Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Earth's rotation wikipedia , lookup
Observations and explorations of Venus wikipedia , lookup
Formation and evolution of the Solar System wikipedia , lookup
History of Solar System formation and evolution hypotheses wikipedia , lookup
Planets in astrology wikipedia , lookup
Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets from A Spin Around the Solar System Series Video Produced by... Maslowski Wildlife Productions Teacher’s guide by... Lauren LaComb Published and Distributed by... 1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 100 Evanston, IL 60201 800-323-9084 24-Hour FAX 847-328-6706 http://www.unitedlearning.com This video is the exclusive property of the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting, or reproducing in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the copyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and 506). ©MMI Maslowski Wildlife Productions Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Links to Curriculum Standards . . . . . . . .1 Summary of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Student Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Instructional Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Student Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Introducing the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Follow-Up Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Extended Learning Activities . . . . . . . . .8 Internet Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Reference Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Script of Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 CC This video is closed captioned The purchase of this program entitles the user to the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher’s guide and the blackline master handouts that accompany it for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this program, Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets. This right is restricted only for use with this program. Any reproduction or duplication in whole or in part of this guide and the blackline master handouts for any purpose other than for use with this program is prohibited. CLASSROOM/LIBRARY CLEARANCE NOTICE This program is for instructional use. The cost of each program includes public performance rights as long as no admission charge is made. Public performance rights are defined as viewing of a video in the course of face-to-face teaching activities in a classroom, library, or similar setting devoted to instruction. Closed Circuit Rights are included as a part of the pubic performance rights as long as closed-circuit transmission is restricted to a single campus. For multiple locations, call your United Learning representative. Television/Cable/Satellite Rights are available. Call your United Learning representative for details. Duplication Rights are available if requested in large quantities. Call your United Learning representative for details. Quantity Discounts are available for large purchases. Call your United Learning representative for information and pricing. Discounts, and some special services, are not applicable outside the United States. Your suggestions and recommendations are welcome. Feel free at any time to call United Learning at 1-800-323-9084. 5 Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets from A Spin Around the Solar System Series Grades 5-8 Viewing Time: 15 minutes with a three-minute, ten-question, Video Quiz INTRODUCTION This in-depth series covers a wide range of essential matters about the solar system. Such topics as planet formation, gravity, nuclear fusion, and the Big Bang theory are presented concisely with the help of specially designed graphics and animations. Each of the eight shows can be presented as a free-standing lesson on its own, but the shows also work together to reinforce important concepts and to add breadth and depth to a student’s cumulative knowledge. LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS This lesson correlates to the following standards, outlined by the National Science Education Standards, for students in grades 5-8. Use individual state standard outlines to specify correlations to your state's guidelines. Earth & Space Science (Content Standard D) • Gravity is the force that keeps objects in the solar system in motion. • Earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes eight other planets. • Earth is layered with a hot mantle, metallic core, and a crust, which is divided into plates. • Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. SUMMARY OF PROGRAM The four planets nearest to the sun are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. This group is referred to as the Inner 1 Planets, because they are close to the sun. They are also called the Rockies, due to their rocky surfaces. Because these planets resemble Earth, they are also known as Terrestrials. These four planets are made