Part 1 - various spherical objects of different sizes (i.e., basketball, softball, soccer ball, large marbles small marbles, beads, etc. Part 2 - receipt paper rolls (adding machine tape), meter stick, metric ruler, markers or colored pencils, scissors Part 3 - Computer with Internet access Part 1: Solar System Sizes 1. As a class, discuss the actual size of our solar system the planets, moons, and the Sun. Note that all – of the measurements in the table below are in thousands, and even hundreds of thousands, of kilometers. 2. Divide each equatorial diameter by to calculate complete the Earth’s diameter “Diameter Compared with discuss these ratios as a class. Earth’s” column. Once done, 3. To complete the multiply Diameter compared with Earth and “Scaled Diameters” column, Earth’s Scaled Diameter. 4. Try to think of objects that correspond to the calculated sizes. 5. Arrange the planets in order, be sure to identify asteroid belt, inner planets, and outer planets. 6. Complete the discussion questions. Table 1: Ratio of the diameters of the other bodies compared with Earth's diameter. Diameter Scaled Diameters Everyday Object Equatorial Compared Representing Scaled to… Solar System Body Diameter Earth=Large Marble with Solar System (kilometers) (cm) Earth's Body Mercury 4,880 Venus 12,100 Earth 12,756 1 2. Large Marble Mars 6,787 Jupiter 143,200 Saturn 120,000 Uranus 51,800 Neptune 49,528 Pluto (Dwarf planet) ~2,330 Moon 3,476 Sun 1,392,000 Discussion Questions Identify the following: Inner planets
Part 1 - various spherical objects of different sizes (i.e., basketball, softball, soccer ball, large marbles small marbles, beads, etc. Part 2 - receipt paper rolls (adding machine tape), meter stick, metric ruler, markers or colored pencils, scissors Part 3 - Computer with Internet access Part 1: Solar System Sizes 1. As a class, discuss the actual size of our solar system – the planets, moons, and the Sun. Note that all of the measurements in the table below are in thousands, and even hundreds of thousands, of kilometers. 2. Divide each equatorial diameter by Earth’s diameter to calculate complete the “Diameter Compared with Earth’s” column. Once done, discuss these ratios as a class. 3. To complete the “Scaled Diameters” column, multiply Diameter compared with Earth and Earth’s Scaled Diameter. 4. Try to think of objects that correspond to the calculated sizes. 5. Arrange the planets in order, be sure to identify asteroid belt, inner planets, and outer planets. 6. Complete the discussion questions. Table 1: Ratio of the diameters of the other bodies compared with Earth's diameter. Solar System Body Equatorial Diameter (kilometers) Diameter Compared with Earth's Scaled Diameters Scaled to… Earth=Large Marble (cm) Everyday Object Representing Solar System Body Mercury 4,880 Venus 12,100 Earth 12,756 1 2. Large Marble Mars 6,787 Jupiter 143,200 Saturn 120,000 Uranus 51,800 Neptune 49,528 Pluto (Dwarf planet) ~2,330 Moon 3,476 Sun 1,392,000 Discussion Questions Identify the following: Inner planets