Activities: No light of their own - … · Activities: No light of their own ... • Trundle wheel...

School Based Activities

http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/ 48

Activities: No light of their own Key objectives: This activity aims to help student to: • Be aware that the Moon, planets, satellites and meteors might be visible in the night sky. • Realise that these bodies are different from the stars as they do not produce their own

light. • Be aware that rocks or ice chunks from space can fall to Earth and burn as they enter the

atmosphere where they might be seen as streaks of light called meteors.

Solar System role play

Background information Stars twinkle as their light travels through the atmosphere. Planets are close to us, so they appear as a disc rather than a point of light. The atmosphere has less effect and therefore the planets appear to shine steadily. For statistics on the planets of our Solar System, see Solar System statistics at a glance in this kit. The mythology of the planets can be used to add fun to the Solar System role play.

Mercury swift and light-footed messenger of the Gods Venus goddess of beauty Earth Gaea (Mother Earth) greatest goddess of the early Greeks. Mars god of war Jupiter king of the Gods Saturn god of the harvest Uranus god of the sky Neptune god of water Pluto god of the underworld. [NB. Pluto is now classified as a Dwarf Planet.]

What you need • Copies of worksheet Why isn’t it twinkling? • Copies of worksheet Our Solar System • Non-fiction resource books • Planet labels • Signs • Hats, costumes



What to do 1. Read through the worksheet Why isn’t it twinkling? in which Oscar wants to know

about other planets in our Solar System. 2. Divide the class into nine groups. Assign each a planet to investigate. Each group must

find a way of representing their planet from their findings. For example, they could make a poster, sign, hat, costume, picture or model to personify their planet.

3. The role play starts with everyone sitting in the centre of a general purpose room or oval. 4. The ‘Earth’ stands up and walks around the group to represent the Earth’s orbit around

the Sun. Use this movement to explain the concepts of a year and a day. See if the ‘Earth’ can rotate and orbit at the same time.

5. Ask the children questions. As each planet is named have that ‘planet’ stand up and start orbiting the ‘Sun’. For example: Which planets are closer to the Sun than the Earth? Which planet is also a ‘rocky midget’ but lies further from the Sun than Earth? Which is the largest planet? Which planet has the largest rings? What other planets are gas giants? Which is the smallest planet? What are dwarf planets?

6. Complete the worksheet Our Solar System, by labelling each planet and writing a statement about one planet.

7. Encourage the children to look for the planets in the night sky. Inform parents that they can find out when and where to look by visiting Skynotes, Melbourne Planetarium’s online newsletter (http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/ ).

Extension activities

Background information The materials used to demonstrate the sizes of the planets are from the Earth as a Peppercorn model. The model is presented as a one kilometre walk to demonstrate the sizes of the planets on the same scale as their distances. It shows how small the planets are in comparison to the vast distances between them. (http://www.noao.edu/education/peppercorn/pcmain.html ).

What you need • Roll of toilet paper • Trundle wheel (optional) • Access to large area such as an oval • 3 pin heads (one extra small) • 2 peppercorns, a walnut, a hazelnut, 2 peanuts

http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/


http://www.noao.edu/education/peppercorn/pcmain.html





What to do Use the information in the table below to model the relative motion and size of the planets. 1. Have the children sprint, run, jog, etc to indicate relative orbital speeds of the planets. 2. Use a trundle wheel (or paces) on the oval to indicate the relative distance of each planet

from the Sun. The total walk is 983 metres. In this scale the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, would be about 6700 km away!

3. Alternatively, use the roll of toilet paper on the oval to indicate relative distances of the planets from the Sun.

4. Use the pinheads, nuts, etc to indicate the relative size of the planets. These can also be used to indicate planet sizes if using the 1 kilometre walk instead of the toilet paper to show distance from the Sun (see Teacher Notes above).

Planet Relative

orbital speed

Relative distance from the Sun (1 metre or pace:

6 million km)

Relative distance from the Sun in sheets of toilet paper (1 sheet : 10 million km)

Relative size of planets (if Sun’s diameter is 22 cm)

Mercury

Sprinting 10 paces Sheet 6 Pinhead (0.08 cm)

Venus

Running additional 8 paces

Sheet 11 Peppercorn (0.20 cm)

Earth

Jogging additional 7 paces

Sheet 15 Peppercorn (0.20 cm)

Mars

Jogging additional 13 paces

Sheet 23 Pinhead (0.10 cm)

Jupiter

Walking additional 92 paces

Sheet 78 Walnut (2.30 cm)

