CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR Movement In Our Sky...CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR Movement In Our Sky (Revised Our Solar System, Discovery Works Kit) Wallingford Public Schools Second Grade Science

Approved by Board of Education – June 16, 2005 Movement in Our Sky

Page 1 of 33

CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR

Movement In Our Sky

(Revised Our Solar System, Discovery Works Kit)

Wallingford Public Schools Second Grade

Science Author(s): Beth Thorpe, Grade 2 Highland; Johanne Cragin Grade 2 Cook Hill; Cindy Len, Grade 2 Cook Hill; Chris Stone Grade 5 Stevens; Jim Heilman, Planetarium Director Sheehan High School, and Sally Dastoli, K-12 Science Resource Teacher


Page 2 of 33

Table of Contents

Unit Design Unit Summary 4 Stage 1: Standards/Goals 4

Stage one identifies the desired results of the unit including the related state science content standards and expected performances, enduring understandings, essential questions, knowledge and skills. What should students understand, know, and be able to do? The knowledge and skills in this section have been extracted from Wallingford’s K-5 Science Scope and Sequence.

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence 8 Stage two identifies the acceptable evidence that students have acquired the understandings, knowledge, and skills identified in stage one. How will we know if students have achieved the desired results and met the content standards? How will we know that students really understand?

Stage 3: Lesson Activities 10 What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be taught, in light of the performance goals in stage one? How will we make learning both engaging and effective, given the goals (stage 1) and needed evidence (stage 2)? Stage 3 helps teachers plan learning experiences that align with stage one and enables students to be successful in stage two. Lesson activities are suggested, however, teachers are encouraged to customize this stage to their own students, maintaining alignment with stages one and two.

Literature Resources 15 These literature resources have been purchased to supplement the kit and are housed in each elementary school library.

Materials List 16 This list identifies the list of materials found in the kit. In many cases, the original kit material list has been modified from the manufacturers list.

Teacher Background Notes 17

These science content background notes were created for teacher use only. We anticipate that these notes will provide you, the teacher, with some useful background information as you facilitate inquiry activities for your students. These notes are not meant to be an overview of the unit, but as background information for you that go beyond the content of this particular unit. These notes should not be replicated for your students;


Page 3 of 33

however, you may share some of the content when appropriate for the developmental level of your students.

Appendixes: A. Observing the Nighttime Moon 24 B. Postcards from the Planets 25

• Teachers Guide and Activities • Postcards • Vacation Poster

C. Relative Size of Planets Cut-Out Templates 29 D. Moon Fun Flip Book 30 Appendix AA: Exploratorium’s Description of Inquiry 32 Appendix BB: Map of IFI Inquiry Structure 33 (3 Phases of Inquiry Diagram)


Page 4 of 33

UNIT SUMMARY

This unit provides a general overview of our solar system. Students begin this unit by investigating the parts of our solar system. Students then focus their investigations on the relationship of the sun, moon, and Earth. Students will observe and describe the apparent movement of the sun across the sky and the resulting shadows that it creates. Students will observe and describe changes in our moon over a given period of time. Students will understand that the sun and moon move in predictable patterns across the sky. Students will learn about all the planets in the solar system and their characteristics.

STAGE 1- STANDARDS/GOALS

What should students understand, know, and be able to do? Stage one identifies the desired results of the unit including the related state science content standards and expected performances, enduring understandings, essential questions, knowledge and skills.

Enduring Understandings Insights learned from exploring generalizations via the essential questions. (Students will understand THAT…)

K-12 enduring understandings are those understandings that should be developed over time, they are not expected to

be mastered over one unit or one year.

Essential Questions

Inquiry used to explore generalizations

Overarching Enduring Understandings: • Science is the method of observation and

investigation used to understand our world. (K-12)

• Inquiry is the integration of process skills, the application of scientific content, and the critical thinking to solve problems.(K-12)

• Energy drives systems and cycles of our universe, solar system, Earth, and life. (K-12)

• An object’s position in the solar system can be described by locating it relative to another object or its background.

Unit Specific Enduring Understandings: • There are many objects in our sky and beyond

(stars, planets, moons, asteroids, etc.) • There are billions of galaxies in the universe

and stars are members of galaxies. • Our sun is a star and it is the center of our

solar system. • The sun appears to follow a path in the sky. • Each planet in our solar system orbits

(revolves) the sun. • The moon orbits (revolves) our planet in our

solar system. • The Earth rotates (spins) on an axis.

• If you could travel into outer space, what

would you see?

• What is a solar system? Describe what the

solar system is made of? How can you

describe these objects?

• Why do we have day and night?

• What causes the moon to change its

appearance each night?

• What moves in our solar system? How do

they move? What doesn’t move in our solar

system?

• What can we learn from investigating our

sky?


Page 5 of 33

Knowledge and Skills What students are expected to know and be able to do

The knowledge and skills in this section have been extracted from Wallingford’s K-5 Science Scope and Sequence.

Knowledge The students will be able to… K1. Identify the main components of our solar system (sun, planets, moons, etc.) K2. Compare and contrast the planets in our solar system. (size, position from sun, general

composition, and moons) K3. Explain the changes in appearance of our moon over time. K4. Describe the apparent movement of the sun. K5. Conclude that the Earth’s movement is the reason for the apparent movement of the sun.

Skills The students will be able to...

S1. Generate investigable and non-investigable questions. S2. Observe and describe commonalities and differences among objects S3. Sort and classify objects based on two observable properties S4. Predict and explain

• Movement of objects in the sky (day and night). S5. Design an investigation to help answer an investigable question S6. Conduct simple investigations S7. Employ simple equipment and measuring tools.

