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Bringing
the solar system to life
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Grade
Level: 2-3
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Overview
This lesson in many ways has some similarity with Lesson 6, The solar
system. The Solar System is a very abstract concept for primary age children.
This activity was designed to show children the ideas of "revolution"
and "rotation".
Purpose
This Science activity, part of a unit on the Solar System,
uses role playing to demonstrate the universe and its connection to the
sun.
Objectives
i. Make models to represent the planets in comparative size. ii. Use their
models to demonstrate revolution and rotation of the planets around the
sun. iii. Define "revolution", "rotation", and "orbit".
Resources
/Materials One yellow punch ball Nine balloons of different
colors A box of colored chalk or string to mark orbits (Note: If these
materials are not available you may improvise with locally available similar
materials)
Activities
and Procedures
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i. Children will blow up a yellow
punch ball to its fullest and balloons of nine different colors to sizes
representing the nine planets. |
ii. Take the class outside or go
into the gym inside. Have nine paths marked on ground or floor with string
or chalk. |
iii. Have one student hold each balloon.
Another student will hold the yellow punch ball which represents the sun. |
iv. The "sun" stands in the middle
of a circle. The other children take their places on the marked paths. Teacher
will need to give each child the name of his/her planet and direct him/her
to the correct place. |
v. Begin the experiment by having
children walk in their path or "orbit" around the sun. Stress that the planets
never leave their own orbits. This travel around the sun is called "revolution".
This term should now be introduced. |
vi. After the children have orbited
the sun once, bring in the added concept of "rotation". While moving around
the sun, the children should also start to spin around like tops. (Caution
them against becoming dizzy.) This demonstrates "rotation". Tell children
that it takes one year for the earth to revolve around the sun, and it takes
one day for the earth to rotate on its own axis. |
vii. Point out that "rotation" or spinning on one's own axis takes much
less time than going all the way around the sun, "revolution." Give all
children in the class a chance to try the experiment.
Tying
it all together After returning to the classroom, demonstrate
the principle just learned with the globe. Let someone spin the globe
and walk around a "sun" to show "rotation" and "revolution". For children
who have trouble keeping "rotation" and "revolution" straight, here is
a tip: the middle sound of "rotation" has the same vowel sound as "day"
and it takes the earth one day to rotate. This same type of activity can
be used to show the relationship between the moon and the earth. Role
play is an excellent way to teach primary children and makes these abstract
concepts come to life.
Assessment
Test the children in different ways to find out if they can clearly distinguish
between the terms, rotation and revolution. Let the children each recite
the Poem on Rotation and Revolution.
Suggestions/Modifications
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- The instructor may have the students act as the different planets
and the sun and they can physically represent "revolution" and "rotation."
- Students should understand the importance of learning about the solar
system and their place in it.
- Have the students write reflections in a journal about the things
they learn in this lesson to see if they understand the concepts and
to gain insight into their understanding of the solar system.
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Author(s)
Sally Spooner, Sunset Elementary School, Cody, Wyoming |
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