Earth/Space Lessons

Space!

Minnesota Graduation Standard: Students will demonstrate an understanding of cycles and patterns in earth systems and create a model to illustrate a concept, law, theory, or principle.
Objectives:
Students will practice making weight and time conversions on the different planets.
Students will gain an understanding of how lack of gravity and space suits affect working conditions in space.
Students will create paper airplanes to explore how weight placement effects flight.
Students will experience simulated barriers encountered in a cooperative learning environment such as space.
Students will name and arrange each planet around the sun.
Students will design a mission patch.
Assessment: Students will complete each activity correctly during the station time. At the end of the day students will share one of the activities that they complete in their station group.
One Rich, Multi-step Problem to Solve: By station.

Directions to Students Before They Start Stations on Their Own: (10-15 minutes)
1. Ask a question to “hook” the students into the space topic.
An example: “How many of you have ever wondered what life in space would be like?”
2. Explain what they will be learning about for the day (Space)
Ask open-ended question to find out prior knowledge and get students excited to do the activities. (Such as K-W-L)
3. Briefly go through and explain each station following the introductory directions on the activity guides.
4. Ask for any final questions students may have about any of the stations.
5. Divide students into station groups.
Group Work: (1 1/2 hours)
1. Time each station approximately 25 minutes, and then have them rotate to the next station.
2. If students finish one station early they may go back and work on a station that they ran out of time with the teacher’s permission.
Whole Group Presentations by Groups: (15-20 minutes)
Students will share an activity of their choice with the others in their station group.
Weight and Time Conversion Station
Materials:
Pencils
Calculator (a couple for the station)
Student sheets for weight and time

Time Activity

Teacher Background:
The earth makes one revolution around the sun in one year.
A revolution is the earth moving around the sun, which gives us the seasons.
A rotation is the earth spinning on its axis, which takes 24 hours and gives us
day and night.
Depending on the planets distance from the sun their revolutions may be shorter or longer compared to earth.
Introductory Directions:
On earth it takes one year or 12 months to complete one revolution around the sun. We base our year around earth’s revolution. We use this to determine how old we are. Using the concept of a year, 12 months, we will determine how old we would be on different planets based on its revolutions.
Planet Length of Year (Earth Time)
Mercury 88 days
Venus 225 days
Earth 365 days
Mars 687 days
Jupiter 11.9 years
Saturn 29.5 years
Uranus 164.1 years
Neptune 247 years
Pluto unknown
**** Remember 365 days equals 1 year****

Planet Length of Year (Earth Time) Find Your Age Equation
Mercury 88 days (3 months) 4 x your age =
Venus 225 days (7 months) 2 x your age =
Earth 365 days (12 months) Your age
Mars 687 days (23 months) Your age Þ 2 =
Jupiter 11.9 years Your age Þ 12 =
Saturn 29.5 years Your age Þ 30 =
Uranus 164.1 years Your age Þ 164 =
Neptune 247 years Your age Þ 247 =
Pluto unknown ?????
**** Remember ****
30 days equals 1 month
365 days equals 1 year
12 months equal 1 year

Example: If you were 4 years old, how old would you be on Mercury?
To do this look at Mercury and see that one-year on Mercury is 3 months on Earth. Mercury goes around the sun 4 times in one Earth year. Because Mercury revolves faster we need to multiply.
4 x (your age) = Your age on Mercury
4 x 4 years old = 16 years old on Mercury
Fact! When you were 4 years old you could drive on Mercury!
Now it is your turn to figure out how old you would be on at least 2 of the planets. Which planet would you like to live on for birthdays? Why? Would you ever have a birthday on Neptune? Why or why not?

Weight Activity

Teacher Background:
Gravity: a natural force that moves/pulls objects towards the center of the Earth.
The amount of gravity on the other planets is not the same as it is on Earth. This causes the weight of objects to be different, either lighter or heavier.
Introductory Directions:
“Hook” What would happen if you played basketball on Jupiter and the ball weighed 20 pounds? Would it be possible? How would the game be different?
Using student knowledge develop a definition for gravity.
Explain to students that gravity is different on the various planets. What do they think would happen if there was less gravity on a planet? More gravity? Explain that they are going to figure out how much an object would weigh on at least two of the planets.
Planet Gravity on Planets
Mercury .4
Venus .9
Earth 1
Mars .4
Jupiter 2.6
Saturn 1.1
Uranus 1.2
Neptune 1.2
Pluto .1
How Much Would An Object Weigh on the Planet _______________?
Gravity is different on the various planets. You are going to figure out how much an object would weigh on at least two of the planets.
Write down your definition of gravity:

