Download Solar System

PROJECT GLAD
Orange Unified School District
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
(Level 5)
IDEA PAGES
I. UNIT THEME:
 The solar system consists of bodies that orbit the sun in predictable
patterns.
 The bodies in our solar system include: the sun, inner planets, outer
planets, moons, asteroids and comets
 The objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns
 The sun gives us energy in the form of light and heat
I. FOCUS/MOTINVATION
 Big Books
 Picture File Cards
 Observation Charts
 Astronomer Awards
 Inquiry Chart: What do you know about Space? And What do you want to
know?
II. CLOSURE
 Solar system mobile
 TPR solar system—Mapping distances
 Process all charts
 Group presentations of team tasks
 Video: The Magic School Bus Gets Lost in Space
 Student-authored books: The Solar System
III. CONCEPTS

Content Standards – The solar system consists of planets and other bodies
that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
1) The sun, an average star, central and largest body in the solar system,
made of hydrogen and helium.
2) Solar system contains: Earth, moon, sun, eight other planets and their
satellites, smaller objects (comets, asteroids)
3) Path of a planet (orbit) is due to gravitational attraction between Sun
and planet.
Solar System Level 5 CA
Orange Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (09/06 JB)
2
IV. VOCABULARY
Asteroids
Astronomer
Atmosphere
Axis
Calcium
Celestial
Chromosphere
Comet
Core
Corona
Eclipse
Elliptical
Gibbous
Granules
Gravity
Helium
Hydrogen
Lunar
Law of universal
gravitation
Mantle
Mesosphere
Meteor
Meteoroids
Meteorite
Orbit
Oxygen
Photosphere
Planet
Radiation
Shuttle
Solar flare
Solar wind
Space probe
Stratosphere
Sunspot
Thermosphere
Retrograde
Troposphere
Revolve
Rotate
Satellite
Waning
Waxing
V. ORAL LANGUAGE/READING/WRITING SKILLS
Listening & Speaking
1.0 Listening & Speaking Strategies
Comprehension
1.1 Ask questions that seek information not already discussed.
1.2 Interpret a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal messages, purposes,
and perspectives.
1.3 Make inferences or draw conclusions based on an oral report.
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.4 Select a focus, organization structure, and point of view for an oral
presentation.
1.5 Clarify and support spoken ideas with evidence and examples.
1.6 Engage the audience with appropriate verbal cues, facial
expressions, & gestures.
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media Communications
1.7 Identify analyze & critique persuasive techniques; identify logical
fallacies used in oral presentations and media messages.
1.8 Analyze media as sources for information, entertainment,
persuasion, interpretation of events, and transmission of culture.
2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres & Their Characteristics)
2.1 Deliver narrative presentations.
2.2 Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue,
or event.
2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature.
(Grades 3-5 ELD Standards) Listening & Speaking
Comprehension
B:
Speak with few words/sentences
Answer simple questions with one/two word responses
Retell familiar stories/participate in short conversations/using
gestures.
EI:
Ask/answer questions using phrases/simple sentences
Restate/execute multi step oral directions
I:
Ask/ answer question using support elements
Identify key details from stories/information
EA: Identify main points/support details from content areas
A:
Identify main points/support details from stories & subject areas
Respond to & use idiomatic expressions appropriately
Comprehension, Organization & Delivery of Oral Communication
B:
Uses common social greetings
EI:
Identify main points of simple conversations/stories (read aloud)
Communicate basic needs
Recite rhymes/songs/simple stories
I:
Speak with standard English grammatical forms/sounds
Participate in social conversations by asking/answering questions
Retell stories/share school activities using vocabulary, descriptive
words/paraphrasing
EA: Retell stories including characters, setting, plot, summary, analysis
Use standard English grammatical forms/sounds/intonation/pitch
Initiate social conversations by asking & answering
questions/restating & soliciting information
Appropriate speaking based on purpose, audience, subject matter
Ask/answer instructional questions
Use figurative language & idiomatic expressions
A:
Question/restate/paraphrase in social conversations
Speak/write based on purpose, audience, & subject matter
Identify main idea, point of view, & fact/fiction in broadcast &
print media
Use standard English grammatical forms/sounds/intonation/pitch
Reading:
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency & Systematic Vocabulary Development
Word Recognition
1.1 Read narrative and expository text aloud with grade-appropriate
fluency and accuracy and with appropriate spacing, intonation,
and expression.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.2 Apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, synonyms,
antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of words &
phrases.
1.3 Use Knowledge of root words to determine the meaning of
unknown words within a passage.
1.4 Know common roots and affixes from Greek & Latin & use this
knowledge to analyze the meaning of complex words.
1.5 Understand & explain the figurative and metaphorical use of
words in context.
2.0 Students read and understand grade-level appropriate material. They
draw upon a variety of comprehension strategies as needed.
Structural Features of Informal Materials
2.1 Identify structural patterns found in informational text.
2.2 Analyze text that is organized in sequential or chronological
order.
Comprehension & Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.3 Discern main ideas & concepts presented in texts, identifying
& assessing evidence that supports those ideas.
2.4 Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text
and support them with textual evidence and prior knowledge.
2.5 Distinguish facts, supported inferences, and opinions in text.
2.0 Literary Responses & Analysis:
Structural Features in Literature
3.1 Identify & analyze the characteristics of poetry, drama, fiction,
& non-fiction and explain the appropriateness of the literary
forms chosen by an author for a specific purpose.
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.2 Identify the main problem or conflict of the plot & explain
how it is resolved.
3.3 Contrast the actions, motives, & appearances of characters in a
work of fiction and discuss the importance of the contrasts to
the plot or theme.
3.4 Understand that theme refers to the meaning or moral of a
selection and recognize themes in sample works.
3.5 Describe the function and effect of common literary devices.
Literary Criticism
3.6 Evaluate the meaning of archetypal patterns & symbols that
are found in myth and tradition by using literature from
different eras & cultures.
3.7 Evaluate the author’s use of various techniques to influence
reader’s perspective.
