Resources: Class presentation, 9 balls (one for the Sun) and a measuring trundle.
Walking distances activity:
Support Handout (1): A table which contains the distances between the planets - both real and scaled down - to aid the children in the walking activity.
Core Handout (2): As above, with one column of the table left blank so the children can challenge themselves to adjust the distances to scale.
Ordering planets activity:
Support Handout (1): Page 1 includes the 'fact cards' to aid the children in their Mission Assignment and other activities. Page 2 replicates the table of Page 1, but with blank spaces for the children to add their own facts.
Core Handout (2): A space for the children to draw all 8 planets and record 3 interesting facts for each. Note: to challenge themselves, the children may wish to do this on a larger piece of paper so that they can include the correct scaled-down distances between each planet.
Enquiry Approach - Identifying, grouping & classifying
Using observations, data and findings to name, label and organise items in a variety of ways.
Enquiry Skill - Interpreting and communicating results
Using information, results and data to present findings, including oral and written explanations.
This is the first unit which covers the topic of Earth and Space. The unit does, however, reference the force of gravity, so links back to work covered in Year 3 Forces and Magnets.
Rocket Thinking - Teacher Notes: A key question is an open-ended prompt that can facilitate discussion, address misconceptions or give children the opportunity to probe more deeply into a topic. Some of the children may be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about space exploration and some facts about the universe, such as the ordering and names of the plants. They may know that the planets between the Earth and the sun are Mercury and Venus. They may also know what else exists in this space, such as space debris, light and radiation.
The presentation will begin to explore the planets, starting with the Sun and working through the different planets in the solar system.
Ask the children about the things which make the Earth unique: liquid water, breathable air, land features and life. Discuss how there are misconceptions about the Earth being flat - long ago, people were unsure of the shape of the Earth - and that despite not being able to see the curvature with our own eyes, there is a lot of evidence to support the idea that it is spherical.
Ask the children to state which planets they know and their order; then, travel through our Solar System! There are additional facts about each planet at the end of the presentation, should you wish to explore more about the individual planets.
When you head outside to represent the solar system, firstly place a ball for the Sun, then begin to walk using the measuring trundle. Place a ball for Mercury after 3 metres, then continue by placing different balls for each planet.
To be more specific, represent the planets with the following size balls: Sun - gym/medicine ball; Mercury - ping pong; Venus - tennis; Earth - softball/cricket; Mars - golf, Jupiter - basketball; Saturn - netball; Uranus - football; Neptune - volleyball. Explain that there are no balls big enough to be a true representation of Jupiter or Saturn.
Depending on space, you could scale this model down to fit your school field or use a piece of string marked with the distances in the classroom instead.
Career Film: Maddison works as a Nuclear Engineer Degree Apprentice for the Ministry of Defence.
Expert Film: This is Kallan, who works as a Graduate Physicist for the Ministry of Defence. Kallan talks about the solar system and its planets.
Using the key information from the fact cards and the distance information from the outside activity - along with the handout - ask the children to draw the planets of the solar system in order from the Sun and record 3 interesting key features.
Support: Use the handout to label each planet with a fact.
Challenge Task: Using the key information from the fact cards and the distance information, ask the children to draw the planets of the solar system in order from the Sun using a large piece of paper. Record 3 interesting key features. Can the children come up with a way of representing the distances of the planets on an A3 sheet (e.g. 1cm for every 20 million KM)?
Discuss what the children have learnt that they didn’t know before. Review the order of the planets from the Sun.
The solar system is a vast system of celestial objects that includes the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other objects. Here is a brief overview of the solar system and its eight planets:
Mercury: The smallest planet in the solar system, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. It has a rocky, cratered surface and no atmosphere.
Venus: The second planet from the Sun, Venus is similar in size and composition to Earth. However, its thick atmosphere traps heat and makes it the hottest planet in the solar system.
Earth: The third planet from the Sun, Earth is the only planet known to support life. It has a diverse range of environments, including oceans, forests, deserts, and mountains.
Mars: The fourth planet from the Sun, Mars is a rocky planet with a thin atmosphere. It has polar ice caps, mountains, and canyons, and is known as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance.
Jupiter: The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter is a gas giant with a thick atmosphere and strong magnetic field. It has dozens of moons, including the four largest moons known as the Galilean moons.
Saturn: The second-largest planet in the solar system, Saturn is also a gas giant with a system of rings made of ice particles. It has many moons, including Titan, the largest moon in the solar system.
Uranus: The seventh planet from the Sun, Uranus is an ice giant with a tilted axis that causes extreme seasons. It has a system of rings and at least 27 known moons.
Neptune: The eighth planet from the Sun, Neptune is also an ice giant with a system of rings and at least 14 known moons. It has the strongest winds in the solar system and is known for its blue colour.
In addition to these eight planets, the solar system contains many other interesting objects, such as dwarf planets like Pluto, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud. Exploring the solar system and its planets is an ongoing endeavour for astronomers and space exploration programs.
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