Apollo Missionsto the Moon

Mr. Steve HeckMilford Junior High School8th Grade Earth Science

This lesson is designed to engage students to inquire and discover the principles of Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion.

At the completion of the lesson, students will present their visual concept of what Kepler's First Law is and how it describes the orbits of all the planets (especially Earth) in an elliptical orbit and not circular orbits around the Sun

Project Overview

Kepler’s First LAW of Planetary Motion Planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus.

The Visual Concept must include but is not limited to:(1) Title(2) KEY components of Kepler's Law(3) An example of an Elliptical orbit(4) Calculations on how the orbit was made(5) Some form of animation(6) Reference

Research

Kepler•First to explain planetary motion in modern terms (universal, verifiable, and precise).

•Helped start what is known as the ”Scientific Revolution”

•Explained that Planets follow an elliptical pattern

•Tied both science and math together to define Laws of Nature

•Became the basis of Newton’s Laws

Animation

Could be either:

Video

Actual drawing.

Assessments

 Define the following terms:Circle: a closed plane curve consisting of all points at a given distance from a point within it called the center Ellipse: a figure drawn around two points called the foci such that the distance from one focus to any point on the figure back to the other focus equals a constant Label the following diagram: A: Focus or Foci B: Semimajor AxisC: Semiminor Axis    Calculations: Eccentricity of an Ellipse

Eccentricity = distance between foci length of major axis

CATEGORY 4 3 2Title Student(s) title

presents the overall topic and draws the classes attention using visual media

Title is clear and concise. Relates to the overall topic

Title relates to the topic but does not create a sense of where the topic is headed. Details incomplete.

Content Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.

Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good.

Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors.

Graphics and Animation

Student(s) animation enhances the overall understanding of the topic. Dynamic images are used to enhance the topic

Animation depicted the topic and assisted in the presentation. Animation was appropriate for the topic

Animation was related but did not enhance the overall visual concept.

Works Cited &Lesson Learned

http://kepler.nasa.gov/Mission/JohannesKepler/#anchor784359

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/features/movies/kepler.html

http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/renaissance/kepler.html

Historical:

Video:

Animation:

Lessons Learned:

Science teaching Eclipses – Math Department not till 9th grade.Students involved in lesson plan – stake holders

(IMPROVEMENT)Multiple ways for students to succeed – Project and AssessmentConcept used by other Science and Math teachers