Transcript Notes on Planetary Motion

Bell Work: January 5, 2012
TCAP THURSDAY!
Choose the correct answer. Defend your answer choice. (why
did you choose that answer?)
Notes Set- Up
** Next available page, label Planetary
Motion.
**Add Planetary Motion to your Table of
Contents!
Answer this!
 What
keeps the planets in
orbit on a path around the
sun?
 What
keeps the moon
orbiting around the Earth?
Gravity and Inertia

Gravity is a force that pulls the
object (planet) toward whatever it is
orbiting around (sun).
 Inertia is a force that wants the
object to keep in a forward motion in
a straight line.
 Both together, result in an elliptical
(oval) orbit path.
The Planets

We now have only eight planets!

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us
Nachos!

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Pluto is now a dwarf planet.
Inner Planets vs. Outer Planets

More closely
spaced

Spaced farther
apart

Terrestrial planets-

Gas giants- larger
Mercury, Venus,
Earth, and Mars

small, dense, and
rocky

and made mostly of
gases
Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and
Neptune
A Cosmic Contract







100-complete 6 or more activities (3 bonus points for
each one over 6)
90-complete 5 of the activities
80-complete 4 of the activities
Less than 3-you will fail the assignment
ALL ACTIVITES ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 2nd, 2012
Contract must be signed by you and your parent
Contract must be returned on Friday, January 6th
Cosmic Contract Activities
1. You have been selected to live in a space
station for a year. You are only allowed to
bring 5 items with you. List the items you
are taking and explain why you chose
each one.
Cosmic Contract Activities
2. Read several myths about constellations.
Then create a constellation of your own
and write a myth to explain it.
(You may have to visit the library for this one )
Cosmic Contract Activities
3. Create a poem that describes one of the
nine planets. (including Pluto)
Cosmic Contract Activities
4. Construct a model of a space shuttle
using a shoebox and other craft objects.
On an index card, list its major
components and give a brief description of
each.
Cosmic Contract Activities
5. Using unlined index cards, design a set of
postcards, one for each planet. Label and
illustrate a different planet on the front of
each postcard; then write 5 facts about the
planet on the back of the postcard.
Cosmic Contract Activities
6. Listen to the movie soundtrack of a space
related movie, such as Star Wars or Star
Trek. As you listen to the music, paint or
sketch one or more images that come to
mind.
Cosmic Contract Activities
7. Make a collage featuring astronomyrelated pictures and illustrations.
Cosmic Contract Activities
8. Make a timeline that shows at least ten
important dates in space travel.
Cosmic Contract Activities
9. Write a journal entry that might have been
written by an astronaut during a trip to the
moon.
Cosmic Contract Activities
10. Research the birth and death of a star.
Create a poster that shows the life cycle of
a medium sized star such as our sun.
Cosmic Contract Activities
11. Make a chart that describes the
composition, atmosphere, and the size of
each planet.
Cosmic Contract Activities
12. Research the following famous
astronomers:
Copernicus, Galileo, and Ptolemy
Write a brief paragraph about each one
describing his contribution to the science
of astronomy.