This Project has been entered in the 38th Annual California Student Media and Multimedia Festival. All components are web-based or can be accessed using IE or Netscape. Power Points can be viewed using web browser and or Microsoft Power Point. To download a free power Point player, go to Microsoft Power Point Player Download page.

Solar System Unit

This unit of study is designed for grades 4-8. This unit of activities are very adjustable based on student needs. The main focus is to enable students to work in cooperative learning groups to research information about their assigned planet and to find some creative ways to present that learning.

Learning Objectives

Fifth Grade California Science Standards
5. The solar system consists of planets and other bodies that orbit the Sun in
predict-able paths. As a basis for understanding this concept:

a. Students know the Sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system and is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium.

b. Students know the solar system includes the planet Earth, the Moon, the Sun, eight other planets and their satellites, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets.

( http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/scgrade5.asp )

National Educational Technology Standards for Students
The technology foundation standards for students are divided into six broad categories. Standards within each category are to be introduced, reinforced, and mastered by students. These categories provide a framework for linking performance indicators within the Profiles for Technology Literate Students to the standards. Teachers can use these standards and profiles as guidelines for planning technology-based activities in which students achieve success in learning, communication, and life skills.

3.Technology productivity tools

           Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote
           creativity.
           Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models,
           prepare publications, and produce   other creative works.

Source: National Educational Technology Standards for Students: < http://cnets.iste.org/index2.html>

Activity 1: Assign groups of students a planet	Activity 2: Research Students research their planet using print resources AND the internet resources such as those below. As they research, they can save images for their planet.
Activity 3: Develop the plan for a Power Point presentation using the planet power point story board	Activity 4: After the teacher approves of the story board, students use the provided power point template to create their power point by modify the template and saving as a unique name for their planet.
Activity 5: Groups present their Power Point presentations to the class (and parents?) with an oral report to go with the slides.	Activity 6: (Optional) Students may wish to save their power point slides as .jpg or .gif imges and use those slides as paty of a web page about their planet.
Activity 7: (Optional)Groups can use MS Word or MS Publisher to create brochures about their planets and/or do a wall display on their planet.	Activity 8: (Optional) Groups can create a quilt panel for a class quilt about the planets.

Exemplary Student Planet Power Points from Fall 2003
Mars Jupiter Uranus Neptune Venus Saturn

Templates: Main | Solar System | Outer Space Exploration

Planet Group Project <printer friendly copy>

Group: __________ Planet: __________

Research Resources

As you use the resource links, answer the questions below. As you come to good pictures on the NASA
websites about your planet, save images on a floppy disk and record where you got the image.

NASA WEB RESOURCES

NASA Kids: Planets http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/SolarSystem/Planets/

NASA Kids Virtual Trip Through the Solar System

NASA Starchild Website

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/planets.html

OTHER WEB RESOURCES

Gander Academy's Solar System Web Guide (excellent)

The Nine Planets
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html

A Space Tour

http://astro.nmsu.edu/~jaspeter/SLIDES/K-4ss_tour.html

Windows to the Universe (University of Michigan) http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/earth.html&edu=elem

Saturn Power Point (displayed as a web page)

Animation Factory for animations, backgrounds and power point templates.
http://www.animfactory.com/cgi-bin/bh.pl Log in with teacher provided user name and password.

Questions

*1.Where is the planet located in relation to the sun?*	-
*2. What does it look like (Check recent NASA info)?*	-
*3. What is the planet composed of?*	-
4. *What atmosphere is there? What elements is it composed of?*	-
*5. What conditions, if any, would have allowed life as we know it to exist or not exist on the planet?*	-
*6. What satellites (moons) does it have (if any)?*	-
*7. What rings does it have (if any)?*	-
*8. How big is it?* *Compared to Earth, how big is it?*	-

Data Table of Information

Category

Earth

Our Planet: _____________

Distance from the Sun

Diameter

Volume

Mass

Rotation Period
(Complete spin on its axis)

24 hours

Revolution Period
(Orbit around the Sun)

365.25 days (1 year)

Planet Composed mainly of:

Atmosphere Composed mainly of:

Presence of Water?

Yes

Volcanic Activity?

Yes

Number of known moons:

Surface Temperature:

_____ F

_______ C

________ F

______C

Other Information:

Power Point Story Board <printer friendly copy>

*Slide #1: Title Slide*	*Slide #2: Main Idea* *This is a report on _____, which is …*	*Slide #3: Place in the Solar System* *The planet, ______, is the __planet from the Sun, located on average ___ million miles from the sun.*
*Slide #4: Size* *The planet is …*	*Slide #5: Appearance* *From what we know, the planet can be described as being…*	*Slide #6: Rotation* *The planet ________ rotates on its _____ axis every _____ (hours/days)*
*Slide #7: Orbit around Sun* *(Revolution)* *It takes _______ a total of ______ to orbit around the sun.*	*Slide #8: Planet Composition* *The planet is made mainly of…* *It does/does not have volcanic activity*	*Slide #9: Atmosphere*
*Slide #10: Satellites and Rings*	*Slide #11: Summary*	*Slide #12: Bibliography*

List images used and where you got the images.

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Create a Power Point

Download the full Planet Power Point Template
Alternate Power Point template designs (without content): Solar System | Space Exploration .

Project last updated 03/24/04 by rdcurry

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