Download Inner Planets Lab

Kesler Science Station Lab – Inner Planets –
Teacher Directions
Explore It! – It might make sense to do this
station as a class before starting. You will
need a meter stick and a 100 foot long
space (hallway). Each measurement on
the card starts at the Sun. Note that each
of the outer planet is only the size of a
pixel in this model.
Illustrate It! – You will need to set out
colored pencil and markers at this
station.
Read It! – Print several different copies (I
use 6) of the reading passage so that
multiple students can read at different
paces.
Watch It! – The video is on YouTube and
my Google drive. Use YouTube unless
your school is blocked. The original link is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLbPlyJN61o
Note that both URL’s are case-sensitive.
Organize It! – The cards for this activity are
attached near the end of this file. Print
several sets and then just put them in the
basket/baggies for kids to pull from. This is
also a good one for later in the week to
demonstrate mastery too! Students should
be encouraged to do the Research and
Explore station before attempting this
one.
Write It! – Students should be encouraged
to do the Research and Explore station
before attempting this one.
Research It! – The goo.gl link on the task
card is case-sensitive. The original link is
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/solarsystem/solar-system-inner.htm
Assess It! – Students should be
encouraged to do the Research and
Explore station before attempting this
one. If I grade anything I usually take a
close look at the answers from this station.
Write It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Answer each of the task card questions on
the lab sheet in complete sentences.
Compare the distances
between each of the inner
planets to the distances
between the outer planets.
Venus is often called the
Earth’s sister planet. Why
is unlikely that we can
ever go there?
What are some common
characteristics of the inner
planets?
Assess It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Each member will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Assess
It! section.
Which are the
characteristics of inner
planets?
A.
B.
C.
D.
close together, rocky terrain, long orbits
far apart, rocky terrain, shorter orbits
far apart, made up of gas, shorter orbits
close together, rocky terrain, shorter
orbits
Inner planets have _______
orbits and outer planets
have _________ orbits.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Longer, shorter
Shorter, longer
Square, circular
Elliptical, oval
_________ is likely the first
planet humans will
colonize due to its
proximity to Earth and
favorable characteristics.
__________ is the hottest
planet in the solar system
due to its thick atmosphere
which traps greenhouse
gases.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Saturn
Mercury
Jupiter
Venus
A.
B.
C.
D.
Venus
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
Read It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will read the
passage and answer the questions from the
task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It!
section.
It is important to remember that the answers
will come directly from the reading passage.
One of the most interesting of the inner planets is Mars and will
likely be the planet that humans first visit because of its friendlier
environment. Mercury and Venus are simply too hot at this point
for humans to consider given our current technology.
The main stages of evolution of the terrestrial planets are:
-formation
-impacts (during the period of early bombardment)
-flooding of basins with lava
-lessening of impacts, and, in some cases, the formation of an
atmosphere
-plate tectonics
-lower activity
-cooling, inactivity
The atmospheres of the terrestrial planets have changed as a
result of sunlight (which produces chemical reactions, such as
those that break apart water molecules), escape of light gases,
volcanic activity, and in the case of our planet, biological
activity.
These planets are close to the sun, rocky, and dense. They are
fairly small. They have few moons and no rings. Their
environments are oxidized; that is, oxygen dominates the
chemistry. Meteors, tectonic activity, and erosion have modified
the surfaces of the terrestrial planets.
The inner four planets are called terrestrial planets. That means
that they are like the earth in some ways. The terrestrial planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the earth's moon have similar
compositions and densities. The term terrestrial can be
misleading because each of the four has vastly different
environments). They’re made up mostly of heavy metals such as
iron and nickel, and have either no moons or few moons.
Inner Planets
What does the term
terrestrial mean?
What four planets
make up the inner
planets?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Mercury, Venus, Earth, the moon
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Jupiter
A.
B.
C.
D.
What characteristics of
inner planets are
correct?
A. Terrestrial, Larger, few or no
moons
B. Gas, Smaller, few or no moons
C. Gas, Larger, man moons
D. Terrestrial, Smaller, few or no
moons
Made of water
Mars-like
Gas planet
Earth-like
Which is the correct
order of how the inner
planets were formed?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Impact flooding, cooling, plate tectonics
Impact, flooding, plate tectonics, cooling
Plate tectonics, cooling, lower activity,
impact
Flooding, plate tectonics, cooling, lower
activity
Watch It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch
It! section of the lab sheet.
Flash drive: Learning
Physics_Inner Planets
1. Answer questions from cards
#2-5 on your lab sheet.
1. List 3 facts about the planet
Venus on your lab sheet.
1. List 3 facts about the planet
Mercury on your lab sheet.
1. List 3 facts about the planet
Earth on your lab sheet.
1. List 3 facts about the planet
Mars on your lab sheet
Research It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the
Research It! section.
Go to
http://
studyjams.scholastic.com/
studyjams/jams/science/solarsystem/solar-system-inner.htm
1. Click Slideshow
2. Cycle through the slideshow
using the arrows and be
prepared to write down key
information from each slide.
1. On your lab sheet write down
new information that was
learned from the
presentation.
Explore It! Station Directions
One member of the group will read the task
cards in order. The group will be responsible
for completing each of the tasks that are
being read.
Each member of the group will then write
their conclusions down on the lab sheet in
the Explore It! section.
Look at the model of the
solar system you have built
and read the following task
cards.
Use the cards provided and
a meter stick to map out a
scaled version of the solar
system.
1.
2.
The Sun will be the starting point.
The distance from the Sun can be
found by reading the SCALED
DISTANCE on each card.
Each measurement will start at the
Sun.
This is a scale model of the solar system
which represent the correct distance IF
each of the largest planets were the
size of a pixel on a computer screen!