• Scales • Rulers/Number lines/Yard Sticks • Magnifying glasses • Non-standard measuring devises

S8. Generate rules for safe use of materials and equipment. S9. Organize appropriate and accurate measurements and observations using

• Graphic organizers • Illustrations and diagrams • Journaling

S10. Draw conclusions based on data, observations and findings. S11. Communicate results or information in an appropriate manner using

• Presentations • Visuals • Simple reports • Journals

Content Standard(s)

Generalizations about what students should know and be able to do. Content Standards

(CSDE Science Framework 2004) Primary Expected Performances (CSDE Science Framework 2004)

Forces and Motion – What makes objects move


Page 6 of 33

the way they do? 1.1 – The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes gradually over the seasons.

• An object’s position can be described by locating it relative to another object or the background.

• An object’s motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time.

Science and Technology in Society – How do science and technology affect the quality of our lives? 1.4 – The properties of materials and organisms can be described more accurately through the use of standard measuring units.

• Various tools can be used to measure, describe and compare different objects and organisms.

A 10.Describe the changes in the length and

direction of shadows during the day. A 11. Describe the apparent movement of the sun

across the sky during the day. A 17. Estimate, measure and compare the size and

weight of different objects and organism using standard and non-standard measuring tools. (standard tools being rulers or measuring objects that have been standardized, whereas, non-standard measuring tools are using hand size, finger width, etc.)

Scientific Inquiry

A INQ.1 Make observations and ask questions about objects, organisms and the environment.

A INQ.2 Use senses and simple measuring tools to collect data.

A INQ.3 Make predictions based on observed patterns.

Scientific Literacy

A INQ.4 Read, write, listen and speak about observations of the natural world.

A INQ.5 Seek information in books, magazines and pictures.

A INQ.6 Present information in words and drawings.

Scientific Numeracy

A INQ.7 Use standard tools to measure and describe physical properties such as weight, length and temperature.

A INQ.8 Use non-standard measures to estimate and compare the size of objects.

A INQ.9 Count, order and sort objects by their properties.

A INQ.10 Represent information in bar graphs.


Page 7 of 33

Common Misconceptions Children Have By identifying misconceptions early, teachers can design appropriate lessons to address and change student

misconceptions.

• The moon can only be seen in our night sky. • The sky contains countless stars that are only out in the night sky. • Children may believe that the earth receives heat from the sun only on sunny days or only in the

summer. • Children may believe that because the hot sun is so far away, it cannot ever be harmful. • Children may believe that the sun actually moves across the sky as the earth remains still. • Children may believe that the sun and moon always appear completely round. • Children may believe that only one type of energy can exist at a given time. This belief may come

from their own developmental stage -- most second graders are not simultaneous in their thinking. • Children may believe that the Earth is the center of our solar system. • Children may believe that energy resources will never run out.


Page 8 of 33

STAGE 2-DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE How will we know if students have achieved the desired results and met the content standards? How will we know that students really understand? Stage two identifies the acceptable evidence that students have acquired the understandings, knowledge, and skills identified in stage one.

Performance Task(s)

Authentic application in new context to evaluate student achievement of desired results designed according to

GRASPS. (Goal, Role, Audience, Setting Performance, Standards)

Other Evidence Other methods to evaluate student achievement of

desired results.

MOVEMENT OF SUN, MOON AND EARTH Goal: The goal is to create a visual, (model, poster, diagram, diorama, display, skit, etc.) showing movement of the sun, moon, and Earth. Role: You are a student scientist working for a planetarium director. Audience: The target audience is first graders in another town. Situation: He has asked for your help as a “second grade expert”. He needs to teach first graders in another town (because they can’t walk to the planetarium) about the sun, moon, and Earth. Product, Performance and Purpose You need to create a visual that he can take on the road to 1st grades classrooms far away to help him explain movement of the sun, moon, and Earth. You will need to create something that shows how the sun, the moon, and the Earth move in space. Standards & Criteria for Success: You project should…

• Show the Earth • Show movement • Show the sun • Show the moon • Demonstrate and understanding that

the sun, moon, and Earth are in regular and predictable motion.

• Review student journal

1. Record investigations for the sun, moon, and Earth.

2. Observe and write about nighttime/daytime moon.

3. Examine sun’s path 4. Explore shadows created by the sun

or other light sources. 5. Review recordings of findings about

sun. • Classroom discussions about observations • Observation sharing & presenting to class • Teacher observations • Student presentations • Work portfolios/ work folders / class work • Dramatic play (acting out rotation vs.

revolution, movement in the sky, etc) • Assessment center with hands on activities

(cut and paste planets, sun and moon placement in the sky, shadow drawings with the sun)

• Predictions • Graphic organizers • Individual interviews • Comparing and contrasting activities

(Ex. venn diagram of sun and moon, compare / contrast planets)


Page 9 of 33

SHADOWS Goal: Have students imagine a dog/pet out for a walk on a sunny day. The owner is taking pictures of his dog. Predict how these pictures will be different over the day. Predict how the pet’s shadow will change from the morning to the afternoon. Prepare at least two illustrations (am and pm) to show how shadows change from the morning compared to the afternoon. Have the students choose a ‘pet picture/object’ to use as the focal point of their illustrations. Remind the students that their animal/object should always be in the center of the page. Note: The teacher may want to provide the same picture for all students to use. Standards & Criteria for Success: Have students include in their illustrations:

• Time of day • Correct shadow position • Correct position of the sun, relative to

the shadow Teacher Note: This can be modified by providing students with 2-3 different scenarios with shadows drawn. Students will then be asked to identify the time of day based on shadows. Magazine pictures with distinct shadows can be used. Extension: Have students illustrate the ‘noon shadow’