from rocks, minerals and metal. Mercury is closest to the sun, about 36 million miles/57 million kilometers. It is the smallest planet, about one and a half times the size of our moon. It is named for a Roman god; Mercury was a wing-footed messenger famous for speed. Mercury earned its name by orbiting the sun at 30 miles per second/48 kilometers per second. This speed keeps it from being pulled into the sun by the sun's strong gravity. Mercury is covered with craters, revealing the history of bombardment by meteorites and other space objects. These marks were probably made billions of years ago when the solar system was crowded with more debris. This surface has not changed because there are no signs of plate movement and relatively little atmosphere on Mercury. Atmosphere is necessary to create winds and erosion, which affects the surface of a planet. Mercury is not a good place for humans to live. Venus orbits the sun between Earth and Mercury. It was named for the Roman goddess of beauty. It is the brightest planet in our night sky, it is easy to see with the naked eye. Venus is slightly smaller than Earth and is the hottest of all planets. It has a dense atmosphere, 90 times heavier than ours. This thick atmosphere traps heat due to the greenhouse effect. The process starts when heat leaves the sun in energy waves. These waves pass through Venus' atmosphere heating the surface, which then radiates some of the heat in a different wavelength. These wavelengths cannot easily pass through Venus' atmosphere. Therefore, the heat gets trapped, leading to a higher than expected temperature. Venus is not only the hottest planet of the Inner Planets, it is also the only planet that rotates backwards on its axis. On 2 Venus, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. Astronomers believe that this was caused when Venus collided with a comet and now sits upside down on its axis. Venus leans on a 177-degree angle on its axis. Venus is not a good place for humans to live due to its heavy atmosphere, hot surface, and thick clouds of sulfuric acid. Ninety-three million miles/149 million kilometers from the sun lies Earth. Earth has a small greenhouse effect, keeping it the right temperature for life on Earth. Earth's abundance of water, varying of weather, a coating of soil, and the presence of oxygen, also help support life on Earth. One way Earth is different from the other planets is its surface, which is constantly changing. One reason for this is that Earth's surface is divided into plates. These plates move over time, creating changes to Earth's appearance. Another reason is erosion. Water and wind wear away at Earth's surface, changing it constantly. Due to plate movement and erosion, Earth's early history has been erased. It is an ideal planet for humans to occupy. Mars is the final Inner Planet, named for the Roman god of war. It is the only planet in which an unmanned spacecraft safely landed and explored. This planet is red-tinted and just over half the size of Earth. Mars’ surface is full of craters and volcano peaks, which are inactive. Mars’ Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system, standing three times taller that Mt. Everest. Mars’ rugged surface shows some signs of erosion, which leads scientists to believe there was once water flowing freely on the planet. Two things may have contributed to a warmer past on Mars. Mars might have had an atmosphere that held in heat or the fact that Mars takes 50, 000 years to complete one rotation on its axis. Mars still has water, but it is frozen in polar ice caps. The presence of water and relatively mild temperatures make it possible that Mars once had life. Mars is the most friendly of the remaining 3 three Inner Planets for humans to visit. Note: • Underlined words are identified vocabulary words to enhance student understanding. VOCABULARY Mercury Mars Earth Inner Planets Rockies terrestrial planet gravity craters meteorites atmosphere plates greenhouse effect wavelength rotates water oxygen surface Venus orbiting erosion heat axis volcano STUDENT OBJECTIVES After viewing the program and participating in the followup activities, students should be able to: • Define key terminology and utilize context. • Identify the similarities and differences between the four Inner Planets. • Explain the greenhouse effect. • Describe the different surfaces of the four Inner Planets. • Explain the different orbit speeds, surfaces, and rotation speeds of each planet. INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES Before presenting this lesson to your students, we suggest that you preview the program, review the guide, and the accompanying Blackline Master Activities in order to familiarize yourself with their content. As you review the materials presented in this guide, you may find it necessary to make some changes, additions or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We 4 encourage you to do so; for only by tailoring this program to your