Space Science

Unit 2s Concepts Scientists use models to help understand and explain how things work. Space scientists use models to study things that are very big or far away.Models help us make and test predictions. All models are inaccurate in some way. A model can be an explanation in your mind. Two-dimensional (2-D) models show the dimensions of height and width. (ex: a picture) Three-dimensional (3-D) models show the dimensions of height, width, and depth.

Space Science

Unit 1.3Measuring Length in Metric UnitsWe will be measuring the size of objects in the sky but first we must understand the basics of the metric system

Even though we are used to measurements in feet and inches, ALL scientists in the world use metrics.1 Meter equals 100 centimeters

Cent means 10010 millimeters (mm) = 1 centimeter (cm)

100 centimeters = 1 meter (m)

1,000 meters (m) = 1 kilometer

Imagine dividing a centimeter into 10 pieces

There are 1,000 millimeters in a meter (mm) mille means 1000

Imagine the meter divided into 1,000 pieces.

The challenge is toMeasure the wingspan of an albatross.

What is an albatross?

Lets first make a prediction.Note: Dont move on to new slide till after we measure albatrossThis is how we can write our measurements

3 meters, 63 centimeters3m 63 cm363 centimeters363 cm

What is an Albatross?Albatrosses are the largest of the seabirds the wingspan of the great albatrosses can exceed 3 meters (10 feet).

Lets PracticeMeasure your neighbors wing span..IN METRICS!Measure your laptopSmart boardHeight of your deskDoor frame

Continue Measuring in MetricsMeasuring a Bird and Four Satellites.What is a satellite?What does Orbit Mean?

Talk to your table

SatellitesSatellites made by people travel around the Earth in space. They take photos and other images of Earth, relay cell phone/TV/pager messages.

Since some are made by people, they are sometimes called artificial satellites.

The Earths Moon , on the other hand is a natural satellite.Orbit.

People have made many satellites and sent them up in the sky to orbit the Earth.Orbit means to move around another object in space.An orbit can also be the name for the path taken by one object circling around another object.Lets practice measuringSee WorksheetLesson 1.4How Big Are the Earth, Moon and Sun?Review:What is a Model? (Refer to your concept list)

Define a Scale model. Examples?

Scale models of Earth, Moon and Sun.Because the real sizes of the Earth, Moon, and Sun cant fit in the classroom, we are going to measure some scale models to get better understanding of how these objects are, compared with one another.Predict the relative sizes of Earth, Moon, and Sun.What are your ideas about the sizes of the real Earth, Moon, and Sun: Are they all the same size? Different sizes? If they are different sizes Which one is biggest or smallest? How different are their sizes?

2-D ModelsThe real Earth, Moon and Sun are all shaped like balls, but to start, we will use 2-dimesnsional disks or circles as models so their sizes can be measured more easily.

Review Metric SystemShow with your fingers or arms your best approximation of the following metric unit.

1 millimeter1 centimeter1 meter

Remember the Sheep and the Duck Story?The sheep, duck and chicken went 2000 meters up in the sky.How many kilometers is that?

2kmIntroduction to the Scale RulerThese rulers look similar to the measuring tapes we used in the last session, only the labels have been changed to help you figure our the real sizes of the Sun, Earth and Moon by measuring scale models.To help us, lets review what the new ruler says.1mm= ?1cm= ?1m= 3,000,000 km3,000km, 30,000kmHow would you measure the scale model?Think, parts of a circleWe also measured bubble this way.

Hand out worksheetExit Slip.4cm=_______mm2m=________cm50m=_______cmReview our Measurements..(day2)Which is smallest?

Which is biggest?

The Sun is a STAREven though it is so big compared to Earth, it is medium-sized for a star. We will learn more about why the sun looks about the same size as the Moon in the sky and why stars look so small in the sky when they are really so big.

1.4 ConceptsSome objects in the sky, such as the Sun, Moon, stars and planets are very large.Other objects in the sky, such as birds, satellites and airplanes, are relatively small.The Earth is very largeThe Moon is very large, but not as large as the Earth.The Sun is super huge compared to the Earth.The Sun is a star. Compared to other stars it is medium sized.Travel to the Moon and Mars Videohttp://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX550d524f044b75537d0641&t=Space-Exploration

1.5 Sizes Near & Far

Now we know..Over 1 hundred Earths fit across the Sun.