****Remember****
If gravity is bigger then 1 multiply
If gravity is smaller then 1 divide
Example: If a bike weighed 20 pounds on Earth, how much would it weigh on Mercury? Jupiter?
To solve how much the bike would weigh:
Mercury’s gravity is smaller then one so: 20 pounds Þ .4 = 5 pounds
Jupiter’s gravity is greater then one so: 20 pounds x 2.6 = 52 pounds
Fact! If you were riding a bike on Jupiter and it tipped over to pick up your bike it would be like picking up a large TV.
Pick one or two of the objects below and figure out how much it would weigh on 2 of the planets. Show your work on the back!
Objects to figure out their weight on another planet:
School Desk: 5 pounds Medium sized dog: 40 pounds
Basketball: 2 pounds Cat: 15 pounds

Working In Space

Materials:
Adult size work gloves (3 pairs)
Ice Cream Buckets (3)
Water to fill buckets 1/2 way
Blindfolds (3)
Building materials: Unifix cubes, Legos, small building materials that the students can
stack or build a shape out of. (About 100 total)
Paper towels
Pencils
Journal Page
Teacher Background:
When astronauts go up into space they are working without gravity. The lack of gravity slows them down along with their space suits. It is like moving in slow motion. This activity is to help students understand what it is like to work in space with the restrictions already described. Also, they need to have a lot of patience and work very slowly.
Station Set-Up:
At the first activity put out the three pair of work gloves and about 20 building materials with each pair of gloves. Along with that you will need the ‘Working in Space with Gloves’ and ‘Cross Building’ guide sheets for their building. Set the direction sheet in a central location.
For the second activity fill the three ice cream buckets 1/2 way with water and put about 15-20 building materials in the bottom of the buckets. Set the direction sheet in a central location. Have paper towels available for students to wipe off their hands.
For the third activity lay out the three blindfolds with about 10 building materials for each blindfold. Set the direction sheet in a central location.
For all of the students at this station they will need the journal page and a pencil to complete it after they are done with the activities.
Introductory Directions:
“Hook” How many of you have ever been swimming?
What is it like to do things underwater?
Working in space is like working underwater. Or if you have ever watched yourself move with a strobe light flashing or while flashing the lights on and off very quickly it seems as if you are moving very slowly. At this station you will be experiencing what it is like to work in space. At this station there are 3 activities to do. Try to do all three, but it is not necessary.
The first activity is using work gloves and the building materials available to build a 4 x 6 rectangle and to fill in this cross. You may not remove your gloves during this activity. The gloves will be big which will make it difficult to work with the building materials. This will show you what it is like for the astronauts when they are working in space.

The second activity is using the buckets of water and the building materials available. You will take the building materials at the bottom of the bucket and build a square, rectangle and/or tower. Keep your hand(s) under the water at all times.

The third activity will require you to work with a partner. One of you will put on a blindfold and be the robotic arm on the space shuttle. The other partner will be the astronaut inside the space shuttle maneuvering the robotic arm. You will be giving the “robotic arm” directions on how to pick up the blocks, move their arm and where to place the blocks so that they create a tower. Directions that you may be giving: right, left, up, down, stop, exact measurements, etc. As the robotic arm you may only do what the astronaut is telling you. You have to listen to the astronaut. Your mission will be to build a tower that is between 5 and 10 blocks high. Once you have done this you will switch roles and do it again.
(Teacher note: you may want to demonstrate this for the students so that they understand the two roles and how they work.)
After you finish the three activities complete the journal page.
How could working underwater be similar to working in space?
When you were working with the activities how did they make you feel? What was easy about it? Hard? Did you like it or not?

