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Project GLADSanta Ana Unified School District

Our Solar SystemEarth and Physical Science~Third Grade

I. Unit Theme The bodies in our solar system include: the sun, inner planets, outer planets, moons,

asteroids and comets The objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns The sun gives us energy in the form of light and heat

II. Focus/Motivation Big Books: The Important Thing About the Solar System is… and I just Thought You

Might Like to Know…Sun Picture File Cards Observation Charts Astronomer Awards Inquiry Chart: What do you know about Space? And What do you want to know?

III. Closure Process all charts Group presentations of team tasks Video: The Magic School Bus Gets Lost in Space Student-authored books: The Solar System

IV. Concepts Content StandardsContent Standards

Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patternso Students know the patterns of stars stay the same, although they appear to

move across the sky nightly, and different starts can been seen in different seasons

o Students know the way in which the Moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle

o Students know telescopes magnify the appearance of some distant objects in the sky, including the Moon and the planets. The number of starts that can be seen through telescopes is dramatically greater than can be seen by the unaided eye

o Students know the Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth

o Students know the position of the sun in the sky changes during the course of the day and from season to season

Physical Sciences1a. Students know energy comes from the sun to the Earth in the form of lightInvestigation and Experimentation5b. Students will differentiate evidence from opinion and know that scientists do not rely on claims or conclusions unless they are backed by observations that can be confirmed

V. VocabularySun star rotateAxis revolve orbitSatellite phase craterPlanet solar system atmosphere

Telescope comet asteroidAstronomer constellation astronautEquator tilts New MoonWaxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing GibbousWaning Gibbous Full Moon Last QuarterWaning Crescent gravity OxygenSolar System Space Shuttle galaxyMercury Venus EarthMars Jupiter SaturnUranus Neptune Pluto

VI. Content Standards for English Language ArtsREADING

1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary DevelopmentStudents understand the basic features of reading. They select letter patterns and know how to translate them into spoken language by using phonics, syllabication, and work parts. They apply this knowledge to achieve fluent oral and silent reading.Word Recognition1.1 Read narrative and expository text aloud with grade appropriate fluency and accuracy and with appropriate

pacing, intonation, and expression.Vocabulary and Concept Development1.2 Apply knowledge of word origins derivations, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of

words and phrases.1.3 Use knowledge of root words to determine the meaning of unknown words with in a passage. 1.4 Know common roots and affixes derived from Greek and Latin and use this knowledge to analyze the meaning of

complex words (e.g. international).1.5 Use a thesaurus to determine related words and concepts.1.6 Distinguish and interpret words with multiple meanings.

2.0 Reading ComprehensionStudents read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They draw upon a variety of comprehension strategies as needed (e.g. generating and responding to essential questions, making predictions, comparing information from several sources). The selections in recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Eight illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition to their regular school reading Students read one half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository test (e.g. classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, online information).

Structural Features of Informational Materials2.1 Identify structural patterns found in informational text (e.g., compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequential or chronological order, proposition and support) to strengthen comprehension.

Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text2.2 Use appropriate strategies when reading for different purposes (e.g. full comprehension, location of information,

personal enjoyment). 2.3 Make and confirm predictions about text by using prior knowledge and ideas presented in the text itself, including

illustrations titles, topic sentences, important words, and foreshadowing clues.2.4 Evaluate new information and hypotheses by testing them against known information and ideas.2.5 Compare and contrast information on the same topic after reading several passages or articles.2.6 Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion in expository text.2.7 Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual (e.g. how to use a computer commands or video

games).

3.0 Literary Response and Analysis

Students read and respond to a wide variety of significant works of children’s literature. They distinguish between the structural features of the text and literary terms or elements (e.g. theme, plot, setting, characters). The selection is Recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Eight illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.

Structural Features of Literature3.1 Describe the structural differences of various imaginative forms of literature, including fantasies, fables, myths,

legends and fairy tales.Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, their causes and the influence of each event on future actions.3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character’s traits and motivations to determine the causes for

that character’s actions.3.4 Compare and contrast tales from different cultures by tracing the exploits of one character type and develop

theories to account for similar tales in diverse cultures (e.g., trickster tales).3.5 Define figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification) and identify its use in literary

works.

WRITING

1.0 Writing StrategiesStudents write clear and coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea. Their writing shows they consider the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process (e.g. prewriting, drafting, revising, editing successive versions).

Organization and Focus1.1 Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, length, and format

requirements.1.2 Create multiple-paragraph compositions:

a. Provide an introductory paragraph.b. Establish and support a central idea wit a topic sentence at or near the beginning of the first paragraph.c. Include supporting paragraphs with simple facts, details, and explanations.d. Conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the points.e. Use correct indention.

1.3 Use traditional structures for conveying information (e.g. chronological order, cause and effect, similarity and difference, and posing and answering a question).

Evaluation and Revision1.10 Edit and revise selected drafts to improve coherence and progression by adding, deleting, consolidating, and

rearranging text.

