OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Table of Contents
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©1995 The Duncan Group, Inc.
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to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher's
guide for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with the video
lesson OUR SOLAR SYSTEM from the Unit of Study JUNIOR
SPACE SCIENTIST. This right is restricted for use with this
Video Lesson or Unit of Study only. Any reproduction or
duplication in whole or in part of this guide for any other
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OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
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from the JUNIOR
SPACE SCIENTIST SERIES
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE
JUNIOR SPACE SCIENTIST SERIES
As a series, JUNIOR SPACE SCIENTIST consists of a Unit
of Study designed for use at the primary grade level (1-4).
There are three Video Lessons in this Unit of Study:
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
RIDING IN THE SKY
VOYAGE TO THE MOON
Each Video Lesson can stand alone without the use of the
other lessons in the series, and a separate teacher's guide
and blackline masters have been prepared for each Video
Lesson.
The purpose of the Unit of Study is to introduce students to
the wonders of our solar system and space exploration and,
at the same time, present the key concepts typically taught
about the universe in the primary grades. Live-action
videos, printed student activities, hands-on projects and
quizzes have been prepared to help students learn about
the space program, travel and exploration in space, gravity,
revolution, rotation, orbits, Earth's moon, and the planets of
our solar system.
A suggested lesson plan and an answer key are provided
in the Suggested Instructional Procedures sectiorn of each
teacher's guide. Specific Student Objectives tie directly to
the video, activities, and projects for each Video Lesson.
MATERIALS IN THE UNIT
Live-Action Video
This Unit of Study contains three videos briefly described
below. These videos can be used in any order. They can
also stand alone as Video Lessons.
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
This video introduces the planets of our solar system
through video taken in space, animation, and
demonstrations. Information about the planets is shared
by comparing characteristics and examining differences
as well as similarities. Terms, such as gravity, orbit,
rotation, stars, and density, are presented. Students should
develop an interest in and a questioning mindset about
our solar system.
RIDING IN THE SKY
Following a brief history of humans' attempt to fly, Robert
H. Goddard is introduced as the inventor of the first liquidfuel rocket. Viewers see and learn how NASA met the
challenges of gravity, orbiting, inertia, and weightlessness.
The following space programs and their major
accomplishments are reviewed: Mercury, Gemini, and
Apollo. The Space Shuttle and its accomplishments are
shown and discussed, including the Hubble Space
Telescope. The challenge of exploring faraway planets and
other galaxies is presented.
VOYAGE TO THE MOON
Through this storyline video, students get a close-up look at
the moon through the eyes of the astronauts who first
explored Earth's closest neighbor in space. Concepts, such
as the phases of the moon and gravity, are explored. A
historical review, beginning with President Kennedy's
historic speech and ending with the astronauts exploring
the lunar surface, is included. The viewers are challenged to
work hard and set goals to explore our solar system and
the galaxies beyond.
Teacher's Guides
Each Video Lesson has a Teacher's Guide prepared to aid
you in utilizing the materials contained within each lesson in
this Unit of Study. In addition to this introductory
information, each guide contains the following: •
Suggested Instructional Procedures with specific
student objectives and the video script for that
particular lesson
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• Activities on blackline masters ready for duplication
• Hands-on projects
• Answer keys
Blackline Masters
The purchase of this program entitles the user to the right to
reproduce or duplicate in whole or in part this Teacher's
Guide and Blackline Masters for the purpose of teaching in
conjunction with the video lesson.
INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
It is suggested that you preview each Video Lesson and
read the related Suggested Instructional Procedures before
involving your students in the lesson activities. In this
way, you will become familiar with the materials and be
better prepared to adapt the program to the needs of your
class.
You will probably find it helpful to follow the lesson
activities in the order in which they are presented in this
Teacher's Guide, but this is not necessary. Although each
lesson tends to build on information presented in the other
Video Lessons, each can still be used independently.
It is also suggested that the video presentation take place
before the entire class and under your direction. The lesson
activities grow out of the content of the video; therefore,
the presentations should be a common experience for all
students.
As you review the Suggested Instructional Procedures in
this Teacher's Guide, you may find it necessary to make
some changes, deletions, or additions to fit the specific
needs of your class. We encourage you to do so, for only
by tailoring this program to your students will they obtain
the instructional benefits afforded by the materials.
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SUGGESTED UNIT ACTIVITIES
Unit Folder
Encourage each student to start a unit folder on Junior
Space Scientist. The students should place all student
activities and project materials in the folder during the
progression of this unit. You may want to evaluate the
students' folders at the end of this unit in terms of
completeness, accuracy, and neatness.
