MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

What do planets revolve around?

a. each other

b. a star or sun

c. a moon

d. a galaxy

Correct Answer: b

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

If you could live on Jupiter, what would you see in the sky at night besides stars?

a. many moons

b. the inner planets

c. the sun

d. EarthÕs moon

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Which two planets are out of order in this list of our solar system? The planets are listed in order as they go out from the sun.

Mercury ∆ Earth ∆ Venus ∆ Mars ∆ Jupiter ∆ Saturn ∆ Uranus ∆ Neptune ∆ Pluto

a. Mercury and Earth

b. Earth and Venus

c. Saturn and Jupiter

d. Uranus and Neptune

Correct Answer: b

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

The four inner planets are rocky and small. Which description best fits the next four outer planets?

a. They are also rocky and small.

b. They are very large and made of ice.

c. They are small and made of ice.

d. They are very large and made of gasses.

Correct Answer: d

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

What is an unusual characteristic of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus?

a. They are planets in our solar system.

b. They spin rapidly.

c. They revolve around the sun.

d. They have rings.

Correct Answer: d

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Scale Diameter of Planets

Mercury 0.8 cm

Venus 2.0 cm

Earth 2.1 cm

Mars 1.1 cm

Jupiter 23.5 cm

Saturn 19.8 cm

Uranus 8.4 cm

Neptune 8.2 cm

Pluto 0.4 cm

Based upon the scale chart of planet size, how many cm less is Earth than Jupiter?

a. 21.4 cm

b. 17.7 cm

c. 6.3 cm

d. 2.4 cm

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Mary looked in her science book at a picture of the solar system. The planets were large and colorful but she knew it was not an accurate model. Why?

a. The planets should have been much farther apart.

b. The planets are not colorful. They are white.

c. We donÕt know exactly what the planets look like, so it was a guess.

d. Planets are oval and not round.

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

A probe from Earth has landed on an unknown object. Information sent to Earth describes the object as; mostly rock, some traces of metal, irregular shaped, and orbiting around the sun. From the following information, what would you conclude this object might be?

a. A comet

b. An asteroid

c. A meteorite

d. A star

Correct Answer: b

I	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Surface Gravity on the Planets
Planet	Mercury	Venus	Earth	Mars	Jupiter	Saturn	Uranus	Neptune	Pluto
Gravity	0.38	0.90	1.0	0.38	2.64	1.14	0.91	1.20	0.04

This table compares gravity on other planets to gravity on Earth.

Study the table above. The stronger the gravity on a planet, the more you would weigh on that planet.

Sort the data to show which planet you would weigh the most on, and sequence it from heaviest to lightest. Create a graph showing your data.

Scoring Guide:

3	2	1
The graph is accurate with data going from largest to smallest.	The graph has one or two mistakes in sequencing the data	The data is not following any recognizable sequence.
The graph is complete, neat and easy to read.	The graph is complete but is not carefully completed.	The graph shows some of the information, it difficult to understand.
The assignment was completed in the time allotted.	The assignment is not completely finished.	The student was not on task during the assignment and is missing information.

Total points earned________

9 possible

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Pick a planet (other than Earth) and describe 5 characteristics that you know about it. Be as specific as possible.

Correct Answer:

Student should have 5 correct characteristics of the planet they picked.

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

How is a planet different from a star?

Correct Answer:

Planets are smaller than stars and are not glowing and giving off light.

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Which planet is largest?

Correct Answer:

Jupiter

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

What is the difference between an asteroid and a meteor?

Correct Answer:

Asteroids are chunks of rock in orbit around the sun, meteors are chunks of rock that fall through EarthÕs atmosphere.

P	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

How big is the Sun?

The diameter of the Sun is 862,400 miles.

The diameter of the Earth is 7,900 miles.

The diameter of Pluto is 1,413 miles.