Answer the following
questions on your lab sheet
1.
2.
What do you notice about the
distance of the inner planets
compared to the outer planets?
Read the cards and categorize
each of the planets into 2 groups
(inner and outer) by size.
1.
Which planets would be easier for
humans to explore? Why?
2.
Which planets have shorter orbits
around the Sun?
Actual Diameter - 4878 km
Scaled Diameter – .003 cm
Actual Diameter - 12,104 km
Scaled Diameter – .006 cm
Actual Distance – 57,900,000 km
Scaled Distance – 30 cm
Actual Distance – 108,200,00 km
Scaled Distance – 56 cm
Actual Diameter - 12,712 km
Scaled Diameter – .007 cm
The worksheet for the
weight activity is in an
separate .pdf with the
Actual Diameter - 6746 km
download file
Scaled Diameter – .003 cm
Actual Distance – 149,500,000 km
Scaled Distance – 77 cm
Actual Distance – 227,900,000 km
Scaled Distance – 1.17m
Actual Diameter - 143,000 km
Scaled Diameter – ,074 cm
Actual Diameter - 120,500 km
Scaled Diameter – .0062 cm
Actual Distance – 778,300,000 km
Scaled Distance – 4.01 m
Actual Distance – 1,427,000,000 km
Scaled Distance – 7.35 m
Actual Diameter - 51,100 km
Scaled Diameter – .026 cm
The worksheet for the
weight activity is in an
separate .pdf with the
Actual Diameter - 49,500 km
download file
Scaled Diameter – .026cm
Actual Distance – 2,869,600,000 km
Scaled Distance – 14.79 m
Actual Distance – 4,497,000,000 km
Scaled Distance – 23.18 m
Actual Diameter - 1,393,000 km
Scaled Diameter – .719 cm
Actual Distance – 0 km
Scaled Distance – 0 cm
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will draw a quick
sketch on the lab sheet the shows they
understand the concept that is being taught.
Use the colored pencils and markers that are
provided.
The directions for the sketch are provided on
the task card at the table.
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Draw a Venn Diagram that categorizes inner
and outer planets.
Organize It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed at least two
of the following stations before working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Every student will answer the questions from the task cards
on the lab sheet in the Organize It! Section.
Please mix up the cards again before the next group
arrives at this station.
Match each characteristic
with the correct planet
Write 1 characteristic for each
planet on your lab sheet.
Have the teacher check your
matched sets.
Mercury
Venus
Has the shortest orbit around
the Sun
Very thin atmosphere
(burning during the day,
freezing at night)
Thick atmosphere traps
greenhouse gases making it the
hottest planet
Earth’s sister planet
Earth
Mars
Contains water and
oxygen needed for life
Atmosphere protects planet
from radiation and keeps
planet warm
Has a volcano named
Olympus Mons
Known as the Red planet
2.
2.
Task Card #1:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Write It!
Task Card #4
1.
Name_______________________
Task Card #3
1.
Explore It!
Inner Planets
#2_____
#4_____
Earth:
Mars:
Venus:
Mars:
Earth:
Venus:
#1_____
#3_____
Read It!
#2_____
#4_____
Name_______________________
Mercury:
Organize It!
Mercury:
Research It!
#1_____
#3_____
Assess It!
Illustrate It!
Inner Planets
Name_______________________
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #4:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #5:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Watch It!
Inner Planets
Task Card #1:
The distance between the inner planets is much less than the
distances between the outer planets.
Task Card #2:
Small, dense and rocky, solid surface, terrestrial planets.
Formed out of the same material, few or no moons.
Task Card #3:
Venus is an unlikely candidate because it is the hottest planet
in the solar system. Venus has a thick atmosphere which keeps
the greenhouse gases from escaping.
Write It!
Task Card #4
1. The planets that are closest
Task Card #3
to Earth would be the easiest
1. The inner planets are
to explore because of the
much closer together than distance that must be
the outer planets.
traveled. They are also
terrestrial planets while the
outer planets are made up of
gas
2. The size of the inner
planets are all relatively
2. The orbits of the inner
small when you compare planets are much shorter than
them to the size of the
the outer planets because of
outer planets
their proximity to the Sun
Explore It!
Inner Planets Answer Key
-
Mercury: shortest orbit, very thin
atmosphere
Organize It!
Mercury: answers will vary
-
#1__A___
#3__D___
Read It!
Have gravity
Sphere shape
Orbit the Sun
Rotate on axis
Have an
atmosphere
#2__D___
#4__B___
Made up of gas
Less dense
Longer orbits
rings
colder
Longer
revolutions
Many moons
Mars: answers will vary
Earth: answers will vary
Venus: answers will vary
-
-
Venus: thick atmosphere that traps
greenhouse gases, sister planet
Earth: Water and Oxygen for life,
atmosphere to keep steady temp
Mars: Olympus Mons volcano, the Red
Planet
Solid crust
Denser
Shorter orbits
Terrestrial
Closer together
Warmer
Few or no
moons
#2__B___
#4__D___
Research It!
#1__D___
#3__D___
Assess It!
Illustrate It!
Inner Planets Answer Key
Task Card #5
1. Students answers will vary. There are 4-8 facts listed
for each planet on the video. The questions asks for 3
about Mars.
Task Card #4
1. Students answers will vary. There are 4-8 facts listed
for each planet on the video. The questions asks for 3
about Earth.
Task Card #3
1. Students answers will vary. There are 4-8 facts listed
for each planet on the video. The questions asks for 3
about Venus.
Task Card #2:
1. Students answers will vary. There are 4-8 facts listed
for each planet on the video. The questions asks for 3
about Mercury.
Watch It!
Inner Planets Answer Key