Bulletin Board
It is suggested that you involve the students in preparing a
classroom bulletin board centered around the subject
matter contained in each Video Lesson.
A hallway bulletin board centered around your Unit of
Study can make an excellent class project. Involve small
groups in the design, research, picture search, data
displays, art and display projects.
Thematic/Integrated Approach
The subject matter in each Video Lesson lends itself to a
thematic or integrated approach to teaching. In addition to
earth science/astronomy, history can be incorporated into the
theme of rockets to spacecraft; math into charts, tables, and
distance and size calculations; language arts via written
assignments, reports and presentations; and art through
illustrations, models, displays, and bulletin boards.
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
A Video Lesson from the Junior Space Scientist Series
Viewing Time: 9:30 minutes
SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Teacher Preparation
• Preview the video OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. The script is
included at the end of this lesson.
• Review, select and duplicate the Blackline Masters you
plan to use after reading these Suggested Instructional
Procedures.
• You may find it appropriate to make some changes,
deletions, or additions to fit the specific needs of your
students. We encourage you to do so, for only by
tailoring this program to your students will they obtain
the instructional benefits afforded by the materials.
Video Summary
Students are introduced to the planets of our solar system
through video taken in space, animation, and
demonstrations. Information about the planets is shared
by comparing characteristics and examining differences
as well as similarities. Terms such as gravity, orbit, rotation,
stars, and density are presented. Students should develop an
interest in and a questioning mindset about our solar
system.
Student Objectives
After viewing the video and participating in the' lesson
activities, the students should be able to...
• Name and describe the planets that comprise our solar
system.
• Define gravity, orbit, rotation, and density.
• Describe how planets are different from stars.
• Describe in some detail Earth and its place in our solar
system.
Introducing the Video Lesson
Using pictures, charts, and/or models, briefly describe and
define our solar system. The goal is to develop an interest
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in learning about the planets, stars, and moons in our solar
system.
Did You Know?
Create an interest in the video by pointing out some
interesting facts presented in the video. Ask students to
watch and listen for the following information and any
other interesting facts presented in the video.
Did you know that our planet Earth is always spinning or
rotating as it revolves or orbits the sun? If so, why are we
all not dizzy from the spinning around and around?
Did you know that the planet Mercury is 800 degrees
during the day? That's three times hotter than it takes to
bake a cookie.
Did you know that a force we call gravity keeps us from
falling off the surface of the Earth?
Did you know that Jupiter is a liquid planet?
Did you know that the coldest place in all of our solar
system is the largest moon of Neptune we named Triton?
Did you know that scientists say that space is so huge that
there are more stars out there than there are grains of sand
on all the beaches on all of Earth put together?
Show the video. The viewing time is 9:30 minutes.
Follow-Up Discussion
Following the video presentation, involve the students in a
discussion about what they have just seen and heard.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Which planet is most unusual or interesting in your
opinion and why? Answers will vary.
2. What is our solar system? Planets, moons, and other objects
orbiting a star (sun).
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3. Describe how planets are different than stars. Stars are
large globs of burning gases and give off light, whereas planets
are mostly solid or thick gas and reflect light.
4. Ask the students to give you as many facts as they can
about our planet Earth and its place in the Universe. Make
a list on the chalkboard. Answers may include:
One moon
About 4.6 billion years old
About 8000 miles wide
About the same distance from top to bottom
Reflects light
Surface is about 70% water
24 hours (a day) to complete our rotation
365 days in a year to orbit the sun
Third planet out from the sun
5. Have different students come to the chalkboard and
write down the name of a planet until all nine are listed.
Mercury
Mars
Uranus
Venus
Jupiter
Neptune
Earth
Saturn
Pluto
Follow-Up:
Activities With Answer Keys
1. Distribute Blackline Master 1, Worlds' Records. This is
an information or facts hunt. Students are asked to use
resource materials to identify the correct answer for each
question. The activity sheet may be corrected in class as it
will stimulate a lot of discussion.
Answer Key for Blackline Master 1
1. d
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. d
6. b
7. d
8. b
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9. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune, Pluto
10. SOLID: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Pluto
GAS: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
receive sunlight and solar energy. Dramatic conditions
would result, such as an overheating of one side of our
planet and a freezing of the other side.
5. Distribute Blackline Master 5, the Quiz for this lesson.
2. Distribute Blackline Masters 2 and 3, Planet
Information. Blackline Master 2 is a chart of information
about the planets. Blackline Master 3 contains questions
that require students to read the chart and select
appropriate information.