Working in Space with Gloves Activity (station directions)
1. First, put on your “Space Gloves.” These should not be removed while
doing this activity!
2. Next, use the building materials to complete the Working in Space sheet
by filling in the table with the blocks. Make sure that you place a block in each square and that none of the blocks are touching any lines!
3. Once the table is completed, take on a bigger challenge by seeing how
many blocks you can place inside of the cross, on the worksheet. Remember, no blocks should be touching any of the lines.
4. Optional: Create a specific shape or design of your choice, using the
blocks.
Underwater Exploration
1. By placing your hands in the water, you will use the blocks to create a square, rectangle, or a tower while keeping you hands in the water.
2. You may choose to do all three shapes or a shape of your choice, but you
must do at least one of the 3 shapes listed. (square, rectangle, tower)
*Warning: This station may be a wet one, but try to keep the water in the bucket!J
Robotic Arm
1. First, find a partner within your station to do this activity with you.
2. Next, choose one person to put the blindfold on. This person is
considered the “Robotic Arm.” The other partner will be the astronaut, like the one in the space shuttle giving the directions.
3. The astronaut without the blindfold will give directions to the robotic arm to help them create a tower 5-10 blocks high.
4. The person with the blindfold (robotic arm) may not peak and cannot move their hands without specific directions to do so, and the astronaut can only use words to direct the robotic arm (do not guide or touch the other person’s hand). The astronaut many want have the robotic arm to create a tower using certain colors or patterns. Very specific directions should be given to help the robotic arm create the tower.
These directions may include: lift your hands up a few inches, move your hand slightly to the right, move your hand to the right farther, etc.

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Mission Patches

Materials:
White paper
Crayons
Pencils
Final Copy Mission Patch Page
Mission Patch Samples
Teacher Background:
For every mission that goes into space the crew designs a ‘Mission Patch.’ The patch has sentimental value to the crew members. The patch is unique in its design showing where the mission went, names of the crew members, the actual shape of the patch, and any other information that may be pertinent to the mission. For information and examples of previous mission patches go to: www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/mission_patches.html
Introductory Directions:
When a space shuttle launches into space the crew members wear special space suits. Like firefighters and policemen they wear patches on their space suits. The crew members actually design what the patches will look like in the months before they depart. Each mission has a patch that is unique to their time in space. Patches usually have the crew members name on them somewhere, a picture to represent their mission along with any other details that are important to the crew members. As astronauts today you will design your own mission patch. Remember to include your name somewhere on your patch.

Mission Patches (directions for student)
1. Brainstorm some ideas for your mission patch.
Size
Shape
Colors
What pictures? Space Shuttle, stars, planets, space suits, comets, meteors, galaxies, shooting stars, the sun, etc.
2. Draw your mission patch out with pencil.
3. Color your mission patch.
4. Write a description about your patch.

Making Your Own Solar System

Materials:
Crayons
Planet Worksheet (see website to print: http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/puzzles/coloring/)
Pencils
Space Book with all of the planets in them for students to reference
Scissors
Glue
Large Construction Paper (12 x 18)
Teacher Background:
There are nine planets that orbit around the sun. The order from the sun is: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto.
Orbit: The path that the planet takes around the sun.
Introductory Directions:
There are nine planets that orbit around the sun. You will color the planets on the coloring sheet according to the actual colors that they appear to be. After you color them you will cut them out and put them in the correct orbit (define for students) to make your very own solar system. Make sure that you begin with a sun, which is not on your coloring sheet. After you have them in the right order glue them down and use a crayon to draw the paths that the planets follow.

1. Color the planets on the coloring sheet the way they look in the book(s).
2. Cut out the planets.
3. Arrange the planets around the sun that you make.
4. Glue down the planets and sun.
5. Draw the paths that the planets take around the sun

Airplane Flight Exploration

Materials:
Paper
Paperclips, large/small
Scissors
Paper Airplane Making Book or Pattern
1-Measuring Tape for teacher
Student Record Sheet
Masking Tape
Teacher Background:
When a mission is planned there is a great deal of time spent on minimizing the amount of weight taken up into space as well as where the weight is placed on board. The amount of weight affects the trajectory pattern at take off, the amount of fuel needed, the time it takes to leave our atmosphere, along with many other variables. Students will explore how weight amounts and location affects the flight of their airplane.
Introductory Directions:
Explain to the students that they will have the opportunity to create a paper airplane of their choice using the materials provided. With your airplane, you will discover how the amount of weight and where you put the weight affects how your plane will fly. Paperclips are going to be used for the weight(s). You can decide where and how much weight you want to add. Be creative and write down observations from each flight.
Station Set-Up:
Place materials for students to work with. Create a masking tape ruler that goes down the center of where the students will be working that they can make reference to as they test their planes.

