Download JFuller Science In A Bag Revised

Jo-Evin Fuller
Science in a Bag – Student Page
How Old Are You?
Grade Level
Fifth grade
Standards
GLE 0507.6.1 Compare planets based on their known characteristics.
0507.6.1 Develop a chart that communicates the major characteristics of each planet.
SPI 0507.6.1 Distinguish among the planets according to their known characteristics such as
appearance, location, composition, and apparent motion.
SPI 0507.6.2 Select information from a complex data representation to draw conclusions about
the planets.
Task Objective
The learner will be able to compare and contrast the planets, and be able to explain those
differences in their interactive notebook. TLW also work on making a hypothesis, or educated
guess, regarding the orbit of the planets around the sun based on their new ages.
Materials Needed
Interactive notebook
Calculator
Pencil
One set of planet trading cards (There are two sets in the box, please keep each set together.)
Procedures
You can refer to the “How to Play” card for the game instructions. They are also listed below for
you!!
1. You will randomly select a planet trading card from the bag they are in. Keep that card in
your hand, and lay all the other cards flat on the table with the name of the space object
facing up.
2. You will read and review the information on the card in your hand, including the game
question.
3. After reading the game question, you will then match it to the space object card it is
describing.
Ex: Q:“Which planet has many rings?” A: Saturn
4. After finding the match, read the next card and repeat Step 3 for each card. Find the
“game question” answer card each time.
5. Once you have matched all the cards, place the cards in order from the sun, starting with
the sun on your left. Be sure to include the asteroid belt!! Now draw the solar system
layout in your interactive notebook. Include a one sentence description of each planet
that you learned with this activity.
6. Now that the planets are in order, you will pick two planets that interest you the most.
Choose one terrestrial planet and one outer planet. (You may not choose Earth!!) These
planets will be used for the bonus section below.
**Group**
You can play the planet trading card game with other students!! Follow the same
directions as above, but take turns making the matches to the “game question.”
****BONUS****
Now that you have your planets, find your age on the terrestrial planet first. Use the data
on the “How Old Are You?” handout to find your “new” age. In your interactive
notebook, record your findings. Are you older or younger? Why do you think your age
has changed? Find your “new” age on the outer planet you chose. Are you older or
younger? Are you older or younger than you were on the terrestrial planet? In your
interactive notebook, write a short explanation of your findings and WHY you think you
are older or younger, or both!! If you find yourself “lost in space” see Mrs. Fuller for
help!!
Academic Vocabulary
terrestrial planet, outer planet, solar system, galaxy, universe, asteroid belt, Mercury, Venus,
Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, stars, Hubble telescope
Assessment
First Word-Last Word:
In First Word-Last Word, you will be able to see your learning from the beginning of the lesson
to the end. With First Word-Last Word, you will use one word to describe as much as you know
about it, once at the beginning of the lesson, and once at the end.
We will use our academic vocabulary word, universe. Write everything you know about our
universe. Use only the knowledge you have now to describe it.
At the end of the lesson, describe our universe again. This time use all you have learned, and use
as many of our academic vocabulary words as possible, in a meaningful way.
Clean-up
Place the calculator and handouts folder back into the science box. The students will place
their interactive notebooks back into the science bin. Students will place the planet playing cards
back into the Ziploc bag and put the bag in the science box.
Science in a Bag – Teacher Page
How Old Are You?
Grade Level
Fifth grade
Standards
GLE 0507.6.1 Compare planets based on their known characteristics.
0507.6.1 Develop a chart that communicates the major characteristics of each planet.
SPI 0507.6.1 Distinguish among the planets according to their known characteristics such as
appearance, location, composition, and apparent motion.
SPI 0507.6.2 Select information from a complex data representation to draw conclusions about
the planets.
Task Objective
The learner will be able to compare and contrast the planets, and be able to explain those
differences in their interactive notebook. TLW also work on making a hypothesis, or educated
guess, regarding the orbit of the planets around the sun based on their new ages.
Explanation
We will be “exploring” a new planet every day during the unit. The students will have gained
more knowledge about each planet before completing this activity.
The students will use their interactive notebook to record the information they learn about our
solar system, universe, and galaxy during the course of the unit. The students will be using their
new found information for our “FACT” evaluation(First Word-Last Word), that I will have the
students complete at the beginning and end of our unit on the Universe.
Students will use the trading cards to reinforce information they have learned about the
planets.
This particular lesson will come toward the end of our unit. Students will have been collecting
data throughout the unit that they will then use to write a short research paper over the universe,
solar system, or galaxy. (Their choice.)
Academic Vocabulary (Review)
 Solar system: The solar system includes the Sun and all the objects that orbit around it
due to its gravity, including Earth.

