Sheree Wheat, Chattanooga Public Schools/Challenger Center
Name of topic: Space
Grade: 3 - 5
Goals: Enable students to acquire scientific knowledge about
our solar system.
Objectives:
Students will use math skills to determine a proportionate scale of
diameters for each planet.
Students will understand the different components of a space shuttle.
Math: Understand using graphic data including charts and tables.
Understand estimation.
Understand metric and U.S. measurement.
To use a calculator to compute numbers to scale.
Science: Understand the composition of the solar system.
Understand similarities and differences of the planets.
Understand size and distances of the planets.
Understand the components of the space shuttle.
Simulate the roles of astronaut on a space mission.
Social Studies: Understand how individual and group members
contribute
to decision making that affects the entire group.
Language Arts: Understand the use of library and referencematerials.
Understand functional writing.
Develop critical land creative thinking skills.
Demonstrate self-expression.
National Science Standard(s):
Content Standard A - K-4: (Science as Inquiry) As a result of activities
in grades K-4, all students should develop:
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understanding about scientific inquiry.
Content Standards B - K-4: (Physical Science) As a result of the activities
in grades K-4, all students should develop and understanding of:
Properties of objects and materials
Position and motion of objects
Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism.
Content Standard D - K-4: (Earth and Space Science) As a result of
their activities in grades K-4, all students should develop an understanding
of:
Objects in the sky.
Content Standard D - 5-8: (Earth and Space Science) As a result of
their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding
of:
Earth in the solar system.
Content Standard A - 5-8: (Science as inquiry) As a result of activities
in grades 5-8, all students should develop:
The abilities of scientific inquiry
Understanding about scientific inquiry.
NationalMathematics Standard(s):
Problem-Solving
Communication
Reasoning
Connections
Estimation
Geometry and Spatial Sense
Measurement
Patterns and Relationships
Statistics and Probability
NationalScience Benchmark(s)
Students should know that like planets and stars, the earth is approximately
spherical in shape. The rotation of the earth on its axis every 24 hours
produces the night-and-day cycle. To people on earth, this turning of the
planet makes it seem as through the sun, moon, planets, and stars are orbiting
the earth once a day.
Students should know that things on earth are pulled toward it by the
earth's gravity.
Students should know that when people care about what is being counted
or measured, it is important for them to say what the units are.
Students should know that mathematics is the study of many kinds of
patterns, including numbers and shapes and operations on them. Sometimes
patterns are studied because they help to explain how the world works or
how to solve practical problems, sometimes because they are interesting
in themselves.
Students should know that mathematical ideas can be represented concretely,
graphically, and symbolically.
Students should know that technology enables scientists and others
to observe things that are too small or too far away to be seen without
them and to study the motion of objects that are moving very rapidly are
hardly moving at all.
Students should know that communicating the different points of view
in a dispute can often help people to find a satisfactory compromise.
Students should know that scale drawings show shapes and compare locations
of things very different in size.
Students should be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole
numbers mentally, on paper, and with a calculator.
TennesseeScience Benchmark(s):
Collecting Data
Analyzing
Explaining
Scale and Model
Organization
Estimation and Computation
Career Goals
Politics
Summary of instruction used to build Knowledge Base:
Integrated Activities:
The Planets:
1. Make scale models of the solar system using radius measurement.
Draw, construct, label and display the planets. Involves research into
the different planets.
2. Make a model of the planets and the sun using diameter. Cut nine
suns and predict how many of each planet would fit on the sun's diameter.
(This can be done with area as well.)
3. Size to scale: Using the given measurements groups of students will
make (draw) each planet . Due to the variation in size that different scales
will produce, the methods for the students to make the planets will vary.
4. Distance to scale: Using the planets from the previous activity,
the students will walk off, measuring the positions in distance of the
planets. If the measurement use was in meters it will not be possible to
walk the distance of all of the planets, giving an opportunity to estimate
the distance of the remainder.
5. Distance to scale using mm. The students will measure the distances
from the sum to each planet using a length of paper such as adding machine
roller tape. Groups of students will work together measuring distances
and labeling. Graph the results. Predict where Planet X might be. Calculate
the distance in time measurements to determine the length of time to travel
to each planet.
6. Distance of the planets from the sun using a hoola hoop. Use a scale
from a previous activity, cutting to length from string. Attach the strings
around a hula hoop The students will hold the string out, showing that
the planets are not lined up in a straight line.
7. Gravity/Weight: Determine the students' weights on each of the planets.
Graph the planets gravity factor. Do "Super Science, Copy Me".
Graph and compare student weight to the planets' gravity factor.
8. Gravity: Determine what keeps planets and satellites in orbit. Use
the activity "The Pull of Gravity."