Airplane Flight Exploration (directions for student)
1. Look at the materials provided.
2. Decide how you want to make your airplane.
3. Build your airplane.
4. Test without weight, make any adjustments to make it fly better.
5. Record how far your plane flies without any weight.
6. Add different amounts of weight and fly the plane, record the amount of weight, where it was and how far it flew.
7. Repeat four times.

Trial Distance Flown
(in inches) Amount of Weight
(number and size) Weight Placement
(front, middle, back)

What did you discover about weight and weight placement when flying your airplane?

Teacher Resources

Books:
A Tour of the Planets, Melvin Berger, ISBN 1-56784-207-0
Bugs in Space, David A. Carter, ISBN 0-689-81430-5
Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids, Seymour Simon, Scholastic, ISBN 0-439-05149-5
Discovering Jupiter: The Amazing Collision in Space, Melvin Berger, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-48824-4
Discovering Mars: The Amazing Story of the Red Planet, Melvin Berger, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-45221-5
Do Stars Have Points?, Melving and Gilda Berger, ISBN 0-439-08570-5
Dragonfly, September/October 1998, Investigating Living in Space
Exploring Space, A Golden Guide, Mark Chartrand, Ph.D., ISBN 0-307-24078-9
First Field Guide: Night Sky, Gary Mechler, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-64086-0
Guide to Space, Peter Bond, DK Publishing, www.kd.com, ISBN 0-7894-3946-8
Mars: The Red Planet, Patricia Demuth, Scholastic, ISBN 0-439-07055-4
One Giant Leap, Mary Ann Fraser, Scholastic, ISBN 0-439-18029-5
Our Solar System, Seymour Simon, ISBN 0-688-09992-0
Planets, A Golden Guide, Mark Chartrand, Ph.D., ISBN 0-307-24077-0
Postcards from Pluto: A Tour of the Solar System, Loreen Leedy, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-48825-2
Scholastic Encyclopedia of Space, Jacqueline Mitton and Simon Mitton, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-59228-9
Solar System, Golden Book, www.goldenbooks.com, 58799-00
Space Facts, Carole Stott and Clint Twist, DK Publishing, ISBN 1-56458-892-0
Space Mazes, Roger Moreau, Scholastic Books, ISBN 0-439-08712-0
Space: Stars, Planets and Spacecraft, Sue Becklake, ISBN 0-7894-2966-7
Stars and Plaets, David H. Levy, The Nature Company Discoveries Library, ISBN 0-8094-9246-6
The Big Golden Book of Space, David Glover, A Golden Book, ISBN 0-307-14900-5
Th Golden Book of Stars and Planets, Judith Herbst, A Golden Book, ISBN 0-307-15572-2
Th History News in Space, Michael Johnstone, Scholastic, ISBN 0-43913142-1
The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, Joanna Cole, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-41429-1
The Magic School Bus: Out of This World, Joanna Cole, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-92156-8
The Magic School Bus: Sees Stars, Joanna Cole, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-18732-5
The Moon Book, Gail Gibbons, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-14905-9
The Mystery of Mars, Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy, Scholastic, ISBN 0-439-18027-9
The Planets in Our Solar System, Franklyn M. Branley, ISBN 0-440-84613-7
The Really Big Universe, Books Are Fun, LTD., ISBN 1-58209-018-1
The Rocky Planets, Isaac Asimov, ISBN 1-56144-427-8
The Ultimate Asteroid Book, Mary Barnes, ISBN 0-689-82463-7
The Usborne Complete Book of Astronomy and Space, Lisa Miles and Alastair Smith, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-63142-X
Updated Edition Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut’s Story, Michael Collins, ISBN 0-374-42356-3
Internet Links
http://library.thinkquest.org/12659/main.html
http://earthspace.net/home.html
http://www.windows.umich.edu
http://sed.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/mercury.html
http://www.space.com
www.earthspace.net
www.fi.edu/planets
www.nasa.gov
http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/puzzles/coloring/
CD Rom’s
Explore Space. Created by Mars Software. ISBN 1-55191-363-1

Authors: Sara Geisler and Joan Wylie