Saturn

Walking additional 108 paces

Sheet 143 Hazelnut (2.00 cm)

Uranus

Crawling additional 240 paces

Sheet 287 Peanut (0.80 cm)

Neptune


Sheet 450 Peanut (0.80 cm)

Pluto (Dwarf planet)


Sheet 590 Pinhead (0.03 cm)



Build a model space station

Background information There are hundreds of artificial satellites orbiting Earth that can be seen with the naked eye. In the night sky, a satellite looks very much like a star, except that it can be seen moving steadily. Satellites can be watched for several minutes before appearing to vanish. Satellites do not give off light of their own, but can be seen when sunlight reflects off their surfaces. The best times to see satellites are in the hour after sunset and the hour before sunrise. At these times, the Sun is below the Earth’s horizon but can still be seen from satellites in space. Thus, the satellites reflect the Sun’s light against a dark sky. Iridium flares are bright flashes (flares) lasting up to 20 seconds. They are caused by sunlight reflecting off telecommunication satellites that are made from the metal iridium. The Motorola Company has launched 72 iridium satellites (the ‘Iridium Constellation’) that orbit the Earth in order to provide telephone communication around the world. For information about viewing the International Space Station from Melbourne, consult Skynotes, Melbourne Planetarium’s online newsletter: http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/

What you need • Copies of note to parents explaining viewing of International Space Station • Collection of art/craft materials:

plastic drink bottles, boxes, ice cream, margarine and take-away food containers, egg cartons, cardboard rolls, cellophane, chenille sticks, different coloured garbage bags, shirt box lids, wire, foam pieces, aluminium foil

• Scissors • Fasteners such as craft glue, masking tape, staplers

What to do 1. Introduce the tem satellite. Discuss the common usage, which refers to human made

devices orbiting the Earth. Bright satellites that can be seen in the night sky include the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle when it is on a mission.

2. Brainstorm what you would need to have on a space station to survive. List the requirements. For example:

• a docking area which joins the spacecraft to the space station in order to drop off the crew and collect them later

• a power source such as solar cells • a workshop/laboratory are in which to conduct experiments • an exercise area • a sleeping station • a food preparation galley • a bathroom • a telescope and observation bay • a meteorite shield



• a control deck • a storage bay for water, air, food, etc. • a temperature control system • an airlock chamber

(Cross-section books are excellent references to use to examine the structure of the International Space Station and the Shuttle).

3. In groups, examine the materials available and plan the features they represent. Build a model space station and label the sections which fulfil the requirements list.

4. Use the Melbourne Planetarium website to determine the time and position for when the ISS is next visible. It can generally be seen for about 5 minutes at a time. Send a note home to parents explaining the location and time of the satellites in order to encourage viewing with their child.

5. Investigate the building of the International Space Station and compare its features to those listed by the children.


http://www.museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium



Solar System Song

Background information You could mention to the children that the Solar System contains at least three dwarf planets (Eris, Pluto and Ceres), as well as the eight planets in the song. The largest dwarf planet that we know of is Eris, and the second largest is Pluto. These two are a bit smaller than our Moon, and have orbits far beyond the orbit of Neptune. See Solar System statistics at a glance (refer to Page 7 of Teacher Notes).

What you need • Copies of worksheet Space Song

What to do 1. Read through the song The Planets of the Sun. It is sung to the tune of The Farmer in

the Dell. 2. Read through, and then sing the refrain. 3. Sing through the verses. Sing both the refrain and the verses. 4. Repeat singing the song at various times during the day.

Meteorite simulation

Background information A meteoroid is a chunk of rock before it encounters the Earth. When a meteoroid travels through the Earth’s atmosphere, it is moving so fast (60-80 km/s) that friction can vaporise the rock. This produces a streak of light known as a meteor, or more commonly, a shooting star. A typical bright meteor is caused by a meteoroid weighing about 1 gram (no larger than a pea). A meteoroid the size of a golf ball produces a brighter trail called a bolide, or more commonly, a fireball. A meteoroid as large as a bowling ball has a good chance of partially surviving its flight through the atmosphere. Any chunk of rock that ends up landing on Earth is called a meteorite. On a dark, moonless night it is possible to see about six meteors per hour. The hard part is knowing in which direction to look. During a meteor shower, the meteors all appear to come from the same direction. Meteor showers are caused by trails of dust left behind by comets. The Earth moves into these dust trails causing up to 100 meteors per hour.

