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Lesson 4
Solar System
Overview:
In this lesson, students will read a short fact sheet on the nine planets and do a
matching activity when they are finished.
Time Requirement: 1 session
Illinois Learning Goals and Descriptors:
Lesson 4
MATH STANDARDS: 6.A.2
MATH DESCRIPTORS: 6A-E
READING STANDARDS: 1.A.2a, 1.A.2b, 1.B.2d, 1.C.2a, 1.C.2d, 1.C.2f
READING DESCRIPTORS: 1A-C, 1B-D, 1C-C
SCIENCE STANDARDS: 11.A.2a, 11.A.2b, 11.A.2c, 11.A.2d, 11.A.2e, 12.D.2a,
12.D.2b, 12.F.2a, 12.F.2b, 13.A.2c
SCIENCE DESCRIPTORS: 11A-E, 12D-F, 12F-D, 13A-E
Objectives:
1. The Students will be introduced to the Solar System and the Planets.
2. The Students will identify the Planets and their order from the Sun.
3. The Students will gain an understanding of the concepts of orbit, rotation and
revolution after completion of the “Bringing the Solar System to Life” Activity.
Materials:
For the Teacher:
1. One Copy of the Student Study Guide.
2. Access to the Internet: Visit this web site for content used in this lesson: “Welcome to
the Planets” - http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/ .
3. Three index cards for new vocabulary words. Add to Vocabulary Card Game
4. For the Activity “Bringing the Solar System to Life”
• One yellow punch ball
• Nine balloons of different colors and sizes
• Chalk or string to mark orbits as distances from the Sun
For the Student:
1. One copy of the Student Study Guide and Student Work Page for each student.
Preparation:
Do the following before class begins:
• Read the student study guide to determine the reading strategy you will use.
• Answer the work page so that you are prepared for any student questions.
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Lesson 4
Solar System
Procedure:
1. Use the Student Study Guide on page 3 to introduce the topics by reading together
and then discussing them for understanding.
2. Use the Activities on page 4 - Student Work Page - as a follow-up to reinforce the
vocabulary and as an assessment tool.
3. Use this Internet site with the children to reference material used in this lesson:
“Welcome to the Planets” - http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/
4. Introduce the ACTIVITY: “Bringing the Solar System to Life”
• Use three index cards to introduce the Vocabulary words: orbit, revolution and
rotation.
•
Children will blow up a yellow punch ball to its fullest and balloons of nine
different colors of varying sizes representing the nine planets.
•
Before class have nine paths marked on the ground or floor with string or
chalk, each equal to the approximate distance of a planet to the sun (You
may use the diagram on page 3 as a reference). When class begins take
them outside or go into the gym inside.
•
Have one student hold each balloon. Another student will hold the yellow punch
ball, which represents the sun.
•
The "sun" stands in the middle of a circle. The other children take their places on
the marked paths. The teacher will need to give each child the name of his/her
planet and direct him/her to the correct place.
•
Begin the Activity by having children walk in their path or "orbit" around the sun.
Those further away should walk slower than the ones closer to the Sun. Stress
that the planets never leave their own orbits. This travel around the sun is called
revolution.
•
After the children have orbited the sun once, introduce the concept of "rotation".
While moving around the sun, the children should also start to spin around like
tops. (Caution them against becoming dizzy.) This demonstrates rotation. Tell
the children that it takes one year for the earth to revolve around the sun and it
takes one day for the earth to rotate on its own axis.
“Bringing the Solar System to Life” by Sally Spooner, Sunset Elementary School, Cody,
Wyoming.
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Lesson 4
Solar System
Internet Resources:
Welcome to the Planets - http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/
Extension Activities:
Have the students create a brochure about their assigned planet. Have them try to
convince others to visit it by researching their planet for all its interesting facts.
Assessment:
Check the work pages to check for student understanding.
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Lesson 4
Solar System
Student Study Guide
Name
Date
The Sun is at the center of our solar system and contains 99% of all
the matter in the solar system. It is a glowing sphere of gas that
gives off light, heat and energy.
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, so it’s surface temperature
is very hot (332 degrees!) Mercury has almost no atmosphere and it
takes only 88 days to orbit the sun.
Venus is the second planet from the sun. It is the planet closest to
Earth and except for the moon is the brightest object in the night sky.
It has a very thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and the surface
temperature is 750 degrees!
Earth is the third planet from the sun and our home planet. Because
three-fourths of our planet is covered with water, it appears blue from
outer space. As far as we know, the only life that exists in our solar
system comes from Earth.
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and has a very thin
atmosphere. Also called the red planet because of iron in the soil,
over half the surface of Mars is desert-like. Scientists now believe
there are large amounts of water trapped below the surface.
The Asteroid Belt lies between Mars and Jupiter. The belt is
composed mainly of small (compared to planets!) solid pieces of
rock. The largest is Ceres, which is 623 miles wide.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest of all the
planets. It is called a gas giant because it is composed mainly of
hydrogen and helium.
Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and is also a gas giant.
Saturn is known for it’s beautiful rings and is the second largest
planet in our Solar System.
Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun. It also is a gas giant but
half the size Jupiter. From space it appears greenish-blue because
of methane gas in its atmosphere.
Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun and is also a gas giant. It
takes 165 years to orbit the sun because it is so far from it!
Pluto is the ninth planet from the sun. Pluto has no atmosphere and is composed of rock. It is the
smallest of the planets and takes 248 years to orbit the sun!
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Lesson 4
Solar System
Work Page
Name
Date
1. Can you identify these planets? Write their names beneath the picture.
This planet has
methane
Takes 88 days
to orbit the sun!
One-half desert
Takes 165 years
to orbit the sun!
The largest gas
giant
Surface temperature
is 750 degrees!
Smallest planet
The blue planet
Has beautiful rings
“Bringing the Solar System to Life” Activity Vocabulary
Draw a line from the term to the correct definition.
ORBIT
One complete path around the sun.
This takes one year for earth.
ROTATION
The path an object travels around the
sun.
REVOLUTION
One complete turn around of the object.
This takes one day for Earth
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