Exploring the solar system
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=165
A lesson plan for Grade 6 Science
About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 6
- Subjects
- science (astronomy, space exploration)
- Provider
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Legal
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The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to earth's moon and the eight other planets in our solar system. Students will learn about the geology, composition and orbits of other planets by planning a trip to another planet. Students likely know some information about the other planets in our solar system as well as earth's moon. In this lesson students will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other eight planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet would be feasible. Students will determine such factors as: what it is like, whether or not it is habitable, and how its orbit affects planning a trip.
The lesson begins with a whole class exercise in which students plan a trip to the moon. In addition to giving students a broader knowledge of the moon, this exercise gives the teacher an opportunity to model the steps that students will take as they work in small groups to research and develop their own proposals.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 6
- Goal 5: The learner will build understanding of the Solar System.
- Objective 5.01: Analyze the components and cycles of the solar system including:
- Sun.
- Planets and moons.
- Asteroids and meteors.
- Comets.
- Phases.
- Seasons.
- Day/year.
- Eclipses.
- Objective 5.02: Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of:
- Size.
- Composition.
- Relative distance from the sun.
- Ability to support life.
- Objective 5.04: Describe space explorations and the understandings gained from them including:
- N.A.S.A.
- Technologies used to explore space.
- Historic timeline.
- Apollo mission to the moon.
- Space Shuttle.
- International Space Station.
- Future goals.
- Objective 5.01: Analyze the components and cycles of the solar system including:
