1. Objectives&Outcomes
The studentswill knowthe 8planets- theirorder,differentsizesandtheirnames.Theywill be familiarwithnewwords,suchas
solarsystem,orbit,asteroid.
MaterialsNeeded
studentnotebooks
projector
computerwithinternet
Procedure
OpeningtoLesson
Beginbydrawinga big sunon the board and“Solar System”. Askthe studentsif theyknow whatthisis,andask forvolunteers
to come up to the board and drawanythingtheycan thinkof that isrelatedtothe solarsystem.Discusswhatmakesupthe
solarsystem- stars,planets,asteroids:findouttheirbackgroundknowledge.If theyare anywordstheydon’tknow,explain
usingdiagrams.
Studentswill watchavideo(song)aboutthe SolarSystemandthe differentplanets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVVfALI4MxU (playita few times)
Askstudents:Whatare the 8 planets?Cantheyrememberthemall,andinthe rightorder.
How longisa year? (time ittakesforthe Earth to go around the sun).
Talk aboutwhatthe word“orbit”means.Pause the videotoexplainwhatorbitmeans— the linesgoingaroundthe sunisthe
“path” that the planetstake. Doesanyone knowwhatanasteroidis?
Bodyof Lesson
Firstthe studentswill write intheirnotebookstheirowndefinitionsof:
Solarsystem, Orbit, Planet, Asteroid
Next,dividethe classinto2 groups.
Group 1
Uusingdifferentballstorepresentthe planets,studentswill arrange theminorder.Forexample, basketball-Jupiter,soccer
ball- Saturn,2 softballs- UranusandNeptune,2pingpongballs- Earthand Venus,1 jacksball- Mars, 1 marble- Mercury.
Theywill recordintheirNB,by drawingpicturesof the planets(theyshouldshow thattheyunderstand thatdifferentplanets
have differentsizes),theirnamesandarrangement.
Group 2
Choose 9 studentsto“be a planet”.One studentisthe sun.Give eachof the 8 otherstudentsof piece of cardboardwiththe
name of a planetonit.The studentsneedtoarrange themselvesinaline inthe rightorder.Thentheyphysically(move) orbit
aroundthe sun.
Theywill recordintheirNB,by drawingpicturesof the planets,theirnamesandarrangement.
After12 minutes,groupsswap.
If studentsdon'tfinishdrawingwhentime’sup,theycancontinue inthe secondactivity:bothgroupactivitieshave the same
aim.
Closing
Studentswill watchanothervideo(song) whichgivesmore informationaboutthe sun,andthe
8planets:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-qLUIj_A0
Assessment&Evaluation
The studentswill provideevidence intheirnotebookswhattheylearnt—bylookingattheirdefinitionsof the wordsandhow
theydrew,positionedandlabeledtheirplanets, the teacherwillbe able toassessthe students’understanding.
Modification&Differentiation
For homeworkstudentscanresearchinformationabouttheirfavorite planet.
Create a small posterwithsome picturesandsome interestingfacts.
Theycouldpresentitto the class,or just displaythemaroundthe classroom.
____________-A 3rd Grade PlanetsUnit:AnIntroductoryLessonPlanOnthe Planetsandthe SolarSystem
writtenby:Terrie Schultz• editedby:SarahMalburg • updated:2/8/2012
Are your thirdgradersinterestedinspace andplanetidentities?Launcha science unitforyourthirdgrade class withthis
introductorylessonplanonplanetsinoursolarsystem.Yourstudentswill love exploringspace andlearningall aboutplanet
facts.
A LessonOverview
Thisthirdgrade lessonplanonplanetswill serve asanintroductiontoan entire instructional unitonthe componentsof the
solarsystem.Itwill give studentsanoverview of the solarsystem, describinghow the sunisinthe center,and the planetsorbit
aroundthe sun,andit will showthe studentsthe relative sizesof the planets.The teachercanexplainthatdue toPluto's very
2. small size,evensmallerthanEarth'smoon,and itsdistantlocationatthe veryedge of the solarsystem, scientists have decided
to change itsclassification,andhave redefineditasa dwarf planet.
A LessonPlanonPlanetsfor3rd Grade
Objectives:
Studentswill be able toidentifyall eightplanets(nineincludingthe dwarf planetPluto),andwill be able toname the planets.
Studentswill becomefamiliarwithandobservethe relative sizesof the planets.
Studentswill be able toexplain
that the planetsorbitaroundthe sun,whichislocatedinthe centerof the solarsystem.
Studentswill be able tolistthe orderof the planetsfromthe sun.
Materials:
-Chartpaper andmarkers
-Spherical objectssuchasballsorfruitcorrespondingtothe relative sizesof the planets.The relative sizesare listedbe lowin
millimeters.Onthe same scale,the sunwouldbe about 1.39 meters(about4.5 feet) indiameter.
Mercury- 4.9 mm small pea
Venus- 12.1 mm olive orcherry
Earth- 12.7 mm small radish
Mars- 6.8 mm large pea
Jupiter- 142.8 mm small canteloupe
Saturn- 120 mmgrapefruit
Uranus- 51.2 mm small tangerine
Neptune- 48.6mm apricot
Pluto- 2.3 mm sesame seed
Procedure:
Invite studentstoshare factsthat theyalreadyknow aboutthe planetsandthe solarsystemwhile drawingadiagramof the
solarsystemonthe chart paper.Leadthe studentswithquestions,suchaswhichplanetisclosesttothe sun,whichplanet
comesnext,etc.Discussthe relative sizesof the planets,andshow studentsthe fruitmodels.the planetsorbitaroundthe sun.
The closerplanetshave smallerorbits,andthe orbitsgetlargerwithincreasingdistance fromthe sun.Askstudentshowlongit
takesEarth to travel aroundthe sun. (One year,365 days.) Tell studentsthatsince Mercuryisthe closestplanettothe sun,its
revolutiononlytakes88days,while Neptune takes165 years,andPlutotakes248 yearsto complete one revolution.
Askstudents whattheythinkthe differentplanetsmightbe like,andwhy.Forexample,Mercuryisveryhotbecause itisso
close to the sun,while the outerplanetsare alwaysverycold.The innerfourplanets,Mercury,Venus,EarthandMars, are
knownas the terrestrial planetsbecause theyare rocky.Jupiter,Saturn,UranusandNeptune are knownasthe gas giants
because theyare mainlycomposedof hydrogenandheliumgas,andtheyare verylarge.
Choose nine studentstocome tothe front of the room, andgive one of the objectstoeach student.Designateanobjecttobe
the sun,such as the chart paper.Askthe classwhichplanetisclosesttothe sun,andhave the studentholding"Mercury"stand
nextto the chart. Continue withthe restof the planetsinorder.
Review Questions:
At the endof this thirdgrade lesson planon planets,have averbal review of the lessonobjectivesasan observationalassessment:
What are the namesof the eightplanets?
Whichplanetisclosesttothe sun?
Whichplanetislargest?
What isthe name of the verysmall,distantdwarf planet?
Whichplanetisfarthestfromthe sun?
Whichare the terrestrial planets?
Whichplanetsare the gas giants?
How longdoesittake Earth to revolve once initsorbitaroundthe sun?
Whichplanetsare Earth's nearestneighbors?
