Scaling the Solar System Use scale models to explore the relative diameters of and distances between the

nine planets and the Sun. Big Idea/Prompt: What are some advantages to scaling a model accurately and what are some advantages to scaling a model inaccurately? 1. Warm-up: TCAP question (10min) 2. Pass back tests go over. (10min) -have each table talk amongst themselves for 3 min, then share out. (7 questions, 7 tables. Whats the best answer for each?) -show examples 3. Wrap up GoogleEarth *as a class (15-20min) the pt of this was -to see another a 2-d scale model of the solar system. -Bill Nye laid the solar system out in a straight line. **have kids share out what they found. what familiar places did you usehow big did you make your sun? **How did changing the size of your sun affect the location of the planets?

-to think about planetary size and scope of the solar system. -The concept of distance between familiar objects and sizes (ie. the sun being as big as the school) and the distance between it and the planets. (HUGE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SUN AND PLUTO) to help us better visualize it. -gives us an idea of how big the solar system is, and the impt. Of using a scale/inaccurate/accurate scale

4. Scale factor-wrap up from lab (30min) what is scale? Its a ratio of 2 measurements** -show how to do a problem ***Three sheets 1. white sheet-finds the scale factors with a random given amount (1 cm = 10,000km)

2. yellow sheet- finds SF with an known SD (from the lab) -ON the yellow sheet, we are scaling the objects for the actual planets. --ie. making the sun 1m in diameter, would make pluto (as the size of a pinhead) 1.5miles away. 3. green sheet (finds SD) -each table does one planet (assign each table) 3-5 min -then each kid goes to the other tables to find the answers (7min) -show completed answer sheet to whole class (check your answers) (3min) When youre done with that -answer these questions (from pg. 151 in STC book) Using these completed sheets and thinking back to your model solar systems from our lab last week 1. how does Earth compare with other planets in size and distance from the Sun? 2. how did your model differ from the actual solar system 3. How was your model similar to the actual solar system 4. What is the relationship between the diameter of the planets and their positions from the Sun?

Your tables board should look like: White sheet (SD)=_____, (SD)=______ Yellow Sheet (SF)=_____ **you have to do the white and yellow sheets before you can do the green sheet** Green Sheet (SD)=_______ Wrap Up Talk: Scales are about proportion *think about your lab (on a 6 meter scale, you could see the planets/objects)

(on an actual scale, pluto would be 1.5 miles away from the sun) the point of doing this in the classroom with the 6m tape is to have a manageable scale factor. You guessed the distances between the objects & the sun. If we wanted to we could accurately scale the distances between the planets to fit on a 6m tape, but then the sizes of the planets would be off. We could accurately scale the size of the planets on a 6m tape, but then the distances between them would be off. you can make the sizes of your planets any size you want.***Google Earth where the objects we used to represent the planets, the right size? -no. not for the dist. we choose. (6m) -in order to make the sizes accurate, we have to change the distance. **the value of this lab was to start thinking about the sizes and distances of the planets **answer the questions: 5. writing prompt: In one well-constructed paragraph, describe some advantages of having an inaccurately scaled model of the solar system. Word Bank: distance, sun, planets, diameter, scale. (10-15min) 6. Orbital Motion & Gravity Reading & Notes Read. pg. 226-228, Heavy Thinking in STC book and answer questions 1-4 on pg. 228 **key points: Newtons Laws of Motion (for gravity & orbital motion) -Law of Inertia: a body in motion tends to travel in a straight line unless its disturbed by an unbalanced force. (governs the motion of the planets and moons)

-Law of Universal Gravitation: 2 objects in the universe will have gravity and attract each other. (dependent on mass and distance) **Newton was influenced by Kepler

Lab Instructions: 1. With your table, calculate and record your planets Scaled Diameter (SD) and Scaled Distance (SD) on the white sheet. 2. With your table, calculate and record your planets Scale Factor (SF) on your yellow sheet. 3. Calculate your planets Scaled Distance (SD) on your green sheet. 4. Walk to the other tables and completely fill in all three sheets. 5. Answer the following questions: Using your completed sheets and thinking back to your model solar systems from the lab last week 5. How does Earth compare with other planets in size and distance from the Sun? 6. How did your model differ from the actual solar system 7. How was your model similar to the actual solar system 8. What is the relationship between the diameter of the planets and their positions from the Sun? Lab Instructions: 6. With your table, calculate and record your planets Scaled Diameter (SD) and Scaled Distance (SD) on the white sheet. 7. With your table, calculate and record your planets Scale Factor (SF) on your yellow sheet. 8. Calculate your planets Scaled Distance (SD) on your green sheet. 9. Walk to the other tables and completely fill in all three sheets. 10. Answer the following questions: Using your completed sheets and thinking back to your model solar systems from the lab last week 9. How does Earth compare with other planets in size and distance from the Sun? 10. How did your model differ from the actual solar system 11. How was your model similar to the actual solar system 12. What is the relationship between the diameter of the planets and their positions from the Sun?