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Intended for Grade: 1Solar SystemSubject: ScienceDescription: This activity includes an introductory presentation on the SolarSystem, a clay planet modeling activity, an individual solar system art activity, ashort introduction to astronauts, and a solar system role playing activity.Objective: The students will be able to identify and describe characteristicsof each of the nine planets, identify the sun as the center of the solar system,describe the position of each planet in relation to the other planets, model thestructure of the solar system and the individual planets, name the nine planets inorder from the sun, and realize that the planets revolve and rotate at the sametime.State Framework addressed:• Science framework 4(a): Name the nine planets.• Science framework 4(b): Identify the sun as the major source of energy.• Math framework 2(f): Model, name, and follow directions using positionalwords (beside, in front of, behind, inside, outside).National Standard addressed:• Content Standard B, Physical Science- position and motion of objects• Content Standard D, Earth and Space Science- objects in the sky• Content Standard G, History and Nature of Science- science as a humanendeavor• Math Content Standard: GeometryMaterials:• pictures and descriptions of the nine planets• Activity 1: Clay Planetso self-hardening (or oven bake) modeling clayo paper clipsPrepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 1

o string• Activity 2: Solar System Pictureo paint or markerso black construction papero gel pens or metallic markerso glow in the dark starso glue• Activity 3: Solar System Role Playo Yarno Sidewalk chalko Sun and planet pictures (necklaces)• astronaut foodBackground: The scientists that study the solar system are calledastronomers. They study the universe, including the sun, moon, planets, stars, andgalaxies. They also apply their knowledge to solve problems in navigation, spaceflight, and satellite communications, and to develop the instrumentation andtechniques used to observe and collect astronomical data. Astronauts are thescientists that actually fly into outer space. During their space missions, they usethe instruments and techniques designed by the astronomers to collect informationabout our solar system.Our SOLAR SYSTEM is made up of one star (the Sun), nine planets, more than 130moons, and a bunch of comets, asteroids and other space rocks. The nine planetsare Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.Mercury is closest to our Sun. Pluto is the farthest. Remember the order of theplanets like this: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.Planets, asteroids and comets revolve around the Sun. They travel around in ourSun in a flattened circle called an ellipse. It takes the Earth one year to gocompletely around the Sun, or one year to complete a revolution. Mercury goesaround the Sun in only 88 days. It takes Pluto 248 years to make one trip aroundthe Sun.As the earth revolves around the sun, it also rotates around its own axis. Theearth completes one rotation per day. This rotation is why we experience day andnight- during part of the rotation, our portion of the earth is facing away from thesun, so it is dark outside! The earth completes 365 rotations over the course ofone revolution.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 2

Moons orbit planets. Right now, Jupiter has the most moons—58. Mercury andVenus don't have any moons. Earth has one. It is the brightest object in our nightsky. The Sun, of course, is the brightest object in our daytime sky. It lights up themoon, planets, comets and asteroids, too. Without our Sun, there would be no lifeon Earth.The SUN is the biggest, brightest and hottest object in our solar system. It is ourclosest star, and the only star in our solar system. The Sun is way too hot to visit.A person or spacecraft couldn't even get near it. Even if you could get close, thesun’s powerful gravity would make one of your arms weigh as much as your wholebody. It would be impossible to move!Our Sun is a ball of hot, glowing gases. The part we can see is about 11,000°F(6,100°C) and it gets even hotter as you go deeper. The oven in your kitchen onlygets as high as 500°F (260°C). The surface of the Sun boils like a pot of soup! Italso shoots flares of hot gas thousands of miles into space. All of the heat andlight from the sun provides us with plenty of energy!MERCURY is the closest planet to our Sun and is the second smallest planet in oursolar system. If Earth were the size of a baseball, Mercury would be the size of agolf ball. It zips around the Sun every 88 days – faster than any other planet. (Inother words, it takes Earth 365 days to make one revolution, but it only takesMercury 88 days to make one revolution!)Since Mercury is so close to the sun, it is very hot. The temperature on Mercurycan change more than 1,000°F (530°C) between night and day. There is very littleair, or atmosphere, to hold in the heat when the Sun is not shining. The thinatmosphere also means meteors don't burn up, so Mercury is covered with craters.It looks a lot like our moon.VENUS is the second planet from our Sun. It is Earth's closest neighbor – thesecond brightest object in our night sky. Only the moon is brighter. Even though itis so close to Earth, Venus is very mysterious. The surface is hidden beneath hot,poisonous air made up mostly of carbon dioxide. Scientists must use radar to 'see'through Venus' clouds. Venus has no moon and no rings. To get to the surface ofVenus, you would have to pass through clouds of sulfuric acid, hurricane-forcewinds, and lightning.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 3