Page 10 of 33

STAGE 3 – LESSON ACTIVITIES What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be taught, in light of the performance goals in stage one? How will we make learning both engaging and effective, given the goals (stage 1) and needed evidence (stage 2)? Stage 3 helps teachers plan learning experiences that align with stage one and enables students to be successful in stage two. Lesson activities are suggested, however, teachers are encouraged to customize these activities, maintaining alignment with stages one and two. Teachers should select lesson activities that will best meet the needs of their students and the unit objectives. Each lesson activity is coded with the corresponding knowledge (K) and/or skill (S) objectives that are found in stage one. You may want to post the essential questions (or some of them) in your classroom to refer back to throughout the unit. ELICIT PRIOR KNOWLEDGE SUGGESTIONS: • KWL • Post an essential question on the board to help tap prior knowledge such as, “If you could

travel into outer space, what would you see?” “Why do we have night and day?” • Provide students with literature books and have students explore these books. Have them

generate questions and things they know. • Provide students with materials (books, models, posters, and charts) to “explore” before

tapping prior knowledge. • Introduce word wall as “coming attractions” without the definitions. • Show students a video or web site that gets students engaged before tapping prior knowledge. OBSERVING THE SUN Students should observe and record the position of the sun in the sky. They will draw in their journals the sun in the sky at 9:00 am, noon, and 3:00pm. Students can also observe and draw sun in sky at 5:30pm for homework. Students will record observations in their science journals. It is helpful if students always visit the same location. They need to use a tree or another object as a reference point when making their drawings. Using their journal observations have students make predictions about the sun’s location in the sky tomorrow at various times. Have students predict where their shadows might be in relation to the sun’s location in the sky. Class may discuss their findings and generate questions for further investigation. This is a great opportunity to explain rotation of the Earth. Students may notice that the sun is always moving to the west or the “right” since we live in the northern hemisphere. Suggested time: three 25 minute lessons in one day (K1, K4,K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S9, S10, S11)

• How does the sun change? • Does the sun really move? How do you know? • Is there a predictable path that the sun follows? If so, can you explain?

DRAWING YOUR SHADOW Students go outside in small groups (2-3). Students should trace their feet and shadow (or the shadow of flag pole or basket ball hoop) on the pavement at various times of the day. They will


Page 11 of 33

draw in their journals the sun, their body, and their shadow at 9:00 am, noon, and 3:00pm. Students can measure their shadows. Students need to reflect on their findings and the changes in their journals. Students should draw the conclusion that shadows change in length and position relative to the student’s position to the sun. Have students predict what their shadow might look like at different times of the day. Assessment idea: Draw the shadow of a ground hog (or another object), on ground hog day, showing the position of the ground hog, the sun, and his shadow. Suggested time: three 25 minute outside lessons with additional reflection and synthesis time inside. Note: A compass is provided in the kit for teachers to use to identify direction. (K1, K4, K5, S1, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11)

• What did your shadow look like? • How did your shadow change? • What caused your shadow to change? • Do you think you can make your shadow change if you don’t move? • Does the sun really move? Explain what you know? • What can we learn from investigating our sun?

EXPLORING SHADOWS INSIDE USING STICK MEN Students will use flashlights, a tri-fold display board, a ‘stick man’ in a clay base, and white paper on the table to explore shadows in the classroom. (Note: The white paper under the stick man will aid in seeing a clearer shadow) Using the inquiry approach, provide time for students to explore different positions and angles of the flashlight to create change in shadows. Encourage students to generate questions. Have students record findings in science journals and pose the question, “What did you discover about shadows?”. Challenge students to explore the following questions

• What can you make shadows do using a flashlight? • In what ways did your shadow change? • How can a shadow become long/short? • Where would you put a flashlight to make an A.M. shadow, noon shadow, and a P.M.

shadow? (Note: you may want to have students attach a piece of string, approx. 18 inches, to the flashlight and hold the string to the table near the stick man. Model the apparent movement of the sun by moving the flashlight in an arc around the stick man.)

• How can you transfer what you learned to shadows outside? • What does this activity teach you about the sun’s path? • What have you learned about shadows that you can apply to understanding about the sun

and where it is at different times of the day? Suggested time: 40-60 minutes (K1,K4,S1,S2,S4,S5,S6,S7,S8,S10,S11) CHANGES IN SHADOWS (enrichment/extension activity) In small groups (2-3) explore your shadow outside on a sunny day.

• Make your shadow disappear. • Put your shadow in front of you, behind you, beside you, under you. • Make your shadow long and short. • Predict where your shadow would be with your eyes closed.

Suggested time: depending how the teacher adapts this activity it could be one lesson or it could


Page 12 of 33

be an investigation that may last for several lessons. See Investigating Objects in the Sky – pg 83-96

• What do you think makes shadows? • What did your shadow look like? • What caused your shadow to change? • What did you do to make your shadow change? • Do you think you can make your shadow change if you don’t move?

DAY AND NIGHT (using the globe) – Teacher Demonstration Place a flashlight (or overhead projector) at least 10 feet away from the small globe and aim it at the middle of the globe. Darken the room. Identify and discuss the ‘day’ and ‘night’ sides of the globe. Demonstrate the rotation of the earth (spin). Observe and discuss how CT moves in and out of the ‘daylight / night’ side. Possible discussion questions:

• One rotation is equal to one day • When CT is entering ‘night’ California is still in ‘daylight’ • When CT is in the middle of ‘night’ what time is it? (midnight) • When CT is in the middle of ‘daylight’ what time is it? (noon) • When CT is just entering ‘daylight’ what is it called? (sunrise) • When CT is just leaving ‘daylight’ what is it called? (sunset) • Pick a country on the opposite side of the globe and compare and contrast with CT.

