Download digest #: title - The Described and Captioned Media Program

#8849
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Grade Levels: 4-8
15 minutes
AIMS MULTIMEDIA 1999
DESCRIPTION
Travel through the solar system, stopping at the sun and
each of the nine planets. Computer graphics and space
photography enhance the information about comets,
meteors, asteroids, gravity, axis, orbit, and other related
terms.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Subject Area: Earth and Space Sciences
! Standard: Understands the composition and structure of the universe and the
Earth’s place in it
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Benchmark: Knows characteristics and movement patterns of the nine planets
in our Solar System
INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
1. To identify multiple properties of each planet in the solar system.
2. To compare and contrast planets in the solar system based on various properties.
VOCABULARY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
asteroids
astronomers
atmosphere
axis
celestial bodies
comets
core
craters
debris
Galileo
gravity
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
inner planets
meteorites
meteors
observatories
orbit
prominences
revolve
rotate
satellite
telescope
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Captioned Media Program
VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – FAX 800-538-5636 – WEB www.cfv.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
BEFORE SHOWING
1. What is a system? List as many systems as you can
(digestive system, stereo system, computer system).
2. What is a solar system?
3. Name as many planets and stars as you can.
AFTER SHOWING
Discussion Items and Questions
1. What are some celestial bodies you might see in the night sky? (Stars, planets,
meteors.)
2. Explain how the telescope helped people in studying the motion of the sun and
stars. (It enlarged the celestial bodies and brought them into focus.)
3. What objects make up our solar system? (Sun, nine planets, about 50 moons,
meteors, comets, asteroids.)
4. Why is the sun the most important part of our solar system? (All planets move
around the sun. It’s the center of universe.)
5. What is gravity? (Gravity is a force that pulls toward the center.)
6. How do scientists think craters were formed? (They were formed billions of years
ago by bombarding debris or space junk.)
7. Compare and contrast the properties of asteroids, comets and meteoroids.
8. Why do people think meteoroids are falling stars? (They are chunks of rocks that
enter the earth’s atmosphere so fast that they burn up and look like a flashing light
in the sky.)
9. When does a meteoroid become a meteorite? (Meteors that reach the ground and
possibly cause craters are meteorites.)
10. Name and give a characteristic of each of the five outer planets—in order.
11. Why are four of the outer planets called “gas giants”? (The planets are larger than
the inner planets and are made of gas. They aren’t solid.)
12. How is Pluto’s orbit different from the rest? What is the result of this? (It’s elliptical
or elongated. It crosses paths with Neptune periodically and then becomes the sixth
planet.)
Applications and Activities
1. Write two sentences for each vocabulary word. One sentence should contain an
accurate definition of the word in context. The other sentence should be fictional.
Students choose the sentence that best defines the word. They should then write
the definition and give an example using their own words.
2. Write each vocabulary word on an index card. Have students choose a card and
write several clues or questions related to the word on the back of the card.
Students then get in small groups. The card holder gives one clue or question at a
time and the group tries to guess the word.
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Captioned Media Program
VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – FAX 800-538-5636 – WEB www.cfv.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
3. Make a large chart with the words “Solar System” in the center. In boxes
surrounding this, write the names of the planets. Have students write down what
they know about each planet in the appropriate spaces. Be sure to revisit the chart
after viewing the video and make necessary adjustments.
4. Teach students the order of the planets by using the phrase “My Very Eager Mother
Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.” Have them make posters showing the planets with an
original verse for remembering the planet order.
5. Create note-taking sheets with the headings of information you want students to
learn. Make one sheet for each planet.
RELATED RESOURCES
Captioned Media Program
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An Alphabet of Space #2449
Our Sun and Its Planets #2577
The Solar System: An Introduction #2226
Sun, Earth, Moon #3301
Voyage to the Moon #3313
World Wide Web
The following Web sites complement the contents of this guide; they
were selected by professionals who have experience in teaching deaf and
hard of hearing students. Every effort was made to select accurate,
educationally relevant, and “kid-safe” sites. However, teachers should
preview them before use. The U.S. Department of Education, the
National Association of the Deaf, and the Captioned Media Program do
not endorse the sites and are not responsible for their content.
AMAZING SPACE
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/
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Learn the objects that make up the solar system; take the Astronaut Challenge; read a
brief history of telescopes and other activities.
STARCHILD
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/starchild/starchild.html
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Select one of the two reading levels to know more about the sun, the moon,
meteoroids, the planets, and other information.
VIEWS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/homepage.htm
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Presents a vivid multimedia adventure of the Sun, planets, moons, and more. Discover
the latest scientific information, study the history of space exploration, read about early
astronauts and more!
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Captioned Media Program
VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – FAX 800-538-5636 – WEB www.cfv.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education