Download Astronomy (Part I) Stars and Solar Systems

Astronomy (Part I) Stars and Solar Systems
JDR 2014
OVERVIEW:
Always fascinating, always perplexing, and truly overwhelming, the night sky offers endless discoveries to
those wanting to learn and explore. Students will discover the evening sky by gazing through our telescope
and learn more about the systems that organize our solar system and beyond!
OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to:
 Identify a diversity of stars, planets, constellations, and asterisms
 Describe the relationship between our planet and the solar system
VOCABULARY:
Stars
Star
Sun
Solar Energy
Galaxy
Milky Way Galaxy
Solar System
Planets
Planet
Earth Cycle
Gravity
Orbit
Earth’s Moon
Moon
Satellite
Lunar Cycle
General Lesson Plan
Astronomy
Astrology
Asteroid
Meteor
Meteorite
SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS:
Students know:
 The Sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system. The majority of a star’s mass is
composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. (5.5.a)
 Our solar system includes the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, eight other planets, their satellites, and smaller objects such
as asteroids and comets. (5.5.b)
 The path of a planet around the Sun is due to the gravitational attraction between the Sun and the planet. (5.5.c)
 The Sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the Earth’s surface. It powers winds, ocean currents, and
the water cycle. (6.4.a)
 Solar energy reaches the Earth through radiation, mostly in the form of visible light. (6.4.b)
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS:



Solar energy reaches the Earth through radiation, mostly in the form of visible light. (6.4.b)
The sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer. Stars range greatly in their
distance from Earth. (5-ESS1-1 and ESS1.A)
The orbits of earth around the sun and of the moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about an axis
between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns. (5-ESS1-2 and Ess1.B)
Materials:
Telescope or Star Gazers
Flashlight
Procedures:
1. Introduction: Astronomy vs. Astrology?
A. Have students form a circle. Then have them turn around to stare up at the stars while remaining silent.
Have them observe the night sky and discuss with them what they saw. Is it different compared to what
they may see back home. How is our relationship different with stars today than it was fifty years ago?
One hundred years ago? Two thousand years ago?
B. Ask students what the difference is between astronomy and astrology. Why is it important to know the
difference? Why is the study of astronomy important? Astrology? Explain that the focus of this lesson
will be astronomy.
2. Characteristics of a Star Discussion
A. Explain to students that stars are giant balls of super-heated hydrogen and helium that produce energy
through nuclear fusion.
i.
Activity – Make a Night Sky (found in activity glossary)
ii.
Debrief: What affects the brightness of a star? (distance from viewpoint, temperature, size)
How is the temperature of a star similar to the colors in a campfire? (The coolest stars/flames
are red, then orange, ranging up to the hottest stars/flames, which are blue/white.) Which of
these lights would be the hottest star? The coolest? If they are all the same distance away,
which one might be the biggest? Why? (brightest=biggest in size, relative to other stars same
distance away). Where on the spectrum does the Sun fall? (orange-yellow, medium-heat, sun
is 11,000 degrees F) Why does the Sun appear bigger and brighter than hotter stars in our
galaxy? (because of its proximity to Earth).
B. Tell students that the Sun, only an average size star, is the central and largest body in the solar system.
The Sun’s diameter is 110x larger than the Earth’s. The Sun’s diameter is 865,000 miles wide, while
the Earth’s is 7,918 miles, approximately 109 times larger than that of Earth’s. A total of 1.3 million
Earths could fit inside of the Sun.
C. Tell students that the Sun produces solar energy that is the basis for all life on Earth. Why? Without
the Sun, producers (plants) would not be able to create energy (food) through photosynthesis.
Consequently, consumers (like humans) would not be able to eat.
D. How fast does light travel through space? Solar energy takes about 8.5 minutes to reach the Earth. It
travels at the speed of light, approximately 186,000 miles per second. That is fast! Compare that with
driving to the Sun travelling at 60mph; it would take 177 years to get there.
E. Explain that the Milky Way Galaxy is home to our solar system and many other solar systems that
orbit around a star. Every star that the students see has the potential to be the center of a system
similar to ours and could possibly be home to a planet like the Earth. Even if only 0.1% of stars in the
Milky Way Galaxy have planets, there are still more than 10 million solar systems in the galaxy.
3. Planets in our Solar System
A. Ask students what they know about the planets in our solar system.
i.
Activity: Planet Walk (Found in Activity Glossary) Conduct Activity. As you walk, between the
planets discuss the following:
ii.
Ask students if anyone knows the order of the planets? Memory trick: My Very Educated Mother
Just Served Us Noodles.
iii.
Tell students that Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are the four closest planets to the sun,
comprising the rocky planets. Lead into discussion on whether Pluto is a planet or not? The
students will have heard about this discussion. What do they think? Why? Ask how the decision
to define Pluto as something other than a planet impacts our views of the solar system and
space?
iv.
