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Enquiry-‐Based Primary Science Resource: Space Approach: the topic of space is more suited to shorter investigations, experiments and demonstrations This document contains ideas for science investigations (i.e. experiments) rather than demonstrations. The experiments are designed for older children (Year 5 and 6), but could be adapted for younger children. In addition, the experiments can be easily adapted for different ability groups. There are crossover opportunities with many other areas of the curriculum, for example; Area Topic Demonstration & link to space Science & maths
States of matter Properties of the planets (rocky, gaseous) Shapes Orbits of the planets Gravity Effects of gravity on different planets Visible light & the electromagnetic spectrum
Splitting of light by a prism, or a CD, to show colours (astronomers use these to investigate temperature and composition). Differences between bodies that emit light (e.g. the Sun) or reflect light (e.g. the Moon).
Design & technology
Design, engineering solutions Making a satellite, how we investigate the solar system through space missions Making models of the satellites Use the resources provided by ESA regarding Tim Peake’s Principia mission to the ISS (finished summer 2016)
Art and dance
Representation of the solar system
Movement of the planets
History The development of the scientific method
Explore the lives and experiments of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, etc.
Any questions, comments or feedback: [email protected], Dr. J.A. Carter, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester
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Space: Why is it so hot on Venus?
Curriculum points: • Venus experiences a powerful greenhouse effect • This is the most powerful greenhouse effect in the Solar System
• Venus’ atmosphere is mainly made up of water vapour, carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid
• The average temperature on the surface of Venus is 460 °C • Venus spins in the opposite sense to Earth
Equipment: • Transparent jar with lid • 2 small thermometers, that fit completely within the jar • 1 plate • 2 pieces of chocolate • Access to a window sill receiving direct sunlight, or a lamp
The experiment: • Place a thermometer and a piece of chocolate in the jar • Tightly screw the lid on the jar • Place the other thermometer and ice-‐cube/chocolate on a plat
• Place the jar and plate in a window sill in direct sunlight (or use a lamp)
• Monitor the temperature measured by each thermometers • Observe what happens to the ice-‐cube/chocolate
Outcomes and adaptions: • Link to climate change discussions at the Earth • Make a simple graph showing temperature versus time
Lines of enquiry: • What will be the effect of keeping the lid closed on the jar? • How often will readings of the thermometers and observations of the ice-‐cube/chocolate be taken?
• Will the thermometers show different temperatures? • Which is the independent and which is the dependent variable?
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Space: Why is it so hot on Venus?
Schematic and talking points: • If using a lamp, make sure the light source illuminates both thermometers
• The chocolate can be replaced with an ice-‐cube, however, care should be taken so that the ice-‐cube doesn’t come in contact with the thermometer as this will greatly effect the results of the experiement
• Consider how the greenhouse effect compares on Earth
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Space: Why is it cold at the Poles, and why do we have seasons?
Lines of enquiry: • What effect will the tilt of the card have on the spot of light as seen on the card?
• Would we have seasons if the Earth didn’t have a tilt? • Will the spot be bigger or smaller when the card is tilted? • What happens to the spot if you tilt the card even more?
The experiment: • (In advance, if required, dependent on your light source) Make a shield for the light source so that a clear spot of light is seen on a large piece of card held a little way away from the light
• Another person holds the card perpendicularly to the beam of light
• A third person draws a circle around the spot of light as projected onto the card using one of the marker pens
• Get the person holding the card to tilt the card away from the light source
• Draw around the shape of the light as projected on the card using the other coloured marker pen
Equipment: • A table lamp or torch (an easily directed light source) • 2 marker pens of different colours • 1 large piece of card • A football or beach ball • Black card • Sticking tape •
Curriculum points: • The Earth is tilted at 23.5° to the ecliptic plane • Sunlight is spread over a bigger area at the poles than at the equator
• Seasons occur because of the tilt towards or away from the Sun
• Different planets are tilted at different angles to the ecliptic planets, so seasons are different (or don’t exist) on different planets (e.g. Venus has almost no tilt at 177.5° and Uranus is almost side on at 97°)
Outcomes and adaptions: • The tilt of the card could be quantified (i.e. in degrees from vertical), and the results tabulated or presented in a graph
• This experiment could lead to discussions about energy, and energy from the Sun in general
•
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Space: Why is it cold at the Poles, and why do we have seasons?
