1. 6th grade November 2015

2. Challenge: “In 2003, U.S. astronomer Mike Brown discovered a new object beyond Pluto. Brown thought he had discovered a new planet because the object, which he named Eris (EER-is), is larger than Pluto. The discovery of Eris caused other astronomers to talk about what makes a planet a "planet." The International Astronomical Union is the group of astronomers responsible for naming objects in space. The IAU decided that Pluto and objects like it were not really planets at all because of their size and location in the solar system. The IAU decided that Pluto and objects like it should now be called dwarf planets.
Astronomers continue to study the solar system. They use high-power, ground-based telescopes to discover new objects in space. Ideas about the universe and Earth's place in it keep changing as scientists get new information. This can cause scientists to rethink what they know and how they classify objects. Scientists are still considering what makes an object a planet as they learn more about the most distant objects in the solar system.”
Should Pluto be reclassified as a planet or an astronomical oddball? Make a decision, explain your reasoning and provide at least 2 supporting mathematical and/or scientific evidences. The best explanation will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union for consideration.
Modified from:
Pluto- dwarf planet; Eris- much larger than Pluto; Charon Pluto’s moon and is half the size of Pluto.

3. In Science Class Infer: How are planets classified?
What are the characteristics of each planet?
Distance from sun
Period Rotation
Period of revolution
Diameter
Temperature
Gravity
Composition
What characteristics are used to classified a planet?
Adapted from A Universal Idea by Jeffery Patterson and Brandy J. Merwin, The Science Teacher May 2002, pp

4. Analyzing Data and Planet Classification
Group planets by their characteristics.
Determine which planets share similar characteristics.
Create a classification system for the planets and justify your grouping system.
How could you extend your classification system to other members of our solar system such as moons, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids?
After careful analysis, students
determine that Mercury, Venus,
Earth, and Mars can be grouped together
based on their characteristics.
The students also find that Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are consistently
grouped together.
With this information, students can
see why the planets can be classified as either terrestrial or
Jovian. The first four planets are terrestrial because of
their proximity to Earth and their similarly rocky, metallic
composition. The latter four planets, from Jupiter
through Neptune, are Jovian because of their physical resemblance
to Jupiter.
Concept application
At this point, students have a better understanding on how planets are classified.

5. Set
Set: How far away are the planets from the sun? What is the size of planets in our solar system?
View CT
Compare the relative distance and size of the planets in the Solar System.
Calculate the distance in Astronomical Units.
Create a distance model using a meter stick.

6. Standards
6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations. 6.RP.A.3a Make tables of equivalent ratios relating quantities with whole-number measurements, find missing values in the tables, and plot the pairs of values on the coordinate plane. Use tables to compare ratios. 6.NS.B.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.
SPI Use data to draw conclusions about the major components of the universe.
SPI Explain how the relative distance of objects from the earth affects how they appear.

7. Sun vs. Earth Size Comparing the Size of the Sun to Earth
The diameter of the Sun is 1,392,000 km, while the equatorial diameter of the Earth is 12,756 km. Compared to the Earth the Sun is HUGE.
1. The sun’s diameter is 1,392,000 km. If the sun’s diameter of 1,392,000 km is represented by a 55 cm or 22 inches poster board, determine the following calculations (or find the equivalent ratio):
Moon is 3,476 km= _______________
Earth is 12,756 km= ______________

8. What is
What is diameter?

9. Comparing the Sizes of the Sun, Earth, Moon and Jupiter
The sun’s diameter is 1,392,000 km. If the sun’s diameter of 1,392,000 km is represented by a 55 cm or 22 inches poster board, determine the diameter of the following bodies by finding the equivalent ratio:
Moon is 3,475 km= _______________
Earth is 12,756 km= ______________
Jupiter is 142,984 km= ________________
Key:
Sun 1,392,000 is to 55 cm
______________________________
Moon 3,475 is to _______ cm
Moon is 3,475 km= 0.14 cm of poster board
Earth is 12,756 km= 0.50 cm of poster board
Jupiter is 142,984 km= 5.65 cm of poster board

10. Create a Model of the Sun, Earth, Moon and Jupiter
Use one full boaster board as your sun’s diameter.
Draw a line and label inside of this poster board each of the diameters calculated for the Earth, Moon and Jupiter.
Explain:
How many times bigger is the sun in comparison to:
Earth?
Moon?
Jupiter?
How many times bigger is the sun in comparison to?
Earth? 109 times
Moon? 400 times
Jupiter? 9.7 times

11. Comparing Earth size to other Universe Components
Image:
The diameter of the Sun is 1,392,000 km, while the equatorial diameter of the Earth is 12,756 km. Compared to the Earth the Sun is HUGE.
1. The sun’s diameter is 1,392,000 km. If the sun’s diameter of 1,392,000 km is represented by a 55 cm or 22 inches poster board, determine the following calculations (or find the equivalent ratio):
Moon is 3,476 km= _______________
Earth is 12,756 km= ______________
Jupiter is 143,200 km= ________________
Key:
Sun 1,392,000 is to 55 cm
______________________________
Moon 3,476 is to _______ cm
Moon is 3,476 km= 0.14 cm of poster board
Earth is 12,756 km= 0.50 cm of poster board
Jupiter is 143,200 km= 5.66 cm of poster board

12. Earth as a Frame of Reference

13. Earth Size as a Frame of Reference
Complete the following table by finding the missing data:
Combined data from Science Textbook and
Calculate Proportional Ratio to Earth

14. Rank the universal components from smallest to largest using their equivalent ratio to Earth. -Which components are smaller than Earth? -Which components are larger than Earth?
Universal Component and Proportion to Earth
Ceres
0.07
Charon
0.09
Pluto
0.19
Mercury
0.38
Mars
0.53
Venus
0.95
Earth
1.00
Neptune
3.88
Uranus
4.01
Saturn
9.45
Jupiter
11.21

15. Meter Stick Distance Scale

16. Inches vs. Centimeters Review
SS Central America 1:48 live steam scratch build - Page 5 - RC Groupswww.rcgroups.com700 × 334

17. 1 meter = ?
Gallery For > Printable Meter Stickimgarcade.com1010 × 256
1 meter= 10 decimeters
1 decimeter= 10 centimeters
1 meter = 100 centimeters
1 centimeter= 10 millimeters
1 meter= 1000 millimeters

18. Calculate the Distance from the Sun in Astronomical Units
The distance between the sun and Earth is approximately 150,000,000 kilometers (150 million km) or one Astronomical Unit (AU).
Calculate the distance of all 8 planets and Pluto from the sun using the Astronomical Units.
Data from

19. Steps for Meter Stick Scale:
Use the meter stick scale from 0 to 100 centimeters to place the 8 planets and Pluto.
Place the sun at the 0 centimeters or beginning mark of the meter stick.
Pluto is AU from the sun. If we round this distance to the nearest whole number, Pluto is 40 AU from the sun. Place Pluto at the 100 centimeters mark or end of the meter stick.
Create a distance scale for the reminder planets and place them on the appropriate place.

20. Place the 8 Solar Systems Planets using their equivalent ratio to their distance from the Sun in Astronomical Units (AU)
SUN
PLUTO 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
100

21. How mathematical principles and equivalent ratios help us understand the size of the planets, their location in the Solar System and their distance from the sun? Explain using 1-2 examples.