Inform students that Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the four planets farthest from the
Sun and are known as the gaseous giants.
v.
Explain that all of the bodies of the solar system are held in their orbits by the gravity of the
Sun. What is an orbit? A path around something.
vi.
Debrief: What did you think the solar system looked like? Was it larger or smaller? Why did you
think it looked differently? In this model, the width of your little finger shows the distance
between Earth and its moon. That is the farthest mankind has ever travelled! To reach the next
star Alpha Centauri, you would have to pace for more than 200 miles. That’s like walking to
Bakersfield, from the dining hall!
B. Tell students that the Earth has its own orbit around the Sun of just about 365.25 days (one year. Ask
what the extra .25 adds up to one extra day every four years called? Leap year!). This is the earth
cycle. Other planets also have a cycle that is longer or shorter depending on their distance from the
Sun (Mercury 88 days, Pluto 250 years).
Astronomy (Part II) Telescope, the Moon and Asteroids
JDR 2014
Introduction: Discuss what you will be looking at through the telescope or review concepts from
astronomy Part I. Whichever is relevant for the teaching week
4. Earth’s Moon Discussion
A. Tell students that each planet is considered a natural satellite of the Sun. What is a satellite? A satellite
is something that orbits around another object, and can be natural (the moon) or manmade (television,
weather, etc.). Many planets also have their own natural satellites. (ex. Earth 1 (the moon), Mars 2,
Jupiter 60+, Saturn 40+, Uranus 15, Neptune 8, Pluto 1).
B. Ask students how they think Earth’s moon formed. Recent studies suggest a planet-sized object hit the
Earth 4.5 billion years ago, sending debris into space that formed into our moon. The only minerals
inconsistent between Earth and its satellite’s crust are the heavy metals that would have already sunk
to the center of Earth as the inner core began forming.
C. Explain that these natural satellites have cycles just like the planets. The Moon takes 29.5 days to
complete its orbit around the Earth. This is called the lunar cycle and starts with a new moon.
i.
Activity– Phases of the Moon (found in activity glossary)
ii.
Debrief: How long is the lunar cycle? (29.5 Earth days). How is the lunar cycle significant in our
daily life (basis of our calendar, affects tides, etc.)
D. Explain the larger rocky.metallic bodies are called asteroids. Asteroids are typically huge, ranging in
size from 1 mile to over 600 miles. A large asteroid belt separates the rocky planets from the gaseous
planets. (Does anyone know where this is? Between Mars and Jupiter.) If time allows, discuss
shooting stars and meteor showers (see Characteristics of a Star Discussion)
5. Shooting Stars—not stars at all!
 Explain to students that asteroids are rocky, airless worlds that orbit our sun but are too small to be
called planets. Thousands of these are gathered in the main asteroid belt, between Mars and
Jupiter. Asteroids that pass close to Earth are called near-Earth objects
 Inform students that smaller than asteroids are meteoroids. These small particles, made of space
dust, can be up to about 1 meter. Most are these are the size of a grain of sand up to the size of a
marble.
 When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere it becomes heated by the friction of the air. Its
surface boils off forming glowing gases; tah dah! You have just seen a meteor, more commonly
known as a shooting star.
 If a meteor makes it to the surface of the Earth without totally burning up it becomes a meteorite
and allows us to get a glimpse of the universe first hand.
 Have students sit in an open area and look for meteors entering the atmosphere. Discuss
prescribed meteor showers as they exist in the area.
6. Experiment: Eye to the Sky
A. Students look through telescope or use the Star Gazers.
B. Debrief: What did you see? What were you expecting to see? Does your experience change the way
you feel about objects in our solar system?
7. Wrap Up
A. Review with students the importance of the Sun and solar energy.
B. Finally ask what happens to the materials we bring to space? Satellites, rovers, etc. Some are brought
back, many are left behind. Does it matter? Why/why not?
C. Pass out beads.
Things to Think About:
Special Needs: Scared of the Dark, Safety – Night time can be a scary time for your kids to be hiking around,
be sure to frontload safety – no pushing, horseplay, etc. Let them know that their flashlights need to be pointed
at the ground and turned off as they approach the telescope to retain the night vision of participants. If some
children are nervous have them walk up front with you.
Time Fillers: Talk about solar/lunar eclipses and or black holes. Anything you’d like to add if you have extra
time, be warned the kids will have lots of questions! Play a They Might Be Giants song like:
 “Why does the Sun (Really) Shine?”
 “How Many Planets?”
 “What is a Shooting Star?”
Weather: Cloudy, Cold Weather – Make sure your kids are dressed extra warm at night, especially since you
won’t be hiking as much as a day class. Bring blue pads if it is cold to provide extra insulation. You’ll have to
think of some alternative ways to get your information across if it is too cloudy to see the sky.