Transcript 5-Minute Prep

DE Science Elementary
“5-Minute Prep” For
The Earth, Sun, and Moon
Sun
Gravity and Orbits
Gravity and Orbits – The Big Ideas
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Gravity causes stars, planets, and moons to
attract each other.
The moon remains in orbit around the Earth
because its speed of motion and the pull of
Earth’s gravity are balanced.
The planets remain in orbit around the sun
because their speed of motion and the pull of
the sun’s gravity are balanced.
Gravity and Orbits – Prior Knowledge
Most students will have some background
knowledge of the sun. However, their knowledge
of gravity and planets orbiting around the sun
will be limited. It would be helpful for students to
view the FUN-damental Cycles in the Sky. It
would also help if they:
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Know what orbit means.
Know that the planets orbit around the sun.
Know that the moon orbits the Earth.
Have a working knowledge of gravity.
Gravity and Orbits – Common Misconceptions
• The sun orbits the Earth.
– Reality: The Earth and other planets all orbit around the
sun. It appears to us that the sun is moving and we are
still, but the opposite is true.
• The moon stays in the same place in the sky.
– Reality: The moon orbits the Earth just as Earth orbits the
sun. The moon also rotates one time for each orbit.
• The moon is only up at night.
– Reality: The moon is often visible in the daytime as well.
Gravity and Orbits – Using DE Science Content
When you close this presentation, you can review the
following recommended resources for Gravity and Orbits.
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Exploration: Gravity and Orbits
Reading Passage: Building on the Work of Others
E Book: Not Going Too Far
Video: What is an Orbit?
Use the PowerPoint version of this presentation for
hyperlinks to these resources or you can get to them
through the browser or search feature.
Gravity and Orbits – Instructional Ideas
• Use the Exploration with the whole class. Students will see
what causes the moon and Earth to orbit the sun.
– Using a dark room, a single floor lamp and foam balls, students can
act out the Earth’s rotation and orbit around the sun.
• After students read Not Going Too Far, they will surely want
to try the experiment that is suggested in the article.
– Give each student a ball tied to a string and let the students swing
the ball around in a circle over their heads. (Take all necessary
safety precautions with students.)
– Students will see the ball orbiting their head. Ask the students to
imagine what would happen if someone cut the string. This is what
would happen in space if there was no gravity keeping the planets
or the moon in their orbit.
Gravity and Orbits – Instructional Ideas
• Students also might be interested in making a
scale model of the Solar System after watching the
video on orbits.
– Take students out to a large field.
– Provide them with beach balls or inflatable planets and
the sun.
– Students can walk in circles around the sun and each
participate in being a part of the solar system.
– Extra students can even orbit planets as moons!
State standards:
If you wish to review your state standards
regarding Gravity and Orbits, click here to get to
the curriculum standards search feature of DES.
http://discoveryeducation.com/forward/curriculum.cfm
You can click on any standard to see what
resources are available to teach it.
Additional Information:
For additional content, check the Extend section
within the concept.