A walk through the solar system

A practice in scientific notation, measurement, and scale distances, this lesson plan integrates mathematics into the science curriculum.

A lesson plan for grade 6 Mathematics and Science

By RhondaS Dausman

Learn more

• The Nine Planets Solar System Tour This website provides a multimedia tour of the solar system, including planets, dwarf planets, and other small bodies.

Related pages

• The problem with parallax: Students will increase their understanding of astronomical measurements by using parallax to measure distances on their school campus. They will also gain an appreciation of the difficulties with such measurements by statistically analyzing the class' results.
• Time - Light and shadow (pre-visit): Students examine the interplay of the earth and the sun by studying shadows. Students construct a sun clock and record shadows several times during a school day in order to use the earth and the sun to measure time.
• Tour of the solar system: Students, in groups, will research, design, and create a PowerPoint presentation on the planets. The class will then take a “tour of the solar system.”

Related topics

• Learn more about astronomy, length, mathematics, measurement, metric system, moons, planets, science, scientific notation, and solar system.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• convert standard measurement into scientific notation.
• create a scale model of the solar system using metric conversions.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 hours

Materials/resources

• metric rulers
• meter sticks
• planetary signs (see web address)
• chalk
• white paper
• colored pencils/markers

Technology resources

The instructor will need to access a few websites to gain the information needed for this activity.

Pre-activities

Students should know how to scale up or down and should also be somewhat familiar with exponential notation.

Prior to having the students go outside, determine the scaled distance from the sun to Pluto (58.9 meters) and locate a place large enough for all students to recreate the model.

Activities

1. Introduce/review scientific notation (see scientific notation worksheet attached).
2. Review the worksheet and discuss relative sizes, distances, and metric measurement.
3. Since metrics are base 10, creating scaled down models are simple. Students use the metric measurement given in standard form and “move the decimal.” For instance, Mercury is 58000000 km from the sun. Venus is 6100000000 km from the sun. The scale would be .58 meters for Mercury and 61 km for Venus.
4. Complete a chart as a class or individually (but check!) of the metric conversion.
5. Students then are assigned roles of planets and moons.
6. Move to an outside location. Starting from the sun, each planet must be located by measuring the distance from the sun. Students stand where their measurement indicates and the “moons” orbit the planets.
7. Once all students are in place, have them note the relative distances.
8. Once completed, bring the students back in and discuss relative distance, placement of the planets, and metric conversions.
9. The next step is to again change the scale, only this time in millimeters. Multiply the scaled distance by 10 — move the decimal one place to the right. On two sheets of white paper placed end to end, measure out the planet locations in millimeters. Point out that because the scale is so small, the planets cannot be drawn in scale, but they should be drawn in relative size.

Assessment

Assess the students’ millimeter scales.

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson coincides with the science lesson on the solar system and planetary bodies. My teammate and I are doing a co-unit where there is no boundary between math and science.