbit? (No).
PAGE 36
•
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
Rotation, Revolution, Days, and Years
2. Distribute an orbital planet ball to each group. Ask students to walk around the orbital pathway with
planet axis tilt given on the Solar System Information Card after measuring their angle against the
protractor poster. Discuss if there are similarities and differences between the orbital tilt, orbital
velocity, and planet years between the inner and the outer planets. Ask: If orbital location is not the
reason for the season, what other factor could contribute to the changing seasons on Earth and other
planets? (planet tilt) Ask: Which has a greater impact on the seasons of all planets, their tilt or the
eccentricity of their orbit? (Again, planet tilt is important)
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** Ask older students to calculate and discuss the following, in addition to the other calculations they
do in the activity:
•
•
Students can use Kepler’s 3rd Law of Planetary motion, which states that the square of the
orbital period is equal to the cube of the semi-major axis (P2 = a3). Students can measure the
semi-major axis of the planet on the solar system map and calculate the orbital period.
Have students calculate what fraction of an orbital period each of their rotational periods are
(e.g. Earth’s day is 1/365th its year). Do they notice anything unusual about some of the planets
(e.g. Venus and Mercury)?
** Check student work using the Extending the Learning Answer Key, found at the end of the activity.
ROTATION AND REVOLUTION ANSWER KEY
Mercury: 87.969 days ×
Venus: 224.701 days ×
Mars: 686.98 days ×
1 earth year
365.25 days
1 earth year
365.25 days
1 earth year
365.25 days
×4 seconds =0.963 seconds
×4 seconds =2.46 seconds
×4 seconds =7.523 seconds
Jupiter: 11.862 years ×4 seconds =47.448 seconds
Saturn: 29.457 years ×4 seconds =117.828 seconds (1.9638 minutes)
Uranus: 84.011 years ×4 seconds =336.044 seconds (5.6 minutes)
Neptune: 164.79 years ×4 seconds =659.16 seconds (10.986 minutes)
Pluto: 247.68 years ×4 seconds =990.72 seconds (16.512 minutes)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 37
Rotation, Revolution, Days, and Years
EXTENDING THE LEARNING ANSWER KEY
P2=a3
Orbital Period
(Earth Years)
Semi-major axis (AU)
Mercury
0.3871
0.2408
Venus
0.7233
0.61562
Earth
1.00
1.00
Mars
1.5273
1.8809
Jupiter
5.2028
11.862
Saturn
9.5388
29.458
Uranus
19.1914
84.01
Neptune
30.0611
164.79
Pluto
39.5294
248.54
Mercury:
Venus:
58.6467 days
87.969 days
243.02 days
224.701 days
Earth:
1 day
365.256 days
Mars:
1.03 days
686.98 days
= 0.66667
= 1.0815 (day is longer than year)
= 0.0027378
= 0.001499
days
Jupiter:
9.925 hours
24 hours/day
÷ (11.862 years x 365.256 year ) = 0.00009544
Saturn:
10.543 hours
24 hours/day
÷ (29.457 years x 365.256
days
year
Uranus:
17.24 hours
24 hours/day
÷ (88.011 years x 365.256
days
) = 0.0000234
year
Neptune:
16.1 hours
24 hours/day
÷ (164.79 years x 365.256 year
PAGE 38
days
•
) = 0.00004083
) = 0.0000114
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ACTIVITY 10
Planet features revealed!
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 1-8
TIME NEEDED: 20 MINUTES
Description
Students compete in teams to identify features of the solar system playing a beanbag toss game.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• engage in an introduction to the planets
and their features
• work in teams to assess clues about
planet features
Trunk Materials
• Beanbags (40 total; 10 of each color: red,
blue, yellow and green)
• Diving rings, various colors (8)
• Planet Feature Cards (40 total; 10 of each
color)
• Lanyards (40 total; 10 of each)
Preparation
Tips/Modifications
5 minutes
• Place a diving ring on each planet image.
Place 10 lanyards and 10 beanbags, in
matching colors, on each corner of the map.
Tips
• This game could be used as a preassessment activity or an assessment after
studying the solar system and the map.
• This activity uses the same cards as the
activity, Race to the Planets.
Modification
• Reduce the number of cards used in the
game for younger students.
Rules
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
No writing utensils
on the map.
•
PAGE 39
Planet features revealed!