(Grades 3-5 ELD Standards) Reading
Word Analysis
Concepts about Print, Phonemic Awareness, Decoding & Word
Recognition
B:
Recognize familiar phonemes
Recognize sound/symbol relationships in own writing
EI:
Read orally recognizing/producing phonemes not in primary
language
Recognize morphemes in phrases/simple sentences
I:
Read aloud with correct pronunciation of most phonemes
Use common morphemes in oral & silent reading
EA: Use knowledge of morphemes to derive meaning from
literature/texts in content areas
A:
Use root & affixes to derive meaning
Fluency & Systematic Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary & Concept Development
B:
Read aloud simple words in stories/games
Respond to social & academic interactions (simple ques./ans.)
Demonstrate comprehension of simple voc. with action
Retell simple stories with drawings, words, phrases
Uses phrases/single word to communicate basic needs
EI:
Use content vocabulary in discussions/reading
Read simple vocabulary, phrases & sentences independently
Use morphemes, phonics, syntax to decode & comprehend words
Recognize & correct grammar, usage, word choice in speaking or
reading aloud
Read own narrative & expository text aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
I:
Create dictionary of frequently used words
Decode/comprehend meaning of unfamiliar words in text
Recognize & correct grammar, usage, word choice in speaking or
reading aloud
Read grade level narrative/expository text aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
Use content vocabulary in discussions/reading
Recognize common roots affixes
EA: Use morphemes, phonics, syntax to decode/comprehend words
Recognize multiple meaning words in content literature & texts
Use common roots & affixes
Use standard dictionary to find meanings
Recognize analogies & metaphors in content literature & texts
Use skills/knowledge to achieve independent reading
Use idioms in discussions & reading
Read complex narrative & expository texts aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
A:
Apply common roots & affixes knowledge to vocabulary
Recognize multiple meaning words
Apply academic & social vocabulary to achieve independent
reading
Use idioms, analogies & metaphors in discussion & reading
Use standard dictionary to find meanings
Read narrative & expository text aloud with pacing, intonation
Reading Comprehension
B:
Answer fact questions using one/two word response
Connect simple text read aloud to personal experience
Understand & follow one-step direction
Sequence events from stories read aloud using key words /phrases
Identify main idea using key words/phrases
Identify text features: title/table of contents/chapter headings
EI:
Use simple sentences to give details from simple stories
Connect text to personal experience
Follow simple two-step directions
Identify sequence of text using simple sentences
Read & identify main ideas to draw inferences
Identify text features: title, table of contents, chapter headings
Identify fact/opinion in grade level text read aloud to students
I:
Orally respond to comprehension questions about written text
Read text features: title, table of contents, chapter headings,
diagrams, charts, glossaries, indexes
Identify main idea to make predictions & support details
Orally describe connections between text & personal experience
Follow multi-step directions for classroom activities
Identify examples of fact/opinion & cause/effect in
literature/content text
EA: Give main idea with supporting detail from grade level text
Generate & respond to text-related comprehension questions
Describe relationships between text & personal
Identify function of text features: format/diagrams/charts/
experiences/glossary
Draw conclusions & make inferences using text resources
Find examples of fact, opinion, inference, & cause/effect in text
Identify organizational patterns in text: sequence, chronology
A:
Make inferences/generalizations, draw conclusions from grade
level text resources
Describe main ideas with support detail from text
Identify patterns in text: compare/contrast, sequence, cause/effect
Reading Literacy Response & Analysis
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level Appropriate Text
B:
One/two word oral responses to factual comprehension questions
Word/phrase oral response identifying characters and settings
Distinguish between fiction & non-fiction
Identify fairy tales, folk tales, myth, legend using lists,
charts, tables
EI:
Orally answer factual questions using simple sentences
Orally identify main events in plot
Recite simple poems
Orally describe setting of literature piece
Orally distinguish among poetry, drama, short story
Orally describe character of a selection
I:
Paraphrase response to text using expanded vocabulary
Apply knowledge of language to derive meaning from text
EA: Describe figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification)
Distinguish literary connotations from culture to culture
Identify motives of characters
Describe themes stated directly
Identify speaker/narrator in text
Identify main problem of plot and how it is resolved
Recognize first & third person in literary text
A:
Describe characters of poetry, drama, fiction & non-fiction
Evaluate author’s use of techniques to influence reader
Describe directly stated & implied themes
Compare & contrast motives of characters in work of fiction
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
Organization & Focus
1.1 Create multiple-paragraph narrative composition.
1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions.
1.3 Use organizational features of printed text to locate relevant
information.
1.4 Create simple documents by using electronic media & employing
organizational features.
1.5 Use a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings.
1.6 Edit & revise manuscripts to improve the meaning & focus of
writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and
rearranging words & sentences.
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres & Their Characteristics)
2.1 Write narratives
2.2 Write responses to literature.
2.3 Write research reports about important ideas, issues, of events.
2.4 Write persuasive letters or compositions.
Written & Oral English Language Conventions
1.0 Written & Oral English Language Conventions
Sentence Structure
1.1 Identify & correctly use prepositional phrases, appositives, &
independent & dependent clauses; use transitions & conjunctions to
connect ideas.
Grammar
1.2 Identify and correctly use verbs that are often misused, modifiers, and
pronouns.
Punctuation
1.3 Use a colon to separate hours and minutes and to introduce a list; use
quotation marks around exact words of a speaker and titles of poems,
songs, short stories, & so forth.
Capitalization
1.4 Use correct capitalization.
Spelling
1.5 Spell roots, suffixes, prefixes, contractions, and syllable constructions
correctly.
(Grades 3-5 ELD Standards) Writing Strategies & Applications
Penmanship, Organization & Focus
B:
Write alphabet
Label key parts of common object
Create simple sentences/phrases
Write brief narratives/stories using few standard grammatical
Forms
EI:
Write narratives that include setting and character
Respond to literature using simple sentences, drawings, lists, charts
Write paragraphs of at least four sentences
Write words/simple sentences in content area
Write friendly letter
Produce independent writing
I:
Narrate sequence of events
Produce independent writing
Use a variety of genres in writing
Create paragraph developing central idea using grammatical form
Use complex vocabulary & sentences in all content areas
Write a letter with detailed sentences
EA: Write detailed summary of story
Arrange compositions with organizational patterns
Independently write responses to literature
Use complex vocabulary & sentences in all content areas
Write a persuasive letter with relevant evidence
Write multi-paragraph narrative & expository compositions
A:
Write short narrative in all content areas
Write persuasive composition
Write narratives that describe setting, character, objects, events
Write multi-paragraph narrative & expository compositions
Independently use all steps of writing process
Writing Conventions
B:
Begin own name & sentences with capital letter
Use period at end of sentence
EI:
Begin proper nouns & sentences with capital letter
Use period at end of sentence/use some commas
Edit for basic conventions
I:
Produces independent writing
Use standard word order
EA: Produces independent writing with correct capitals, punctuation,
spelling
Use standard word order
Edit for basic conventions
A:
Use complete sentences & correct order
Use correct parts of speech
Edit for punctuation, capitalization, & spelling
Produce writing with command of standard conventions
VI. SCIENCE STANDARDS
Earth Science –
The solar system consists of planets and other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable
paths.
a)
The sun, an average star, central and largest body in the solar system, made
of hydrogen and helium.
b)
Solar system contains: Earth, moon, sun, eight other planets and their
satellites, smaller objects (comets, asteroids)
c)
Path of a planet (orbit) is due to gravitational attraction between Sun and
planet.