class will they obtain the maximum instructional benefits afforded by the materials. STUDENT PREPARATION You may want the students to view the vocabulary words addressed in the program prior to showing the program. This may be accomplished by implementing Blackline Master 1, Word Sort. A Word Sort is an active learning activity that introduces the students to vocabulary words, which they will be introduced to in the program. By doing this activity, students are given the chance to show what words they know well, and become aware of the words they need to learn. This is a good pre- and post-activity. Procedure: This is best done in small groups. Divide students into groups of four or five. Explain that they must categorize the words. Once they have them categorized, they must explain to the class why they categorized words the way they did. You may also give students categories for which they divide the words. Here are some suggestions (edit as you deem necessary): Greenhouse Effect, Ways Planets Move, Earth, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. It is recommended to give students a time limit. Materials needed: One copy of Blackline Master 1, Word Sort for each group, cut up into individual words. By exposing the students to vocabulary prior to viewing the program, students will be prepared to listen for these words in the program. Additionally, they will want to find the correct meaning. Note: Word Sort may be done at the conclusion of the entire lesson, to compare learning accomplished by students. 5 INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM An optional activity to activate prior knowledge is provided on Blackline Master 2, Anticipation Guide. This will help you determine the level of student comprehension prior to participating in this lesson. Ask students to share what the word "terrestrial" means, what they know about "Terrestrials." For example, terrestrial means Earth. Tell them that they will complete the Anticipation Guide about the Terrestrial planets prior to viewing the program. Explain that they are not expected to get all answers correct, but they are expected to try their best. Go over the Anticipation Guide after viewing the program to discuss correct answers. An answer key begins on page 9 of this Teacher's Guide. Present the program. The program length is 15 minutes and includes a three-minute video quiz at the end of the program. FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES The following Blackline Activity Master sheets are included with this guide. They correlate with the learning objectives and Standards outlined on page one of this guide. You may replicate and distribute them as needed. Following the program, students may have additional questions. The facilitator may want to hold off questions until follow-up activities are completed. Students may write these questions down and the class may review them prior to the post-test. By doing so, the students may find the answers on their own. This program concludes with a ten-question Video Quiz, which may be used to gauge student comprehension 6 immediately after the presentation of the program. Blackline Master 3, Video Quiz provides students with a printed copy of the Video Quiz. As a class, you may wish to discuss questions that appear on Blackline Master 4, Discussion Questions. These questions should be copied onto an overhead or distributed to students, in order to meet the needs of your visual learners. To utilize terminology in context and reinforce the greenhouse effect, first review words from Blackline Master 1, Word Sort as a class. Then have students fill out Blackline Master 5, Cloze Activity. To help students explain how most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion introduce Blackline Master 6, Terrestrial Graphic Organizer. Students can work cooperatively or independently on this activity, depending on the teacher's preference. To help students identify the similarities and differences between the four Inner Planets, have students complete Blackline Master 7, Connected or Not Connected? This cooperative learning activity provides students the opportunity to discuss the similarities and differences between the four Inner Planets and use program terminology. This is a great opportunity for student observations. Have students share their explanations. To conclude your study A Spin in the Solar System: Our Rocky Neighbors use Blackline Master 8, Post-Test. This should be given to your students after viewing the program and completing additional activities to assess their knowledge of the topic. 