Order of the planets
Objectives:
Materials:
Events of Instruction:
Resources:
References:
Objectives:
- Understand the order of the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
- Identify that Pluto is no longer considered a planet
Materials:
Events of Instruction:
- Teacher will explain to the class that today we will be learning about the order of the planets in the solar system.
- Tell the class to get into their small groups (at the beginning of the year, establish small groups of 3-5 students). Hand out books about the solar system to each small group. Instruct each small group to find two examples in their books of the order of the planets and one interesting fact about the solar system per person in the small group. Tell each small group to present the books they found with the images and explain how the books portray the solar system and the eight planets and for each person to share their facts.
- After the class finishes sharing their facts and books, explain that we will now learn a quick and easy way to remember the order of the planets.
- Instruct students to get out their journals. Explain the mnemonic device: My Very Educated Mother Just Sold Us Newspapers, for Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune. Write this on the board while explaining it.
- Instruct students to write down this quick trick in their journals, and then tell students to come up with their own mnemonic device.
- Use equity sticks to call on students at random to share their mnemonic device with the class. Tell the class to write down ones their classmates come up with in their journals if they like their ideas. Write some of the students' mnemonic devices on the board as well.
- Assessment: Hand out worksheet, which will serve as the summative assessment. Students will order the planets based on the order and image. Students will be given a word bank to aid with spelling (see link below in resources for the worksheet).
Resources:
- Worksheet 3, Label the Solar System: http://bogglesworldesl.com/kids_worksheets/solarsystem.htm
References:
- http://www.neok12.com/quiz/SOLSYS01.htm
- http://bogglesworldesl.com/kids_worksheets/solarsystem.htm