Title: Voyage: A Journey Through Our Solar System
Author: Jean-Claude D. Diatta
Subject Area(s): Astronomy: The solar system
Grade(s): 4th and 5th grade
Description of Lesson:
In this lesson, it will be critical to make students understand the sun, the moon, and the planets as different
components of our solar system. Also we will study their permanent interaction and consequences on
planet Earth.
Length of Lesson: Two sessions of 50 minutes
Student Objectives:
- Name the planets in our solar system
- Identify planets, the sun, and moon by images and descriptions.
- Describe characteristics of the sun and moon.
- Compare and contrast planets in our solar system.
Materials:
For the teacher
paper and pencils
crayons
index cards
For each group
scissors
colored pencils
For the class
glue
markers
posters on moon and sun
computer access
Procedure:
1. Class begins with a discussion on the planets of our solar system. Students are asked these questions:
 How many planets are in our solar system?
 What are the names of the planets?
 What makes Earth a unique planet compared to the others?
 Read a story about “The Solar System’’. As they listen, they should write some facts about the
planets, the sun, and the moon. Along with the reading, pictures of the different planets are viewed.
 Explain to the students they will use those facts to make games in groups.
2. After the story and viewing of the pictures, have a discussion with the students to make sure that they
pretty much all have the same facts about every planet, but they can be as creative as possible to
have much interesting game later on.
3. Divide the students into groups of four and give each group a set of 10 pieces of construction paper and
a set of 10 index cards.
4. The students in each group will draw the planets, the moon and the sun on their construction paper. On
the back of every paper, they will write the name(s) of the planets, moon or sun. Each group will
write the facts about every planet, moon and sun on an index card.
For example, the Jupiter card may read:
“The fifth planet from the sun. More than twice as massive as all the other planets
combined’’.
At this point, the different groups do not share the information on their index cards with any other group.
(Students will be allowed to finish their work in class or at home as an assignment).
5. To play the game, every group will place its set of cards and the drawings in a random order on the
table. Any student of another group can be picked to find the name of the celestial body and then
match it with the appropriate picture. That student can get help from his/her peers. Every group has
the opportunity to question another group. At the end all the cards and pictures should be matched.
There are no winners or losers, just learners.
6. At the end of the game come back together and discuss some of the difficult facts written on the index
cards to give extra explanations as necessary. Suggest the students play the game during indoor
recess or at home with their family.
Scientific Explanation:
The solar system consists of the Sun; the eight official planets, at least three "dwarf planets", more than
130 satellites of the planets, a large number of small bodies (the comets and asteroids), and the
interplanetary medium. (There are probably also many more planetary satellites that have not yet been
discovered.)
Assessment:
A- Quiz:
1- Earth and _____ are about the same size.
a- Mars
b- Venus
c- Uranus
d- Jupiter
2- How many planets are in our solar system?
a- 6
b- 7
c- 8
d- 9
3- Which is an inner rock planet?
a- Mars
b- Saturn
c- Jupiter
d- Neptune
4- What do all planets revolve around?
a- the earth
b- the sun
c- Earth’s moon
d- Venus
5- Mercury is the farthest planet from the sun.
a- True
b- False
6- Jupiter is the biggest planet.
a- True
b- False
7- What are Saturn’s rings made of?
a- dirt and oil
b- ice and rocks
c- clouds and stars
d-gases and probes
8- What is the sun?
a- a star
b- a moon
c- a planet
d- a space probe
9- What keeps things from falling off the Earth?
a- tape
b- wind
c- storms
d- gravity
10- How long is one year on earth?
a- 12 days
b- 30 days
c- 165 days
d- 365 days
B- Oral Report:
Have each pair present an oral report to the class about its model with a connection to their research.
Students should explain their model. What influenced their choices of color, size, and distance from the
“sun”, etc.? They should also share everything they learned and recorded on their Planet Information
Sheet. This will allow you to assess student understanding of the information. It will also allow other
students in the class to learn about the planets they did not research.
C- Homework
Write a detailed, descriptive essay on the solar system.
Missouri Standards Addressed:
6 - Composition and Structure of the Universe and the Motion of the Objects within It
- 6.1 - The universe has observable properties and structure
- 6.1.A - The Earth, Sun, and Moon are part of a larger system that includes other planets and smaller
celestial bodies.
-6.1. A. a – Observe and identify the Earth is one of several planets within a solar system that orbits the
Sun.
Kansas Standards Addressed:
4 - The student will apply process skills to explore and develop an understanding of the structure of the
Earth system, Earth's history, and Earth in the solar system.
- 4.3 - The student will identify and classify stars, planets, and other solar system components.
4.3.1 - compares and contrasts the characteristics of stars, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.
4.3.2 – models spatial relationships of the earth/moon/sun system to scale
REFERENCES:
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/
18 Octobre 2009