7 EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES SCIENCE EXTENSIONS: Students could conduct research projects on the four Inner Planets and the greenhouse effect. Use the jigsaw approach, where students are responsible for teaching each other about their planet of study. Conclude with a student-created quiz. ART CONNECTION: Allow students to pick one of the four Inner Planets to illustrate through a diorama, poster, play, or sculpture. Include expectations, such as size, orbit, revolution around the sun, etc. Another connection is to have students find professional artists that have created pictures, songs, sculptures, or plays about one or more of the four Inner Planets. Have students critique the piece of work and present their critique to the class. MATH CONNECTION: Provide a mini-lesson on graphing techniques, types, and requirements. Have students make graphs that demonstrate the sizes, rotation, and revolution differences between the four Inner Planets. CREATIVE WRITING CONNECTION: Have student personify the Inner Planets by writing an article, poem, or advertisement about each planet and create a classroom brochure, newspaper, or magazine. Another suggestion is for students to bring in poems about the Inner Planets and then have them write their own. If students are having a difficult time, give them recipes for poetry, such as biopoems, diamantes, haikus, or limericks. SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION: Research the worldwide discoveries made of each planet over time. Create a classroom timeline of findings. Include the year, scientists, technology used, etc. TECHNOLOGY CONNECTION: Have students research the different types of technology used over the years to study the Inner Planets and outer space. Display information found throughout the room. 8 INTERNET SITES http://quest.arc.nasa.gov (Nasa's K-12 internet initiative) http://www.nsta.org/ (National Science Teacher's Association) http://www.nasa.gov (NASA) http://www.sln.org/ (Science Learning Network) http://ajkids.com (Resource for students to use when searching the internet) http://K12.njin.net/educationlinks.html (Collaborative projects throughout the United States) http://www.windows.ucar.edu (Windows to the Universe) REFERENCE MATERIALS The Origin Of The Universe. Andres L. Ruiz. Sterling Publishing Co., INC., NY. 1996. 0-8069-9744-3. Exploring The Reaches of the Solar System. Ray Spangenburg & Diane Moser. Fact on File, NY, Oxford, Sydney. 1990. 0-8160-1850-2. Merlin's Tour of the Universe. Neil de Grasse Tyson. Doubleday, NY. 1989. 0-385-48835-1. Mars. Seymour Simon. Morrow Jr. Books, NY. 1987. 0-688-06584-8. Stars and Planets. The Nature Company Discoveries Library. Time-Life Books, Sydney, San Francisco, London. 1996. 0-8094-9246-6. Stars and Planets. Robin Kerrod. Marshall Cavendish Corp., NY. 1991. 1-8543-5272-5. Venus, Near Neighbor of the Sun. by Isaac Asimov. Loth9 rop, Lee, & Shepard Books, NY. 1981. 0-688-41976-3. Mercury. Seymour Simon. Morrow Jr. Books, NY. 1992. 0-688-10544-0. Venus. by Seymour Simon. Morrow Jr. Books, NY. 1992. 0-688-10542-4. Space and Planets. by Time Life. Time Life, Alexandria, Virginia. 1992. 0-8094-9651-8. Our Solar System. by Seymour Simon. Books, NY. 1992. 0-688-09992-0. Morrow Jr. ANSWER KEY Blackline Master 1, Word Sort Answers to the Word Sort will vary. When you use it before viewing the program, do not expect correct categorizing at the beginning of the lesson. After viewing the program and completion of Blackline Masters, expect correct categorizing. Blackline Master 2, Anticipation Guide 1. T 2. F; Mercury is the fastest, traveling at 30 miles/48 kilometers per second. 3.F; Mercury is covered with craters. 4. T 5. T 6. F, Venus rotates backwards on its axis. 7. T 8. F; Mars is red-tinted. 9. T 10. F; Mars' volcano has been inactive for billions of years. 11. T 12. T 13. F; Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth 14. T 10 15. T Blackline Master 3, Video Quiz 1. Mercury 6. west 2. Earth 7. Venus and Mars 3. moon's 8. plates 4. gravity 9. solar system 5. greenhouse 10. Mars Blackline Master 4, Discussion Questions 1. Each name describes something special about the group. The Rockies describes the surface. The Inner Planets are close to the sun. Terrestrials, because they resemble Earth in many ways. 2. Answers will vary. Look for students describing their favorite planet accurately. 3. Mercury's speed keeps it from being pulled in by the sun's immense gravitational pull. 4. Mercury looks like the moon because of its cratered surface. 5. Earth's surface is constantly changing due to erosion and plate movement. The other Inner Planets maintain a constant surface. 6. Atmosphere keeps in heat and gases. 7. Mercury has almost no atmosphere. 8. Venus has a very dense atmosphere, whereas Mercury does not have an atmosphere at all. 9. Venus' atmosphere traps heat known as the greenhouse effect. It also holds in thick clouds made of sulfuric acid. 10. Venus rotates on its axis backwards, which makes the sun rise in the west and set in the east. 11. Earth has water, an atmosphere, a coating of soil, and oxygen allowing life to exist. 12. Answers will vary. It is important to point out that Mars' proximity, presence of frozen water, and signs of erosion, make it similar to Earth. This intrigues scientists who are constantly looking for any sign of life that may 11 have once existed. 13. Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. 14. Mercury rotates in 59 days, Earth rotates in 24 hours, Venus rotates backwards, and Mars rotates every 50,000 years. The rate of rotation affects how long the day is. Considering the tilt and the rotation, determines the temperature of the planet. 15. Answers will vary. Blackline Master 5, Cloze Activity 1. planets 7. radiates 2. Venus 8. wavelengths 3. Inner Planets 9. heat 4. Mercury 10. Earth 5. surface 11. sun’s 6. atmosphere Blackline Master 6, Terrestrial Graphic Organizer Answers will vary. Make sure boxes are filled in with the correct information. Specific details may be found by reviewing the program, the program summary or the program script. This is a great opportunity for student observations. Blackline Master 7, Connected or Not Connected? Explanations will vary. Clearly explain your expectations for this activity, such as spelling, neatness, cooperative learning roles, etc. When grading, make sure students used the vocabulary within the context correctly. Blackline Master 8, Post-Test 1. C 6. B 2. A 7. B 3. A 8. D 4. C 9. D 5. D 10. B 12 OUR ROCKY NEIGHBORS: The Inner Planets Script Narration The planets of the solar system line up neatly into three basic groups. Nearest the sun, we find four small planets made from rock, minerals and metal. Beyond these are four gas giants. Gas Giants are huge planets of swirling gasses without a solid land-like surface. Outside the gas giants lies Pluto, a tiny puzzling ball of ice and rock that may have once been a comet, or a moon of Neptune. Pluto is the final planet, and lone member of the third group. Earth belongs to the first group, the four planets nearest the sun. Other group members include Mars, Venus and Mercury. Scientists call this group a variety of names, including the Inner Planets, the Rockies and the Terrestrials. Each name describes something special about the group--the planets are in close to the sun, they have rocky surfaces, and they resemble the earth in a number of ways. Terrestrial means Earth. Let's meet our Rocky Neighbors, starting with Mercury. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun, orbiting at a distance of about 36 million miles (57 million kilometers). Like all the Rockies, except Earth, Mercury is named for a Roman god. Mercury who was a wing-footed messenger famous for speed. Indeed, Mercury travels faster than any other planet, rushing around the sun at 30 miles (48 kilometers) per second. Mercury's speed keeps it from being pulled to a fiery death by the sun's strong gravity. While Mercury zooms around its orbit in just 88 days, it rotates on its axis slowly. Rotation on an axis gives planets day and night. Mercury needs 59 Earth days to rotate 13 just once. In other words, Mercury's day lasts almost two months on Earth. Mercury is the smallest inner planet. Its diameter is less than half of Earth's. In fact, Mercury is only 1fi times the size of our moon, and smaller than some moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Mercury's surface even looks like our moon's. The Mariner 10 space probe sent back photos showing thousands of craters across the surface. Mariner 10 provides the only pictures of Mercury's surface. These craters, like those of our moon, reveal a history of bombardment by meteorites and other space objects. Most of the strikes on Mercury probably occurred billions of years ago, when our young solar system was more crowded with rocks and other debris. The rocks and debris have been gradually swept out by planets or pulled into the sun. Long ago, the earth may have also been heavily cratered. But nearly all traces of the ancient craters have disappeared. The earth's surface, unlike those of Mercury and the moon, constantly changes, because of two special forces. The first is plate movement. The earth's crust is cracked into over a dozen pieces called plates, which slowly move. Over time, plate movements lead to dramatic changes to the earth's appearance. Plate movements also cause earthquake, and volcanoes, and push up mountains. The second force changing the earth's surface is erosion. Water and wind wear away high spots and fill in low ones. Slowly but surely, plate movements and erosion have erased most signs of the earth's early history. By contrast, Mercury's pock-marked surface seems sta14 ble. There are no signs of plate movements. And erosion occurs slowly if at all. Mercury has almost no atmosphere, and atmosphere is necessary to create eroding winds and rains. Mercury is so small it's gravity cannot hold onto light atmospheric gases. Atmospheric gases such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen regularly escape from its rocks. Without strong gravity the gasses simply float into space. We might find Mercury rocky, hilly, and empty. Its lack of oxygen, and high temperatures would make Mercury a poor place to live. Traveling farther from the sun, we meet Venus, named for the Roman