Have students draw their observations in their science journal. Have students draw a picture of the ‘sun/flashlight’ and Earth to show ‘day’ and ‘night’. Have students respond to, “What is daytime? What is nighttime? Why do we have day and night?” Suggested time: 30 minutes (K1, K4, K5, S1, S2, S4, S10)

• What is daytime? • What is nighttime? • Why do we have day and night?

WHY DOESN’T THE SUN LOOK BIG FROM EARTH? Using a tennis ball, basketball, and students, describe and explain the movement in the solar system. See the big book Our Star, Our Sun for the activity on page 6. (K1, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S10) Suggested time: 20 minutes

• Why does the sun look so small if it is so big? HOW BIG IS THE SUN? Use the 6” globe (Earth) and the 1.5” Styrofoam ball (moon), discuss the relative size of the moon and Earth. Have students predict how big they think the sun should be compared to the size of the Earth and moon. Go outside and estimate a 50 foot diameter. Have students spread out in a circle with a 50 foot diameter. This would be the size of the sun, relative to the size of the Earth and moon. In their science journals, compare and contrast the diameters of the sun, moon and Earth. (K1, K2, Note: the sun is 110 times larger in diameter than the Earth.

• How big is the sun?


Page 13 of 33

PLANET RESEARCH Students will use resources to research the planets characteristics (such as size, composition, position from the sun, number of moons). Students can then share their findings with the class and the teacher can help the class compare and contrast the general characteristics of the planets. Teacher may create a large graphic organizer for students to use when researching. The teacher may want to collaborate with the Library Media Specialist and/or use the internet for research. Suggested time: 45 minutes per planet (K1, K2, S1, S2, S3, S5, S9, S10, S11)

• If you could travel into outer space,, what would you see? • What are the different parts of our solar system? How can you describe them?

You may want to provide guided lessons or mini-lessons that further supports student understanding of the main components of our solar system during their research. Highlight the main components of the solar system through guided lessons during their research. POSTCARDS FROM THE PLANETS Introduce this activity by reading the big book, Postcards From the Planets. Using the information gathered from the planet research and following the concept found in this big book, have students create a postcard from a planet with an illustration. Use a postage stamp and mail home to parents. Pre-made postcards are found in the kit. As an alternative assignment, students could create a ‘vacation poster’ from a planet based on their research. A template is provided in appendix B. Suggested time: 45 minutes (K1, K2, S9, S10, S11) See Appendix B

• What do you want your parents to learn about your planet? • If you were creating a travel brochure, what highlights would you include?

PLANET MODEL Use the provided cutouts of the planets to compare and contrast the relative size and characteristics (color, rings, moons, etc.) of the planets. Students can use the templates as tracers, or the teacher may want to copy them and have the students cut them out. Suggested time: two 45 minute lessons (K1, K2, K5, S1, S2, S3, S5, S9, S10, S11) See Appendix C

• If you could travel into outer space, what would you see? • What are the different parts of our solar system? How can you describe them?

MOON PHASE CALENDAR The following web sites, www.stardate.com and www.nasa.gov track the moon phases according to a specific date. Just type in the date, and a calendar with the moon phases comes up. Chart illustrations of the moon each night over the course of 14 or 28 days. Teachers can also opt to use a digital photo each day. Discuss findings in cooperative learning groups and have students create a visual to present information to class. Suggested visuals:

• An eight page flip-up book. To make, fold a large piece of construction paper in half the


Page 14 of 33

long way. Cut 8 flaps, of even size, on one half of the construction paper. Write the name of the phases on the outside of each flap, illustrate the phase to match inside, and write a sentence on the inside top flap.

• Fold a piece of construction paper into 8 sections. Trace a circle in each section. Draw different phases in each section. Each section should also include the date and the phase name

• See Appendix A Suggested time: 14-28 15 minute days or homework assignment (K1, K3, S1, S2, S4, S5, S6, S9, S10, S11)

• Why does the moon change? • How does the moon changes? • What are some changes in our night sky on a daily basis?

MOON FUN FLIP BOOK (enrichment/extension activity) Using the template found in appendix D, have students color and assemble the phases of the moon to create a flip book. Label the phases of the moon on each page. Suggested time: 15 minutes See Appendix D (K1, K3)

• Why does the moon change? • How does the moon changes? • What are some changes in our night sky on a daily basis?

CONSTELLATIONS (enrichment/extension activity) Using the star swabs and/or star stickers to create some of the well known constellations, such as the big dipper, little dipper including the north star, Orion. Refer to the teacher manuals included in the kit and non-fiction literature resources for additional ideas. A ladle is provided in the kit so that the students have a visual reference of a ‘dipper’. (K1, S2)

• What do we see in our night sky? VISIT SHEEHAN PLANETARIUM A visit to the planetarium at Sheehan High School is an exciting extension to this unit. The program, Our Sky Family, is a taped program that introduces the planets and the concept that our Earth is part of the solar system. The audiotape and program is designed to allow interaction with the audience at the beginning and near the end of the program. The planetarium experience allows for the identification of stars, constellations, and planets that appear in the sky at the time of the program. All this is done within the framework of a story about Mort, a newspaper reporter, coming to interview Jake, a star projector, for a story on the planets for tomorrow’s newspaper. Mort and the students find themselves on a magical trip through the solar system, where the planets, as cartoon personifications, present themselves for the article. Finally, all the planets gather around Father Sun for a brief review and family portrait. Teachers should contact the planetarium director at Sheehan High School for more information. To avoid scheduling conflicts please remember to contact the planetarium director prior to starting your unit.