Investigation and Experimentation
6. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the
other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform
investigations. Students will:
a. Classify objects (e.g., rocks, plants, leaves) in accordance with appropriate criteria.
b. Develop a testable question.
c. Plan and conduct a simple investigation based on a student-developed question and
write instructions others can follow to carry out the procedure.
d. Identify the dependent and controlled variables in an investigation.
e. Identify a single independent variable in a scientific investigation and explain how this
variable can be used to collect information to answer a question about the results of the
experiment.
f. Select appropriate tools (e.g., thermometers, meter sticks, balances, and graduated
cylinders) and make quantitative observations.
g. Record data by using appropriate graphic representations (including charts, graphs, and
labeled diagrams) and make inferences based on those data.
h. Draw conclusions from scientific evidence and indicate whether further information is
needed to support a specific conclusion.
i. Write a report of an investigation that includes conducting tests, collecting data or
examining evidence, and drawing conclusions.
VII. RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
Cohn, A. Solar System SOS, Accord Publishing, Limited, September 1998.
Cole, J. and Degen, B., The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System, Teacher Created
Materials, August 1996.
Davis, K., Don’t Know Much About the Solar System, Harper Collins Publishers, July
2001.
Glover, L., National Geographic Encyclopedia of Space
Graham, I., My Book of Space , Kingfisher
Graham, I., The Best Book of the Moon , Kingfisher
Hayden, K., Astronaut Living in Space Eyewitness Readers, DK Publishing.
Holland, S., DK Eye Wonder Space , DK Publishing, Inc
Mansfield F., The Planets in Our Solar System: Stage 2, Harper Collins Publishers, April
1998.
Meachen-Rau, D., and Labbo, L., The Solar System, Compass Point Books, January 2000
Mirabito, M., The Exploration of Outer Space With Cameras: A History of the Nasa
Unmanned Spacecraft Missions.
Myring, L., Finding Out about Sun, Moon and Planets, Usborne
O'Leary, Exploring Inner & Outer Space
Rabe, T., There’s No Place Like Space! All About Our Solar System., Random House,
Incorporated, October 1999.
Robson E. and Rowe, A., Solar System, Golden Books Publishing Company, March
1999.
Seymour, S. Our Solar System, Volume 1, Morrow, William & Co., August 1992.
Sipiera, P., The Solar System, Scholastic Library Publishing, April 1997
National Geographic –
National Geographic, September 1983. National Geographic Society
National Geographic, October 1986. National Geographic Society
National Geographic, August 1990. National Geographic Society
National Geographic, November 1996. National Geographic Society
National Geographic, April 1997. National Geographic Society
National Geographic, July 2004. National Geographic Society
Internet Resources
Enchanted Learning: Zoom Astronomy
http:/www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy
NASA: “Star Child” astronomy site http:/starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov
Astronomy for Kids! http:/dustbunny.com/afk/index.html
www.amazing-space.stsci.edu
kids.msfc.nasa.gov
www.spacekids.com
spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov
Project GLAD
Orange Unified School District
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
(Level 5)
UNIT PLANNING PAGES
I.
II.
FOCUS AND MOTIVATION
 Observation Charts
 Inquiry Charts
 Exploration Chart
 Cognitive Content Dictionary- signal word
 Astronomer Awards
 Big Book
 Personal Interactions
INPUT
 Timeline
 Solar system map (pictorial)
 Comparative input of Earth & Sun
 Narrative
 Mae Jameson story from Houghton Mifflin
 Expert groups— parts of the solar system
 Graphic organizer—Venn diagram on Earth & Sun
III. GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 T Graph with social skills/Team points
 Picture-file cards – observe, classify, categorize, label, highlight
 Process Grid
 Team Tasks
 Expert Groups
 Personal Interaction
 Reader’s Theater
 Sentence Patterning Chart
 Poetry
a. Solar System – Yes Ma’am
b. Solar System
c. Family of the Sun
d. The Planet Poem
e. The Solar System
f. Asteroid
g. Solar Sound Off
h. Astronomer Bugaloo
IV. READING/WRITING
A. Total Class
 Co-op strip paragraph with responding, revising and editing
 Found poetry
 Narrative – story map
 SQ3R
B. Flexible Group Practice
 Team tasks
 ELD review
 Ear to ear reading
 Flexible group reading – leveled
 Labeling of charts
 Focused reading
 Expert groups
C. Individual
 Learning logs
 Text and You
 Interactive Journals
 Writers Workshop
 Individual Tasks
 Listen and sketch
D. Reading/Writing Workshop
 Mini lesson
 Write
 Author’s Chair
 Conference
V. EXTENDED ACTIVITES
 Make big book
 Write Chant
 Make a model of the solar system
 Jeopardy
 Posters
 Research about different planets
VI. CLOSURE
 Process all learning and inquiry chart
 Required expository, narrative and poetry writing
 Graffiti Wall
 Read the walls
 Team Feud
 Space Ice Cream
 Teacher and student made test
Project GLAD
Orange Unified School District
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
(Level 5)
Sample Daily Lessons
Day 1:
Focus/Motivation
 Astronomer Awards
 Observation Charts
 Big Book, The Important Thing About Our Solar System
 Inquiry Chart: What do you know about the Solar System? What are you
wondering?