- Language Connection: Divide the class into eight groups (exclude
Earth) and do or use previous research on the planets. Invent a creature
who could live on that planet, writing a description, drawing a picture
and present to the group with explanations for adaptive features. (This
could be an individual activity.)
- Language connection: Keep a personal or class book of words from
this unit. These can be used as spelling. Make a crossword puzzle at the
end of the unit.
- Music Connection: "The Planets Go Spinning"
- Art connection: Design a travel brochure for a planet.
- Drama connection: Play called "Donna's Cosmic Adventure."
Living in Space
These are activities that will provide background information for decisions
needed for the scenario.
What to take:
1. Size of the shuttle: Measure and any out the areas of the middeck
and payload area. "Living in Space", page 6 and 7, "Exploring
Your Home" page 8.
2. Housing in space. "Student Liftoff" pages 25, 27, 29,
and 31.
What job to apply for:
3. "Join the Team" pages 5 and 6. "Student Liftoff"
pages 35, 37, and 39.
- Language Connections: Divide into groups and have each group to submit
a proposal to NASA.
- Have each student to submit a job application to NASA.
- Brainstorm career types that might be necessary to survive on their
planet.
- Have them to write up their choices, with why they made that choice.
- Keep a journal of the decision making process with their personal
opinions.
- Art Connection: Have groups design and draw Crew Badge.
You are about to embark on a fantastic journey that will take you to
another planet. Your class has received a proposal from NASA to man a very
special mission establishing a space base on another planet. The year is
2061. The United States will work jointly with Japan, France, Canada, and
Russia. You have also been asked to select professionals to go with you.
These people will undergo rigorous NASA astronaut training.
Your spacecraft is a converted space shuttle capable of traveling up
to 10 years, thanks to new fuel innovations. One half of the payload area
will be taken up with your biosphere along with the equipment to make the
needed water and air for your survival on the planet. The other half of
the payload area will be used for all of the supplies needed to start a
new life. Each person may take two personal books and two personal items
from home.
You will be responsible for a job on this mission. You will need to
apply to NASA for the job you feel qualified to do, and they will make
the final assignments. You have two weeks to submit your final plans to
NASA, including planet selection, supply list, selection of community workers
and your job application.
GOOD LUCK!
Assessment for Performance Assessment Task:
Criterion A
NASA's approval of the students' choices of their planet using the
data collected in the study of the planets.
1. Reasonable time and distance to the planet.
2. Choice of planet by surface and atmospheric conditions.
3. Submission of data gathered (graphs,etc.)
4. Written report to NASA.
Criterion B
NASA's approval of supply list and selection of community workers,
based on your research showing responsible decision making.
1. Reasonable selection of supplies. Are there enough appropriate supplies
to survive on the planet?
2. Reasonable selection of community workers. Are their skills appropriate
to help you survive during your stay?
Criterion C
Job Application
1. Expressing yourself clearly to NASA, describing your qualifications,
interest, and how they apply to the job you wish to apply for.
Criterion D
Group Communication.
1. Working as a team.
2. All members participating and having input.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aaimov, Issac, Breakthroughs in Science. Scholastic, Inc.
1992 .
Branley, Franklyln, M. Saturn:The Spectacular Planet. Harper
and row, l983.
Butterfield, Moria, 1000 Facts About the Earth , Scholastic
Inc., 1992.
Challenger Center for Space Education, Learning Frontiers Space
Activities, Challenger Center. l995.
Cole, Joanna, The Magic School Bus- Lost in the Solar System,
Scholastic, Inc. 1990. (Activity guide available.)
Fredericks, Anthony D. The Science Discovery Book, Scott
Foresman and Co. 1987.
Graham, Ian, Our Solar System, Scholastic Inc. 1991.
Gustafson, John, Voyger: An Adventure Through Space,
Scholastic Inc. 1994.
Korman, Justime, The Teacher from Outer Space, Troll
Associates, 1994.
Lauber, Patricia, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, A Wrinkle in Time, and
A Wind in the Door, Dell Publishing, 1978.
Mission : Space with Tang, General Foods, Mediamark, Inc.,1984.
NASA, Living in Space.
NASA, Microgravity, NASA Education Division, l992.
Our Solar System, A Geological Snapshot, NASA 1992.
Pronko, Evelyn C., The Solar System: Celestial Bodies in
Space, McDonald Publishing Co. Inc., 1980.
Reigot, Betty Polisar, A Book About Planets and Stars, Scholastic
Inc. 1988.
Rockets, A teaching Guide for an Elementary Science Unit on
Rocketry, NASA 1991.
Space Shuttle A Space Transportation System Activity Book,
Civil Air Patrol, l994.
Strasser,Todd, The Mall From Outer Space, Scholastic Inc. 1987.
Young, Ruth M., Hands-On Minds On Space, Teacher Created
Materials, Inc. 1994.
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