Goddess of Beauty. Venus is the brightest planet in our night sky. At times, it's easy to see near the horizon just before sunrise or after sunset. Venus is slightly smaller than Earth, but has a denser atmosphere. In fact, Venus's atmospheric pressure is 90 times heavier than ours. This might make shooting a basketball very difficult. Though Venus is farther from the sun than Mercury, its 800 degrees Fahrenheit (450 degrees Celsius) surface temperature makes it the hottest of all planets. Venus's thick atmosphere traps heat because of what is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect works like this: heat leaves the sun in energy waves. These waves of heat energy pass right through Venus' atmosphere without warming it. But they do heat Venus' rocky surface. The surface then gives off or radiates some of the heat, but in a different wavelength than the sun sent. These waves cannot easily pass through Venus' atmosphere and get trapped. This causes heat to build up, leading to a higher than expect15 ed temperature. A greenhouse on Earth works much the same, except panes of glass trap heat. The greenhouse effect keeps Venus so hot its surface rocks may be just starting to melt a little soft like warm chocolate. Venus is not only the hottest planet, it is also one of only two which rotates backwards. On all planets except Venus and Uranus, the sun rises in the east. On Venus and Uranus it rises in the west. Some astronomers believe that Venus, like Uranus, got knocked head over heels in a collision with a comet and now sits upside down on its axis. All planets, and even the sun, tilt on their axis, but none do as much as Venus, which leans at an angle of 177 degrees. Earth and Mars each lean about at an angle of about 25 degrees, or roughly a seventh as much as Venus. Even though Venus is closer to Earth than any other planet, it is unlikely we would ever want to live there. The heavy atmosphere causing the planet to be hotter than an oven has thick clouds of deadly sulfuric acid. All spacecrafts which have landed on Venus stopped working immediately because of the planet’s heat, sulfuric acid, and pressure. At 93 million miles (149 million kilometers) from the sun, conditions are just right for life as we know it. Though we receive less than one billionth of the sun's heat and light, it is enough to keep us warm, in part because our atmosphere provides some help with a small, but important, greenhouse effect. In countless other ways, Earth is finely tuned to support plants and animals. An abundance of water, varying weather, a coating of soil, and the presence of oxygen all help 16 support Earth's colorful tapestry of life. It's beyond this show's scope to closely investigate Earth as a planet. Earth needs its own unit of study. Let's look at Mars, the last of our Rocky neighbors, and the only one on which unmanned spacecraft have successfully landed and explored. This red-tinted planet just over half the size of Earth is named for the Roman god of war. Mar's is full of craters and volcano mountain peaks. None of the volcanoes are active, but Olympus Mons stands three times taller than Mt. Everest, and is the largest volcano in the solar system. Mars' rugged surface shows some signs of erosion. Perhaps water once flowed freely on the planet, which long ago may have had a warmer climate. Mars still has water, but it is frozen in polar ice caps. Two things may have contributed to a warmer past on Mars. First, its volcanoes once released lots of gases. These formed a thick atmosphere, which held in heat through the greenhouse effect. Over time, however, Mars’ weak gravity was unable to hold onto the atmosphere and the planet cooled. Second, Mars' axis wobbles, like that of a slowing top. The wobble takes about 50 thousand years to complete one circle. When the axis tilts a certain way it leads to a colder world, as it does now. Mars' surface temperature now averages at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) below Earth's. Still, on a hot Mars day, at the equator the temperature can reach a pleasant 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). The presence of water, and relatively mild temperatures make it possible that Mars once had life, at least of micro17 scopic size. Perhaps some form of life is still there. Among our Rocky Neighbors, and indeed among all planets, Mars seems the most friendly for us to visit. A constant quest for knowledge, especially in recent years, has helped us learn so much about these places we have yet to touch. Your future promises even greater discoveries about our Rocky neighbors and what lies beyond. Inner Planet Video Quiz Let’s take a few minutes to review some of the things you learned in this program. In the following quiz, fill in the blanks with the correct words when you hear this tone. 1) The four Rocky Planets include __________, Venus, Earth, and Mars. 2) The Rocky Planets are also called the Inner Planets and the Terrestrials. Terrestrial means ______ . 