 Cognitive Content Dictionary
Input
 Sun Comparative Pictorial
 Timeline
Guided Oral Practice
 Poetry
 T Graph for Social Skills:
 Team Points
 Science Free Exploration: Picture file cards, simulate observing “in the field’
process skills (observing, categorizing, comparing, ordering, inferring), group
reporting
Input
 Map of Solar System - Pictorial
 10:2 Lecture with primary language groups
 Vocabulary Card Review
Reading/Writing
 Learning Log-You are an astronomer: What observations about the Solar System
have you made so far?
 Primary Language Review, ELL Review
 Writer’s Workshop
o Mini lesson on types of writing
o Plan, share, write
o Author’s Chair
Closure
 Interactive journal writing
 Poetry
 Home-School Connection
 Process Inquiry Chart
Day 2
Focus/Motivation
 Process Home-School Connection
 Astronomer Notebook Award
 Cognitive Content Dictionary – with Signal word
 Review Timeline with word cards, pictures
 Review Sun Comparative Pictorial with word cards
Input
 Mae Jemison Narrative
 Chant and Highlight
Guided Oral Practice
 Reader’s Theater
 Poetry

Input
 Earth Comparative Pictorial
 Sentence Patterning Chart
o Trading Game
o Flip Chants
Reading/Writing
 Inner Planets Expert Groups:
 Team Tasks
o Solar System Pictorial
o Sun and Earth Comparative Pictorial
o Timeline
 Interactive journal writing
 Writer’s Workshop
o Mini lesson
o Plan, share, write
o Author’s Chair
Closure
 Poetry
 Read Aloud
 Home-School Connection
Day 3
Focus/Motivation
 Process Home-School Connection
 Cognitive Content Dictionary – with Signal word
 Review Narrative with Conversation Bubbles
 Review Earth Comparative Pictorial with word cards
 Astronomer Book Marks
Input / Guided Oral Practice / Reading/Writing
 Story Map
 Process Grid
 Expert Groups
 Cooperative Strip Paragraph
 Found Poem
 Graphic Organizer Sun and Earth
 Interactive journal writing
 Group Frame
 Team Tasks
o Solar System Pictorial
o Mae Jemison narrative
o Comparative, Sun and Earth
o Story Map
o Sentence Patterning Chart
o Flip Chant
o Timeline
 Writer’s Workshop
o Mini lesson
o Plan, share, write
o Author’s Chair
Closure
 Read Aloud
 Poetry
 Home/School Connection
Day 4
Focus/Motivation
 Astronomer Awards
 Listen and Sketch
 Poetry
 Process Charts
 Process Home-School Connection
 Cognitive Content Dictionary – with Signal word
Input
 Revisit Observation Charts
Guided Oral Practice
 Flexible Reading Groups
o SQ3R
o Chunk and Link
o ELD
o Group Frame
Reading/Writing
 Process Grid
 Learning Log
 Revising/Editing Co-op Strip Paragraph
 Listen and Sketch
 Team Tasks
o Cognitive Content Dictionary
o Solar System Pictorial
o Mae Jemison narrative
o Comparative, Sun and Earth
o Story Map
o Sentence Patterning Chart
o Flip Chant
o Timeline
o Team Evaluations
Closure
 Personal Interaction – What do you think about space aliens and why?
 Home/School Connection
 Interactive journal writing
Day 5
Focus/Motivation
 Poetry
 Process Inquiry Chart
 Process Home-School Connection
 Cognitive Content Dictionary – with Signal word
 Strip Book – Stars can ____ but stars cannot ______.
Reading/Writing
 Co-op Strip Paragraph with struggling readers
 Process Grid
 Learning Log
 Listen and Sketch
 Review Inquiry Charts/Process Learning
 Ear to Ear reading with Poetry Booklets
 Team Tasks
o Cognitive Content Dictionary
o Solar System Pictorial
o Mae Jemison narrative
o Comparative, Sun and Earth
o Story Map
o Sentence Patterning Chart
o Flip Chant
o Timeline
o Team Evaluations
 Team task presentations
 Debate
Closure
 Team Feud
 Graffiti Wall
 Space Ice Cream
Big Book-The Important Thing About Our Solar System, by Darcie Elmes
The important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and other
bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.


It is true that our Solar System includes the Earth, the Moon and the Sun.
As the Earth rotates around the sun, our moon rotates around us.
But, the important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and
other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
The important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and other
bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.


It is true that the Sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in our solar
system.
And that it is composed of helium and hydrogen.
But, the important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and
other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
The important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and other
bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.


It is true that our Solar System includes eight other planets and their satellites.
And that the planets are named: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune.
But, the important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and
other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
The important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and other
bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.



It is true that our Solar System also includes smaller objects, such as asteroids and
comets.
And that asteroids are mini-planets that orbit in the Asteroid Belt located between
Mars and Jupiter.
Comets are balls of ice, dust and rocks, with bright tails made of gas.
But, the important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and
other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
The important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and other
bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.


It is true that the path, or orbit, of a planet around the Sun is due to gravitational
attraction between the Sun and that planet.
And that the Sun’s gravity holds our Solar System together.
But, the important thing about our solar system is that it consists of planets and
other bodies that orbit the sun in predictable paths.
History of Space Exploration
1957 - The Sovient Union launches the fisrt artificial satelite, Sputnik
1. It circled the globe once every 95 minutes for more than a year
before falling back to Earth.
1961 - The first human in space is Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
aboard Vostok 1 .
1961 - The first American in space is Alan Shepard aboard Freedom 7
1962 - John Glenn aboard Friendship 7 is the first American to orbit
the Earth
1963 - Russian Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman in space
1969 - Americans Nei lArmstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrinare the first
people to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11mission.
1976 - Two Viking spacecraft landed on Mars. They photographed
their landing sites and sent back the first data about Mars' soil and
atmosphere
1981 - The first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle Columbia is
launched. They are able to lift heavy cargoes into orbit and provide
labs for carrying out scientfiic research in space.
1983 - Sally Ride is the first American woman in space
1992 - Mission specialist Mae Jemison is the first Arfrican American
woman in Space
1989 - Magellan is lanched to orbit ana study Venus
1989 - Galieleo is lanched to orbit and study Jupiter
1996 - Mars Pathfinder is lanuched to land on Mars, take samples of
the soil and charcterize the Matian enviornment for futher exploration
1999 - Stardust is lanched to collect a Comet Coma sample
2001 - Genesis collects a solar wind sample in order to study the
origns of the universe
2003 - Mars Surveyor lands on mars to explore the Martian landscape
and see if water is or was on Mars. If they find evidence of this, that
means that life could have been sustained on Mars.
