Download The Sun - MsLeeClass

Miss Lee: 8th Gr. Science (12/2/09)
The Sun
AIMS / OBJECTIVES
SWBAT compare the sun to other visible stars.
SWBAT illustrate the comparison of stars in the night sky to the sun
PS1.1b Other stars are like the Sun but are so far away that they look like points of light. Distances between
stars are vast compared to distances within our solar system.
DO NOW: 5 min
1. What is our bathroom policy?
2. Reading the following Joke: When people run around and around in circles we say they are crazy. When
planets do it we say they are orbiting.
3. Write down one thing you learned from yesterday.
MINI-LESSON/MODELLING: 15 min
Students will work in partners doing a jig saw lesson
Procedure for Jig Saw Lesson
1. The teacher will distribute two different readings: 1 and 2 on Astronomy. Note
students who are very strong readers will be given the longer reading (reading
one)
2. You have to read your part and learn the information- You can underline the
important information, highlight the information, take notes etc
3. When you are done you will discuss what you learned with a person with a
different number than you
4. Working together you will answer the questions below. You may use your notes.
You and your partner will turn in one answer sheet. One of you will write and one
of you will read the question/check every answer. You must write your job on the
top of the sheet. Each of you will get the same grade.
5. If you work together well you will do great.
MATERIALS
Book (Glenco)
Reading
excerpts
ACTIVITY: 10 min
Students answer the following questions in partners: One person is the recorder (writes the answer) and one
person is the checker and reader (reads the questions and checks the answer)
On
6.
8
1. Distance versus Size: how does this effect how we view objects? (think of stars)
2. Is the sun bigger than the moon?
3. How big are distances in space?
4. What is the difference between a planet and a star?
5. How big is a light year compared to distances we know?
6. Which statement best explains why the Sun and the Moon appear to be about the same size in the sky?
(1) the Sun and the Moon have the same diameter
(2) The Moon is larger in diameter and farther from Earth than the Sun
(3) The Moon is smaller in diameter and is closer to Earth than the
Sun
(4) The Sun and the Moon are the same distance from Earth
7. What unit would be best to give the distance between the Sun and another star?
(1) mile
(2) centimeter
(3) light year
(4) star mile
8. Why do stars in the night sky look like points of light?
(1) They are very small
(3) They are very far away
(2) They do not have planets
(4) They do not give off much light
9. Energy from the Sun takes the longest to reach which planet?
(1) B
(2) C
(3) D
(4) E
Period 7 and 8: Define Perception, Sun and Light year on your
word strips and hang it on the front board
Period 7 and P8: When done with this activity please read pg 414 and illustrate the size of the sun compared
to other stars. Why does the sun seem so huge to us when in reality it is just an average size star?
HOMEWORK
Write 5 sentences about what you learned today. Finish worksheet
Reading One
When you look up at the sky you notice that some stars seem
brighter than others. Most stars seem like small points of light
because they are very far away but some of these points seem
brighter than others. This is because of two factors; distance and
size. Sometimes the dimmer stars are actually bigger but are just
farther away. A star that is dim can appear bright in the sky if it is
close to Earth and a star that is actually very bright can appear dim
if it is very far away.
Perception also impacts how we view the moon and sun. In the
sky, the moon and sun appear to be the same size but ACTUALLY the
moon is much smaller. The moon is much closer to the Earth than
the sun and therefore it SEEMS that the moon and sun are about the
same size. We perceive the moon and sun to be the same size when
actually the moon is much smaller. The sun is actually a HUGE: It is
about 110 times the size of Earth. The sun is about 400 times the
size of the moon. Stars are always much bigger than planets or
moons.
Reading Two
Because Space is so vast, a special unit of measure is needed to
record distances. Distances between stars and galaxies are
measured in light-years. A light-year is the distance that light travels
in one year. Light travels at 300,000 km/s, or about 9.5 trillion km in
one year. The nearest star to Earth, other than the sun, is Proxima
Centauri. Proxima Centauri is 4.3 light-years away, or about 40
trillion km. It is important to note that all stars and planets are
HUGE they are just LIGHT YEARS away and therefore SEEM small
when we look at them in the sky.
DO NOW
1. What is our bathroom policy?
2. Reading the following Joke: When people run around and around
in circles we say they are crazy. When planets do it we say they are
orbiting.
3. Write down one thing you learned from yesterday:
Partner Worksheet: ASTRONOMY
Names
1. Distance versus Size: How does this effect how we view objects? For
example why do some stars seem dimmer in the night sky when
they are actually bigger?
2. Is the sun bigger than the moon? Give a detailed answer as to why or
why not.
3. How big are distances in space?
4. What is the difference between a planet and a star?
5. How big is a light year compared to distances we know?
6. Which statement best explains why the Sun and the Moon appear
to be about the same size in the sky?
(1) The Sun and the Moon have the same diameter
(2) The Moon is larger in diameter and farther from Earth than the Sun
(3) The Moon is smaller in diameter and is closer to Earth than the Sun
(4) The Sun and the Moon are the same distance from Earth
7. What unit would be best to give the distance between the Sun and
another star?
(1) mile
(2) centimeter
(3) light year
(4) star mile
8. Why do stars in the night sky look like points of light?
(1) They are very small
(2) They do not have planets
(3) They are very far away
(4) They do not give off much light
9. Energy from the Sun takes the longest to reach which planet?
(1) B
(2) C
(3) D
(4) E
10. Period 7 and 8: Define Perception, Sun and Light year below and
then obtain word strips once you have been checked off.
11. Period 7 and P8: When done with this activity please read pg
414 and illustrate the size of the sun compared to other stars in the
box below.
Why does the sun seem so huge to us when in reality it is just an
average size star?