Download The Earth and Other Planets

The Earth and Other Planets
Standards: 6.8 The student will investigate and understand the organization of
the solar system and the relationships among the various bodies that comprise it.
Key concepts include
a) the sun, moon, Earth, other planets and their moons;
b) relative size of and distance between planets;
Resources: Celestia, Virginia SOL Enhanced Scopes and Sequence
Lesson Plan Outline:
Topic Introduction to the planets of the Solar System – relative size and
distance from
the sun.
Instructional Objective(s) Students will be able to:
- describe the relative sizes of the planets compared to each other
- differentiate between planets based on their unique distances from the sun
Materials & Resources Celestia, smart board, worksheets, scopes and
sequence

Engage Cut out circles of all planets (with no names or labels) that are
the correct proportions in size and have students put them in order from
largest to smallest. Then the students guess which planets are which
based on their sizes and share their answers with the class.

Explore First, students will be given a poster and small materials such as
a quarter, grain of salt, pencil eraser, etc. As a group, students will predict
which planet each object is similar to in size. Each group will share their
predictions with the class. Then the class will have an introduction to
Celestia – go around to each planet and observe unique features and
characteristics, specifically distance from sun and size. Students then
organize their planets from largest to smallest while learning each planet
size, correcting their predictions where necessary.
In their groups, they will make a poster with all of the objects, labeling
each one as its respective planet and including a brief explanation.

Explain Students will look at the acronym for the order of the planets
from the sun –M.V.E.M.J.S.U.N.P. – and make up their own acronym to
describe the order of the size of the planets from largest to smallest.

Extend Worksheet of relative sizes (attached)

Evaluate Formative assessment throughout the lesson, observing the
students and their participation, listening to their explanation of their
posters.
Plans for Diversity
Student(s): ELL’s
Category/Characteristics: Cannot speak English very well or at all
Accommodations: using a lot of pictures and labeling to connect vocabulary
with definitions.
Student: Lower Level Learners
Accommodations: extra help and attention for them, group work so they can
learn from
their peers, lots of pictures.
Connections Students need to know the relative distances and sizes of each
planet in order for them to understand other phenomenon later in the unit
that happens because of those sizes and distances – like gravitational pull,
moons, etc.
Reflections There really is no lecturing in this unit. The only time I’m
talking is to give instructions, lead discussions, or during the exploration of
Celestia, which is more showing the students the solar system and narrating
everything.
Worksheet Day 1
Find out whether there is a pattern to the sizes
(diameters) of the planets:
1.
Is Venus bigger than Mercury? ________
2.
Is Earth bigger than Venus? ________
3.
Is Mars bigger than Earth? ________
4.
Is Jupiter bigger than Mars? ________
5.
Is Saturn bigger than Jupiter? ________
6.
Is Uranus bigger than Saturn? ________
7.
Is Neptune bigger than Uranus? ________
8.
Is the dwarf planet Pluto bigger than Neptune? ________
9.
Do the planets get bigger as they get farther away from the sun? ________
Make your observations about solar system distances:
10. Which two planet markers are closest together?
________________________
11. Which two adjacent planet markers are farthest apart?
_____________________
12. Is the distance between Earth and Venus greater than the distance between
Venus and Mercury? ________
13. Is the distance between Mars and Earth greater than the distance between
Earth and Venus? ________
14. Is the distance between Jupiter and Mars greater than the distance between
Mars and Earth? ________
15. Is the distance between Saturn and Jupiter greater than the distance between
Jupiter and Mars? ________
16. Is the distance between Uranus and Saturn greater than the distance between
Saturn and Jupiter? ________
17. Is the distance between Neptune and Uranus greater than the distance
between Uranus and Saturn? ________