2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) Students write compositions that describe and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the drafting, research and organizational strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. Using the writing strategies of grade four outlined in Writing Standard 1.0, students:

2.1 Write narratives:a. Relate ideas observations, or recollections of an event or experience.b. Provide a context to enable the reader to imagine the world of the event or experience.c. Use concrete sensory detailsd. Provide insight into why the selected event or experience is memorable.

2.3 Write information reports:a. Frame a central question about an issue or situation.b. Include facts and details for focus.c. Draw from more than one source of information (e.g. speakers, books, newspapers, other media sources).

2.4 Write summaries that contain the main ideas of the reading selection and the most significant details.

WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONSThe standard for written and oral English language conventions have been placed between those for writing and for listening and speaking because these conventions are essential to both sets of skill.

1.0 Written and Oral English Language ConventionsStudents write and speak with a command of Standard English conventions appropriate to this grade level.

Sentence Structure1.1 Use simple and compound sentences in writing and speaking.1.2 Combine short, related sentences with appositives, participial phrases, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional

phrases.Grammar1.3 Identify and use regular and irregular verbs, adverbs, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions in writing and

speaking.Punctuation1.4 Use parentheses, commas in direct quotations and apostrophes in possessive case of nouns and in contractions.1.5 Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to identify titles of documents.Capitalization1.6 Capitalize names of magazines, newspapers, works of art, musical compositions, organizations, and the first word

in quotations when appropriate.Spelling 1.7 Spell correctly roots, inflections, suffixes and prefixes, and syllable constructions.

LISTENING AND SPEAKING1.0 Listening and Speaking StrategiesStudents listen critically and respond appropriately to oral communication. They speak in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas by using proper phrasing, pitch, and modulation.

Comprehension 1.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond to relevant questions with appropriate elaboration in oral settings.1.2 Summarize major ideas and supporting evidence presented in spoken messages and formal presentations.

2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)Students deliver brief recitations and oral presentations about familiar experiences of interests that are organized about familiar experiences or interests that are organized around a coherent thesis statement. Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard American English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0. Using the speaking strategies of grade there outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:

2.1 Make brief narrative presentations:a. Provide a context for an incident that is the subject of the presentation.b. Provide insight into why the selected incident is memorable.c. Include well-chosen details to develop character, setting, and plot.

2.2 Plan and present dramatic interpretations of experiences, stories, poems, or plays with clear diction, pitch, tempo, and tone.

2.3 Deliver oral summaries of articles and books that contain the main ideas of the event or article and the most significant details.

2.4 Recite brief poems (i.e., two or three stanzas), soliloquies, or dramatic dialogues, using clear diction, tempo, volume, and phrasing. VII. English Language Development Standards

LISTENING AND SPEAKING

ComprehensionBeginning Begin to speak with a few words or sentences, using some English phonemes and

rudimentary English grammatical forms (e.g., single words or phrases).Answer simple questions with one- to two-word responses.Retell familiar stories and participate in short conversations by using appropriate gestures, expressions, and illustrative objects.

Early Intermediate Begin to be understood when speaking, but may have some inconsistent use of standard English grammatical form and sounds (e.g. plurals, simple past tense, pronouns [he/she]).Ask and answer questions using phrases or simple sentences.Restate and execute multistep oral directions.

Intermediate Ask and answer instructional questions with some supporting elements (e.g., “Is it your turn to go to the computer lab?”)Listen attentively to stories/information and identify key details and concepts using both verbal and non-verbal responses.

Early Advanced Listen attentively to more complex stories/information on new topics across content areas, and identify the main points, and supporting details.

Advanced Listen attentively to stories and subject area topics, and identify the main points and supporting details.Demonstrate understanding of idiomatic expressions by responding to and using such expressions appropriately (e.g., “Give me a hand.”)

Comprehension/Organization and Delivery of Oral CommunicationBeginning Independently use common social greetings and simple repetitive phrases (e.g., “May I

go and play?”).Early Intermediate Orally identify the main points of simple conversations and stories that are read aloud

using phrases or simple sentences.Orally communicate basic needs (e.g., “May I get a drink of water?”).Recite familiar rhymes, songs, and simple stories.

Intermediate Be understood when speaking, using consistent standard English grammatical forms and sounds; however, some rules may not be in evidence (e.g., third person singular, male and female pronouns).Actively participate in social conversations with peers and adults on familiar topics by asking and answering questions and soliciting information.Retell stories and talk about school related activities using expanded vocabulary, descriptive words, and paraphrasing.

Early Advanced Retell stories in greater detail including characters, setting, and plot, summary, and analysis.Be understood when speaking using consistent standard English grammatical forms, sounds, intonation, pitch, and modulation, but may have random errors.Actively participate and initiate more extended social conversations with peers and adults on unfamiliar topics by asking and answering questions, restating and soliciting information.Recognize appropriate ways of speaking that vary based on purpose, audience, and subject matter.Ask and answer instructional questions with more extensive supporting elements (e.g., “What part of the story was most important?”).Use simple figurative language and idiomatic expressions to communicate ideas to a variety of audiences (e.g., “It’s raining cats and dogs.”).