Answer Key for Blackline Master 3
1. Venus
2. Venus
3. 1,783,000,000 miles
4. 1,690,000,000 miles One billion, six hundred ninety
million miles
5. Jupiter
6. 80,825 miles
7. Mars
8. 3,564,000,000 miles
9. Mercury
10. Pluto
3. Try this activity to demonstrate an understanding of the
terms gravity, orbit, rotation, and density. Ask for
volunteers to demonstrate and explain each term using
drawings, models, photographs, balls, or other materials
available in the classroom or from your resource center.
After appropriate demonstration and discussion, ask each
student to write down each term on a sheet of paper and a
written explanation of each term (you may choose to omit
density).
4. Distribute Blackline Master 4, Day and Night. Review it
as needed with the class and have them answer the "What
If...?" question.
Answer Key for Blackline Master 5
1. Planets, moons, and other objects orbiting a star (sun).
2. 9
3. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and Pluto
4. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
5. Like Earth, Mars has polar ice caps and dead volcanoes.
Mars is different because it has more dust storms, large
white clouds around it, and it is red in color from space,
whereas Earth looks blue.
6. 93,000,000 miles
7. Gravity is the pull toward the center of an object (Earth).
Other responses may include: The force that holds us on
the Earth; Gravity causes objects to have weight.
8. Jupiter
9. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Nepture, Pluto
10. A planet doesn't give off its own light like a star. Planets
are often mostly solid or made up of thick gases and reflect
light.
Projects
1. Work Teams. Have students break up into small groups
and select a planet for each group. Each group should
find out about their planet and determine a way to report to
the class information they feel is interesting. Drawings,
models, and photographs from resource information could
add to the group presentation.
2. Have the students find out about past or planned
voyages to other planets. How long does it take? What
did or will the voyagers take with them?
Answer Key for Blackline Master 4
Answers will vary but should include the idea that if the
Earth did not rotate, only the side facing the sun would
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SCRIPT OF VIDEO NARRATION
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Our world is a big place. This planet that we're on, the
planet Earth, seems to go on forever.
But you know what? Earth is only one small part of
everything that is going on in our solar system. There is a
lot to know about our solar system.
For instance, there are nine planets, some big, some small.
Earth is one of them.
All of our planets revolve, or orbit, around the sun in big
circles. We see the other planets because they reflect the
sun's light.
At the same time the planets orbit the sun they spin, or
rotate, too. If you're wondering why everyone here on
planet Earth doesn't get dizzy, it's because the Earth is SO
large we don't really feel it rotating.
There are also moons that orbit six of the nine planets. Earth
has only one moon, but some of the other planets have
lots of moons!
Let's talk about our own planet. Scientists think that the
Earth is about 4.6 billion years old . It's about 8,000 miles
wide and about that same distance from top to bottom.
70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. You know
that there are 24 hours in a day. That's because it takes the
Earth 24 hours to complete one rotation. Our years are
365 days long—because that's how long it takes the Earth to
orbit once around the sun. Different planets take
different amounts of time to do this. Some planets are so
close to the sun that they get really hot, like Mercury for
instance.
Planet Mercury is closest to the sun. Temperatures during
the day hit 800 degrees! That's three times hotter than it
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takes to bake a cookie. But at night it drops all the way
down to 280 degrees BELOW zero. Yikes! My dad's car
would never start on Mercury.
The land on Mercury looks kind of like the land on our
moon, but it's SO hot the surface is burned to a crisp and
there's no way humans could ever live there.
Because Mercury is the closest to the sun, it orbits around
the sun faster than any other planet. . . in only 88 days.
Remember it takes Earth 365 days to do the same thing.
After Mercury comes Venus. Venus is the second planet
out from the sun. It's surrounded by thick, permanent
clouds, so we can't see its surface. We've learned about
Venus through the space probes.
Temperatures hit almost 900 degrees on Venus and there
seems to be a constant wind of 200 miles per hour. Clouds of
sulfuric acid, crushing pressure, and dark reddish light
from the heavy atmosphere make it a pretty spooky place. I
don't think they'll be building any vacation resorts on
Venus.
The Magellan space probe completed mapping the surface
of Venus in 1994 and found tall mountain ranges, large
volcanoes and channels probably formed by lava.
Earth is next in line from the sun, then Mars. Mars has a
very thin atmosphere and about half the gravity of Earth.
Here's a basic demonstration of gravity in action. I let it
go and the Earth attracts it. Simple!
Gravity is the force that keeps our feet on the ground. It
comes from inside the planet and pulls at everything on
the outside where we are.
Anyway, Mars looks kind of like Earth, but it really isn't. It
has polar ice caps like Antarctica, dust storms, big white
clouds, and lots of dead volcanoes.