1. Calculate how many times greater the SunÕs diameter is than EarthÕs. _________

2. Calculate how many times greater the EarthÕs diameter is than PlutoÕs. __________

3. We have chosen a penny to represent the size of Earth. You will draw a circle to represent the size of the Sun compared to this Earth-penny.

a. Measure the width of the penny. ______ Multiply that number by your answer on #1. Divide that number by 2 to get the radius of the Sun. _______

b. Cut a string the length of the radius plus 2 inches for tying.

c. Take the string and a piece of chalk outside.

d. Tie a piece of chalk to the end of the string.

e. On the open playground, have one student hold the end of the string to the ground while the other student takes the end with the chalk and draws a circle.

f. When you have finished, place pennies next to each other forming the diameter of the sun.

g. Count the number of pennies and record it. ________

4. What have you observed about the difference in size between the Sun and the Earth?

Scoring Guide:

Student read the directions and did the calculations correctly. 5 3 1

Student measured correctly 5 3 1

Student followed directions accurately 5 3 1

Student stayed on task through the entire assignment 5 3 1

Student completed the assignment during the allotted time 5 3 1

Student accurately completed the assignment 5 3 1

Total points earned ________

Points possible 30

P	6^th Grade	Standard: 03
Objective: 01. Describe and compare the components of the solar system.
ILO:

Scale Model of the Solar System

Activity Description: 

Students will build a scale model of the solar system with planets and the distances between them measured to scale.

Materials: 

index cards, markers, cm. ruler, meter stick, 200 m distance (at least one city block) popsicle sticks, tape

Prior to Assessment: 

Students must be able to use millimeters on a metric ruler.  They should understand that a model is a representation of a real thing only larger or smaller.  When the solar system is shrunk to scale not only the distances between planets shrink but the size of the planet does also.  A limitation to scale models of the solar system is that to shrink the distances to a manageable size (like a classroom), the planets become too small to see. 

Time Needed: 

1 and 1/2 hours

Procedure: 

1.  Divide students into 10 groupsÑone for each planet and the sun.

2.  Assign or allow students to pick a planet or the sun.

3.  Handout student page and index cards.  Students need to write the name of their planet on the index card, draw it to the correct size (as listed on the worksheet) and write down how many meters it is from the sun.

4.  Tape or glue the index card to one end of the popsicle stick.

5.  Have one student from each group measure his or her step next to a meter stick.  They will probably need to take a ÒgiantÓ step to measure the meter.

6.  Go outside and set the sun at one end of your field.  Have the students measure and set the four inner planets in their correct places.  Take the whole class out as the further planets are measured by their group. 

7.  Assemble the whole class at Pluto and discuss the questions on the worksheet.

Scoring Guide:

1.  Students correctly draw and label their planets on card.........................10 pts

2.  Students place their planet correctly.....................................................5 pts

3.  Worksheet is correctly filled out and questions answered.......................15 pts

Correct Answers: 

1.  There is a lot less matter than space. 

2.  This model is bigger and the planet size has been scaled correctly to distance. 

3.  The sun looks like a bright star from Pluto. 

4.  Little heat from the sun reaches Pluto. 

5.  The planets would be invisible.

Student Worksheet

Scale Model of the Solar System

Purpose: 

To see a real scale model of the solar system with size of the planets and the distances between them shrunk equally.

Prediction: 

How large will Earth be if the whole solar system is shrunk to 200 meters from the Sun to Pluto?

Procedure:

1.  Write the name of the planet your group will do:______________________

2.  Write its name on your index card and draw the planet to scale using the information below. 

3.  Write how many meters the planet is from the sun on the card also.

4.  Tape the card to the stick so that the end of the stick can be put in the ground.

Data for planet size and distance from sun:

Planet	Distance from sun (km)	Distance on model (m)	Diameter of Planet (km)	Diameter on model
Sun	0	0	1,392,000	3 cm
Mercury	57,900,000	2	4,864	Less than 1 mm
Venus	108,200, 000	3.6	12,100	.5 mm
Earth	149,600,000	5	12,756	.5 mm
Mars	228,000,000	7.6	6,788	.5 mm
Jupiter	778,300,000	26	137,400	5 mm
Saturn	1,427,000,000	47.5	115,100	4 mm
Uranus	2,869,000,000	96	50,100	2 mm
Neptune	4,498,000,000	150	49,400	2 mm
Pluto	5,900,000,000	197	4,000	Less than 1 mm

Questions:

1.  How much matter (the planets and sun) is there compared to the amount of empty space in the solar system?

2.  How is this model different from ones you may have seen pictured in books?

3.  How big is the sun from Pluto?

4.  How much heat from the sun might Pluto get?

5.  What would happen to the size of the planets if we shrunk this model down to the size of a piece of paper?

Conclusion: