The Earth, Moon and Sun including the International Space Station Michael Fletcher-Hunt Education Consultant, The LiNCS Cluster, Sefton Merseyside Primary Science Teaching Trust Project 3 years: 2012-15 involving 30 of the 90 schools (5 Special, 7 Secondary and 18 Primary) in Sefton LA on Merseyside. Focus Year 5 Science National Curriculum: Earth and Space Teacher Activity task and resources Idea 1 Describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies Earth is the odd one out - YOU cannot see it all - perspective views from the International Space Station only shows part of the Earth’s curvature. It takes ISS 90minutes to orbit planet Earth In one day astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets Every orbit is different due to drops in altitude During the orbit ISS is between 230 and 286 miles (370-460km) above the Earth’s surface Assessment: It’s possible for pupils to film all these activities using an Ipad and provide their own commentary to show understanding. Speaking and listening opportunity Ipad Apps: 1.Earth, Moon and Sun study Show picture of the Earth, Moon and Sun – which is the odd one out? How can we prove the Earth is round? Demonstrate a ship on the horizon 2. Moon study Earthrise –Apollo 11 3. Sun study H/S: Importance of never looking at the Sun – using secondary sources only 4. Show the relative sizes of Earth, Moon and Sun to pupils. 3 internet pictures – google images Collect ideas on a flip chart Characteristics of each based on pupils knowledge Google the question – group work/independent learning Globe ( a sphere) and small boat Use the Moonsaic photo graphs as a jigsaw – time the completion of the puzzle from NSO:JMU Liverpool www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk Get a telescope on the school yard and look at the Moon ‘Rotating Sun from NASA’ – youtube Produce a Sun folder: using Internet images – size, distance and it’s a spinning fixed star of gas Make a scale model on school field
Idea 2a Describe the movement of the Earth Ipad Apps: 1.Use BBC DVD 2012 Orbit Earth’s Extraordinary Journey Amazon £6.00 2. Breaking the orbit down into days or globe spins – relate to Children’s Birthdays in the class 3. Show that as the Earth spins and moves around the Sun during its orbit it takes up different positions. 4.Each position causes changes of temperature on the Earth’s surface Get the pupils to film the orbit of the Earth from the DVD using an iPad. Put the clip into powerpoint presentation and add notes. 365 and a quarter to go around the Sun. Use 365 pennies on a table in a circle (not quite) Demonstrate it in the school hall with 365 A4 sheets each with a circle on the base for a Earth. a Photograph it for future use/years. Pupils make a table top orbit. Use 4 globes and simple labels. Put data loggers on a globe at different latitudes (local secondary school support) Children annotate worksheets for December and June positions ( The Seasons)
Idea 2b Describe the movement of the planets relative to the Sun In the solar system Posters are wrong Make a Fruit Solar System Make a 1 metre Solar system Mark 0 cm - its Sun Fold in half – its Uranus Fold into 4 – lay flat on Quarter 1/4 -its Saturn (closest to Sun) Quarter 3/4 – its Neptune Fold Sun to Saturn (1/8) Fold again its Jupiter at 1/16 We have the 4 giants gas planets Fold the 1/8 i.e. (1/16) It’s the Asteroid Belt Sun to 1/16 –its Mars Not precise now and 3 planets to go Fold into 1/32 – 3 creases Earth nearest Mars Venus in the middle Mercury nearest Sun Source: To scale the Solar System 1.Divide the pupils into groups of 4 (A, B, C and D ) invite As to teacher desk- each pupil takes a separate envelope containing a similar unseen solar system poster picture – they are allowed to look at it for 30secs. 2. How far are the planets apart? 3. The teacher directs the class to make a solar system to put in their pocket to take home and show their parents. 4.Name the planets -mobiles/models/posters 5.Sizes : Show the photograph /3349/planets-in –order-of-size 6. Distances: Show the clip: To Scale: The Solar System-You Tube 7.Build a planetary walk in the school ground Children go back to their group and draw from memory what they can remember for 1 min. Then invite Bs up and so on until Ds. They build up the poster image in a drawing. The class compare the finished posters as class activity. On a blank a metre tape, ask the Children to make ‘educated guesses’ the relative positions of the planets in the solar system. Make a 1 metre Solar system Children compare the two tapes and discuss the issue of size and distances. Children are asked to devise mnemonics to remember the planet order in the Solar System Class discuss the sizes of the planets – cut up and put in order – why and metal contents Class discuss the 7min clip with a focus on the size of the Sun and the balloon at the end. Children make a planetary with them acting as planets.
Ipads Apps: Idea 3 Describe the movement of the Moon relative to the What the pupil must know to be able to explain the Phases of the moon Because the positions of the Earth, Moon and Mun vary thought the month the shape of the moon from earth varies. The phase of the moon depends on where the Earth is relative to the moon and sun. The moon changes each night. When you see the moon think where is the sun. The Sun is illuminating the Moon Ipad Apps: 1.Revisit Moonsaic 2.Obtain ‘images for moon flip book template’ 3.Talk the features of the moon by asking the class – build up on a flip chart/board- Facts about the Moon 4.Play theme music of the opening scene from 2001 Space Odyssey showing Earth, Moon and Sun. 5.Make a model of the three together. Use it to explain New and full moon 6.Construct a Moon Box How to make a moon box 7.Teacher puts a Moon cycle template worksheet on the board Children will complete their own Moon Flip Book Can see it night See it in parts Can see it in daylight Light from the Sun reflected Moves 29 days around the Earth notice it from Earth 30 Earths away Eclipse seen Show a thoto model – artists concept of all three aligned in space Pupils make an individual ‘Moon flip book’ by completing Full moon and New moon templates. Pupils use the Moon box to complete the other phases of the moon cycle recording in their individual ‘Moon flip book’. Pupils giving a correct answer get a biscuit and place a shaped erroll biscuit on the template on the