Schematic and talking points: • Use a beach ball or football to demonstrate how incident sunlight spreads out on different parts of the surface if the ball is tilted
• Consider what would happen to the seasons if the Earth didn’t have a tilt
• Consider what the seasons are like on other planets, and if other planets have seasons at all
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Space: How does the surface gravity differ between the planets?
Curriculum points: • Weight is the effect of the force of gravity on a mass • Weight is therefore different depending on which planet you are standing on (and how far you are from the centre of the planet)
• The planets in the Solar System have very different masses and sizes
Equipment: • A set of pots, with lids, of the same size • Sand or pebbles • Filler, e.g. cotton wool • Weighing scales • Labels to completely cover the pots
The experiment: • (In advance) Put enough sand/pebbles, and filler to stop the heavier weights moving, into each pot in the proportions as given below (relative weight to Earth/example weight):
Mercury: 0.38 / 144 g Venus: 0.91 / 272 g Earth: 1.00 / 300 g Mars: 0.38 / 113 Jupiter: 2.36 / 710 Saturn: 0.92 / 275 Uranus: 0.89 / 267 Neptune 1.12 / 338 Moon: 0.17 / 50
• (In advance): label and wrap each pot so the contents cannot be seen
• Tell the pupils that each pot contains the same amount of stuff (mass), but that they are ‘on’ a different planet or moon
• How can the pupils determine which pot is where?
Lines of enquiry: • What effect will the tilt of the card have on the spot of light as seen on the card?
• The pupils can see if they can identify each pot with each planet
• The pupils will need to weigh each pot and record the weights
• Do the initial predictions for each pot match those made after weighing?
•
Outcomes and adaptions: • Variations on this experiment could see pupils filling the pots themselves to the correct weights.
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Space: How does the surface gravity differ between the planets?
Schematic and talking points: • Use the label here to stick on each pot, and make sure each pot is completely covered so that the sand and cotton filler cannot be seen
• Be sure to hide a small label (e.g. on the inside of the lid) to remember which pot is which
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Space: Additional demonstration possibilities Human solar system model: outside space, children act out being planets and orbit the Sun, the Sun, and comets. This demonstrates the order and distances of the planets (not the relative sizes), plus you could talk about other bodies such as asteroids and comets. Convert the distances in the table below to metres, and get a person to represent each planet (e.g. holding a balloon or sign) to stand at each distance. Children representing comets could come into the solar system at various intervals to demonstrate their sporadic nature, and also how passing through comets’ tails gives us our meteor showers here on Earth. Orbits: movement in ellipses as a physical activity (not circular, but as the Sun is so big, the orbits are very nearly circular) Eclipses: blocking out light, moving around the classroom occulting lamps or other light sources
Solar system body Distance from Sun (AU, relative units) Sun 0 Mercury 0.39 Venus 0.72 Earth 1.00 Mars 1.52 [Asteroid belt] 2.2 – 3.2 Jupiter 5.20 Saturn 9.58 Uranus 19.2 Neptune 30.1 [Kuiper belt, Pluto] 30 -‐ 50
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Comet ice-‐cream: make a ‘dirty snowball’ ice-‐cream, using crushed up biscuits and vanilla ice-‐cream Design your own space mission: after learning about the planets and moons of other planets, set teams of pupils the challenge to design a mission (which planet/moon, cameras to use, features to include on the spacecraft etc. Get some space engineers from the University of Leicester to come in a judge the projects. Light and colours: splitting of visible light by a prism to demonstrate parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, with connections to weather (rainbows), or make a pinhole camera talk about the formation of images Planets with or without a magnetic field: investigate iron filings around magnets
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Space: Additional resources Spot satellites, the International Space Station, and more! http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
Look at pictures of the aurora, atmospheric phenomena, and the state of the Sun: http://spaceweather.com/
Meteor showers: http://earthsky.org/astronomy-‐essentials/earthskys-‐meteor-‐shower-‐guide
Observing the Sun: http://solar-‐center.stanford.edu/observe/
Planeterrella (mini-‐aurora) http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/outreach/planeterrella
University of Leicester Physics and Astronomy public outreach: http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/outreach
European Space Agency Outreach: https://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/
Tim Peake’s mission: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Principia
Scale of the solar system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR5VJo5ifdE
Look out for public lectures or event days: National Space Centre, University of Leicester, etc.