3) Because of bombardment from meteorites long ago, Mercury's surface looks like our _______. 4) Mercury lacks an atmosphere because its__________ is too weak to hold it. 5) Venus' thick atmosphere traps heat because of the _____________ effect. 6) On Venus and Uranus, the sun rises in what direction? _________. 7) The earth lies between the planets ____________ and ______________. 8) The earth's crust is cracked into a number of 18 _____________ that move. 9) Olympus Mons is three times taller than Mt. Everest, and is the tallest volcano in the ____________, 10) ___________ is the only planet on which unmanne spacecraft have successfully landed and explored. 19 1 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Word Splash Earth Mercury Rockies planet gravity craters atmosphere plates erosion wavelength rotates water axis oxygen surface orbiting volcano © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 2 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Anticipation Guide Directions: Answer the following questions by circling the correct response. Do your best! 1. Terrestrial means Earth. True False 2. Mercury takes the longest of all planets to revolve around the sun. True False 3. Mercury has a smooth surface. True False 4. Venus is the hottest planet. True False 5. The greenhouse effect happens when heat is trapped inside a planet's atmosphere. True False 6. Venus rotates on its axis similar to the way Earth rotates on its axis. True False 7. Venus has thick clouds of sulfuric acid. True False 8. Mars is colored blue. True False 9. Mars has the largest volcano in the solar system. True False 10. Mars' volcano is active. True False 11. Mars has frozen water True False 12. Mars takes 50,000 years to rotate on its axis. True False 13. The four Inner Planets are Mercury, Mars, Earth, and Saturn. True False 14. The Inner Planets are also known as the Rockies. True False 15. Mars is the only planet that an unmanned spacecraft has successfully landed and explored. True False After viewing the program, review your answers. See how many questions you answered correctly. Review the ones you answered incorrectly. © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 3 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Video Quiz Directions: Now that you have viewed the program, let's challenge your memory by answering some quiz questions. Fill in the blanks with the correct words. Good luck! 1. The four Rocky Planets include ___________________ , Venus, Earth, and Mars. 2. The Rocky Planets are also called the Inner Planets and the Terrestrials. Terrestrials means ___________________ . 3. Because of bombardment from meteorites long ago, Mercury's surface looks like our _____________________ . 4. Mercury lacks an atmosphere because its ____________________ is too weak to hold it. 5. Venus' thick atmosphere traps heat because of the ______________________ effect. 6. On Venus and Uranus, the sun rises in what direction? ________________ 7. Earth lies between the planets _________________ and __________________ . 8. The earth's crust is cracked into a number of ___________________ that move. 9. Olympus Mons is three times taller than Mt. Everest, and is the tallest volcano in the _________________ ____________________ . 10. _____________________ is the only planet on which unmanned spacecraft have successfully landed and explored. © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 4 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Discussion Questions Directions: Answer the following questions as directed by your teacher. 1. Why do Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars have three names: Inner Planets, the Rockies, and the Terrestrials? 2. What is your favorite planet and why? 3. Why does Mercury revolve so quickly around the sun? 4. Why does Mercury look like the moon? 5. How is Earth's surface different from the other Inner Planets' surface? 6. What does atmosphere do for planets? 7. Describe Mercury's atmosphere. 8. How is Mercury's atmosphere different from Venus'? 9. What does Venus' atmosphere do for the planet? 10. What else is different about Venus, compared to the other planets? How does this affect Venus? 11. What allows Earth to have living things? 12. We hear a lot about Mars in current events. Why do you think Mars is more researched and discussed compared to other planets? 13. What does Mars have that is the largest in the solar system? 14. What is different about how the planets rotate on their axis? How does the rate affect a planet? 