Planet characteristics, part 2
Objectives:
Materials:
Events of Instruction:
Resources:
References:
Objectives:
- Jupiter is fifth from the sun. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is considered a gas giant. Jupiter has no solid surface.
- Saturn is sixth from the sun. Early scientists thought Saturn was the only planet with rings, but we now know that all four gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings.
- Uranus is seventh from the sun. Uranus is a gas giant.
- Neptune is eighth from the sun. Neptune appears blue through telescopes and is a gas giant.
Materials:
- Exit tickets
- Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
- Overhead projector or PowerPoint slides with images of the first four planets
- Equity sticks
- Worksheet
Events of Instruction:
- Review with the class the characteristics of the planets that we learned yesterday. Ask students to get into their small groups, and hand out a sheet of paper to each small group. Instruct the small groups to write two facts about the first four planets, (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars).
- Call on each small group and ask them to stand up and tell the class the facts they remembered from yesterday. Each student will describe a planet to ensure engagement from all students. Have a sheet of paper nearby to write down which students are struggling so that extra help can be provided.
- Next, tell the class that we will be learning more about the second our planets, and will be continuing the activity from yesterday. Tell the class that the first four planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, and then ask a student what the second four planets from the sun are.
- Hand out a blank worksheet with columns that read: planet, distance from the sun, and characteristics. Tell students to fill out this worksheet as we discuss each planet.
- Show a picture of each planet, one by one, on the overhead projector. Ask students what they notice about the planet. Call on students at random.
- Write the objectives for each planet one by one on the board:
- Jupiter: fifth from the sun. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is considered a gas giant. Jupiter has no solid surface.
- Saturn: sixth from the sun. Early scientists thought Saturn was the only planet with rings, but we now know that all four gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings.
- Uranus: seventh from the sun. Uranus is a gas giant.
- Neptune: eighth from the sun. Neptune appears blue through telescopes and is a gas giant.
- Tell the students that they need to fill in their worksheet with these key concepts as we go along. Make your own chart on the board so that students understand what to fill in.
- Assessment: After this activity, hand out exit tickets, just like yesterday. Students will write, on the front of the exit ticket, the two most important things they learned today, and to draw a picture to show this as well. On the back of the exit ticket, students will write one question they have about what they learned today. This activity will serve as the summative assessment.
Resources:
- Worksheet: http://www.neok12.com/quiz/SOLSYS01.htm
- Sample exit ticket: http://www.clker.com/cliparts/m/L/t/P/r/j/larger-exit-ticket.svg
References:
- http://www.neok12.com/quiz/SOLSYS01.htm
- http://www.clker.com/cliparts/m/L/t/P/r/j/larger-exit-ticket.svg