So Far Apart (Enhanced) Name: Kathleen Abasolo Grade Level/ Subject: Third Grade/ Science/ Math Prerequisite Knowledge:

Students will need to know that planets are far apart. Students will need to know that planets orbit. Students will need to know the solar system has several components, that include the sun, the planets, the moons, and asteroids. Approximate Time: 30 minutes Student Objectives: Students will need measure precisely the distance between their planet from the sun. Students will need to use their spatial understand of how far away planets are. Content Standards: 11.A.2b Collect data for investigations using scientific process skills including observing, estimating and measuring. 11.A.2e Report and display the results of individual and group investigations. Materials/ Resources/ Technology: Solar System, Grades 2-3 Worksheets by Frank Schaffer Butcher Paper Markers Implementation: Time: Opening of Lesson: 1. Ask the students if they think it would be possible to fit the entire Solar System in their hallway, it is a large universe, after all. 2. After a few students voice their opinions, tell them that it is possible, but it wont work unless they are mature, and responsible third graders. 3. Once the students agree to being mature and responsible third graders, tell the students that we will be able to fit the entire solar system in their hallway. 4. Give the students a list of the planets and their approximate length away from each other. Have the students take out their rulers and review how to use a ruler. 5. Ask students to point to the part of their ruler that starts the tickmarks. Ask

the students If my tick marks arent at the very end of my ruler, should I just keep flipping my ruler to measure? Why not? Expect answers like No you shouldnt because you lose some of your measurement because it isnt taking into account every single part of the measurement. Procedures: 1. Pull the butcher paper straight down the hallway, mark the sun at the end of the of the paper. 2. Tell the students when you measure the distance between each of the planets and the sun, you must always measure starting from the sun. 3. Have the students repeat it back to you, by starting off with when you measure the distance from the planets you must start measuring at the and have the students finish off the sentence. 4. Each student belongs to a group that specializes on a specific planet. Each group will measure their required length away from the sun and mark their planet name. Make sure each student measures right up to the point where their planets are. Have every single student in the group participate. When

Samantha is measuring make sure you have a ruler with large enough numbers so that she can see them without squinting. Have Brianna and Lillian assist the other groups. T hey could help keep count of the how many times the other students have used an entire ruler and keep track on their slates by making tick marks. Brianna and Lillian have the sun as the solar system as their space component in the Planet Masters Project. This gets them involved with their classmates and active with their number sense. Once each group has finished, come by and recheck the students work. Ask Nick S. Amelia, Logan, and Ella to convert centimeters into inches, and convert inches into feet.
5. Once each group has finished being checked, have the students complete the worksheet called So Far Apart. Accompanying the worksheet for So Far Apart, Nick S., Amelia, Logan, and Ella will be given challenge questions to

answer which would involve the question: How many trips across the United States would it take to reach the moon?
Summary and/or Closing: 1. Tell the students even though the planets are so far apart, we can scale down their distances to get an understanding of how far apart these planets really are. 2. Ask the students If you told everyone that you knew that you could fit the entire solar system in the hallway, do you think theyd believe you? How would you tell them that you could? 3. Show the students http://htwins.net/scale2/, which shows the scale of the universe in a whole new way. The sizes of planets and stars are compared to objects sizes that they are more familiar with. Assessment: 1. Students will use their rulers to correctly measure out their planets distance away from the sun. 2. Students will use their understanding of the activity and the chart to help

answer the questions on the worksheet.