The temperature on Venus can get up to almost 900°F (482°C). It gets hotter thanMercury because it has such a thick atmosphere. The air is thick and poisonous.Venus' atmosphere is so heavy that it would feel like you were deep in the ocean.Remember how your head feels squeezed at the bottom of a swimming pool? Thatis pressure. On Venus, the pressure is so strong it would crush you. Even toughmetal spacecrafts were smashed after only a few hours on the surface of Venus.Because the planet rotates so sluggishly, a day on Venus lasts longer than it takesto go around the Sun. Imagine if we switched to Venusians clocks on Earth. Aschool day would last four months! Ugh.EARTH: In some ways, Earth is similar to Mercury, Venus, and Mars. They are allhard, rocky planets. All four have meteor impact craters. Like Mars and Venus,Earth has volcanoes, mountains and valleys.But Earth is different in very important ways. Most of our planet is covered withwater. The air is made of nitrogen, oxygen, and a little carbon dioxide - just rightfor us to breathe. Earth is home to people, plants, and animals because it has bothwater and the right kind of atmosphere.Earth has one moon. It is the brightest and most familiar object in the night sky.In many ways, the moon is responsible for making Earth such a great home. Itstabilizes our planet's wobble, which makes the weather nicer!The MOON is covered with craters. Because it has no atmosphere to protect it,space rocks – some as big as mountains – have smashed into it. The moon's surfaceis rocky and covered with dust.The moon's weak gravity means it is easy for people to move around when they areon the moon, even in a heavy spacesuit. It is impossible for people to explore theMoon without a spacesuit because there is no air, and the radiation from the Sun isvery dangerous. It gets very hot and very cold on the moon.MARS is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called the 'Red Planet'because of its red soil. The soil on Mars is red because it contains iron oxide (rust).Mars is one of the brightest objects in the night sky. It has two moons, Phobos andDeimos. The thin air on Mars makes it a dangerous place for humans. It is mostlypoisonous carbon dioxide. You would need a spacesuit to visit Mars too. Mars is aPrepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 4

ocky, dusty, dry planet. The sky would be hazy and red instead of blue like it ishere on earth. Sometimes giant dust storms cover the whole planet!JUPITER is the fifth planet from our Sun. It is the biggest planet in our solarsystem. More than 1,300 Earths could fit inside Jupiter. Jupiter would not be anice place to visit because it is just a giant ball of gas. Any spacecraft - or person -passing through the colorful clouds would be crushed and melted. On Jupiter, thepressure is so strong that it squishes gas into liquid. Jupiter's atmosphere cancrush a metal spaceship like a paper cup.Jupiter's stripes and swirls are cold, windy clouds of ammonia and water. Its GreatRed Spot is a giant storm as wide as three Earths. This storm has lasted hundredsof years. Jupiter's atmosphere is poisonous, composed mostly of hydrogen andhelium. There is also dangerous radiation, and it gets very hot and very cold. Talkabout bad weather!Jupiter has its own 'mini solar system' of 61 moons and three rings, but they arevery hard to see.SATURN is the sixth planet from our Sun and is the second largest planet in thesolar system. Saturn has the most spectacular rings of any planet in the solarsystem. It is often called the “jewel of the solar system” because of its beautifulrings. They are made of billions of small chunks of ice and rock. The chunks can beas small as a grain of sugar or as big as a house.Saturn is a lot like Jupiter. It is made up mostly of gas, including hydrogen, heliumand methane. It doesn't have a solid surface. Saturn has clouds, stripes, andstorms like Jupiter, but they are harder to see. The clouds we see are mostlyyellow and white. A person dropping through the icy clouds would be crushed by thepressure, which is so powerful it squeezes gas into liquid. Even a metal spacecraftwould be smashed! Saturn has at least 31 moons.URANUS (pronounced YOOR un nus) is the seventh planet from our Sun. It is thethird largest planet in our solar system. Uranus is very cold, windy and, like most ofthe other planets, poisonous to humans. It is a gas planet like Jupiter, Saturn, andNeptune. A person or spacecraft diving through Uranus' clouds would be crushedby the pressure.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 5