What you need • Copies of worksheet Shooting star wish • Meteorite (available from gem and mineral shops)



What to do 1. Read the worksheet Shooting star wish, in which Oscar wishes to see the Moon after

seeing a shooting star. Complete the worksheet by asking the children to write their toy’s idea of what the Moon would be like.

2. Explain that shooting stars (meteors) are really very small pieces of dust or rock (often about the size of a pea) that fall through the Earth’s atmosphere.

3. Meteors travel very quickly. Use a comparison that is within the children’s understanding such as: ‘from here to the city in the time it takes to say meteoroids’.

4. Friction between the meteor and the atmosphere causes the meteor to heat up. This can be demonstrated by having the children rub their hands together quickly. They should notice that their hands become warmer.

5. The heat generated by the friction makes it hot enough for the meteor to burn up. If the meteor is small, it will burn up completely as it crosses from space into the Earth’s atmosphere. If it is large, then some of the meteor may survive and land on Earth. The chunk that lands on Earth is then called a meteorite.

6. Look at and touch a real meteorite. What is its mass, colour, texture? Compare it with rocks from Earth.


Extension activities

Background information When the Space Shuttle re-enters the atmosphere, it experiences the same friction that produces meteors. The outside of the Shuttle becomes incredibly hot, which is why it is covered with special tiles that can survive temperatures of over 3000 degrees Celsius. The angle at which the Space Shuttle enters the atmosphere (the re-entry angle) must be accurate to 2 degrees – too shallow and the Shuttle will bounce off the Earth’s atmosphere and back out into space; too steep and the Shuttle will burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The re-entry angle used by the Space Shuttle depends on its speed and landing location.

What to do 1. Make a mural of space using oil-based crayons and water, or ink colourwash. 2. Create a space mobile with suspended papier-mâché models of the planets. 3. Read about the latest news concerning the International Space Station. 4. Write a story about wishing on a ‘shooting star’. 5. Play Comet Catch – make ‘comets’ by placing tennis balls in the leg section of old

stockings. Tie a knot to hold the tennis ball in position and throw to each other.

International Space Station (Image: Courtesy NASA)


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/

School Based Activities Worksheet – Photocopy this page.

Why isn’t it twinkling? “That light is not twinkling like the others,” reported Oscar.

“Maybe it’s a satellite,” suggested Scarecrow.

“But satellites move quickly,” said Nellie.

“Or maybe it’s a planet. Earth is a planet,” said Tina.

“What other planets move around our Sun?” asked Oscar.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________



Worksheet – Photocopy this page.

Our Solar System

“There are eight planets which move around our Sun,” said Nellie.

What are their names? My favourite is …

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________





Space Song

The Planets of the Sun Words by Melvin Zisfein and Robert W. Wolfe Sung to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell The family of the Sun, The family of the Sun, Here’s another planet in the Family of the Sun Mercury is hot, And Mercury is small, Mercury has no atmosphere, It’s just a rocky ball. Refrain: The family of the Sun, The family of the Sun, There are eight planets in The family of the Sun. Venus has thick clouds, That hide what is below, The air is foul, the ground is hot, It rotates very ‘slow’. Repeat refrain We love the Earth, our home, Its oceans and its trees, We eat its food, we breathe its air, So no pollution, please. Repeat refrain Mars is very red, It’s also dry and cold, Some day you might visit Mars, If you are very bold. Repeat refrain

Great Jupiter is big, We’ve studied it a lot, We found that it has 63 moons, And a big red spot. Repeat refrain Saturn has great rings, We wondered what they were, Now we know they’re icy rocks, Which we saw as a blur. Repeat refrain The family of the Sun, The family of the Sun, Here are two more planets in The family of the Sun. Uranus and Neptune, We don’t know much about, Maybe you will study them, And then we’ll all find out. The family of the Sun, The family of the Sun, There are eight planets in The family of the Sun. Note: Pluto and Eris are now classified as dwarf planets.



Shooting star wish

“Did you see that?” cried Oscar. “It’s a shooting star!”

“Actually it’s a meteor – a piece of rock burning up as it comes to Earth,” replied

Scarecrow.

“Some people believe that if they see a shooting star it will make their wish come

true,” whispered Scarecrow.

“Well I wish we could go to the Moon and view Earth,”

said Oscar.

“I wonder what it would be like?” dreamt Tina.

I think that …

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________


Activities: No light of their own - … · Activities: No light of their own ... • Trundle wheel...

Documents

Transcript of Activities: No light of their own - … · Activities: No light of their own ... • Trundle wheel...