Science Focus Lesson

SC.5.E.5.3
Solar System
Polk County Public Schools
SC.5.E.5.3
Benchmark: Distinguish among the following objects
of the Solar System Sun, planets, moons, asteroids,
comets and identify Earths position in it.

Essential Question:
Describe the planets, moons, asteroids,
comets and identify Earths position in it.

Vocabulary:
Planet Comet
Moon Asteroid


Solar System
Our solar system includes the sun, planets and their
moons, comets, and asteroids.
The Sun is the center of our solar system.
Everything in the solar system revolves around the
sun. Everything is kept in orbit by the pull of the
suns gravity.








Planets have mass, rotate on an axis and revolve
around the sun in a flattened circle called an ellipse.
The planets are much smaller than the sun.
Inner planets are much smaller than the outer
planets.
The inner planets are mostly solid and the outer
planets are mostly gas.









Planets
Moons
Moons are natural objects that orbit a planet.
The inner planets have very few or no moons
The outer planets have multiple moons.


Earths Moon
Earths moon rotates on its axis and revolves
around Earth.
One moon rotation and one moon revolution take
the same amount of time, about 28 days. Because
of this we can only see one side of the moon from
Earth.
Because of the way that the sun shines on Earths
moon it appears to have different phases
Comets and Asteroids
Comets are mountain size
chunks of ice and dust that orbit
the sun. They streak towards the
sun from beyond Pluto and then
back into outer space. Some
comets orbit the sun again and
again. Others crash into the sun
or only make one trip around the
sun and never return.
Asteroids are small and large
rocks in space that orbit the Sun.
Most asteroids can be found in a
large space between the orbit of
Mars and Jupiter. This is call the
asteroid belt.









Summarizing
Partner A identify the items in our solar
system
Partner B Describe three things that all
planets have in common .
Partner C Describe a comet
Partner D Describe an asteroid
Order and Description of the Planets
Mercury (inner planet)
Mercury is the closest planet to
the sun.
Surface is rocky
Almost no atmosphere
Diameter 4,878 km
0 moons
Temperature-180
O
C at night to
450
O
C during the day (HOT)
Length of Mercurys year (orbit)
is 88 Earth days.










Venus (inner planet)
Venus is the 2nd planet from the sun.
Surface is rocky
Very thick atmosphere made mostly
of carbon dioxide
Diameter 12,104 km
0 moons
Temperature on the surface is about
470
O
C (HOT)
Length of Venuss year (orbit) is 225
Earth days.










Order and Description of the Planets (cont.)
Earth (inner planet)
Earth is the 3rd planet from the
sun.
Surface is rocky; 70% is covered by
water
Atmosphere consists of 78%
nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other
gases
Diameter 12,756 km
1 moon
Length of Earths year is 365.25
Earth days.










Mars (inner planet)
Mars is the 4th planet from the sun.
Surface is rocky with mountains and
canyons.
Thin atmosphere made mostly of
carbon dioxide
Diameter 6,786 km
2 moons
Temperature on the surface is about
20
O
C to -123
O
C (WARM and COLD)
Length of Mars year is 687 Earth days.










Order and Description of the Planets (cont.)
Jupiter (outer planet)
Jupiter is the 5th planet to the sun.
Surface is liquid hydrogen gas
Atmosphere of very thick hydrogen
gas.
Diameter 142,984 km; Jupiter is the
largest planet in the solar system.
38 moons
Temperatures fall to about -160
O
C
(VERY COLD)
Length of Jupiters year(orbit) is 11.86
Earth years.
Jupiter has a storm
in its atmosphere
called the Great
Red Spot.










Saturn (outer planet)
Saturn is the 6th planet from the sun.
Surface is entirely gas, its surface IS its
atmosphere!
Thin atmosphere made mostly of
hydrogen and helium
Diameter 120,536 km; it is the second
largest planet of the solar system.
30 moons
Temperature on the surface is about
-190
O
C (VERY COLD)
Length of Saturns year is(orbit) 29.46
Earth years.










Order and Description of the Planets (cont.)
Uranus (outer planet)
Uranus is the 7th planet to the sun.
Surface is thought to be mostly
gaseous
Atmosphere of very thick hydrogen,
helium, & methane gas.
Diameter 51,108 km
24 moons
Temperatures are as low as -220
O
C
(VERY COLD)
Length of Uranus
year (obit) is
84 Earth years.