Advanced Negotiate and initiate social conversations by questioning restating, soliciting information and paraphrasing.Consistently use appropriate ways of speaking and writing that vary based on purpose, audience, and subject matter.Identify the main ideas, points of view, and fact/fiction in broadcast and print media.Speak clearly and comprehensibly using standard English grammatical forms, sounds, intonation, pitch and modulation.

WORD ANALYSIS

Concepts of Print, Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary and Concept DevelopmentBeginning Recognizes English phonemes that correspond to phonemes

Students already hear and produce while reading aloudEarly Intermediate While reading orally, recognize and produce English phonemes

that do not correspond to phonemes students already hear and produce (e.g., “a” in cat and final consonants).

Intermediate Pronounce most English Phonemes correctly while reading aloud.Early Advanced Apply knowledge of common English morphemes in oral and

silent reading to derive meaning from literature and text in content area.Advanced Apply knowledge of word relationships, such as roots and affixes, to derive meaning

from literature and texts in content areas.

Phonemic Awareness, Decoding and Word RecognitionBeginning Recognize sound/symbol relationships in own writing.Early Intermediate Recognize common English morphemes in phrases and simple sentences (e.g., basic

syllabication rules and phonics).Intermediate Pronounce most English phonemes correctly while reading aloud.

Use common English morphemes in oral and silent reading.Early Advanced Apply knowledge of common English morphemes in oral and silent reading to derive

meaning from literature and texts in content areas.Advanced Apply knowledge of word relationships, such as roots and affixes to derive meaning

from literature and tests in content areas.

READINGFluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development

Vocabulary & Concept DevelopmentBeginning Read aloud simple words in stories or games (e.g., nouns and adjectives).

Respond appropriately to some social and academic interactions (e.g., simple question/answer, negotiate play).

Early Intermediate Apply knowledge of content related vocabulary to discussions and reading.Read simple vocabulary phrases and sentences independently.Use knowledge of English morphemes, phonics, and syntax to decode and interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words in simple sentences.Demonstrate internalization of English grammar, usage, and work choice by recognizing and correcting some errors when speaking or reading aloud.Read own writing of narrative and expository text aloud with some pacing, intonation, and expression

Intermediate Create a dictionary of frequently used words.Use knowledge of English morphemes, phonics, and syntax to decode and interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words in written textsDemonstrate internalization of English grammar, usage, and word choice by recognizing and correcting errors when speaking or reading aloud.Read grade appropriate narrative and expository texts aloud with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.Use content related vocabulary in discussions and reading.Recognize some common roots and affixes when attached to known vocabulary (e.g., speak, speaker).

Early Advanced Use knowledge of English morphemes, phonics and syntax to decode and interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words.Recognize words that sometimes have multiple meanings in literature and texts in content areas (e.g., present (gift), present (time).Use some common roots and affixes when attached to known vocabulary.Recognize simple analogies and metaphors in literature and texts in content areas (e.g., “fly like a bird”).Use decoding skills and knowledge of academic and social vocabulary to achieve independent reading.Use some common idioms in discussions and reading (e.g., “scared silly”).Read increasingly complex narrative and expository texts aloud with appropriate pacing, intonation and expression.

Advanced Apply knowledge of common roots and affixes when attached to known vocabulary.Recognize that words sometimes have multiple meanings and apply this knowledge consistently.

Apply this knowledge of academic and social vocabulary to achieve independent reading.Use common idioms, some analogies and metaphors in discussion and reading.Use a standard dictionary to determine measuring of unknown words.Read narrative and expository text aloud with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.

Reading Comprehension

Comprehension & Analysis of Grade-Level Appropriate TextBeginning (Blank)

Early Intermediate (Blank)

Intermediate Use detailed sentences to orally respond to comprehension questions about written text (e.g.,”The brown bear lives with his family in the forest.”).Read and identify text features such as titles, table of contents, chapter headings, diagrams, charts, glossaries, and indexes in written texts.Read and use detailed sentences to orally identify main ideas and use them to make predictions and provide supporting details for predictions made.

Early Advanced Describe main ideas and supporting details of a text.Generate and respond to comprehension questions related to the text.Describe relationships between text and their experience.

Advanced Use resources in the text (such as ideas, illustrations, titles, etc.) to draw inferences, conclusions, and to make generalizations.

ComprehensionBeginning Respond orally to stories read to them by answering factual comprehension questions,

using one- or two-word responses (e.g., “brown bear”).Orally identify relationship between simple text read to them and their won experience using key words and/or phrases.Understand and follow simple one-step directions for classroom or work-related activities.

Early Intermediate Read and listen to simple stories and demonstrate understanding by using simple sentences to respond to explicit detailed questions (e.g., “The bear is brown.”)Read and orally identify relationships between written text and their own experience using simple sentences.Understand and follow simple two-step directions of classroom or work-related activities.

Intermediate Read and use more detailed sentences to orally describe relationships between text and their own experiences.Understand and follow some multi-step directions for classroom-related activities.

Early Advanced/ Locate and identify the function of text features such asAdvanced format, diagrams, charts, glossaries, and indexes.

Comprehension and Analysis of Appropriate TextBeginning Identify the basic sequences of events in stories read to them, using key words or

picturesIdentify the main idea in a story read aloud using key words and/or phrases.Point out text features such as title, table of contents, and chapter headings.

Early Intermediate Orally identify the basic sequence of written text using simple sentences.Read and orally identify the main ideas and use them to draw inferences about written text using simple sentences.Read and identify basic text features such as title, table of contents, and chapter headings.

Intermediate Read and orally identify examples of fact/opinion and cause/effect in literature and content area texts.

Early Advanced Describe main ideas and supporting details of a text.Generate and respond to comprehension questions related to the text.Describe relationships between text and their experience.

Advanced Use resources in the text (such as ideas, illustrations, titles, etc.) to draw inferences, conclusions, and to make generalizations.

VIII. Math/Science/Social Science Skills Drawing conclusions Making inferences Predicting Scientific Observations Cause and effect relationships Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns Timelines

IX. Resources and MaterialsNon-Fiction DK Eye Wonder Space. Simon Holland, DK Publishing, Inc. The Best Book of the Moon. Ian Graham, Kingfisher Finding Out about Sun, Moon and Planets. Lynn Myring and Sheila Snowden,

Usborne The Stargazer’s Guide to the Galaxy. Q.L. Pearce, Tom Doherty. My Book of Space. Ian Graham, Kingfisher Starry Messenger Galileo. Peter Sis, Sunburst The Magic School Bus: Space Explorers. Eva Moore, Scholastic Spacebusters: The Race to the Moon. Dorling Kindersley Readers, Philip Wilkinson,

D.K. Publishing Astronaut Living in Space Eyewitness Readers. Kate Hayden, D.K. PublishingFiction Many Moons. James Thurber, Harcourt Brace Coyote Places the Stars. Harriet Peck Taylor, Evan-Mor McGraw-Hill Science Level 3, Teacher’s Multimedia Edition, California Edition.

McGraw-Hill National Geographic, September 1983. National Geographic Society National Geographic, October 1986. National Geographic Society National Geographic, August 1990. National Geographic Society National Geographic, November 1996. National Geographic Society National Geographic, April 1997. National Geographic SocietyInternet Resources Enchanted Learning: Zoom Astronomy

http:/www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy NASA: “Star Child” astronomy site http:/starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov Astronomy for Kids! http:/dustbunny.com/afk/index.html


Our Solar SystemEarth and Physical Science~Third Grade

I. Focus/Motivation The Important Thing about the Solar System is… I Just Thought You Might Like to Know…Sun Observation Charts Inquiry Chart Astronomer Awards

II. Input Solar System Pictorial Phases of the Moon Pictorial The Orbiting Earth Pictorial Read Aloud: Starry Messenger Read Aloud: Many Moons Narrative Input: The Night Sky Sun and Moon Comparative Space Exploration Timeline

III. Guided Oral Practice T-Graph for Social Skills: Cooperation Chants Poetry Process Grid: Stars, Inner Planets, Outer Planets, Moons, Asteroids, Comets Sentence Patterning Chart: Astronomers Daily review and processing of charts Story Map

IV. Reading/Writing Activities1. Whole Class

Story Mapping Expository Reading/Writing Model Editing Process Poetry Frames

2. Flexible and Cooperative Groupings Sentence Patterning Chart with Word Cards Ear-to-Ear reading with poetry booklet Cooperative Group Strip Paragraph Team Tasks: Solar System Pictorial, Phases of the Moon Pictorial, Orbiting Earth

Pictorial, Star Narrative, Space Web, Sentence Patterning Chart, Flip Chant Expert Groups: Stars, Inner Planets, Outer Planets, Moons, Asteroids, Comets Flexible Grouping for ELL differentiation, primary language, reading instruction,

skill reinforcement3. Individual Work

Learning Logs Interactive Journals Reading/Writing choices: stickies in books, picture file cards, add to charts, make

word cards, highlight charts, focused reading, poetry booklet, flip chants4. Writer’s Workshop

Mini-Lessons Plan, Share, Write, Revise, Edit, Publish

Conferencing Author’s Chair

V. Extension Activities Moon Phase Chart What Causes Day and Night Investigation, McGraw-Hill Science Level 3, page 195 Investigating How the Moon’s Shape Changes, McGraw-Hill Science Level 3, page

205 Investigate How Planets Move, McGraw-Hill Science Level 3, page 235

VI. Closure/Evaluation Re-visit Inquiry Chart Student-Made Big Books Team Task Presentations Portfolio Conferences Home-School Connection


Our Solar SystemSAMPLE DAILY LESSON PLAN

Day 1:

Focus/Motivation Astronomer Awards Poetry, Chants Observation Charts Big Book, The Important Thing About Our Solar System Inquiry Chart: What do you know about the Solar System? What are you

wondering?Input

Solar System PictorialGuided Oral Practice

Chants: Bugaloo, Yes Ma’am, Planets T Graph for Social Skills: Cooperation Team Points Science Free Exploration: Picture file cards, simulate observing “in the field’

process skills (observing, categorizing, comparing, ordering, inferring), group reporting

Reading/Writing Learning Log-You are an astronomer: What observations about the Solar System

have you made so far? Primary Language Review, ELL Review

Input Narrative input chart on the Night Sky 10:2 Lecture with primary language groups

Reading/Writing Writer’s Workshop

o Mini lesson on types of writingo Plan, share, writeo Author’s Chair

Closure Interactive journal writing Poetry, chanting Home-School Connection

Day 2

Focus/Motivation Partner share Home-School Connection Astronomer Notebook Award Chants Review Solar System pictorial with word cards, pictures Review Night Sky narrative, add speech bubbles

Input I Just Thought You Might Like to Know, Sun Big Book Chant and Highlight What makes day and night demonstration Comparative: Sun and Moon

Reading/Writing Bodies of the Solar System Expert Groups: Stars, Inner Planets, Outer Planets,

Moons, Asteroids, Comets Team Tasks

o Solar System Pictorialo Night Sky narrativeo Comparative, Sun and Moon

Process Grid, heads together, model with stars Interactive journal writing

Closure Poetry, chanting Read Aloud Home-School Connection

Day 3

Focus/Motivation Partner share Home-School Connection Revisit Big Book, The Important Thing About Our Solar System Astronomer Book Marks Read, review, process all charts

Input Add word cards to Sun and Moon Comparative Phases of the Moon/Orbiting Earth Pictorial

Guided Oral Practice Sentence Patterning Chart-Astronomers Flip Chant Sentence Exchange Process Grid

Reading/Writing Cooperative Strip Paragraph

Revising/Editing Co-op Strip Paragraph Interactive journal writing Writer’s Workshop

o Mini lesson o Plan, share, writeo Author’s Chair

Team Taskso Solar System Pictorialo Night Sky narrativeo Comparative, Sun and Moono Space Webo Sentence Patterning Charto Flip Chanto Moon Phase Pictorialo Orbiting Earth Pictorial

Closure Chants Home/School Connection

Day 4

Focus/Motivation Partner share Home/School Connection Astronomer Awards Listen and Sketch Poetry, chanting Process Charts

Input Revisit Observation Charts

Reading/Writing Learning Log Writer’s Workshop Ear to Ear reading with Poetry Booklets Story Map Flexible group reading-by skill or needs based Team Tasks

o Solar System Pictorialo Night Sky narrativeo Comparative, Sun and Moono Space Webo Sentence Patterning Charto Flip Chant

o Moon Phase Pictorialo Orbiting Earth Pictorialo Team Evaluations

Guided Oral Practice Chants Sentence Patterning Chart

Closure Interactive journal Writing Team task presentations Review Inquiry Charts/Process Learning

Big Book-The Important Thing About Our Solar System, by Linda Palomino

The important thing about our solar system is that its objects move in regular patterns.

The Sun is a star in the center of our solar system.

It is a ball of burning gas that provides us with energy in the form of heat and light.

All of the planets travel around the Sun.

It takes 365 days or 1 year for Earth to orbit the Sun.

But, the important thing about our solar system is that its objects move in regular patterns.


The inner planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

They are the closet planets to the Sun.

They are made of rock and metal.

Like all planets, they rotate on an axis, and they orbit the Sun.



Asteroids are space rocks.

Most asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

This area of our solar system is called the Asteroid Belt.

Asteroids can be as small as a large boulder, or as large as a whole city.



Our Moon is our closet neighbor.

The Moon has no light of its own. It is lit by the Sun.

The Moon seems to change shape, but really as the Moon travels around the Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit side.

The changes in the appearance of the Moon are called “phases.”



The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

The outer planets are farther from the Sun.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune have surfaces made of liquids and gases. Pluto is made of ice and rock.

The outer planets rotate on an axis and orbit the Sun.



A comet is made of dirty ice, dust, and gas.

It has a nucleus, a coma, and a tail that can be up to 250 million kilometers long.

Some comets orbit the Sun like planets. Their orbit takes them very close to and very far away from the Sun.

Every time a comet comes close to the Sun, a part of it melts. Over time, it will completely disappear.


Big Book: I just thought you might like to know… by Pat Inglés

Did you know… the sun is the center of the solar system?

The sun is a star, a huge ball of hot glowing gases. The planets in our solar system orbit the sun because it pulls on them with a force called

gravity. All objects in space have some gravity. The bigger an object is, the more gravity it has, so the greater the gravitational pull.

I just thought you might like to know the sun is the center of the solar system.


Our closet star is the Sun. The sun is thought to be 4.6 billion years old. It is known as a yellow dwarf, which is a medium size star. The sun is a star in the Milky Way Galaxy.