DIRECTIONS
1. Have students walk around the map and look at map features, such as the planets and orbital
paths. Review the name of each planet with students. Explain to students that they are going to play
a game in which they compete in teams to correctly identify features of planets in the solar system.
2. Divide students into four groups by asking them to count off, one to four repeatedly, until all
students have a number. All “1s” are one group, all “2s” are another group, and so on. Ask each
group to stand in a different corner of the map. Each student should wear one lanyard and hold one
beanbag.
3. Explain the rules of the game to students. Tell students that you will read a clue from the provided
Planet Feature cards. Students will have 10 seconds to discuss, as a team, and decide which planet
the clue is referencing. At the end of 10 seconds, you will say: “Reveal!” One member from the team
will throw his or her beanbag onto the matching planet, based on the team’s decision. Each student
has the potential to win two points on their toss for their team: one point for correctly identifying
which planet the clue is referencing, and one point for getting their beanbag inside the diving ring
on that planet. Reveal the correct answer, and ask teams to keep track of their own score. The next
clue will be for the next team. With each round, a new student from each team will throw a
beanbag.
4. There are four sets of Planet Feature Cards (red, yellow, blue, green), each with 10 cards. Have
students play up to four rounds of this game (as time allows) and use one set of cards per round.
Each clue has a hint that can be shared with students, depending on their age and ability. Answers
to all clues on the Planet Feature Cards can be found in the Race to the Planets activity.
5. Have students tally the score at the end of each round. Record team totals if a whiteboard or
chalkboard is available. At the end, have a large group discussion about the planets. What did the
students find most surprising? Least surprising? What planet features would students like to learn
more about?
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
** Play another round using the Timeline Cards, provided in the trunk. Have students line up on the
side of the map, opposite the timeline. Still in teams, tell students that they will play using the same
rules as before. However, this time they will be working to identify the years in which important
moments of space exploration took place. Play as many games as you wish!
PAGE 40
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY IDEAS
Shoes are not allowed on the map.
Please have students remove shoes
before walking on the map.
Rules
No writing utensils
on the map.
DIRECTIONS
There’s so much more you can do. Below are suggestions for additional activity ideas on this
National Geographic Giant Traveling Map. We invite you to try some of these, or use props and
cards, and information in the Appendix, to create your own educationally rich activities. Improvise as
needed to make these appropriate for different grade levels.
Trunk Resources
Use the props and other resources found in the map trunk to supplement your Giant Traveling Map
experience and classroom studies. Many of the resources in the trunk can enhance the activities
and help you adapt them to various grade levels.
Geo-gym!
Collaborate with a physical education teacher to create fun games on the map that combine
exercise with geography! Use Nerf balls, hoops, cones, and other equipment to invent games!
Remember: No shoes on the map, and running on the map is not permitted.
Atmospheric Composition
Have students use the information in the Atmospheric Gases Table in the Appendix, along with
blocks, or bingo chips, to compare the atmospheres on different planets. Tell students to assign
each gas a different color block and have them place these on the individual planets.
Distance from Earth and Orbit around Sun
Have students use string and the information in the Distance from Earth and Orbit around Sun
Table in the appendix to compare the comparative size of the planets orbits around the sun. Have
older students determine the scale for this. Provide an appropriate scale for younger students, for
example, 1 cm = 1 AU, or 1 cm = 1 x Earth.
Equatorial Circumference
Have students use the information in the Equatorial Circumference table along with ropes or
string to compare the equatorial circumferences for the sun and planets. Older students can work
in teams or individually to determine the best scale to use, given the length of their rope/string.
Older students can also use the circumferences given in kilometers or miles to first determine
the values for the comparisons to Earth. Have students lay out the ropes or string representing
their calculations. For younger students, use the average height of your class to represent Earth’s
circumference. Talk about how many students it would take to represent the diameter of each
planet.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 41
Additional ActivitY IDEAS
Mass
Have students use the Sun and Planet Mass Table along with blocks or bingo chips to compare
the masses of the planets and the sun. Have older students to determine an appropriate scale
for this.
Mass Comparison to Earth
Have students use the information in the Sun and Planet Mass Table along with blocks or bingo
chips to compare planet mass to Earth’s mass. Have students compare two planets, or all of
them. Ask students whether it is possible to use one block to represent Earth. Students should
note that this is not possible because some planets have a mass smaller than Earth’s. Provide a
suitable scale for younger students, if necessary, based on the materials available to you.
Planet Density
Have students use the information in the Planet Density Table to compare the gravities of the
inner and outer planets by placing available items on the planets. Tell students to use the data in
the planet volume and planet mass tables to help them explain their results.
Planet Gravity
Have students use the information in the Planet Gravity Table to compare the gravities of the
inner and outer planets by placing available items on the planets. Tell students to use the data in
the planet volume and planet mass tables to help them explain their results.
PAGE 42
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
VOCABULARY
Use the definitions provided below when introducing new vocabulary words to students.
aphelion
(AP-hee-lee-un)
noun.
point at which an orbiting body (such as a planet or
comet) is farthest from the sun.
arc
(ARK) noun.
part of the outline of a circle.
asteroid
(AS-tur-oyd) noun.
irregularly shaped planetary body, ranging from 6
meters (20 feet) to 933 kilometers (580 miles) in
diameter, orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter.
astronomical
unit
(as-truh-NAH-mihkul YOO-niht) noun.
(AU) (150 million kilometers/93 million miles) unit of
distance equal to the average distance between the
Earth and the sun.
comet
(KAH-meht) noun.
celestial object of matter surrounded by ice and dust
that orbits the sun and leaves a tail of debris.
coronal mass
ejection
(kuh-ROH-nul MAS
ee-JEHK-shun)
noun.
huge burst of magnetic field and plasma from the
sun.
crescent
(KREH-sehnt) noun.
shape of a half-circle with thin ends.
diameter
(di-AM-ih-ter) noun.
width of a circle.
dwarf planet
(DWARF PLA-neht)
noun.
celestial body orbiting a star that is nearly spherical
but does not meet other definitions for a planet.
eccentricity
(kuh-ROH-nul MAS
ee-JEHK-shun)
amount an orbit's path differs from a perfect circle.
European
Space Agency
(ehk-sehn-TRIH-sihtee) noun.
multinational organization whose mission is "to shape
the development of Europe's space capability and
ensure that investment in space continues to deliver
benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world."
galaxy
(ESA) (EE EHS AY)
noun.
collection of stars, planets, gases, and other celestial
bodies bound together by gravity.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 43
vocabulary
gas giant
(GA-luk-see) noun.
one of the four enormous outermost planets in the
solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus),
composed mostly of gases instead of rock. Also called
a Jovian planet.
gibbous moon
(GAS JI-unt) noun.
phase of the moon in which it is more than half but
less than fully illuminated.
gravity
(GIH-bus MOON)
noun.
physical force by which objects attract, or pull toward,
each other.
hydrogen
(GRA-vih-tee) noun.
chemical element with the symbol H, whose most
common isotope consists of a single electron and a
single proton.
International
Space Station
(ISS)
(HI-droh-jun) noun.
satellite in low Earth orbit that houses several
astronauts for months at a time.
Kepler's
second law
(IHN-tur-na-shuhnul SPAYS STAYshun) noun.
law of planetary motion which states that a line
between the sun and the planet sweeps equal areas
in equal times, causing the speed of the planet to
increase as it nears the sun and decrease as it
recedes from the sun.
lunar phase
(KEHP-lurz sehkund lah) noun.
any one of the eight aspects or appearances
presented by the moon as seen from Earth.
mass
(LOO-nur FAYZ)
noun.
measure of the amount of matter in a physical object.
meteorite
(MAS) noun.
type of rock that has crashed into Earth from outside
the atmosphere.
Milky Way
(MEE-tee-or-it)
noun.
galaxy in which the Earth and sun are located.
moon
(MIHL-kee WAY)
noun.
natural satellite of a planet.
moon
(MOON) noun.
Earth's only natural satellite.
NASA
(MOON) noun.
(acronym for National Aeronautics and Space
Administration) U.S. agency responsible for space
research and systems.
PAGE 44
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
vocabulary
orbit
(OR-biht) noun.
path of one object around a more massive object.
orbit
(OR-biht) verb.
to move in a circular pattern around a more massive
object.
Parsec
(PAR-sehk) noun.
a measure of distance, used in astronomy, equal to
3.26 light years.
perihelion
(pair-uh-HEElee-un) noun.
point at which an orbiting body (such as a planet or
comet) is closest to the sun.
phase
(FEiz) noun.
stage in a process or transformation.
photon
(FOH-tahn) noun.
particle representing a unit of light or electromagnetic
radiation.
planet
(PLAN-eht) noun.
large, spherical celestial body that regularly revolves
around a star.
plasma
(PLAZ-muh) noun.
state of matter with no fixed shape in which atoms are
separated into ions and electrons.
retrograde
(REH-truh-grayd)
adjective.
moving in an orbit in the direction opposite of most
bodies in a celestial system.
revolve
(ree-VAHLV) verb.
to orbit around something.
revolution
(reh-voh-LOO-shun)
noun.
complete journey of an object around a more massive
object.
rotate
(ROH-tayt) verb.
to turn around a center point or axis.
rotation
(roh-TAY-shun)
noun.
object's complete turn around its own axis.
satellite
(SA-tih-lit) noun.
object that orbits around something else. Satellites
can be natural, like moons, or made by people.
season
(SEE-zun) noun.
period of the year distinguished by special climatic
conditions.
sector
(SEHK-tur) noun.
section or a part of something.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 45
vocabulary
solar
(SOH-lur) adjective.
having to do with the sun.
solar system
(SOH-lur SIHStehm) noun.
the sun and the planets, asteroids, comets, and other
bodies that orbit around it.
solar wind
(SOH-lur WIHND)
noun.
flow of charged particles, mainly protons and
electrons, from the sun.
Sputnik
(SPUHT-nihk) noun.
(1957) first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet
Union, from Earth.
sun
(SUN) noun.
star at the center of our solar system.
technology
(tehk-NAHL-uh-jee)
noun.
use of science to create tools and complex machines
that make human life easier or more profitable.
telescope
(TEHL-ih-skohp)
noun.
scientific instrument that uses mirrors to view distant
objects.
terrestrial
(tuh-REHS-tree-ul)
adjective.
having to do with the Earth or dry land.
terrestrial
planet
(tuh-REHS-tree-ul
PLA-neht) noun.
one of the four planets closest to the sun: Mercury,
Venus, Earth, or Mars.
waning moon
(WAY-hihng moon)
noun.
any period after the full moon, when its illuminated
area is decreasing. Also called an old moon.
waxing moon
(WAK-sihng moon)
adjective.
any period after the new moon and before the full
moon, when its illuminated area is increasing.
PAGE 46
•
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
APPENDIX
Photocopy these tables and distribute them to students for use during the Additional Activity
Ideas. Use any of the data tables to create your own activities, warm-ups, or exit activities!
Atmospheric Gases by Planet (%)
Mercury
Venus
Carbon
Dioxide
96
Nitrogen
4
Oxygen
42
Earth
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
2.3
1
95
78
2.7
21
1
Argon
Mars
1.6
Methane
Sodium
22
Hydrogen
22
89.8
96.3
82.5
80
Helium
6
10.2
3.2
15.2
19
Other
8
<1
<0.7
0.5
Distance between Sun and Earth
Distance (km)
Mean
149.6 x106
Minimum
147.1 x106
Maximum
152.1 x106
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 47
PAGE 48
•
(AU)
Units
Astronomical
Scientific
Notation
(km)
English
(miles)
Metric
(km)
7.2333566 x
10-1
x 108
0.38709927
1.0820948
x 107
67,238,251
108,209,475
Venus
5.7909227
35,983,125
57,909,227
Mercury
Distance of Orbit Around Sun
1.000
x 108
1.4959826
92,956,050
149,598,262
Earth
1.523662
x 108
2.2794382
41,637,725
227,943,824
Mars
5.2028870
x 107
7.7834082
483,638,564
778,340,821
Jupiter
9.53667594
x 109
1.4266664
886,489,415
1,426,666,422
Saturn
1.9189165 x
101
x 109
2.8706582
1,783,744,300
2,870,658,186
Uranus
3.0069923 x
101
x 109
4.4983964
2,795,173,960
4,498,396,441
Neptune
APPENDIX
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
APPENDIX
Equatorial Circumference
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Metric
(km)
15,329.1
38,024.6
40,030.2
21,296.9
439,263.8
365,882.4
159,354.1
154,704.6
English
(miles)
9,525.1
23,627.4
24,873.6
13,233.3
272,945.9
227,348.8
99,018.1
96,129.0
1.53291 x
104
3.80246 x
104
4.00302 x
104
2.12969 x
104
4.39264 x
105
3.65882 x
105
1.59354 x
105
1.54705 x
105
0.383 x
Earth
0.9499 x
Earth
1
0.532 x
Earth
10.9733 x
Earth
9.1402 x
Earth
3.9809 x
Earth
3.8647 x
Earth
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
5.427
5.243
5.513
3.934
1.326
0.687
1.270
1.638
0.984 x
Earth
Comparable
to the
average
density of
the Earth.