No Longer a Planet
R – 17 1 Hours, O – 84 Years
Dark and cold, tilted on its axis
Looks blue, because of Methane Gas
Narrow Rings of ice and rock
R – 16 years, O – 165 Years
Ice and Rock
Hydrogen Atmosphere
8 moons,
Smallest of Gas Giants
R – 10 hours, O – 12 years
Largest Planet
Clouds swirl on planet
Made of Hydrogen, Helium
1,300 Earths
R – 10 Hours, O – 29 Years
Spins so fast it bulges in the middle
Hundreds of rings made of ice and rock
Gaseous Planet
Band of Rock and metal chunks
Ram into each other and break up smaller
Comets then, meteors, if they hit Earth meteorites
R – 24hours, O – 687 Days
Cold with a thin Atmosphere
R – 24 hours, O – 365 Days
Only planet with Life
Tilted on Axis, seasons
R – 243 Days, O – 225 days
Hottest Planet, 900 degrees
Air is poisonous
R – 59 days, O – 88 days
Closest to the sun, bare rocky ball
Craters on surface from crashing meteorites
No atmosphere
870,00 miles across
More light than 3,800 billion, trillion light bulbs
Largest thing in the Solar System
(Photo isn’t shown due to copyright permission)
Earth Comparative
3rd Planet from the Sun
365 days to orbit the sun
24 hours to rotate on its axis
Lithospere
Liquid water to
support life.
Earth’s atmosphere absorbs and reflects
The right amount of Solar Energy
Sun Comparative
Largest Star
870,000 miles across
(Picture is copyrighted – It is a NASA photo)
Hot gases
29 million degrees
Mae Jemison Narrative- GLAD 5 Day Demo
FOUR...
THREE...
TWO...
ONE...
Liftoff!
The space shuttle Endeavour thundered into the
morning sky above the Kennedy Space Center. It soared
higher, higher over the Atlantic Ocean. In a few minutes,
Endeavour was in orbit around the Earth.
Aboard the spacecraft, Mea Jemison had just made
history. She was the first African American women in space.
It was September 12, 1992.
However, Mae wasn't thinking about dates in history
books. Her thoughts were of the wonder and adventure of
space travel.
"I'm closer to the stars- somewhere I've always dreamed to
be," said Mae during a live interview from space on a
television broadcast.
-1Adapted from Houghton Mifflin
Mae Jemison Narrative- GLAD 5 Day Demo
Mae travled to different countries as part of her
medical training. She studied in Cuba, provided medical care
for people in rural areas in Kenya and in Cambodia and a
refugee camp in Thailand.
Mae graduated from Cornell University Medical
School in 1981. She served her intership at the Los Angeles
County/University MedicalCenter. Then she started working
as a doctor in Los Angeles.
Even though Mae has launched her career as a
doctor, she wasn't finished traveling yet. She remembered
trips from when she was studying to be a doctor, and
wanted to help people all over the world. Mae decided to
join the Peace Corps, an organization of volunteers who
work to improve conditions in developing nations.
-4Mae spent more than two years in West Africa as a
Area Peace Corps Medical Officer for Sierra Leone and
Liberia. It was an important responsibility for someone who
was only twenty-six years old.
"I learned a lot from that experience," Mae said. "I was
one of the youngest doctors over there, and I had to learn
to deal with how people reacted to my age, while asserting
myself as a doctor."
Mae returned to Los Angeles after her tour of duty was
over in the Peace Corps, and returned to her medical
practice. She also started taking advanced engineering
classes.
.-5-
Mae Jemison Narrative- GLAD 5 Day Demo
Although Mae was a fully trained astronaut she still had to wait four years
before going into space. As she waited she worked with other scientists who
were developing experiments for her mission. She also trained with her
fellow crew members.
On September 12, 1992, the long wait was over. The space shuttle
Endeavour was ready for liftoff. Mae Jemison boarded a van with her crew
members, all of them dressed in orange space suits and headed towards the
shuttle launch pad.
At 10:23 a.m. Endeavour lifted off on its historic space journey. Dr. Mae
Jemison had earned her place in the history books as the first Afro-American
woman in space. Mae said, " My participation in the space shuttle mission
helps to say that all peoples of the world have astronomers, physicists, and
explorers."
Endeavour's mission was devoted to scientific research.
Mae was responsible for several key experiments, she had helped design an
experiment to study the loss of bone cells in space. Astronauts lose bone
cells in weightlessness, and the longer they stay in space, the more they lose.
If too many bone cells are lost, bones become weak and break easily.
Scientist hope to find a way to prevent this from happening. Mae explained,
" The real issue is how to keep people healthy while they're in space."
Mae also investigated a new way of controlling space sickness. Astronauts
take medicine to control space sickness such as dizziness and nausea, but
sometimes the medicine makes them feel tired.
Mae had been trained in the use of "biofeedback" techniques. Biofeedback
uses meditation and relaxation to control the body's function. Mae wore
special monitoring equipment to record her heart rate, breathing,
temperature,
Mae Jemison Narrative- GLAD 5 Day Demo
.
Mae took lessons in weightlessness and learned how to
move her body and operate tools in space. In space there is
less gravity, so people and objects drift about. Since there
is no "up" or "down" in space, astronauts don't need to lie
down to sleep. They can sleep in any position. To keep from
drifting, they zip themselves into specialized sleeping bags
attached to the shuttle's walls.
At the end of the training year, Mae became an official
mission specialist astronaut. "We're the one's people often
call scientist astronauts," Mae said. " Our responsibilities are
to be familiar with the shuttle and how it operates, to do the
experiments once you get into orbit, to help launch the
payloads or satellites, and also do extravehicular activities,
which are the space walks."
.
-7-
Mae was also in charge of the frog experiment. She
fertilized eggs from female South African frogs. A few days
later, tadpoles hatched. She then watched the tadpoles very
carefully. Her goal was to find out if the tadpoles would
develop normally in the near-zero gravity of space. "What
we've seen is that the eggs were fertilized and the tadpoles
looked pretty good. It was exciting because that's a question
that we didn't have any information on before," said Mae.
