Submitted by Laura Benscoter ECE 8814/01Summer, 2005 GPS Standards S2E2 / Earth Science Students will investigate the position of the planets, and the sun and moon to show patterns throughout the year. S2CS1 / Habits of Mind Students will be aware of the importance or curiosity, honestly, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works. M2N2 / Mathematics / Numbers Students will build fluency with multi-digit addition and subtraction. M2N5 / Mathematics / Numbers Students will represent and interpret quantities and relationships using mathematical expressions including =, Students will represent and interpret quantities and relationships using mathematical expressions including =,

Where in the world do we begin? Let’s start here! Let’s start here! Our class survey revealed your areas of interest.

Put your space suits on…  From Mercury to Pluto – we’ll learn about all nine planets – work with a partner to help fill in the table – visit a website and do some interactive learning – learn a trick to help you remember the order of the planets – learn about gravity from Miss Frizzle and see how much you would weigh on the planet Mars  Space Travel – have you ever wondered what it would be like to step on the Earth’s moon? See for yourself! Lots of Trivia Questions along the way. For example… Do you know what is at the center of our solar system? Here’s a hint….

The Planets Planet Name SolidGas Orbit Time Mercury 88 days Venus Earth 365 days Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto 248 Years

The sun is SO big that almost 1 ½ million Earths could fit inside it! The sun is SO big that almost 1 ½ million Earths could fit inside it! That’s amazing!

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It takes the Earth 365 days to orbit (go around) the sun. We know that as one year. It takes the Earth 365 days to orbit (go around) the sun. We know that as one year. It takes Pluto 248 Earth years to go around the sun just one time! It takes Pluto 248 Earth years to go around the sun just one time!

Sun MercuryVenusMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePluto Now you can remember the order of the planets from the Sun! My - Mercury Very - Venus Excellent - Earth Mother - Mars Just - Jupiter Served - Saturn Us - Uranus Nine – Neptune Pizzas - Pluto Earth Return to quiz page.

Jupiter is known for its giant red spot which is actually a storm on Jupiter’s surface. This huge, swirling storm is bigger than Earth! Jupiter is known for its giant red spot which is actually a storm on Jupiter’s surface. This huge, swirling storm is bigger than Earth!

We all know Miss Frizzle. Let’s read what she has to say about gravity…

 So… If you weigh 85 pounds on Earth… How much do you think you would weigh on planets that have more gravity? What about less gravity?

Here we go… If you weigh 85 pounds on Earth you would weigh… 32 pounds on Mercury 77 pounds on Venus 32 pounds on Mars 215 pounds on Jupiter 91 pounds on Saturn 97 pounds on Neptune 6 pounds on Pluto

If you weighed 85 pounds on earth, how much would you weigh on other planets?

Put your math hat on… 32 pounds on Mercury 77 pounds on Venus 85 pounds on Earth 32 pounds on Mars 215 pounds on Jupiter 91 pounds on Saturn 97 pounds on Neptune 6 pounds on Pluto Insert the correct symbol: = 1.Weight on Mercury ______ weight on Pluto 2.Weight on Mars _____ weight on Mercury 3.Weight on Jupiter _____weight on Saturn 4.Weight on Neptune _____ weight on Saturn Find the sum: Weight on Pluto plus weight on Mercury. Weight on Neptune plus weight on Pluto. Weight on Earth plus weight on Venus.

Can you remember all the planets in order from the sun? Can you remember all the planets in order from the sun? Click above to check your answer. Can you remember all the planets in order from the sun?

Venus and Mercury are the only planets without moons. Saturn has 20 known moons. There are at least 60 moons in the solar system. How many moons does Earth have? Venus and Mercury are the only planets without moons. Saturn has 20 known moons. There are at least 60 moons in the solar system. How many moons does Earth have?

What if you were the very first person to step onto the moon? Can you imagine! Watch this video of Neil Armstrong’s first landing on the moon. This was in How many years ago did this happen? Click on ’56k” under the picture of the astronaut.

We’ve learned so much about the solar system but there is still so much to learn. Let’s think about what we’ve learned and what we want to learn more about in the next couple of weeks.