TEXT SET

Laura Bionde

Virginia SOL 6.8

The student will investigate and understand the

organization of the solar system and the interactions among

the various bodies that comprise it. Key concepts include
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.

the sun, moon, Earth, other planets and their moons, dwarf
planets, meteors, asteroids, and comets;
relative size of and distance between planets;
the role of gravity;
revolution and rotation;
the mechanics of day and night and the phases of the moon;
the unique properties of Earth as a planet;
the relationship of Earths tilt and the seasons;
the cause of tides; and
the history and technology of space exploration.

 Readability: Flesch Kincaid: 93.5

Suitability: 6th grade and up

Description: SOL 6.8a You, the

reader, are helping with a simulated
flight to Mars. In this simulation, four
"bionauts" are sealed into identical
pods containing plants, animals and
water. The goal is for them to survive
for six months receiving no water, food
or air from outside. Your role: you
monitor the conditions in each pod,
simulating Misson Control back on
Earth. Our story begins on the 34th
day of the simulation, when you notice
something wrong in one of the pods.
The oxygen is getting low why?
Summary from: Elklund, K. (2000). Angry Red Planet Solve the Mystery! (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2014,
from http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/arp/

 Readability:

Lexile: 920L
Suitability: 6th
grade and up

Description: SOL 6.8a Superb introduction to the

universe, with breathtaking surface-eye views of the
planets and wonderful deep space images of stars.
Gives a planet by planet guide to the solar system, 20
pages of star maps plus a guide to famous and easy to
spot stars, nebulae, galaxies and meteor showers.
Includes practical information on star-watching, home
astronomy and using a telescope or binoculars. Internet
links to recommended websites with the latest space
information, and fabulous images from the Hubble
Space Telescope.
Summary from: Book of astronomy and space at
Usborne Children's Books. (2014, January 1). Retrieved
September 27, 2014, from
http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~ILB~ILAS~38
35/book-of-astronomy-and-space.aspx

Readability: FleschKincaid 74.5

Suitability: 6th grade
and up

Description: This webpage introduces and describes the characteristics of

planets in our solar system. This topic covers SOL 6.8a as well as b. The page
begins by describing Mercury and continues on listing out characteristics of each
planet. There are short descriptions about each planet, as well as charts on the
side of each with the numbers and percentages.

Readability: Flesch-Kincaid Reading

Ease 66.5
Suitability: 6th grade and up
SOL: 6.8c
Summary from: Gizmos. Gravity Pitch.
(n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?m
ethod=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=64
8

Description: Imagine a gigantic

pitcher standing on Earth, ready to hurl
a huge baseball. What will happen as
the ball is thrown harder and harder?
Find out with the Gravity Pitch Gizmo.
Observe the path of the ball when it is
thrown at different velocities. Throw the
ball on different planets to see how
each planet's gravity affects the ball.
Observe that gravity causes objects to
fall toward the center of Earth.
Observe that when a ball is thrown, its
path is bent by gravity toward Earth.
Notice that when the ball is thrown with
a high enough velocity, it will go into
orbit around Earth. If it is thrown even
harder, it will fly off into space. Find the
orbital velocity and escape velocity of
objects on Earth and other planets.
Use controlled experiments to discover
that gravity becomes stronger as a
planet's mass increases and weaker
as a planet's radius increases.

Readability: Flesch
Kincaid 85.8
Suitability: 6th grade
and up
Description: This
interactive webpage
introduces students to
basic information about
the moon and its
different phases.(SOL
6.8e) After descriptions
and definitions, the
student is able to click
on links that will
redirect them to more
specific information
about the moon. Past
the introduction page,
each following page
describes a topic about
the moon in further
detail with pictures to
support the text.

Suitability: 6th grade and up

Description: This YouTube

video gives a brief
introduction to why we have
seasons. (SOL 6.8g) The
commentator begins with a
quick example making it
clear that just because it is
one season in America,
doesnt mean it is the same
everywhere else in the world.
The video also refutes some
common misconceptions
about why we have the four
seasons. She then explains
the correct reasons for this
while incorporating fun
diagrams and characters.

 Readability: Flesch Kincaid 77.3

Suitability: 6th grade and up
Description: Covering SOL 6.8g, this

article goes over the affects the tilt of

the Earth has on the seasons.
Conners explains exactly how the tilt
of the earth works and how the angle
never changes. Brief explanations
introduce students to how and why
certain seasons occur and certain
times. Without getting too in depth
with the scientific terms, this article
helps to introduce and explain the
causes of the different season.

 Readability: Flesch-Kincaid:

65.7
Suitability: 6th grade and up
Description: This article
explains the causes of tides.
(SOL 6.8h) What may seem like
a simple concept, Cox explains
there are many factors at work
when looking at how tides are
formed. The main factor in this
is the moons gravitational pull
on the earth. However, she also
introduces the concept of solar
tides, when the sun influences
the tides on earth. Within a brief
article the student will be able to
define important vocabulary
concerning the tides.

Description: This article focuses on

the section of SOL 6.8 i, Space
exploration and technology. It gives a
brief overview of how and when the
space age began. Including the long
and tiring steps scientists took in
order to develop a safe way to travel
into space. In a short article, students
will learn about the very first ideas
about how to send a person into
space. The article provides
information about scientists like
Verne and Tsiolkovsky, and how they
influenced the technology we have
today.
Readability: Flesch Kincaid 75.9
Suitability: 6th grade and up

Description: This
episode of Bill Nye the
Science Guy focuses
on the topic of space
exploration, SOL 6.8i.
He begins the episode
by teaching about
advances in the
telescope, because
that is the point in time
when people became
interested in space. He
also introduces and
explains concepts such
a gravity, so the idea of
traveling into space can
be better understood.
He goes into detail
about rockets and how
they work in todays age
and the people who
use them.

Suitability: 6th grade and up

Works Cited
All Solar Planets. (1998). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/the_planets.htm

Barrow, M. (2013). The Phases of the Moon. Retrieved September 27, 2014, from

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/moon/phases.html

BillNyeScienceGuy. Bill Nye The Science Guy & Space Exploration [ FULL EPISODE ]. (1997,

September 26). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke7XnCOSZU

Conners, D. (2014, March 20). Can you explain why Earth has four seasons? | EarthSky.org.

Retrieved September 27, 2014, from http://earthsky.org/earth/can-you-explain-why-earth-has-fourseasons

Cox, L. (2010, August 5). What Causes the Tides? Retrieved September 27, 2014, from

http://www.livescience.com/29621-what-causes-the-tides.html

Elklund, K. (2000). Angry Red Planet - Solve the Mystery! (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/arp/

Gizmos. Gravity Pitch. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from

http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=648

Miles, L., & Smith, A. (2002). The Usborne Internet-Linked Book of Astronomy & Space. Tulsa, Okla.:

EDC Pub.

MITK12Videos. Earth's Tilt 1: The Reason for the Seasons. (2012, November 14). Retrieved

September 27, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgq0LThW7QA

ReadWorks.org | From the Earth to Outer Space Passage & Question Set. (2014, January 1).

Retrieved September 27, 2014, from http://www.readworks.org/readworks-pdf/250242