The Solar System: Key Facts

The lesson plan

The lesson plan will center on defining and identifying solar system-related activities, such as providing an overview and explanation of the solar system’s components, including the sun and planets. Defining the planet, classifying the size of the planet, and determining the separation of the planets from the sun are the three activities that should be used. The goals that will be achieved through the aforementioned activities are for the student to be able to name all nine planets, show familiarity with and the capacity to name different planet sizes, and demonstrate and explain revolution and rotation. Students will be divided into five literacy groups to facilitate discussions before and after delivery of a concept.

Activity 1: Classifying the Planet Based on Composition

The activity will be carried out on day one of the training. Charts, chart paper, and markers are some of the materials to be utilized in classifying the planet. Students will be asked to share their previous knowledge on the planets and the solar system, which will be demonstrated by their ability to trace the objects on the chart paper. The instructor will introduce the planets and their respective characteristics, and how they rotate around the orbit such as the earth rotation takes 24 hours while revolution takes 365 and a half days (Bell, 2010). There will be a demonstration of nine balls of different colors to represent different planets while an orange will represent the sun. The instructor will display a chart showing nine planets. Learners will draw a similar chart individually to improve their cognitive ability. Brainstorming will be enhanced where learners will explain why each planet assumes its characteristics such as; why is mercury the hottest? They will use the internet to undertake more research and writes notes on what they have learned. The learners will assemble in their respective literacy groups and compare notes. Also, formulate a song on how to remember all the planets, which is a fifteen minutes activity. Every group will present a song naming all the planets, and the simplest will be learned and practiced by all class members. A model will be illustrated showing the different planet classification. The following Planet classification will be demonstrated and discussed; inferior planets (Mercury, Venus), superior planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto). The instructor will carry out an elaboration on inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), and outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto). Finally, the discussion will be on the gas planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) (Messeri, 2010). After the break, students will form five groups, where each group will discuss the different classifications and redraw the model demonstrating the classifications. Three members of each group will be picked randomly to redraw the model on the board while class members will compare each model with the original model. Students will write down the difference between stars, planets, sun and the moon. After the exercise, there will be a verbal assessment in which different questions will be answered randomly. The problems include; names of all the planets, which is the hottest planet? The largest planet, naming of the terrestrial planets, and naming the number of days the earth takes to revolve around the sun in its orbit.

Activity 2: Classifying Planet Size

The activity will be carried out on day two of the training. In the first 10 minutes, there will be brainstorming exercise requiring the students to share knowledge on the different classification of planets based on sizes. The instructor will display a chart showing different planets and their sizes. Another chart will be distributed for each pair of the student showing the small planets (mercury, earth, Venus, Mars, and Pluto) and giant planets (Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, and Mars (Messeri, 2010). Learners will differentiate the sizes of smaller and larger planets. Smaller planets have a diameter less than 13000 kilometers, while the diameter of giant planets is greater than 48000 kilometers. Students will arrange spherical objects such as the basket ball, tennis ball, baseball, fruits, balloon, glass marble) which are of different sizes representing the nine planets. It will enhance their understanding and motivation to study the chapter. The instructor will design a poster that will make it easier to compare one planet to the other regarding size. Assessment will involve each pair of students will be provided with materials to make and make the poster.

Activity 3: Studying the Distance of the Planet from the Sun

The above activity will be undertaken during the day three of the lesson. Nine students will move to the front, where each will be given an object to hold representing each planet. The learners will form arrange themselves following each other. An object will be placed in-front of the first student (holding mercury) on the line. Students will be asked to name planet closest to the sun. Students will group themselves into five groups. Each group will be provided with nine items representing the solar system and another object representing the sun. They will arrange the objects from the smallest to the largest. The demonstration will help students formulate a conceptual framework of the order of the planets in the universe about their distance to the sun. Learners will further name planets neighboring planet earth. The instructor will elaborate on how planets compare to each other using the model. Students will then work in pairs to research on one of the following areas; the distance of each planet from the sun, the size of the sun, comparison of the size of the sun to other stars. Each concept will be then be discussed in class. After the exercise, an evaluation will be carried out to determine students understanding of the topic, class participation, teamwork skills, and cognitive skills.

References

Bell, E. (2010). 8 Wonders of the Solar System. Scientific American, 302(4), 36-43

Messeri, L. (2010). The Problem with Pluto: Conflicting Cosmologies and the Classification of Planets. Social Studies of Science, 40(2), 187-214