On September 20, 1992, at 8:53 a.m., Endeavour
landed at the Kennedy Space Center. The crew had spent
more than 190 hours... almost eight days in space. They had
traveled 3.3 million miles and had completed 127 orbits of
the Earth'
After her space mission, Mae returned home to
Chicago. Her hometown greeted her with six days of
parades, speeches, and celebrations. Then went to
Hollywoodto accept the American Black Achievement
award's Trailblazer Awards for being the first Afro-American
woman in space.
MaeJemison had made her childhood dream come
true. She was ready for new challenges. Mae formed her
own company called The Jemison Group, Inc. The Jemison
Groups goal is to develop ways of using science and
technology to improve the quality of life.
.
Poetry
Booklet
Name
_______
Planets
By Darcie Elmes
Planets here, planets there
Planets, planets everywhere.
Cold planets orbiting slowly,
Hot planets rotating daily,
Gaseous planets made mostly of atmosphere,
And rocky planets made mostly of core and mantle.
Planets around the sun,
Planets in the universe,
Planets throughout the galaxy,
And planets of the Milky Way.
Planets here, planets there
Planets, planets everywhere.
Planets! Planets! Planets!
Solar System Bugaloo
By Jessica Norquist
I’m an astronomer and I’m here to say,
I study the stars everyday.
Sometimes I use a satellite; sometimes I use a ‘scope,
One day I want to go to Mars, I sure hope.
Asteroids, Meteroids, and Comets too
Doing the astronomer BUGALOO!
The planets revolve and orbit the sun.
Elliptical paths for everyone
Each one is made of rock, ice or gas
And each one has a different mass.
Their travel is predictable, yes it’s true!
Doing the astronomer bugaloo!
The paths that travel around the sun,
Is due to gravitational attraction
Gravity keeps things in their place.
Even with objects out in space.
That’s the Universal Las of Gravity!
Astronomer bugaloo for you and me!
The Family of the Sun
by NASM's Melvin Zisfein and Robert W. Wolfe,
The family of the Sun.
The family of the Sun.
Here are nine planets in
The family of the Sun.
Great Jupiter is big.
We've studied it a lot.
We found that it has 16 moons
And a big red spot.
Mercury is hot.
And Mercury is small.
Mercury has no atmosphere:
It's just a rocky ball.
(Repeat refrain)
(Repeat refrain...
The family of the Sun.)
Venus has thick clouds
That hide what is below.
The air is foul, the ground is hot.
It rotates very "slow."
(Repeat refrain)
We love the Earth, our home.
Its oceans and its trees.
We eat its food; we breathe its air.
So no pollution, please.
(Repeat refrain)
Mars is very red.
It's also dry and cold.
Some day you might visit Mars
If you are really bold.
(Repeat refrain)
Saturn has great rings.
We wondered what they were.
Now we know they're icy rocks
Which we saw as a blur.
The family of the Sun.
The family of the Sun.
Here are two more planets in
The family of the Sun.
Uranus and Neptune
We don't know much about.
Maybe you will study them
And then we'll all find out.
(Repeat refrain)
Pluto's last in line.
It's farthest from the Sun*
It's small and cold and icy too.
To land there won't be fun.
The family of the Sun.
The family of the Sun.
There are nine planets and
Now our journey's done.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
I know what you really are:
Giant ball of glowing gas,
One of billions in a mass!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Oh, how big you really are!
Twinkle, twinkle, giant star,
Larger than the Earth by far!
Since your distance is a lot,
You look like a tiny dot.
Twinkle, twinkle, giant star,
Very bright, yet very far!
Stars are twinkling, everyone,
Some are bigger than the sun!
Just a twinkle in the sky,
Just because you're oh, so high!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Oh, how big you really are!
Solar Sound Off
By Pam Netherton
I just know what I’ve been taught,
The core of the sun is very hot!
Hydrogen atoms bump and fuse
To form helium and energy we use.
Sound off ….. Solar heat
Sound off ….. Solar light
Sound off 1,2,3,4 …. Nuclear Furnance!
Protons pass through the Radiactive Aone,
Transferring heat by contact alone.
The tachocline’s where transfer turns,
To the convective zone where heat then churns.
Sound off ….. Radiation
Sound off ….. Convection
Sound off 1,2,3,4 ….Heat Transfer!
The next layer out is the photosphere.
That’s the layer we see from here.
Finally out through the Chromosphere,
That’s what we call Sun’s atmosphere!
Sound off ….. Solar flare
Sound off ….. Prominence
Sound off 1,2,3,4 ….Flaming Gas!
Sound off ….. Bubbling Gas
Sound off …..5 Layers
Sound off 1,2,3,4 ….Sun’s Structure!
#____
Name_________________
Home School Connection
List everything you know about our solar system. Discuss this
with list with your parent and ask them to list what they know.
Parent
You
#____
Name_________________
Home School Connection
What about space most interests you? Discuss this with your
parents.
Parent
You
#____
Name_________________
Home School Connection
Mae Jemison was a female astronaut who set herself very high
goals. Make two lists with your parent one showing short-term
goals and another showing long-term goals. Discuss with your
parents about what you need to do to accomplish those goals.
Short-term
Long-term
#____
Name_________________
Home School Connection
Draw a picture of the solar system. Make a mnemonic to
remember the order of the planets. See if your parents can
name all of the planets in order.
Parent
You
#____
Name_____________
Home School Connection
Draw a picture representing how gravity works. Discuss gravity
with your parents.
Discussion
Picture
#____
Nombre_________________
Eduque en la Conexión de casa
Liste todo que usted sabe acerca de nuestro sistema solar.
Discuta esto con lista con su padre y pida que ellos listen lo que
ellos saben.
El padre
Usted
#____
Nombre_________________
Eduque en la Conexión de casa
¿Qué tal espacie la mayoría de los intereses usted? Discuta esto
con sus padres.
El padre
Usted
#____
Nombre_________________
Eduque en la Conexión de casa
Mae Jemison era un astronauta femenino que se puso las metas
muy altas. La marca dos listas con su padre una actuación las
metas a corto plazo y otra actuación las metas a largo plazo.
Discuta con sus padres acerca de lo que usted se debe hacer
alcanzar esas metas.
A corto plazo
A largo plazo
#____
Nombre_________________
Eduque en la Conexión de casa
Dibuje un retrato del sistema solar. Haga un mnemotécnico para
recordar la orden de los planetas. Vea si sus padres pueden
denominar todos los planetas en la orden.
Discusión
Retrato
#____
Nombre_________________
Eduque en la Conexión de casa
Dibuje un retrato que representa cómo trabajo de gravedad.