Seasons on Uranus last more than 20 years because the planet is tilted on its side.Methane gas present on Uranus absorbs red light and reflects the blue-greencolors we see when we look at Uranus through a telescope. Uranus is so far away itis difficult to study. Uranus' 11 rings weren't discovered until 1977 and several ofUranus' 27 known moons were discovered as recently as 2003. There may be moreundiscovered moons out there!NEPTUNE: Most of the time Neptune is the eighth planet from our Sun.Sometimes Pluto's odd orbit brings it closer to the Sun. For the next 230 years orso, all you have to remember is that Neptune is the eighth planet. It takes a longtime for these distant planets to travel around the sun.Neptune is the fourth largest planet in our solar system. About 60 Earths could fitinside it. Neptune may be the windiest planet in the solar system. Winds tearthrough the clouds at more than 1,200 mph (2,000 kph).Neptune gets its blue color from a layer of methane gas above the clouds. Methaneabsorbs red light so only blue colors show up when we look at Neptune. Neptune hasfour rings and 13 known moons. Neptune's largest moon, Triton, gets colder thanPluto.PLUTO: Pluto and its moon – Charon – travel on an odd, slow orbit around the Sun.For 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, it was actually closer to the Sun than Neptune,but it will be more than 230 years before Pluto and Neptune trade places again.There is no air to breathe on Pluto, so you would need a spacesuit to explore. Plutoand Charon are so far away they are difficult to see - even with powerfultelescopes. Even the best pictures are very fuzzy. We can only guess what Pluto'ssurface looks like. It is probably covered with frost. Some areas may be brighterthan snow, while others are very dark.COMETS orbit the Sun like planets. Most comets orbit way out beyond the orbit ofPluto. It can take a comet hundreds or even millions of years to go once around theSun (remember, on Earth it only takes 365 days). A few comets are close enoughfor us to see from Earth. When Earth passes through the tail of a comet, we see ameteor shower.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 6

ASTEROIDS are the biggest space rocks. Asteroids are made up of rock and iron,just like the four planets closest to our Sun. They are different from comets,which are mostly rock and ice and have tails. Asteroids are more like planets andmoons. Scientists often call asteroids minor planets. Most asteroids orbit the Sunbetween Mars and Jupiter. This area is called the asteroid belt. There are millionsof asteroids.As they bang around out there in space, these rocks break into smaller and smallerpieces that sometimes fall to Earth. Most of them burn up in streaks of light.Some asteroids crash into our planet and leave behind meteorites. Sometimes areally big asteroid will leave a giant crater.METEROIDS: Smaller pieces of rock and iron that travel through space are calledmeteoroids. Meteoroids orbit our Sun just like asteroids and planets.When a space rock enters Earth's atmosphere, it becomes a meteor - or shootingstar. The meteor heats up and makes the air around it glow, allowing us to see astreak of light. Most meteors burn up before they make it to the ground on earth.Scientists think up to 10,000 tons of meteors fall on the Earth each day, but mostare no bigger than a speck of dust.A meteor makes it all the way to ground without burning up in the atmosphere iscalled a meteorite. Meteorites range in size from tiny pebbles to boulders.Some planets and moons don't have enough atmosphere to protect them againstmeteor and asteroid impacts. Earth's moon, Mercury, and even Mars are coveredwith round impact craters from these collisions.Procedure:1. Discuss each of the planets, the sun, and the solar system with the students(while showing the picture cards).2. Split the class in half (into teams of 10- 12 students). Half of the class willmold planets out of clay (Activity 1) and the other half will draw a solarsystem picture on black construction paper (Activity 2). Then they willswitch. After these two activities have been completed, the whole class cango outside to do the solar system role play activity (Activity 3).NOTE: These activities can all be done on the same day or they can be spreadout over several days.3. Activity 1: Clay PlanetsPrepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 7

a. Assign each student one of the planets or the sun (or a comet orasteroid if there are more than 10 students).b. Hang the pictures of the planets somewhere where all students cansee them.c. Distribute enough clay to each student to model his or her planetrelatively to scale.d. Have students model their planet with any characteristic properties.e. Place a paper clip in the top of the planet so it can be hung from theceiling when it hardens.f. Allow planets to harden overnight (or take home and bake).g. **At this point the students can switch to Activity 2. The remainderof this activity has to be finished another day, after the planets havedried.h. Have students realistically paint or color their planet with markers.i. Have students come up one at a time and hang their planet in orderfrom the sun. Do not point out who should come up next. Start withthe sun and then ask which planet comes next. Have that studentcome and hang their planet up. Continue until both classroom sets ofthe solar system are hanging.4. Activity 2: Solar System Picturea. Hand out black construction paper, metallic pens or markers, glue, andglow in the dark stars.b. Allow the students to draw one/all of the planets and then colorit/them.c. The glow in the dark stars can be turned into comets and asteroids byadding blazing tails behind them.5. Activity 3: Solar System Role Playa. Before class, print out planet and sun description pages.b. If solar system necklaces are desired for students, tie yarn or stringonto the printouts.c. Have the planet pictures available to review before starting theactivity.d. Have a rather large area designated for the activity, usually outsideworks best.e. Using yarn and sidewalk chalk draw the sun and the orbits for each ofthe planets around the sun, in the correct order: Mercury, Venus,Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 8