Page 15 of 33

LITERATURE RESOURCES These literature resources have been purchased to supplement the kit and our housed in each

elementary school library. Earth Science Literature Circle/Guided Reading Sets (6 copies per school) I Am a Star, Jean Marzollo The Sun is Always Shining Somewhere, Alan Fowler Sun Up, Sun Down, Gail Gibbons Me and My Place in Space, John Sweeney The Planets in Our Solar System, Franklin Branley Musicians of the Sun, Gerald Mcdermott The Wonder of Light, Jane Adkins Earth Science Read Alouds (1 copy per school) Shrinking Violet, Cari Best Sun Bread, Elisa Kleven Blast Off, Poems about Space, Lee Hopkins Morning Noon and Night, Jean George The Sun is My Favorite Star, Frank Asch Day Light, Night Light, Branley Franklyn First On The Moon, Rigby I’ll See You When The Moon Is Full, Susi Gregg Fowler Our Star The Sun, McMillian/McGraw Hill (Big Book) Postcards From The Planets, David Drew (Big Book) Looking At The Sky, Discovery Works (Big Poster Book)

Related Materials that May Be Found in Your Library So That’s How the Moon Changes Shape! (Rookie Read-About Science), Allan Fowler Stars Near & Far (Troll First-Start Science), Robin Dexter The Moon Book, Gail Gibbons Stargazers by Gail Gibbons What Makes Day and Night (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science Book), Franklyn M. Branley A Spark in the Dark, Richard Tichnor and Jenny Smith No Moon, No Milk, Chris Babcock Armadillo Ray, John Beifuss Night Songs, Ann Miranda Night, America, Michael Montgomery Me and My Shadow Bear Shadow, Frank Asch Witch Hazel, Alice Schertle Midnight on the Moon, The Magic Tree House #8, Mary Osborne Space, The Magic Tree House Research Guide, Will and Mary Osborne


Page 16 of 33

Materials List Movement in Our Sky – Grade 2

Revised April 2005

Consumable Materials

Reusable Materials

Teaching Materials

30- Postcards on cardstock (15 pages)

10 flashlights 1 Teachers Guide - Investigating Objects in the Sky (BCSC)

1 pkg. silver stars 1 compass 1 Resource Book – Solar System (Frank Schaeffer Publications)

Replacement batteries for flashlights

1 soup ladle 1 Teachers Guide – Looking at the Sky (Discovery Works)

10 Lolli Pop Swabs - Star Shape

6” globe on stand 1 Resource Book- Looking at the Sky (Discovery Works)

1 box clay as a base for stick men

1.5” Styrofoam ball (size of moon compared to 6” globe on stand)

1 Set Small Picture Cards – Looking at the Sky (Discovery Works)

24 -3” Stick men/bending men 1 Resource Book - Stars and Planets (Teacher Created)

6 Tri-fold Display Board (size of kit)

Poster- Our Solar System


Page 17 of 33

Teacher Background Notes

These science content background notes were created for teacher use only. We anticipate that these notes will provide you, the teacher, with some useful background as you facilitate inquiry activities for your students. These notes are not meant to be an overview of the unit, as you will teach it to your students, but as background information for you that go beyond the content of this particular unit. These notes should not be replicated for your students, but you may decide to share some of the content as appropriate for the developmental level of your students.

These content notes have been prepared by Jim Heilman, Planetarium Director and Science Teacher at Sheehan High School.

Why do we have day and night? The reason we have day and night is simply explained by the earth’s rotation. This simple explanation took humans a very long time to recognize. There are numerous alternate explanations as to the cause of day and night recorded in the histories of many ancient civilizations. The Earth is a planet revolving around (orbiting) a star and rotating (spinning on its axis) as it goes. One complete rotation relative to the sun is one day. Unfortunately, mechanical clocks turn twice in representing the time of one day. This is likely a relic of historical misconceptions as to the cause of day and night. It appears to have come from a time not long ago in human history when people believed a day was made up of two distinct entities, the day, ruled by the sun, and the night, ruled by the moon and stars. If we in society used 24-hour clocks, like the military, our understanding of time as related to the earth’s rotation would be more apparent. The length of a day and the conditions that we experience here on earth are unique to the earth. Each and every planet has its own unique day length and conditions.

Planet Length of Day (in Earth days or hours)

Mercury 59 days Venus 243 days Earth 24 hours Mars 24.6 hours Jupiter 9.8 hours Saturn 10.2 hours Uranus 15.5 hours Neptune 15.8 hours Pluto 6.4 days

There are many things we can observe that characterize a day here on earth. The atmosphere of the earth scatters the light of the sun during the day making a blue sky. At sunrise and sunset the