Discuta la gravedad con sus padres.
Discusión
Retrato
Comets, Asteroids, and Meteoroids
Asteroids can be found all over the solar system,
but most orbit the sun in the asteroid belt between Mars
and Jupiter. Asteroids are space rocks that never
formed into a planet. Since they are like tiny planets,
they are sometimes called planetoids. Astronomers have
found more than 20,000 asteroids since 1801, and
continue to find more every year.
Some asteroids are as big as mountains while others
are quite small. Ceres is the largest asteroid, almost 600
miles across. Asteroids can crash into each other. When
they crash into each other they become even smaller
pieces, called meteoroids, which may hit Earth. Even
though asteroids are small, some even have tiny moons!
Comets are dirty, rocky snowballs that orbit the sun.
Whenever they get near the sun, part of their frozen
head defrosts into a dusty gaseous “tail” millions of miles
long. Then the comet appears as a brilliant streak we see
in the sky for weeks or months. The comet always travels
with its tail pointing away from the sun, so sometimes it
looks like the comet is traveling backwards.
Astronomers believe that all comets come from two
places: the Oort Cloud, a huge icy ring around the edge of
our solar system, and the Kuiper Belt, a ring of planet
leftovers inside the Oort Cloud. Comets orbit the sun in
predictable time periods. Short-period comets orbit in
about 200 years, and probably come from the Kuiper
Belt. Long-period comets orbit in more than 200 years
and probably come from the Oort Cloud.
Inner Planets
The nine planets in our solar system are divided into two
groups: inner planets and outer planets. The inner planets are
closest to the sun. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
These planets are also called the terrestrial planets because they
are most similar to Earth.
Mercury is a small planet which is the closest to the Sun. Since
it is between the Sun and Earth, it is often hidden in the Sun’s
glare. The Sun appears nine times larger on Mercury than on
Earth. The Sun covers this planet in deadly radiation. Mercury
is a ball of rock that has craters hills, plains and mountains. The
days and nights on Mercury are long – the time between one
sunrise and the next is 180 Earth days. Mercury is the speed
demon of the Solar System, however, because it takes only 88
days to orbit around the Sun.
Venus is second from the Sun and has an orbit twice as big as
Mercury. Venus is sometimes called the morning or evening star
because it appears just after sunset and before sunrise. With
sunlight reflecting off its dense cloud cover, Venus is brighter than
anything in the sky except for the Sun and moon. Because of its
location between the Sun and Earth, Venus goes through phases as
does our moon. Venus is a hostile place. Its atmosphere is carbon
dioxide. The upper clouds are poisonous sulfuric acid. Its surface
temperature is approximately 900 degrees. The atmosphere alone
would crush you!
Earth, the third planet from the sun, is the largest of the inner
planets. It is the only planet known to have liquid water and to
support life. Earth’s atmosphere absorbs and reflects the right
amount of solar energy to keep the planet at the correct
temperature for living things such as humans to survive. Earth
has one moon. It takes 24 hours to rotate on its axis and 365
days to orbit the sun.
Mars is a small rocky planet with a thin atmosphere. It is the
fourth planet from the sun, and about half the size of Earth. A
year on Mars is nearly twice as long as a year on Earth. It takes
687 Earth days for mars to complete one orbit around the Sun.
Mars is sometimes called the Red Planet because its soil is dark
reddish brown. Mars has two moons and the largest volcano in
the solar system, named Olympus Mons. Dust storms on Mars
last for months and affect the whole planet. Space probes have
found deep valleys and sedimentary rocks, which causes them
to believe that Mars may have had flowing water in the past.
Moons and Rings
Every planet except Mercury and Venus has at least one
natural satellite, called a moon. So far, we have found 72 moons in
our galaxy. Moons have many different sizes and shapes. For
example, our moon, named Luna, is spherical, and about 2400
miles across. Other moons, like the two moons of Mars, are small
(14 miles across) and rocky with irregular shapes. Io, one of
Jupiter’s moons, has active volcanoes. Titan, one of Saturn’s
moons, has a dense atmosphere and glows red. All moons are
made of rock. Moons orbit their planets in the same direction as
the planets’ rotations, except for Triton, a moon of Neptune, that
rotates retrograde, and Charon, Pluto’s moon, which does not orbit.
In addition to moons, each of the gas giant planets has rings,
which are made of bits of dust, ice crystals, and small rocks. Saturn
has 7 rings, Uranus has 11 rings, and Neptune has 4 rings. Saturn’s
rings are 270,000 kilometers across and 6 miles thick. Rings orbit
around their planets much like moons, however scientists have
observed different speed at different parts of the rings. Scientists
believe that rings may have formed when moons collided and
shattered. They are probably temporary.
The Sun
Although the Sun is the largest star within our solar system, it
is an ordinary, medium-sized star that’s much like countless others.
It looks different because it is closer to Earth than any other star.
Our Sun is 93 million miles away from us, which seems far, until
you consider that the next closest star is 25 trillion miles away!
Our Sun is 870,000 miles across. It is large enough to hold
one million Earths. Its surface temperature is 10,000 degrees
Fahrenheit, and its core temperature is 29 million degrees
Fahrenheit. The sun has several layers of gases. The layers don’t
have definite boundaries between them, but instead, each layer
blends into the next. The layer at the center of the Sun is called the
core, which is small compared to the rest of the Sun, but contains
most of the Sun’s mass. The surface of the sun, called the
photosphere, looks grainy, or blotchy, because it has very hot,
bright areas, called granules, surrounded by cooler areas. The
photosphere also has dark spots, called sunspots, and solar flares,
which are bursts of energy.
The Sun is made of hot gases, containing many of the same
materials we find here on the Earth. These materials, called
elements, include hydrogen, helium, calcium, sodium, magnesium,
and iron. The energy that comes from the Sun is the result of
hydrogen being fused into helium.
Our solar system includes everything that orbits around the
sun, including 9 planets, 72 moons, and multitudes of asteroids,
comets, and meteoroids. There are many star systems within the
galaxy.
The core of the Sun is so dense, it takes a million years for light
to make its way to the surface from the core, but it only takes
eight minutes to get from the Sun to the Earth. If the Sun
continues to burn the way it does today, it would run out of
hydrogen in 5 billion years. As it cools, it would get larger and
swallow up Mercury and Venus, and turn Earth into a bubbling,
boiling mass.