I just thought you might like to know the sun is the center of the solar system


Like the Earth, the sun has an atmosphere, a cloud of gases surrounding it. The sun’s inner atmosphere is called the Chromosphere (chromo means color). Usually, we can not see the Chromosphere because it is hidden in the bright glare of the sun’s

surface. However, during a total eclipse of the sun, the Chromosphere becomes visible. A solar eclipse takes place when the moon comes between earth and the sun, blocking out the

light from the sun.



The sun’s diameter is 864,939 miles. The sun is nearly 600 times bigger than all the planets in the solar system. About 1,300,000 Earths could fit inside the sun.



The sun is sometimes covered with dark spots called sunspots. They look dark because they are cooler than the gases around them. Sunspots look small, but most are bigger than our planet earth. Solar flares are huge bursts of energy that explode near the sunspots. They are so powerful, they can send energy all the way to Earth in 8 minutes. When this energy is loose in space it causes solar storms.



The sun is the source of all life on earth. Energy from the sun causes weather and seasons. Without the sun, earth would be a cold, black rock in space. All the energy that living things need to grow comes from the sun.

Well, I just thought you might like to know how important the sun is to all of us!

Super Scientist Awards

Solar System Pictorial

Phases of the Moon Pictorial

Seasons Pictorial

Narrative Input Chart

Albert and MonicaBy Linda Palomino

Before my friend Monica moved in next door our neighborhood was really boring. I mean there was absolutely nothing to do at night that is except watch T.V. Nobody went outside. The street was very quiet. Now it’s one thing when it is winter and the days are short and you have homework to do and all, but when its summer…well, everyone needs a little excitement. I was starting to get really bored that warm July day when Monica moved in. Yes, I had watched enough cartoons to last a lifetime. I am not saying that I would usually hang out with girls, but Monica was different, you see, Monica had a telescope. She was a real amateur astronomer. Hanging out with Monica was like watching your own personal Discovery channel.

The day Monica moved in next door, she came to introduce herself. She said, “Hi, my name is Monica. What’s your name?”

I said, “My name is Albert.”Then, without wasting anytime she says, “Wow Albert, look at that bright star in the sky!”Not yet realizing that Monica was an amateur astronomer, I said, “There are no stars in the sky,

it is daytime. I don’t see anything in the sky except for the sun.”“Oh Albert”, she said, “The sun is a star! It is a ball of burning gases!”“But how can the Sun be a star? I mean it is so big, and stars are just little dots in the sky!”“Actually Albert, you’re right. The sun is really big, it’s over a million times larger than our

planet Earth, but the Sun is only a medium-sized star. It looks bigger than the other stars because it is closer to Earth. The other stars are very, very far away.”

“Wow, Monica that’s cool! Where did you learn all that stuff?” “At my old school my teacher did something called GLAD. She taught us all about the Solar

System.”“Wow! I’d like to learn more about the Solar System!”“Hey, why don’t you ask your mom and dad if you can come out tonight and I’ll bring out my

telescope?”“Okay, that sounds great! I’ll see you later.”

So that’s how it all started. Monica and I went outside that night. Her mom and dad joined us too. She explained that stars give off heat and light because of their hot gases, which make stars shine. She taught me that stars are different colors. Some look red, some are yellow and others look white. She said that the cooler stars are red, the warmer stars are yellow and the hotter stars are bluish white.

After many nights of stargazing with Monica and her parents, I started to notice that the stars moved across the sky as we looked at them. If we wanted to observe a star we would have to move the telescope to follow the star. “How do the stars move?” I asked Monica’s dad one night.

“That’s a very good question Albert,” he said. “The stars seem to move across the sky from east to west, but it is our planet, Earth that is moving. The Earth is turning slowly from west to east. The stars rise and set just like the sun.”

“And the sun is a star too,” I said proudly.

“That is right Albert. And there are other stars in the sky during the day, but you can’t see them because of the bright sunlight.”

The next night Monica had something new to share with me. She told me about constellations. She said that a long time ago people thought that groups of stars formed outlines of people, animals or things in the sky. She told me that there are 88 constellations, but some of them you can only see at certain times of the year, depending on the Earth’s position in the sky as it orbits the sun. We were able to find the Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper. The North Star is at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.

The following week Monica’s parents brought out star charts. Star charts are maps of the sky. They can help you find a certain star or constellation. Monica’s mom said that about 2000 stars can be seen while looking up at the sky on a clear night! She said that some stargazers use binoculars to get a better look, and some people, such as astronomers use telescopes to see some stars clearer, and to see other stars that are too far away to be seen with eyes alone.

It was sure cool hanging out with Monica that summer. That next year she had to move again because her dad got a new job. I was really sad, but happy that thanks to Monica, I had a new hobby…STARGAZING! Maybe someday I’ll even be a professional astronomer and make new discoveries of my own.

If I do become a professional astronomer, I’ll use a huge telescope at an observatory that will take pictures for me to study. If I discover a new star or a new planet, I think I’ll name it “Monica”.