Neptune (outer planet)
Neptune is the 8th planet from the sun.
Surface is made of gaseous elements
Thick atmosphere made of hydrogen,
helium, &methane gases
Diameter 49,538 km
8 moons
Temperature on the surface is the coldest
at a little below -220
O
C (VERY COLD)
Length of Neptunes year (orbit) is 165
Earth years.










Summarizing
Create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting
the characteristics of the inner and outer planets.
Inner planets
Outer planets
Guided Practice
Talk to your shoulder partner about the answer to each question. Check your work.

1. A star named Sirius appears as the brightest star in
the nighttime sky, even though a star named Pollux
actually gives off more light. Which of the
following best explains why Sirius appears brighter
than Pollux in our nighttime sky?

a. Sirius has a different color than Pollux does.
b. Sirius has different gases than Pollux does.
c. Sirius is closer to Earth than Pollux is.
d. Sirius is larger than Pollux is.














The answer is
Stars that are closer
appear to be brighter.
Sirius
Pollux
Guided Practice








2. What is the shape of the orbit of a planet around
the sun?

a. elliptical
b. circular
c. Semi-circular
d. identical




The answer is
The planets travel in an elliptical path
around the sun. An ellipse is described
as a flattened circle that is longer than
it is wide.
Guided Practice






3. Jacob started creating a diagram to show some of
the common characteristics of the planets in our
solar system. Which characteristic should Jacob
write in the empty circle of the diagram?

a. made mostly of gas
b. has a rocky surface
c. revolves around a star
d. is a satellite of another planet


The answer is
Planets revolve around a star. The
length of time that one revolution takes
is called a year.

Our planet, Earth, revolves around our
star, The Sun, in approximately 365
days.
Guided Practice






4. Keisha wants to show Amy what happens during one Earth
day. Keisha holds a small globe representing Earth, and Amy
holds a large ball representing the Sun. What should Keisha do
to show Amy what happens during one Earth day?

a. Keisha should move the globe in one complete circle
around Amy.
b. Keisha should move the globe toward Amy and then
away from her.
c. Keisha should slowly lift the globe above her head and
then lower it.
d. Keisha should slowly spin the globe one complete time
about its axis.


The answer is
Planets rotate on their axis.
The length of time it takes for
a planet to rotate is called a
day.

The Earth takes
approximately 24 hours to
rotate on its axis, this is the
length of one Earth day.
Summarizing
Pass a piece of paper around the table. Each
group member adds a detail that answers
the question. Keep the paper
moving until time is called- see
how many ideas your group can
generate!
Essential Question: Describe the planets,
moons, asteroids, comets and identify
Earths position related to them.

Check Your Understanding
1. Which of the following happens because of
a combination of Earths rotation and the
moons revolution around
a. seasons
b. day and night
c. changes in the appearance of the moon
d. climate changes
Check Your Understanding
2. Life on Earth is possible because of the Sun. The Sun
provides energy for all living things to grow. Plants
need the Sun to make their own food. The water cycle
would not be possible without the Sun. Which
statement best describes the Sun?
a. The Sun is a large planet that provides heat and light to Earth.
b. The Sun is the largest star in the universe and provides heat
and light to Earth.
c. The Sun is a comet that provides heat and light to Earth.
d. The Sun is a medium-sized star that provides heat and light
to Earth.

Check Your Understanding
3. Constellations are patterns of stars in the
sky. Which statement best describes these
stars?
a. The stars in a constellation are equal distances from
Earth.
b. The stars in a constellation are the same size.
c. The stars in a constellation pattern never move.
d. The stars in a constellation are different distances from
Earth.
Check Your Understanding
4. Why does the Sun seem larger and brighter
than other stars?
a. The Sun can be seen from Earth during daylight hours.
b. The Sun is closer to Earth than other stars in the
universe.
c. The Sun reflects light from all the moons in the solar
system.
d. The Sun can make its own light.
Check Your Answers
1. c
2. d
3. d
4. b



In your science journal Compare and
Contrast what you know about the
Earth with the inner and outer planets,
moons, asteroids and comets.

Summary Question