1
0.714 x
Earth
0.241 x
Earth
0.125 x
Earth
0.230 x
Earth
0.297 x
Earth
Scientific
Notation
(km)
Compared
to Earth
Planet Density
Density
(metric)
(g/cm3)
Density
compared
to Earth
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 49
PAGE 50
By
comparison
Gravity
(metric)
(m/s2)
Planet Gravity
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
38 pounds on
Mercury.
3.70
Mercury
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
91 pounds on
Venus.
8.87
Venus
1
9.80665
Earth
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
38 pounds on
Mars.
3.71
Mars
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
253 pounds on
Jupiter.
24.79
Jupiter
•
on Earth,
you would
weigh about
107 pounds
on Saturn (at
the equator).
*Derived from a
1 bar radius of
60,268 km.
If you weigh
100 pounds
10.4*
Saturn
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
91 pounds on
Uranus.
8.87
Uranus
If you weigh
100 pounds
on Earth, you
would weigh
114 pounds on
Neptune.
11.15
Neptune
APPENDIX
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
Scientific
Notation
(km3)
English
(miles3)
Metric
(km3)
6.08272 x 1010
14,593,223,446
60,827,208,742
Mercury
Planet Volume
9.28415 x 1011
222,738,686,740
928,415,345,893
Venus
1.08321 x 1012
259,875,159,532
1,083,206,916,846
Earth
1.63116 X 1011
39,133,515,914
163,115,609,799
Mars
1.43128 x 1015
343,382,767,518,322
1,431,281,810,739,360
Jupiter
8.2713 x 1014
198,439,019,647,006
827,129,915,150,897
Saturn
6.83344 x 1013
16,394,283,780, 641
68,334,355,695,584
Uranus
6.25257 x 1013
15,000,714,125,712
62,525,703,987,421
Neptune
APPENDIX
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GIANT TRAVELING MAPS
•
PAGE 51
DISCOVER WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
GIANT TRAVELING MAPS!
“
“Wow” and “awesome” are
the two most heard adjectives
from students and teachers.
Best curriculum
and resource kit yet!
—Illinois Teacher
”
—North Carolina Teacher
What an excellent
“hands- and feet-on”
learning opportunity.
The map really brought
geography alive and
“
The numerous activities that
one can do with the map make
it enjoyable and fun for the
students and the teacher. The
most valuable thing about the
map is that it has
made it fun
for everyone!
everything you need—
lesson plans, materials,
and the map itself.
”
[The map] was
the best social
studies activity
I have seen in my 33
years of teaching.
—Wisconsin Teacher
Geography comes
to life when kids walk on
—New Jersey Teacher
“
This fun, hands-on experience enhanced
and allowed them to
reinforce and apply
geographic skills
learned in the classroom to the giant map.
—Virginia Teacher
one of these maps.
They never look at a
map the same way
again.
—North Carolina Teacher
“
learning is bigger than
a book, bigger than a
whole library!”
students’ learning
—Kentucky Teacher
—Minnesota Teacher
As our principal said at
the assembly, “Some
Allowing students to explore
North America on foot was a
”
Kids have
big imaginations.
They learn so much
from the Giant Traveling
Maps.
—Pennsylvania Teacher
highlight of our year!
Thank you for providing
such a useful means of
learning geography!
”
—California Teacher
Share your Giant Traveling Map story with us! We can’t wait to hear about it.
Use #GiantTravelingMaps and find us on Twitter @NatGeoEducation, on Facebook at
/NatGeoEducation, or online at NatGeoEd.org.
THE POSSIBILITIES FOR
LEARNING ARE ENDLESS!
• The brightly colored, smooth vinyl surfaces of the maps accurately
illustrate and identify geographical features, including countries, cities,
bodies of water, mountains, and other prominent physical features.
• Using game props, stunning photos, and data cards, students go on safaris
and scavenger hunts and play other collaborative and competitive games.
• Grades K-8 students gain knowledge of country locations, capital cities,
population centers, and physical features, and learn about wildlife,
economics, and human cultures.
• Accompanying each map is a set of laminated, ready-to-use activities,
decks of photo and data cards, props, and other educational materials.
• Maps of North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Solar
System and the Pacific Ocean are available for rent.
GiantTravelingMaps.org