OurSolar System

Poetry Booklet

Name:

Solar System Bugaloo

I’m an astronomer and I’m here to say,I study the Solar System everyday.Sometimes I write, sometimes I read a book,And I use my telescope to take a look.

Stars, Planets, Moons, tooDoing the Solar System BUGALOO!

The star nearest Earth is the Sun,It provides energy for everyone.The energy comes in the form of heat and light,It is a ball of gases that burns just right.


Nine planets orbit the Sun,We live on Earth, but it’s not the only one.Rocks and metals make up the inner planets,The outer planets are fat, gassy giants.


Out moon reflects light from the sun,We can’t see the far side, only the sunlit one!The moons seems to change shape in the sky,Your changing view to it is the reason why.


Palomino, 2002

STARS(to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle)

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,I know what you really are:

Giant ball of glowing gas,One of billions in a mass!

Twinkle, Twinkle, little star,Oh, how big you really are!

Twinkle, twinkle, giant star,Larger than the Earth by far!

Since our distance is a lot,You look like a tiny dot.

Twinkle, twinkle, giant star,Very bright, yet very far!

Stars are twinkling, every one,Some are bigger than the sun!

Just a twinkle in the sky,Just because you’re oh so high!

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,Oh, how big you really are!

-Author Unknown

Busy Astronomer

I know an astronomer A busy astronomer A busy astronomerWho studies the sky.She uses a telescope.He discovers new bodies.She charts the stars.He records his observations.I know an astronomer A busy astronomer A busy astronomerWho explores the universe.

Astronomers

Astronomers here, astronomers there,Astronomers, astronomers everywhere!Intelligent astronomers discovering daily,Curious astronomers watching closely,And detailed astronomers recording explicitly.Astronomers in the observatory,Astronomers on the mountain,Astronomers near the university,And astronomers in the desert.Astronomers here, astronomers there,Astronomers, astronomers everywhere!Astronomers! Astronomers! Astronomers!

Palomino, 2002

Yes Ma’am

Is this a star?Is this a star?How do you know?How do you know?Give me an exampleGive me more examples

Is this a planet?Is this a planet?How do you know?How do you know?Give me an exampleGive me more examples

Is this a moon?Is this a moon?How do you know?How do you know?Give me an exampleGive me more examples

Is this an asteroid?Is this an asteroid?How do you know?How do you know?Give me an exampleGive me more examples

Is this a comet?Is this a comet?How do you know?How do you know?Give me an exampleGive me more examples

Yes, Ma’amYes, Ma’amIt’s a sphere of burning gasIt gives off heat and lightOur SunPolaris and Vega

Yes, Ma’amYes, Ma’amIt rotates on an axisIt orbits the sunEarthMars and Jupiter

Yes, Ma’amYes, Ma’am It is a natural satelliteIt orbits a planetOur moon, LunaIo and Titan

Yes, Ma’amYes, Ma’amIt’s a large piece of rock and ironIt orbits the sunIt’s called a minor planetVesta and Ceres

Yes, Ma’amYes, Ma’amIt’s made of rock, gas, ice and dustIt moves through spaceIt’s has a head and tailHalley’s Comet

Palomino, 2002

The Moon Chant

By Carmen Smith

The moon is here.The moon is there.The moon is shining everywhere.

The new moon hides out of sight.The waxing crescent gives off more light.The 1st quarter moon is pretty bright.But the full moon lights up the darkest night.

The moon is here.The moon is there.The moon is shining everywhere.

The 3rd quarter moon hides half its face.The waning crescent is a “banana in space.”Soon the new moon will reappear.The phases start over. To that we cheer.

Home-School Connection #1

Our Solar System

Ask someone in your family to go outside with you tonight and observe the night sky. What do you see? Draw a picture and write about your observations.

Pídele a alguien de tu familia que salga contigo esa noche a observar el cielo de noche. ¿Que ves? Haz un dibujo y escribe tus observaciones.

Home-School Connection #2

Our Solar System

Ask your mom or dad if they remember any songs or rhymes about the sun, moon, stars, or planets from when they were children.

Write and draw about what they tell you.

Preguntale a su mamá o papá si recuerden agluna canción o rima acerca del sol, la luna, las estrellas, o los planetas desde cuando ellos eran ninos. Escribe y haz un dibujo acerca de lo que te dicen.

Home-School Connection #3Our Solar System

Observe the moon each night for the next month. Draw what you see. If you don’t see the moon one night, leave that space blank.

Observa la luna cada noche durante un mes. Dibuja lo que ves. Sí no ves la luna una noche, ne escribas nada.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Expert Groups:Asteroids

Characteristics

Asteroids are space rocks. Asteroids can be a few feet to several hundred miles wide, but most are about one to two miles wide. At least 4,500 asteroids have been identified, but there are many, many more.

Location in Space

Most of the asteroids in our solar system can be found orbiting the Sun between of Mars and Jupiter. This area is sometimes called the "asteroid belt". The belt probably contains at least 40,000 asteroids that are more than 0.5 miles across.