The Outer Planets
The nine planets of our solar system are divided into two
groups: inner planets and outer planets. The outer planets are
furthest from the sun. They are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune,
and Pluto. Except for Pluto, these planets are also called the gas
giants because they are composed entirely of gases.
Jupiter, the fifth planet from the sun, is the largest planet in
our solar system. It is the largest planet. You could fit eleven
Earths along its diameter and more than a thousand Earths inside it.
Jupiter is made up of twice as much materials as all the outer
planets put together. Jupiter is so big and bright that you can see it
from Earth without a telescope. Jupiter has at least 16 moons
orbiting around it, as well as one very thin ring. It has a very active
atmosphere that produces energy that causes a huge circular storm,
called the Great Red Spot, which has lasted for more than 300
years. Jupiter makes one rotation in about 10 hours and orbits the
sun in about 12 Earth years.
Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun. It is best known for
the beautiful system of rings that circle the planet. Recently, is
was learned that the circles are made up of ice and rocky grains
that orbit Saturn. Saturn also has at least 18 moons. It rotates in
about 10 hours and orbits the sun in a bit more than 29 Earth years.
Saturn is the second largest planet, but it is very light. So light, in
fact, that it could float on water.
Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun is the last planet you
can see from the earth without a telescope. Uranus is 3 ½ times the
size of Earth. Uranus is giant blue ball of gas and liquid that has at
least 15 moons and faint rings. Uranus lies on its side, unlike other
planets. A day on Uranus would last 10 hours and 45 minutes.
That’s how long it takes to spin around on its axis. However, it
would take 84 Earth years for Uranus to complete one orbit around
the Sun.
Neptune is the eighth planet, and furthest gas giant. It looks
like Uranus because of its greenish color, but it is slightly smaller.
Neptune can only be seen through a telescope. Even then, it is
very difficult to study. It has at least 8 moons and a faint ring, as
well as circular storms. Neptune makes one rotation in about 16
hours, and orbits the sun about 165 Earth years. Not much is
known of this distant planet.
Pluto is the smallest planet and the farthest from the sun. It is
an icy planet so far out in space that it takes 248 Earth years to
orbit the Sun once. . Pluto has one moon half its size. From Pluto,
the sun looks like a very bright star, and very little heat or light
reaches Pluto. Unlike the other outer planets, Pluto is not made of
gas, but instead has a rocky surface that is covered by frozen gases.
It takes about 7 Earth days to rotate, and 249 Earth years to orbit
the sun. Pluto has a strange orbit – the shape of a long, flattened
circle. Sometimes Pluto is closer to the sun than Neptune.
Process Grid
Celestial
Body
Size &
Appearance
Composition
Sun
870,000
miles across
Inner
Planets:
Mercury,
Venus,
Earth, Mars
Mercury is a
ball of rock.
Venus goes
through
phases like
our moon.
Earth is the
largest of the
inner
planets.
Mars is a
small planet
Hot gases,
containing
same
elements as
Earth, such as
hydrogen,
helium,
calcium,
sodium,
magnesium
Earth is only
planet with
liquid water.
Mars may
have had
water in the
past.
Mars and
Mercury are
rocky planets.
Outer
Planets:
Jupiter,
Saturn,
Uranus,
Neptune,
Pluto
Jupiter is the
largest
planet
Saturn 2nd
largest
planet, so
light it could
float on
water.
Uranus is 3
½ times the
size of Earth
, blue, faint
rings
Neptune
smaller than
Uranus –
faint ring
Pluto
smallest
planet
Movement
(Orbit &
Rotation)
All outer
planets
except Pluto
are made of
gas
Pluto is made
of rock and
ice.
Everything
in our solar
system
orbits
around the
sun
Mercury
orbits in 88
days
Venus has
an orbit
twice as big
as Mercury
Earth
rotates in 24
hours and
orbits in
365 days.
A year on
Mars is
twice as
long as on
Earth.
Jupiter
rotates in 10
hours and
orbits in 12
Earth years.
Saturn
rotates in 10
hours and
orbits in 29
Earth years.
Uranus
rotates in 10
hours and
45 minutes
and orbits in
84 Earth
years.
Pluto rotates
in 7 Earth
days and
orbits in
249 Earth
years.
Temperature
&
Atmosphere
10,000 degrees
F on surface
29 million
degrees F at
core
Location
93 million
miles from
Earth
Other
Important
Facts
Largest star
Have
several
layers of
gases.
Center of
the sun is
called the
core.
Mercury has
no atmosphere.
Venus has a
thick
atmosphere
that traps heat
and is made of
carbon
dioxide.
Earth’s
atmosphere
reflects and
absorbs right
amount of heat
for life.
Closest
planets to
the Sun.
Also called
terrestrial
planets
because
they are
more like
Earth.
Mars has
the largest
volcano in
the solar
system.
Jupiter has an
active
atmosphere --huge storm
called Red
Spot, which
has lasted 300
years.
Neptune also
has circular
storms.
Furthest
from the
Sun
Also called
gas giants
because
they are
composed
entirely of
gases.
Moons and
Rings
Comets,
Asteroids,
Meteoroids
Moons are
many
different
shapes and
sizes. Small
moons of
Mars are
only 14
miles across.
Our moon,
Luna, is
2400 miles
across.
Saturn’s
rings are
270,000
kilometers
across and 6
miles thick.
Ceres is
largest
Asteroid –
600 miles
across. Most
are less than
a few miles.
Meteoroids
are broken
up asteroids.
Comets’ tails
can be
millions of
miles long.
Moons are
made of rock.
Rings are
made of dust,
ice crystals,
and small
rocks.
Asteroids and
meteoroids
are rock.
Comets are
dirty, rocky,
snowballs.
Moons orbit
in same
direction as
their planet,
except for
Triton (one
of
Neptune’s
moons),
which orbits
retrograde,
and Charon
(Pluto’s
moon),
which does
not orbit.
Rings orbit
around their
planet.
Some
asteroids
have small
moons!
Comets
travel with
its tail
pointing
away from
the sun
Titan, a moon
of Saturn, has
a dense
atmosphere
and glows red.
Around
every
planet but
Mercury
and
Venus.
72 moons in
our galaxy
No atmosphere
Most
asteroids
orbit
between
Mars and
Jupiter.
Can be as
big as
mountains.