Page 18 of 33

atmosphere serves as a prism, refracting the light of the sun, allowing mainly the red light of the sun to reach us and we see the red glow of sunset and sunrise. The changing appearance of the sky, result from the rotation of the earth bringing us into and out of the rays of the sun. The earth is a giant super heavy spinning ball. It is so big and heavy, and turns so smoothly, no matter how hard you try you just cannot feel it moving. As we ride on the surface of the earth, traveling up to a thousand miles an hour at the equator, although we cannot feel our motion we can see it. What moves in our solar system? How do they move? What doesn’t move in our solar system? --- If one thing in the universe has motion, all things in the universe have motion. The major motions of the planets are inherent from their formation. The solar system is believed to have formed from a gravitationally bound and collapsing cloud of interstellar gas and dust. The original circular, spiraling motion of the globule from which our star and the planets formed derived its motion from the circular motion of the galaxy in the same way the earth’s oceans and atmosphere have gyres and circular moving high and low air pressure systems picked up from the earth’s rotation. As a result of the original circular motion of the globule that formed the solar system, all the planets today still have that original circular motion we define as the planetary orbits. All but two of the planets rotate in the same direction. The reversed motions of Venus and Uranus require special explanations, as they do not follow the ideal rule. All the major motion we see everyday in the sun, moon, planets, and stars is created by the rotation of the earth. The earth rotates once a day. One day is defined as a 360-degree angular rotation and we define that as 24 hours. When we work out the math we can describe the rate of motion we observe as 15 degrees per hour. All the celestial objects we observe appear to move from east to west at a rate of 15 degrees per hour, the rate of the earth’s rotation. Because we see an east to west motion in our sky and recognize the motion observed is caused by the earth’s rotation, we conclude that the rotation of the earth must be from west to east, opposite the apparent motion. Today we are aware that the earth is a planet, spinning on a north/south axis and traveling around the sun in an orbit. At any given moment the appearance of the sun, moon, planets, or stars is controlled by where we are on the earth, how the earth is oriented with respect to the sun and where the earth is in its orbit. Sunset is a time when our location on the earth is just such that we are turning into the earth’s shadow. Midnight is a time when our location is opposite the sun. At midnight when we look into our southern skies what constellations we see depends on what side of the sun we are on. Conversely, at noon, when the sun is due south, it is covering some constellation made invisible by the scattering of intense sunlight in our atmosphere. Six months later the constellation that was covered by the sun is now the constellation we see at midnight and the one that was seen at midnight is now lost in the glare of the sun. If we go out and observe the sunset, within an hour after the sun goes down below the horizon, as twilight fades, the stars gradually become visible. People log ago doing this became aware of the fact that the sun each day was gradually drifting eastward against its daily east to west journey. Night by night the patterns of stars seen above the sunset glow are gradually overcome by the glare of the sun. Eventually these star patterns became known as the constellations or signs of the zodiac. As the star patterns gradually disappeared in the evening


Page 19 of 33

sky, a few weeks later they appeared in the morning sky, rising just before the sun. To the ancients, this was the sun god, Sol to some, Helios to others, riding a sled or a chariot across the heavens. Today we realize the apparent eastward motion of the sun against the background stars is the earth’s westward orbital motion around the sun. Why do we have seasons? The changing pathway of the sun, and its associations to the seasons has been recognized for thousands of years. American Indian folklore tells the story of a great chief whose job was to control the pathway of the sun. When he turned the job over to his four sons he told them they could do whatever the wanted and each would have an equal amount of time dividing the year into its four seasons. The four brothers all had different personalities and each drove the on a different paths, which in turn created seasons on the earth. Famous monuments such as Stonehenge in England or Medicine Wheel in Northern Wyoming testify to human awareness of the link between the movement of the sun in our sky and the seasonal weather that follows it. They may or may not have known the true cause of the apparent motion of the sun, but they were acutely aware of the sun’s movement and what type of weather to expect. They knew when to plant and harvest different types of crops and that there were 365 days in a year. As the earth revolves around the sun in its orbit, it rotates on its axis. At the same time, the axis of rotation is inclined or tilted with respect to the plane of the orbit. The tilt, which remains essentially constant year after year, causes the earth to have one pole tilted towards the sun at one time of a year, or on one side of the orbit, to having that same pole tilted away from the sun a half a year later, when the earth is on the opposite side of its orbit.

The tilt then of the earth causes the northern and southern hemispheres to receive varying amounts of exposure to the energy of the sun during its orbital journey. Our summer is defined as beginning when the sun reaches its highest, most northern point in our sky. Our winter begins when the sun reaches its lowest, most southern point in our sky. Spring and fall mark the position of the sun when it is neither north nor south. On those days the sun is over the equator and we refer to them as equinox days.


Page 20 of 33

Seasonal variations are most pronounced the farther you travel north or south of the equator. Potatoes grow better in Maine than they do in Connecticut because Maine has more daylight than we do during the summer. Indeed if we travel to the Arctic Circle and beyond, we would enter a realm in which there is but one day and one night per year. Just as we in the northern hemisphere move from one season to the next, year after year, people living in the southern also have seasons. Their seasons run opposite to ours. As we move from spring to summer they are moving from fall to winter and so on. It is interesting to note that seasons in the southern hemisphere are significantly diminished relative to the northern hemisphere. This is because of the current distribution of landmasses on the earth. As water heats and cools considerably slower than land and most of the earth’s land masses are in the northern hemisphere, our season are more distinct than the ones in the southern hemisphere. If you could travel into outer space, what would you see and what would you not see? When onboard a commercial airliner at 30,000 plus feet, if you look out a window and up you will notice how dark blue the sky is. That is only about 6 miles up. At that altitude the air pressure is only about one third the air pressure at sea level. Essentially two thirds of the earth’s atmosphere is underneath you. As it is the oxygen and nitrogen in the earth’s atmosphere that scatters the blue light of the sun and causes the blue sky, with very little air above you the is very little scattering of sunlight so you see a much darker blue sky above. Continuing up the sky above would darken to black and the earth below would be brightly luminated with the blue sky reflecting now off the oceans below. Clouds would appear to be painted to the globe covering both oceans and land. The intensity of sunlight would be blinding, and although it is daytime below, all you need to do is block the sunlight, let you eyes adjust to the dark, and all the familiar stars and planets in your line of sight, would not only be visible, they would be brilliant. What is a solar system? Describe what the solar system is made of? How can you describe these objects? A solar system is a gravitationally bound group of planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, gas and dust all revolving around a central star or set/group of stars. Most stars form as pairs/ binary or even groups of stars, with complex planetary orbits. Our solar system has one star, revolving around our star, the sun, are eight original planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto is believed to be an escaped moon of Neptune. Pluto has a moon of its own (Cheron). Beyond Pluto are a few other smaller objects, one of which is about 800 miles across and has been given the name Sedna, an ice goddess.