15. Scientists know quite a bit about these planets, but continue to study them. What else do you think they may discover? © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 5 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Cloze Activity: The Greenhouse Effect Directions: Choose the correct word from the word box to complete the paragraph below. sun’s atmosphere heat planets radiates wavelengths Venus Earth surface Inner Planets Mercury You have heard the term greenhouse effect before. It is affecting us here on Earth, as well as on distant (1.) ________________ . But what is the greenhouse effect? Let's look at a planet that exemplifies this process. (2.) _______________ is one of the (3.) ___________________________ . Though Venus is farther from the sun than (4.) _____________________, its 800 degrees Fahren-heit /450 degrees Celsius (5.) ____________________ temperature makes it the hottest of all planets. It has a very dense (6.) _______________________ , 90 times heavier than Earth's. When heat leaves the sun in energy waves, they pass through the atmosphere and heat Venus' surface. The surface then (7.) ___________________ some of the heat, but in different size (8.)_____________ , which cannot pass easily through Venus' thick atmosphere. Therefore, (9.)_________________ is trapped. This makes temperatures higher than expected. At 93 million miles/149 kilometers from the sun, (10.) _____________________ has a small greenhouse effect. Due to the atmosphere trap of one billionth of the (11.) _____________________ heat and light, our planet has life. Atmosphere helps planets in other ways as well. Can you think of some? © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 6 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Terrestrial Graphic Organizer Directions: Fill in the chart below with as much descriptive information as possible. Review the program and use additional materials if needed. Double-check your work for accuracy. Orbit around the sun time Rotation on axis time Describe the surface Size of planet Mercury Venus Earth Mars © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 7 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Connected or not connected? Directions: Pick two words from below and "connect" or "NOT connect" those words so the sentence makes sense and is true. Focus on the similarities and differences between the Inner Planets. Make as many connections as you can, use the back if necessary. Mercury Rockies craters greenhouse effect water Inner Planets Mars terrestrial meteorites heat oxygen gravity Earth orbiting atmosphere wavelength surface plates Venus planet erosion rotates volcano axis 1. Example: Mars is connected to Venus because they are both Inner Planets. 2. _____________________ is connected to _____________ because ________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . . 3. _____________________ is connected to _____________ because ________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ . 4. _____________________ is connected to _____________ because________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . 5. _____________________ is connected to _____________ because________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . 6. Example: Mercury is NOT connected to Earth because Mercury does not have an atmosphere and Earth does have an atmosphere. 7. _____________________ is NOT connected to _________ because ________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . 8. _____________________ is NOT connected to _____________ because____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . 9. _____________________ is NOT connected to _____________ because____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ . 10. _____________________ is NOT connected to_____________ because __________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________. © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution. 8 Name ______________ The Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets Post-Test Directions: Answer the following questions by circling the correct answer. Remember to double-check your work for accuracy after you have completed the test. Do your best! 1. Which of the following is not an Inner Planet? A. Earth B. Venus C. Sun D. Mars 2. Which of the following is the smallest Inner Planet? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Earth D. Mars 3. Which planet orbits the sun the fastest? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Earth D. Mars 4. Which planet has a surface that changes constantly? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Earth D. Mars 5. What can make a planet's surface change? A. temperature B. erosion C. moving plates D. both B & C 6. Which planet has the densest atmosphere? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Earth D. Mars 7. What is necessary for a planet to have the greenhouse effect? A. electromagnet radiation B. atmosphere C. plates D. gases 8. Which planet rotates the slowest on its axis? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Earth D. Mars 9. Which planet is the most similar to Earth? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Pluto D. Mars 10. Which is not a name that identifies Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars? A. Terrestrial B. Gas Giant C. Inner Planets D. The Rockies © 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.