The Is only about one-fourth the size of the

In diameter,

so the

is much bigger than the Moon.If the Sun is really so huge compared to the Moon, why do they look about the same size in the sky?

A little previewWith half of your table lets measure a piece of 8X11 paper.

Then measure the same size paper from across the room. (one piece for the class. It is on the chalkboard)

What do you observe?Now lets measure a classmate.

Ranking Objects by SizeEach group will get a set of 10 cards.

As a group, agree to put the pictures in order from biggest to smallest.(# the back)

1.5 Continue.Get your cards out Place them in the order you had them yesterday.

Now I will give you new evidence about the items in each card.Remember our discussion about scientist and their need for evidence?Well, Scientist change their minds based on new evidence all the time.

This is one reason why scientist continue to do research and experiments.Look at this Picture, Does this change your order?

Write new number order on the back of the cards in a different color? Dont erase old order numbers.Now We will add more evidence..Actual sizes of the ten objects-House = 25 Meters longPerson A = 1 Meter tallPerson B = 1 Meter 70 cm tallMoon = 3500 km diametersBall = 60 cmStar A : Betelgeuse = 900,000,000 km diameterStar B: Sirius B = 12,000 km diameterStar C: Rigel = 84,000,000 km diameterVenus = 12,1000 km diameterCar = 25 cm long1.5 Key ConceptsHow big something looks and how big it really is can be very different.

An object looks bigger when its closer. An object looks smaller when its father away

The Sun looks bigger than other start because its a whole lot closer.

The Sun looks the same size as the Moon because its much farther away than the Moon.http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=770EB2BC-DA26-476C-A45A-E2F8D74DA3FF&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US Light years away video1.6 Ranking Space Objects by Size

With your group, cut out these cards. Divide the cards evenly.

Use the category cards to sort the sky objects..Now Scientist, Ive come across some new evidence. As I read the new evidence, take notes so you will be able to resort your cards. (see pages 180-186)

Pass out Visual Chart of the Sizes of the Planets.

Concept:

There are many things in the Universe that are much larger than the Sun.

1.7 How Far Away Are They?Predict:How far away are the clouds?-top of the tallest mountain?-the beginning of space?

Last week we measured the sizes of sky objects.

Today we will measure the distances these objects are form Earth.What is Earths atmosphere?

In session 1 we learned that the Earth is surrounded by layers of gases, or air. Well the higher you go from the ground, the less air there is, until there's no air at all. It just slowly fades into space. When you measure the top of the atmosphere, you will be measuring to a point in the sky where there is very little air. Some distances are too high to measure, even in this scale model.

For these objects, we will find the distances written on the sheet and you will write down the number on your student sheet.Scale RulerScale Rulers change all the time. Today we will be working with a scale ruler that marks 1 cm = 2 km.ConceptsSome objects we see in the sky, such as birds and airplanes, are relatively close.

The Moon is very far from us compared with objects in Earths atmosphere.1.8 Comparing DistancesRead page 1Jumping from the Edge of Space(New measuring stations is in the back of the room)

Answer questions

Kittingers Jumphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ7N6V-YKJ8&feature=relatedNow that we have compared distances to the ground, we are going to compare distances of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

In relation to the scale model chart, where do you think the Sun is?The scale model in the back of the room wont work well for comparing the distances of the Earth, Sun and Moon.

Lets try to make a scale model with the 3-D Sun Earth and Moon.

Predictions- If the distance to the Moon is 12 CM, how far away is the Sun?

We are going to pace off the distance to the Sun.Keep in mind the scale model.

At this scale, 1 meter = 3,000,000 km (one giant step)

So, 10 giant steps = 30,000,000Day 21.8 Cont..If I drew a line with Earth on one side and the Sun on the other could you tell me where the Moon would go?

What if I gave you evidence? (hand out)

Remember- Good scientist are open to changing their minds based on evidence.ConceptsThe atmosphere is ting compared to the size of Earth- like the skin of an apple .

The Sun is much farther from Earth than the Moon is.1.9 How Our Scale Ideas Have Changed

Jupiter