Terrestrial planet: We have the Inner Solar System which has Mercury, Venus, Earth and
not forgetting Mars. These are closest to the sun and are called the terrestrial planets
simply because they have very solid rocky surfaces. These planets are also known as the
inner planets.

Outer planet: The Outer Solar System has Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune these are
sometimes called the gas giants.

Galaxy: A galaxy is a large group of stars, dust, gas and dark matter held together by
gravity. They vary in size with some containing millions of stars while others could
contain as many as a trillion. They can also form in different shapes such as elliptical
galaxies and spiral galaxies.

Universe: The Universe is made up of everything that exists, including planets, stars,
galaxies and all forms of matter and energy.

Mercury: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun in the Solar System. As well as being
very hot, it features a barren, crater covered surface which looks similar to the Moon.

Venus: Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun. It is similar in size to Earth and
features thick a thick atmosphere which locks in heat as the surface rages with active
volcanoes.

Earth: Earth is the fifth largest planet in the Solar System and third from the Sun. It was
formed around four and a half billion years ago and is the only place in the Universe
where life is known to exist.

Mars: Mars, or the 'Red Planet' as it is sometimes known, is the fourth planet from the
Sun. It features a dusty, rocky surface, relatively calm conditions and a thin atmosphere.

Jupiter: Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It features the famous ‘Red Spot’
and a large number of orbiting moons.

Saturn: Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system, the sixth planet from the
Sun and features an impressive system of rings.

Uranus: Uranus is the third largest planet in the Solar System and seventh planet from the
Sun. Uranus rolls like a barrel rather than spinning like Earth and was the first planet
discovered by telescope.

Neptune: Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and is nearly four times the size of
Earth. It features strong winds and violent weather.

Asteroid belt: The asteroid belt lies roughly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the
Solar System. It is home to a large amount of irregular shaped asteroids that range in size
from dust through to the dwarf planet Ceres.

Star: A star is a huge, bright ball of burning gas that is held together by gravity. Stars
contain mostly hydrogen as well as helium and smaller amounts of other elements. The
Sun is the closest star to Earth.

