Description

Students use a Website to explore sizes, composition, and characteristics of the planets. They then form a model of the planets orbiting the sun. Students' models demonstrate the planets' different sizes.

Materials

- Markers
- Balloons
- Computers with Internet access
- Index cards
- The Planets Research Sheet (See Attached File)
- Planets Order/Characteristics Chart (See Attached File)
- Orange T-shirt
- Red ribbon (at least 1-inch wide)
- Green ribbon (at least 1-inch wide)
- Tape

Procedures

Background: Students should have prior knowledge of the names of the planets and how to use the Internet. Review the pneumonic device to remember the names of the planets and their locations starting with the one closest to the sun (My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas).

1. Promote class discussion by asking, "Why is it too hot or too cold to live on some planets?"

2. Talk about the sun, the location of the planets, and their movement in space.

3. Model how to navigate the Website (See Web Links) for the students. Gather information about the sun to demonstrate how to find information about our solar system.

4. Send students in their groups to the computers to gather information about the planets from the Website.

5. Students record information on the The Planets Research Sheet. (See Attached File)

6. Next, have each group inflate one balloon for each planet. The size of the balloon should be representative of the size of the planet as compared to the other planets in our solar system. Using markers, have students color the balloons to identify the colors of the planets. Label the name and three characteristics of each planet with an index card. Students should then attach an index card with tape to the balloon planet. A red ribbon is tied on the bottom of the balloon if the planet has a gaseous composition. A green ribbon is tied on the bottom of the ballon if the planet has a rocky composition. Next, have students number the planets on the index cards from smallest to largest (1-9).

7. Take balloon planets outside. Assign each group three planets to represent outside. Pick one student from the class to represent the sun; this student wears an orange T-shirt. Each group has one student use their balloon planet to show the location of their planet in our solar system in relation to the sun (student). Student planets orbit the student sun to represent the orbiting of the planets around the sun. Notice the number of times Mercury goes around as compared to Pluto.

8. Go back inside the classroom. In their groups, students arrange the planets from smallest to largest.

9. Remove the index cards and have students in a group evaluate each other when relabeling the planet balloons with correct labels. Have the groups switch balloon planets and practice relabeling with correct index cards.

10. Following this activity, have students individually complete the Planets Order/Characteristics Chart (See Attached File) to demonstrate knowledge of the differences in sizes and characteristics of each planet.

Extensions

1. Modifications for ESE/ESOL: Give students a word bank to choose names of planets when completing the Planets Order/Characteristics Chart.
2. Have the students make the models out of papier-mch.

Attached Files

The Planets Research Sheet and the Planets Order/Characteristics Chart.     File Extension: pdf