Mr. Adams

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Mr. Adams

• Solar System Unit

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Solar System Unit

• Science
• Grade 2
• Solar System Unit
• The Solar System, the planets, and outer space

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Essential Questions

• How does the solar system affect you, the
  student?
• How does the solar system affect earth?
• How would it affect earth if the sun was smaller
  or bigger?

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Unit Questions

• How are the lengths of a day, a month, and a year
  related to the sun-Earth-moon system?
• Which is larger -- the sun or the moon?
• Which is further away from Earth -- the sun or
  the moon?
• How are the movements of the sun, Earth, and moon
  related to one another?
• Is there life on the moon? Is the moon a ball of
  fiery gases, like the sun?
• Knowing that the sun rises in the east and sets
  in the west, in which direction is Earth
  rotating?
• How are rotating and revolving different?
• How is your life affected by the changing
  seasons?
• How does day and night affect plants, people, and
  other animals?
• What would happen to plant life if the sun were
  closer to Earth?
• What would happen to plant life if the sun were
  farther from Earth?

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Unit Questions

• Does the moon always appear to be the same shape
  in the sky? If not, what shapes have you noticed?
• Does the moon actually change its shape every
  day?
• What animals can you name that are active during
  the daytime? during the nighttime?
• Why does Mercury orbit the sun faster than the
  other planets?
• In what year did astronaut Neil Armstrong take
  the first steps on the moon?
• Why is Mars called the Red Planet?
• Which planet is the largest?
• Which planet is best known for the beautiful
  rings around its middle?
• In what ways are Uranus and Neptune alike? in
  what ways are they different?
• What do scientists know about the planet Pluto?

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Learning Objectives

• The student will be able to identify the  nine
  planets from pictures with 95 accuracy.
• The student will be able to put the planets in
  order on paper with 95 accuracy.
• The student will be able to explain the
  difference between comets and asteroids with 95
  accuracy..
• The students will be able to group the planets
  into solid and gaseous planets with 95 accuracy.
• The students will be able to spell the names of
  all nine planets with 98 accuracy.
• The students will be able to describe the
  rotation of the earth with 90 accuracy.

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Activities

• Students will draw a picture of the solar system
  including the 9 planets and the sun.  They will
  use multiple colors. And on the back of the paper
  they will write their name.
• Students will be split into groups and be
  assigned a planet. Each group will then do
  research to find out specified information about
  their assigned planet. Groups will be required
  to get at least one image of their planet from an
  on-line resource. The information will need to
  be put into either a PowerPoint or word document.

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Activities

• Students will make cards with images of moons and
  the names of the moons so that they can play
  Memory games to match the moons with their names.
• Students will make mobile models of the solar
  system including the sun, the nine planets, and
  the asteroid belt. For extra credit on this
  assignment students can include the moons for
  each planet.