Download Session F

Science Year 5
Physics Strand: Earth and space
This plan makes reference to session resources that can be downloaded https://www.hamiltontrust.org.uk/browse/science/y5/earth-and-space-year-5-new-curriculum/86860.
Session F
Planets
Working
scientifically
Programme of study: Describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the
Sun in the solar system
Take measurements using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision
Present findings in written form
Trundle wheel, metre stick, internet access, long roll of paper, concept maps from session A. An
orrery if available
Whole class teaching: (links to Sessions 5 to 12, Out in Space Theme, Adventure in Space Topic in which the
different planets are looked at in more detail)
Chn have discovered that the Sun is the centre of our solar system – what does that mean? The solar system consists
of the Sun and the bodies which orbit it (held in place by gravity), including planets, dwarf planets & asteroids. Which
planets in the solar system have chn heard of? Do they know all eight (Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet in
2006)… and more importantly in the correct order? Tell chn that mnemonics like: My Very Easy Method Just Suits Us
Nicely, are very useful to help remember the planet names in order. In pairs ask chn to invent their own, take a look at
some other chn’s examples at http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/science/orderingplanets.htm. Show chn an orrery if
available. Tell chn about the largest model of the solar system, which is found in Sweden - see
http://www.astro.su.se/english/about-us/the-sweden-solar-system-1.74650. Six of the planets have celestial bodies
orbiting them too – natural satellites often called moons, or planetary rings. Earth has 1 natural satellite – the Moon,
Mars has two tiny satellites, Jupiter has 67(the largest bigger than Mercury), Saturn 62 (also with one bigger than
Mercury), Uranus 27 & Neptune 13. Saturn’s rings are made of small ice & rock particles.
Resources
Group Activity:
Tell chn they are going to find out more about the planets that make up the Solar System. It’s worth pointing out that
new discoveries are found all the time and recent information about Pluto suggests it is not big enough to be called a
planet! The exploration of space is relatively recent, scientists only discovered Pluto in 1930 and in 2006 realised Pluto
was just the second largest of several dwarf planets in orbit around the Sun (Eris - discovered in 2005, is the largest)!
In mixed ability pairs ask chn to select and research one planet (try to ensure all planets are covered!). Use session
resource to help organise information as they research. Make use of suggested websites (weblinks) and non-fiction
books in the classroom. Create a fact file about their chosen planet.
Extension: Hard group might like to research Pluto and its redefinition as a dwarf planet?
Whole class activity:
In a large space do a playground activity similar to that in Session A, but this time investigate relative distances of
planets from Sun, not relative sizes of the Sun, Earth and Moon. Remind chn of the word scale and tell them today
they are working with a scale of 1cm ≡ 1000km. Select one chd to be the Sun and to be the point from where all
measurements will be taken. Tell chn they are going to measure how far away their researched planet is away from
the Sun. Support them as they divide their researched distance from the Sun by 1000km, model how to do this, you
may also want chn to round their distance to the nearest 0.5m, (58,000 ≡ 58cm Mercury, 108,000 ≡ 108cm or 1m 8cm
Venus, 150,000 ≡ 150cm or 1m 50cm Earth, 228,000 ≡ 2m 28cm Mars, 778,000 ≡ 7m 78cm Jupiter, 1,427,000 ≡ 14m
27cm Saturn, 2,871,000 ≡ 28m 71cm Uranus, 4,498,000 ≡ 44m 98cm Neptune). With chn having measured and
standing in line look at distances between planets, what do they notice? Back in the classroom create a large
thermometer (back of a door would be good!) from a long roll of paper with a range of 500 degrees to -300 degrees!
Using session resource, ask chn to come to the front and stick the planet/dwarf planet temperatures in the correct
places. Highlight that the Earth as the only place humans would survive even if there was oxygen to breathe on other
planets!
Plenary:
Point out that recently planets orbiting around distant stars have been found but explain that a lot more research is
needed before these can be described in any detail – see http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focusareas/exoplanet-exploration/.
I can:
1. Use a selection of sources of information to find out more about planets.
2. Know which planets make up our solar system and their order from the Sun.
3. Understand that the planets all orbit the Sun & many have celestial bodies orbiting them.
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