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Space probes landed on Mars and discovered the red color
of Mars comes from the iron rocks that make up most of
the planet. Scientists say it kind of looks like Colorado,
Arizona or Nevada, and we can actually see Mars without a
telescope.
JUPITER comes after Mars and has some neat things
about
Jupiter is the largest planet, 11 times bigger than Earth,
and instead of being solid like our ground, scientists think
it's made up mainly of liquid hydrogen and helium gas,
two of the basic elements found in space. That makes
Jupiter a liquid planet! It rotates pretty fast, too . . . once
every ten hours. Jupiter's strong gravity keeps everything
in place while it's going around and around. There's also a
huge storm on Jupiter. They call it the Great Red Spot and
it's been going on for more than 300 years! Even this storm
is bigger than Earth! Another neat thing is that Jupiter
has 17 moons orbiting.
You probably already know about Saturn because of its
rings. There are four planets we know have rings . . .
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Saturn has the
brightest of them all.
When the Voyager space probes actually went close to
Saturn, we discovered that Saturn has over 1.000 rings!
They think the rings are made up of little bits of ice and
rock, which came from one of the moons around Saturn
when it blew up into pieces.
Saturn is the second largest planet and has such low density,
which means the amount of sniff jam-packed into it, that if
you put it into a big enough bucket of water, it would
float! Wow, that would have to be one big bucket!!
Uranus comes after Saturn, and now we're getting pretty
far out there in space. In fact, Uranus is so far from Earth
that it takes a beam of light almost three hours to get there,
and light travels at 186,282 miles per second! That means
it's two billion miles away!
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Uranus was the first planet to be discovered with a
telescope. It's also the third largest planet. And remember
how one revolution around the sun equals one year for
us? It takes Uranus 84 Earth years to do the same thing!
There are five moons around Uranus and two of them are
really big. After Uranus comes Neptune. These two are
really close in size, but because Neptune is so far away
from the sun, it takes twice as long for it to orbit around
the sun.
It seems to have some clouds and a deep blue color. Its
largest moon, Triton, is the coldest place we know of in
our solar system. Its temperatures get down to 456 degrees
below zero! The Voyager 2 spacecraft flew past Neptune
and gathered this information.
And finally there's little old Pluto. It's the coldest planet
because it's the farthest planet from the sun.
There's not much to say because it's so far away we haven't
learned much about it yet. For now we know it has a very
strange orbit around the sun, which takes 248 Earth years. It
has one moon and Pluto appears to be made of ice and
rock.
Now you know a little about all nine planets in our solar
system, and right in the center of it all is our sun.
The sun is really a star, just sitting there burning away,
heating up all the planets around it.
While stars look like solid points of light, they're actually
just globs of burning gases that only look solid from the
Earth. What we see is all of the energy being created inside of
them. Scientists say space is so huge that there are more stars
up there than there are grains of sand on all of the beaches
in the world put together!
The sun is 93 million miles away from us but it only takes
eight minutes for its light to reach us.
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It sure does seem like space is something we're going to
be exploring for a long time yet. We still have a lot more
questions than answers.
NOTES
Scientists and astronomers are always finding out new
things about space, but even so, it is going to take quite a
while before we know it all... kind of like a journey into
the unknown.
I'm going to work hard on my science homework because
someday I'd like to discover a planet... maybe even a
whole new solar system!
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Junior Space Scientist Series
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©1995 United Learning
Junior Space Scientist Series
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©1995 United Learning
Junior Space Scientist Series
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©1995 United Learning
The Earth rotates around its axis once every 24 hours. That means that our planet spins around
one full time in 24 hours. We call this a day.
Light rays can't bend around the planet so only the part facing the sun has daylight.
When you look at the sun during the day, it looks as if the sun is moving and it feels as if the Earth
is standing still. People who lived thousands of years ago thought the Earth was standing still while
everything else moved around it. Now we know that the sun is the center of the solar system and
the Earth moves around the sun.
WHAT IF...
What if the Earth didn't spin or rotate around its axis. How would that make things different on
Earth?
Junior Space Scientist Series
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©1995 United Learning
I. What is a solar system? ______________________________________
2. How many planets are there in our solar system? ____________________
3. Name at least three planets that are made of solid material? ________________
4. Which planets are composed of compressed gases? _____________________
5. Mars looks somewhat like Earth. How is it alike and different? ________________
6. How far is the Earth from the sun? ________________________________
7. Define gravity. ___________________________________________
8. Which planet is the largest in our solar system? ________________________
9. Name the planets of our solar system. ______________________________
10. How is a planet different from a star? _____________________________
Junior Space Scientist Series
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©1995 United Learning