f. To draw the orbits, have someone stand in the center (where the sunwill be) and hold one end of the yarn. Then take the other end of theyarn out to the appropriate distance and draw the orbit of the planetMercury by walking in a circle.g. Repeat this process for all nine planets, expanding the size of thecircle (the diameter) by about 4 or 5 feet for each additional orbit.(For the purposes of first graders, it is much easier to use circularorbits and simply place the orbits in the correct order, equally spacedfrom each other).h. Label each orbit with the correct planet name.i. Describe each planet to the students and tell about it’s relation to thesun.j. Explain Rotation and Revolution.k. Take the students to the designated area. The class will most likelyneed to be split in half, unless you have a very small class!l. Give 10 students one planet (or the sun) each and have them stand onthe correct orbit.m. Explain that first they will revolve around the sun. They should walkslowly around the sun (staying on their respective orbits), making onefull revolution before stopping.n. Now explain that they will simulate rotating and revolving around thesun. To do this role play, they should spin slowly while also walkingaround the orbits.o. After they have finished this revolution, have the students stand intheir orbit and take turns describing where they are in relation to theother planets around them. (Ex: Earth is between Venus and Mars).6. At some point amidst these activities, discuss astronauts and astronomers.Talk about what astronauts and astronomers do, who can be astronauts ansastronomers, why there are astronauts and astronomers, etc. Explain thatwe still don’t know everything about space, but astronauts and astronomersare helping us figure it out. End this discussion by allowing students tosample astronaut foods such as freeze-dried strawberries.Evaluation: Students’ individual planet models will demonstrate theirunderstanding of the relative size of each planet and the order and distance fromthe sun. The Students abilities to role play the planets and correctly describetheir planet’s location can also be used for assessment.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 9

Extended Activities:Collect Meteorites!http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/913517663.As.htmlTons of interstellar dust and debris bombard the earth every day. Much of thismaterial formed with the rest of the solar system, around four to five billion yearsago.You’ll need:• A Large piece of white paper or plastic• A Magnifying glass or a microscope - the microscope is better.Pick a sunny day to leave your plastic sheet outdoors. After some time, collect thesheet, roll the sides up, and gently tap all material into the center of the sheet.An alternative to this procedure is to collect dust from areas such as the leavesfrom plants kept indoors or outside, or from window sills. Use a brush to collectthe particulate matter into a small container, and then pour it onto a piece of paperor plastic.Pass a magnet under the material and then gently tilt the paper or plastic to getrid of non-magnetic particles. Your meteorites will be found within the remainingmaterial.Inspect the particles under a magnifying glass or with a microscope. Themicroscope is preferred as the micrometeorites are more readily identified underhigher magnification (10-20X).Inspect the dust, looking for dark spherical particles with a pitted surface. Theseare Micrometeorites!Sources:http://atozteacherstuff.com/go/jump2.cgi?ID=2906http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfmPrepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 10

Prepared by:Ashley PhillipsAlice SanfordNSF NMGK8University of MississippiNovember 2003Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 11

The SunThe sun is the biggest, brightest andhottest object in our Solar System.The sun is our closest star!!Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 12

MercuryMercury is the closest planet to theSun. The surface of Mercury isgray to orange in color. Mercury iscovered with craters!!Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 13

VenusVenus is the second planet awayfrom the sun. Venus is a brownishyellowcolor. Venus is the hottestplanet in our solar system!Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 14

EarthEarth is the planet we live on!Earth is different from all otherplanets because it has liquid wateron its surface and people live on it!!Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 15

MarsMars is the 4 th planet from thesun. It is Earth’s neighbor. Itssurface is very cold and iscovered with craters, volcanoes,and large canyons. Mars isreddish in color.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 16

JupiterJupiter is the largest planet inour Solar System. Jupiter isbroken into bands of white,yellow, red, and brown clouds.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 17

SaturnSaturn is well known for itssystem of three rings. Thesurface of Saturn looks bandedand has a butterscotch color.The rings around Saturn arecomposed of rock and ice.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 18

UranusUranus is covered by a thicklayer of gas and is a blue-greencolor. It is the seventh planetfrom the sun.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 19

NeptuneNeptune is slightly smallerthan Uranus. It looks blueand has large dark blue stormclouds.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 20

PlutoPluto is the most distant planetfrom the Sun. Its surfaceand color are unknown becauseit is so far away!!!Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 21

CometsA comet is made of ice, dust,and gas. A comet does not giveoff any light of its own. Whatseems to be light from the cometis actually a reflection of ourSun's light. Sunlight bounces offthe comet's ice particles.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 22

The Solar SystemOur Solar System is composed ofthe Sun, the nine planets, andmany small objects like cometsand asteroids. All of the planetsrevolve around the Sun.Prepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 23

Our Solar System:Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,Neptune, and Plutohttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/education/nav/ss2.gifPrepared by NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Project 24