Fantastic Fourth Grade: Science

Solar System

S4E1. Students will compare and contrast the physical attributes of stars, star patterns, and planets.

There are similarities and differences between stars and planets. When students complete this unit, they should understand, and be able to answer the following questions:

How do stars compete in terms of color, size, and pattern?
How can students differentiate between planets and stars?
Why do stars appear to be the same position, and planets in different positions int he solar system at differne times of the year?
How do people study the solar system?

Teachers Pick!

Discovery - NASA

NASA Discovery Program-YouTube Video Clips

a. Recognize the physical attributes of stars in the night sky such as number, size, color, and patterns.

understand that galazies are made up of stars.
recognize that constellations are patterns of stars.
understand that stars come in various sizes and colors

Vocabulary

Galaxies
Constellations
Star

Constellation Flash Cards

Star Deck! (a great resource)

Constellation Flash Cards for Printing

Cool Sites

Index of other sites that can answer all your questions

Enchanted Learning

Just for FUN!

b. Compare the similarities and difference of planets to te stars in appearance, position and number in the night sky

Identify stars as burning spheres of gas.
Understand that a planet is a large object that moves around a star (sun).
Identify and lavel different constellations (Big Dipper, Orion, and Little Dipper) and their positiong in the solar system.
Understand that the sun is the largest object in the solar system (star).
Compare and contrast the differences and similarities between planets and stars using appearance, position, and number in the night sky.

c. Explain why the pattern of stars in a constellation stays the same, but a planet can be seen in different locations at different times.

Decribe, reenact, or explain the difference between revolution and rotation.
Analyze why stars remains constant in the night sky and why people see them at specific times of the year.
Summarize why planets can be seen in different locations in the solar system at different times.

Vocabulary

revolution
rotation
axis

d. Identify how technology is used to observe distant objects in the sky.

Vocabulary

Optical (Reflecting) Telescope
Crewed Mission
Space Probe

Images from Hubble

Inside the International Space Stations

NASA explains Space Toilet

S4E2. Students will model the position and motion of the Earth in the Solar System and will explain the role of relative position and motion in determining sequence of the phases of the moon.

a. Explain the day/night cycle of the Earth using a model.

Day/Night in Manchester, England.

-Even though this website focuses on Manchester, England, it shows why we have day and night very clearly.

b. Explain the sequence of the phases of the moon

http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es2503/es2503page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization - This website includes an animation that will help you to understand why we see different phases of the moon
https://wonderville.org/app/asset/phases-of-the-moon - This movie/interactive website will teach you about the phases of the moon in a very fun way.

c. Demonstrate the revolution of the earth around the sun and the Earth's tilt to explain the seasonal changes.

d. Demonstrate the relative size and order from the sun of the planets in the solar system.

Memory Tricks

My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Review the Order of the Planets

Stars

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/stars.htm

http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/AskKids/stars.shtml

Change in Seasons

http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0017B-reasons-for-the-four-seasons.php

Solar System Technology

https://prezi.com/hne1tkko3uvp/types-of-technology-used-to-study-the-night-sky/

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/telescopes.htm

Objects in the Solar System