Planet Relative Distance From Sun

Mercury 0.4 meters Venus 0.7 meters Earth 1.0 meters Mars 1.5 meters Jupiter 5.2 meters Saturn 9.5 meters


Page 21 of 33

Uranus 19.2 meters Neptune 30.1 meters Pluto 39.4 meters

Scale: Earth’s average distance of 93 million miles (149 million km) from the sun = 1 meter

Aside from moons, natural satellites, there are thousands of asteroids revolving around the sun. Most, but not all asteroids, orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter. A few cross the Earth’s orbit. Comets, meteors, gas, and dust also revolve in space around the sun. Of all the objects in our solar system, planets are generally the most significant in mass and size; however the moon Ganymede, of Jupiter is larger than Mercury. The planets themselves are divided into two groups. These two groups are distance and size related. The inner four planets are all small worlds with solid surfaces. They are said to be earth-like and are called the terrestrial planets. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, (Pluto). These inner four planets are all very close to the sun. The other group named for being Jupiter-like are called the Jovian Planets or “Gas Giants”. Beginning with Jupiter at 5 times the distance of the Earth and ending with Neptune, some thirty times the distance of Earth from the sun. Orbiting the Planets are the moons, or natural satellites. Mercury and Venus are to only planets with no moons. The Earth and Pluto have one moon each; Mars has two moons, while all the Jovian planets have many. Earth’s moon can be found approximately 30 earth diameters away from the Earth. Comets are the next major objects in our solar system. They are sometimes described as “dirty snowballs or icebergs”. From a fraction of a mile to 10 or more miles in diameter, comets reside on the outer portions of the solar system. There are two suspected locations from which comets originate. The primary source is the Oort cloud some 100,000 AU’s, or 100,000 times the distance of Earth to the sun. These chunks of icy material are believed to be leftover material from the formation of the solar system. When one of these cometary nuclei gets perturbed by a passing star it can, millions of years later make a close passage around the sun. As the cometary nucleus approaches the sun, the solar warmth causes the icy surface to sublimate forming a gaseous cloud around the nucleus. This is called the coma, and may grow to be tens of thousands, even 100,000 miles in diameter. Moving still closer to the sun, the solar wind, a stream of charged particles blown off the sun, intercept the gasses of the coma and sweep it back, away from the sun, forming the comet tail. That is why the tail of a comet always faces away from the sun, and seldom reveals the direction the come is moving. How big the tail becomes, and how bright the comet gets depends upon the amount of gas in the coma and how close the comet comes to the sun. Some comet tails can grow over 100 million miles long, longer than the distance between the earth and the sun. Some great comets of the past have covered more the half the sky at night. The Earth on at least two occasions has passed directly through the tail of a comet without any devastating effects, however cometary tails are dusty. The dust, sand and other debris, left by all comets, moves in orbits around the sun. When the earth, in its orbit, happens to pass into one of these remnant dust trails we have a meteor shower. Meteors, particularly associated with cometary tails are mostly sand grain size debris particles, remnant of a comet tail. A typical sand grain size particle produces a moderate meteor, while a pea size meteoroid produces a spectacular meteor. A meteoroid the size of a walnut can


Page 22 of 33

produce a meteor with a brilliance rivaling the moon, and if it should explode because of unequal heating as it plows through the atmosphere it is called a bolide. Sometimes object of that size will survive entry and impact the ground. Now it is a meteorite. Wethersfield Connecticut has had two meteorite strikes in recent years. The best place to find meteorites would be the ocean floor. Accessibility is a real issue. The next best place is the Antarctic windswept Ice flats. Just as, there is no source for rocks on most of the ocean floor other than a few rafted on icebergs, there is no source of rocks on the Antarctic ice flats other the meteorites! What causes the moon to change its appearance each night?

The moon is a relatively large reflective ball, reflecting sunlight as it orbits around the earth. Where it is in its orbit with respect to us on earth and the sun determines how much of the moon we see. How much we see determines the shape of what we see and thus the phases. If the moon is close to the sun in our sky we cannot see it because the side of the moon that the sun is shining on is the far side while the near side of the moon facing us is in its own shadow. Between the glare of the sun and the brightness of our blue sky the moon is simply not visible in this position. This is known as the “new moon”. When the moon is on the other side of its orbit, the light of the sun sweeps past the earth and lights up the moon. Now the sunlight is luminating the near side of the moon and we see the whole moon. This is called “full moon”. The orbiting moon thus goes through a cycle of visibility passing from invisibility to full visibility and back to being invisible again. As we watch this cycle beginning with new moon,


Page 23 of 33

we watch the moon grow in visibility (waxing) from a little crescent sliver to first quarter. When the moon is one quarter of the way around the earth, it is 90 degrees to the sun. We see half a luminated disk. We are in fact seeing one quarter of the moon. From first quarter moon the moon continues to increase its lumination in what is called a waxing gibbous phase. When the moon is 180 degrees to the sun, on the opposite side of its orbit we see the “full moon”. After the full moon the moon begins to diminish in size or wanes. It passes through a waning gibbous to third quarter, through the waning crescent phase back to new again What can we learn from investigating our sky? Since the beginnings of the expansion of the human population the investigation of the sky was essential to human progress. The awareness of the relationship between the annual migration of the sun and the lagging seasons and the development of tools to read the sun, and stars, and monitor the seasons was essential to the development of human civilizations. A much higher level of awareness of the celestial motions of the stars and sun was essential for navigation and human adventures across the vast oceans. Today, more than ever we investigate the sky at levels unimagined only decades ago. We are probing the edge of the universe, the beginning of time itself, ultimately seeking to find meaning to our very existence.