Hubble telescope: Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth. Its position above the
atmosphere, which distorts and blocks the light that reaches our planet, gives it a view of
the universe that typically far surpasses that of ground-based telescopes.
Students will be using the planet trading cards to reinforce their knowledge of the universe, and
to further explain the academic vocabulary for this unit. By using the trading cards, students will
become more comfortable and fluent with the academic vocabulary in a fun and engaging way.
Common Misconceptions
• Stars and constellations appear in the same place in the sky every night.
• The sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west every day.
• The sun is always directly south at 12:00 noon.
• The tip of a shadow always moves along an east-west line.
• We experience seasons because of the earth's changing distance from the sun (closer in the
summer, farther in the winter).
• The earth is the center of the solar system. (The planets, sun and moon revolve around the
earth.)
• The moon can only be seen during the night.
• The moon does not rotate on its axis as it revolves around the earth.
• The phases of the moon are caused by shadows cast on its surface by other objects in the solar
system.
• The phases of the moon are caused by the shadow of the earth on the moon.
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The phases of the moon are caused by the moon moving into the sun's shadow.
The shape of the moon always appears the same.
The earth is the largest object in the solar system.
The solar system is very crowded.
The solar system contains only the sun, planets and the moon.
Meteors are falling stars.
Comets and meteors are out in space and do not reach the ground.
The surface of the sun is without visible features.
All the stars in a constellation are near each other.
All the stars are the same distance from the earth.
The galaxy is very crowded.
Stars are evenly distributed throughout the universe.
All stars are the same size.
The brightness of a star depends only on its distance from the earth.
Stars are evenly distributed throughout the galaxy.
The constellations form patterns clearly resembling people, animals or objects.
There is more than one star in our solar system.
Real World Connection
For this unit, we will connect our classroom learning with real-world experiences by focusing
on the discoveries the Hubble telescope has allowed scientists (NASA) to make in space, even in
places humans have never been. We will use photographs and data collected by the telescope to
enhance our learning, and research more information on major discoveries of the Hubble
telescope, as well as other similar telescopes. We will also be building a scale model of the
Hubble telescope, the directions for which are found on the Hubble telescope website, listed in
references.
Connections Across the Curriculum
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.B.2
Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.
In our “How Old Are You?” bonus, students must understand how to divide multi-digit numbers
to find their new age.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that
information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Students will use their interactive notebooks to record the data they collect over the course of the
lesson, including a chart for their age on other planets.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B
Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
Students will need to support their claims for their new ages by using their notes from their
interactive notebook, as well as other available resources during this unit, in order to complete
their research paper.
References
Making Connections across the Curriculum
Common Core Math Standards
Common Core Literacy Standards
FACT
Science Formative Assessment (Page Keeley) Pages 88-91
To Learn About the Solar System
Education.com
Planetforkids.org
amazing-space.stsci.edu
Misconceptions about the Solar System
Amasci.com/miscon/opphys.html
Definitions for Academic Vocabulary
Sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/definitions.html
http://hubblesite.org/
“How Old Are You?” Worksheet
Spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/HowOld.html
Hubble Telescope Information
http://hubblesite.org/
http://hubblesite.org/the_telescope/hand-held_hubble/ (These are the Build-Your-Own)
How Old Are You?
Purpose
To understand the relationship between planetary orbits around the Sun and
our measure of time.
Background
Your birthday is actually a celebration of a trip made by Earth around the Sun
one time. For each trip around our star we "age" one year... or at least that is
how we humans express it. How "old" are you on the other eight planets in our
solar system?
Procedure
Key Words
year
1.
Figure your age in Earth days. [your age x 365]
2.
For the terrestrial planets, divide your age in Earth days by the
number of Earth days in a planet's year. The answer is your "new"
age.
orbit
terrestrial planet
Example for Mercury - for a person 20 years old on Earth:
20 x 365 = 7300 Earth days old
7300 / 88 (Earth days in Mercury's year) = 83
The 20 -year-old Earth person would be 83 years old on Mercury!
outer planet
Materials
3.
For the outer planets, find the number of Earth days in each planet's
year. Then divide your age in days by the number of Earth days in
that planet's year. The answer is your "new" age.
"New" Age Chart
calculators
Example for Jupiter - for a person 20 years old on Earth:
20 x 365 = 7300 Earth days old
12 Earth years x 365 Earth days/year = 4380 Earth days in one Jupiter
year.
7300 / 4380 = 1.7
The 20-year-old Earth person would be 1.7 years old on Jupiter!
4.
Follow the examples and fill in the blanks in the "New" Age Chart.
"New" Age Chart
Terrestrial Planets
Mercury
Approximate length of year:
88 Earth days
Venus
225 Earth days
Earth
365 Earth days
Mars
687 Earth days
Outer Planets
Approximate length of year:
Jupiter
12 Earth years
Saturn
29.5 Earth years
Uranus
84 Earth years
Neptune
165 Earth years
Pluto
248 Earth years
Your "new" age
Your "new" age
Extension
Try it for the Sun -- What would your age be if the Sun takes 24 Earth days to rotate one time on
its axis?