Motion

The asteroid belt is a big highway in a circle around the Sun. Think about the asteroids as cars on the highway. Sometimes, the asteroid cars run into one another. When this happens, the asteroids may break up into smaller asteroids. If an asteroid is captured by the gravitational pull of a planet, the asteroid can be pulled out of the belt and go into orbit as a moon around the planet that pulled on it.

Interesting Facts

The biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt is called Ceres. Ceres is the same size as the country of France. Vesta is the brightest asteroid. It is the only asteroid that can sometimes be seen from Earth with the naked eye, but at least one hundred asteroids can be seen with a small telescope.

The Moon

Characteristics

The Moon is the largest, brightest object in our night sky. Unlike the Sun, it has no light of its own to give out. It looks so bright because its surface is lit up by the Sun. The Moon is like a desert with plains, mountains and valleys. It also has many craters, which are holes created when space rocks hit the Moon’s surface at a high speed. There is no air to breathe on the Moon. Recently ice was discovered at the poles (top and bottom) of the Moon. The ice is buried beneath some of the dust of the Moon’s surface. The Moon is much smaller that the Earth. However, the pull of its gravity can still affect the Earth’s ocean tides.

Location in Space

The moon is our closest neighbor in space. It is 240,000 miles away. The same side of the Moon faces our planet all the time. The side we can see from Earth is called the near side and the side we never see is called the far side.

Motion

The moon is Earth’s natural satellite. It travels on a path around our planet Earth. The journey that is makes around Earth is called an orbit. As it orbits, it also spins like a top. It spins exactly once during each orbit of the Earth. As the Moon travels around the Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit side. That is why the moon seems to change shape. These changes are called the phases of the Moon. The first phase is the new moon, when it cannot be see at all. Then we see the crescent, the first-quarter, the gibbous and finally the full moon.

Interesting Facts

The Moon is the only place in our solar system, other than Earth, where humans have visited. On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed the Lunar Module of Apollo 11 on the Moon’s surface. Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the Moon.

Our moon is not the only moon in the solar system. All of the planets except Mercury and Venus have at least one moon. In fact, Saturn has at least twenty-one moons!

The Outer Planets

Characteristics

The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are called “the gas giants.” They are much bigger than Earth. Although they all have a hard center, their top layers are made of gas and liquids, and they do not have hard surfaces like Earth. Pluto, the coldest planet, is made of ice and rock.

Location in Space

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are called the “Outer Planets” because they are the farthest from the Sun. In fact, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are so far from the sun that they get very little of its heat and light. Most of the time Pluto is the last planet of the Solar System, but for twenty Earth years of each orbit it passes inside Neptune’s orbit making Neptune the most distant planet. All of the planets of the solar system are held in arrangement by gravity. Gravity is the invisible attraction between objects.

Motion

All of the planets rotate, or spin around like a top, but they all rotate at different speeds. A planet’s day is the time it takes to make one rotation. All of the planets also each make a special journey, called an orbit, around the Sun. The Sun has the strongest gravity, so all of the planets are forced to keep to their paths around it. A planet’s year is the time it takes to make one full orbit around the Sun. Because the outer planets are farther from the sun, they have longer orbits and longer years.

Interesting Facts

All of the outer planets have unique characteristics. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It is so big that all of the other planets could fit inside it. Saturn is best known for its bright rings made of icy rocks. Uranus also has some rings, but its rings are thin and dark. Neptune has four very faint rings, and is the windiest planet in the solar system. Pluto is the smallest planet we know, and some scientists think that Pluto might not be a planet at all. There are many interesting facts about the outer planets!

Comets

Characteristics

A comet is made of dirty ice, dust, and gas. It has a nucleus (solid, frozen ice, gas and dust), a gaseous coma (water vapor, CO2, and other gases), and a tail (dust and ionized gases). The tail can be up to 250 million km long, and is most of what we see.

A comet does not give off any light of its own. What seems to be light from the comet is actually a reflection of our Sun's light. Sunlight bounces off the comet's ice particles in the same way light is reflected by a mirror.

Location in Space

Most comets lie in an immense cluster, beyond the planets, called the Oort Cloud. Occasionally, something such as the gravity of another object in space pulls a comet out of the Oort cloud and causes it to pass within the orbit of the planets.

Motion

Some comets orbit the Sun like planets. Their orbits take them very close to and very far away from the Sun. When a comet gets close to the Sun, part of the ice starts to melt. The solar winds then push the dust and gas released by the melting ice away from the comet. This forms the comet's tail. Every time a comet comes close to the Sun, a part of it melts. Over time, it will completely disappear.

Interesting Facts

Scientists believe that about 100,000 million comets orbit the Sun. A few comets come close enough to the Earth for us to see them with our eyes. Halley's Comet, for example, can be seen from Earth every 76 years.

Object Characteristics Location in our Solar System

Motion Interesting Facts

Sun

Inner Planets

Outer Planets

The Moon

Asteroids

Comets

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