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Our Solar System: The Planets Title: Our Solar System: The Planets Objectives/National Standards: National Science Education Standards Unifying Concepts and Processes Form and function Understandings About Scientific Inquiry Scientists rely on technology to enhance the gathering and manipulation of data Earth and Space Science Objects in the Sky Materials This lesson is based on the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Teaching PosterExploring the Planets: An Introduction to Planetary Spacecraft: http://www.nasm.si.edu/education/pubs/planetsposter.pdf Grade Levels: Grades 2nd through 6th grades Engage: Watch APT video, Our Solar System: The Planets. Background Information: How have scientists learned about the solar system? First, they looked up with the unaided eye at night and observed the planets. For a better view, scientists looked through telescopes and saw the rings of Saturn, the Great Red Spot of Jupiter, and the thick clouds of Venus. However, the images offered little detail, and basic questions about the nature of the planets’ surfaces remained unanswered. For example, the fuzzy images made from Earth-based telescopes could not begin to reveal the detailed structure of objects in space. Not even the Hubble Space Telescope, from its orbit above Earth’s atmosphere, can provide images with as much detail as scientists need. To overcome the limitations of observation from Earth, scientists and engineers built spacecraft to carry cameras and other instruments to each planet under study. Called remote sensing, this kind of investigation involves gathering information from a distance without actually touching. Extend: Poster Activity from Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Additional Planet Activities: This website is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system. The Nine 8 Planets for younger students is a simplified version of the nineplanets.org website. Course of Study: Science (2005) Grade 2 11.) Identify basic components of our solar system, including the sun, planets, and Earth's moon 1 www.aptplus.org Our Solar System: The Planets Grade 5 11.) Compare distances from the sun to planets in our solar system. 11a.) Relating the size of Earth to the size of other planets in our solar system 11b.) Identifying technology used to study planets Grade 6 10.) Describe components of the universe and their relationships to each other, including stars, planets and their moons, solar systems, and galaxies. Suggested Reading: The Planets in Our Solar System (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2), Franklyn M. Branley The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System, Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (Illustrator) The Planets, Martha E. H. Rustad Planets!, Lisa Jo Rudy A Book About Planets and Stars, Betty Polisar Reigot Author: Alabama Public Television Date: Created December 30, 2011 Last Updated April 12, 2011 2 www.aptplus.org