Page 24 of 33

Name ______________________________________

Observing the Nighttime Moon Appendix A

Use a pencil to color in the part of the circle that looks like the moon.

Day 1 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 2 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 3 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 4 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 5 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 6 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 7 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 8 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 9 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 10 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 11 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 12 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 13 Day: _______ Date:_______

Day 14 Day: _______ Date:_______


Page 25 of 33

Postcards from the Planets Teacher’s Guide and Activities Black Cockatoo Publishing Design 1988

Appendix B Sharing the book Start with the back cover blurb which gives information about the book. Then discuss the cover picture and titles, and page 1. Page 2 – Read the post card including the date and the address. It helps to establish the postcard’s audience if you start with the address first. Discuss the stamp and the caption at the foot of the postcard. Pages 3-22 – Read each postcard, including the date and the caption. Share the address of the postcard only where a new address appears. Page 23 – Discuss with the children why this page is not a postcard, but another form of communication – the text is a radio message sent from the space bus to Earth. Page 24 – Discuss with the children the different parts of a newspaper front page: news report, headline, picture, caption, banner (the paper’s name), date, and dateline (“Earthport, Monday”). Read the whole page. Page 25 – After sharing this final page, ask the children if this is a postcard. Lead them to a discussion of the differences between a postcard and a letter. Sharing postcards Children bring to school real postcards that they have received or they have bought at the store. Point out some of the print conventions (caption, box for stamp, address lines, etc.) of some of the postcards. Discuss why people write postcards when they are on vacation. Ask children to read a postcard they have received. Writing postcards Children chose a planet to visit. Draw a sample of a “postcard”, showing where the stamp, address, date and message belong. Using the worksheet “postcards”, children write their own postcards to a friend of relative from the chosen planet. They can illustrate their planet on the back of the postcard. Writing: posters Bring some vacation posters into the classroom and discuss their print features: pictures, headings, copy (text), graphics (airline name/symbol), maps of air routes, accommodation prices, and so on. Using the worksheet “vacation poster”, children prepare a poster advertising a package tour (including flights and accommodations) to their chosen planet. Children will need to research the planet in the library. Discuss truth in advertising. Math: writing the date Discuss the different conventions for writing the date as shown in the book. There are others as well, such as July 23rd, 2095 and 7/23/2095


Page 26 of 33

________________________________,

____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

___________________,

___________________

_______________

________________________________,

____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

___________________,

___________________

_______________


Page 27 of 33

Vacation Poster Appendix B

This summer visit Leave Earth on January 2, __________________ arrive at ____________________ on ____________________ You will see Remember to bring your __________________________ Because

Relative Size of Planets Cut-Out Templates Appendix C


Page 28 of 33


Page 29 of 33


Page 30 of 33

Moon Fun Flip Book

Appendix D


Page 31 of 33


Page 32 of 33

I N S T I T U T E · F O R · I N Q U I R Y A DESCRIPTION OF INQUIRY

Appendix AA � �1998 The Exploratorium

At the Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry our work in science education is deeply rooted in the belief that human beings are natural inquirers and that inquiry is at the heart of all learning. The work that we do with educators is designed to give them an opportunity to personally experience the process of learning science through inquiry. Our hope is that this experience will stimulate their thinking about how to create classrooms that are supportive environments for children's inquiry.

Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world, that leads to asking questions and making discoveries in the search for new understandings. Inquiry, as it relates to science education, should mirror as closely as possible the enterprise of doing real science.

The inquiry process is driven by one's own curiosity, wonder, interest or passion to understand an observation or solve a problem.

The process begins when the learner notices something that intrigues, surprises, or stimulates a question—something that is new, or something that may not make sense in relationship to the learner's previous experience or current understanding.

The next step is to take action—through continued observing, raising questions, making predictions, testing hypotheses and creating theories and conceptual models.

The learner must find her or his own pathway through this process. It is rarely a linear progression, but rather more of a back and forth, or cyclical, series of events.

As the process unfolds, more observations and questions emerge, giving occasion for deeper interaction and relationship with the phenomena—and greater potential for further development of understanding.

Along the way, the inquirer collects and records data, makes representations of results and explanations, and draws upon other resources such as books, videos and the expertise or insights of others.

Making meaning from the experience requires reflection, conversations and comparison of findings with others, interpretation of data and observations, and the application of new conceptions to other contexts. All of this serves to help the learner construct new mental frameworks of the world.

Teaching science using the inquiry process requires a fundamental reexamination of the relationship between the teacher and the learner whereby the teacher becomes a facilitator or guide for the learner's own process of discovery and creating understanding of the world.


Page 33 of 33

Map of IFI Inquiry Structure

(3 Phases of Inquiry Diagram) Appendix BB

INQUIRY STARTER raising questions from

observing engaging materials

FOCUSED INVESTIGATION planning and

investigating questions

PROCESS FOR MEANING thinking about and

communicating what you learned

content goal

Documents

CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR Movement In Our Sky...CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR Movement In Our Sky (Revised Our Solar System, Discovery Works Kit) Wallingford Public Schools Second Grade Science