Topic

Math/Science Back to Nature Network Teachers’ Guide

Level Lesson Plan
Grade 6 SPACE WALK

Critical Learning/Big Ideas Guiding Questions

 Marking the distance between planets 1. How big is our planet?
 Understanding the size of our solar system 2. How close is Earth’s nearest neighbour
planet?
3. How is the distance between planets
measured?
4. How big is our (Earth’s) solar system?

Curriculum Expectations
Science and Technology: Earth Systems Grade 6 Learning Goals (Unpacked Expectations)
Math: Number Sense and Numeration; At the end of this lesson, students will (be
Data Management Grade 6: able to):
 Represent ratios found in real-life contexts, using concrete materials, drawings, and  Visualize the size of the solar system
standard fractional notation  Know the distance between planets
 Read, interpret, and draw conclusions from primary data (e.g. survey results, meas-  Be able to estimate percent of an area
urements, observations)  Be able to extrapolate data over a
schoolyard using ratios
 Use area and perimeter to measure the
school yard

Instructional Components and Context

Readiness Materials
Prior Knowledge and Skills:  Metre stick
 Planets  Measuring wheel
 Distance  Nature objects to represent planets
 Ratios  Chart paper and markers
 Estimating percent  Large outdoor area e.g. field
 Nature contract  Camera (optional)
 Journal/reflection sheet

Minds On (Elicit & Engage) Consider…(Assessing for, as , and/or

of learning)
Whole Class > Learning Goals  Assess for staying on task and actively
Introduce the learning goals and the guiding questions. Post the guiding questions. participating.
 Math:
Introduction / Hook  ability to estimate percent
 What is a planet?  ability to measure and calcu-
 How many planets are in Earth’s solar system? late for area
 What is the order of planets in our (Earth’s) solar system?  Science:
 Can you picture the dimensions of the solar system? If not, why not?  ability to identify the planets
 Discuss with the class how a model of the solar system might be created. and their order.
 Ask the class to speculate on the planned activity.  ability to formulate a conclu-
sion based on data collected
Action! (Explore & Explain)
Today we are going to make a model of the solar system.

Make a prediction: "How much space do we need to make it?"

 Have the students determine where they will make the model and predict how big
the solar system is.
 Have the students try their ideas. (table top, classroom etc).
 Have the students reflect on their attempt. Take pictures while they work
(optional).

Ratios / Scale:
Introduce ratios and scale to the students. Discuss how to equate the distance between
the planets with something we can understand.

Under “Sun”, list the planets in order based on distance from the sun i.e. Mercury, Ve-
nus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, including “asteroid belt” be-
tween Mars and Jupiter on the list. NOTE: Pluto can be included, but is no longer con-
sidered a planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) based on the most re-
cent definition of a planet.

Introduce the Titius-Bode Law and relate student predictions to Bode’s predictions.
Perform the calculations:

Teacher Background Information:

The Titius-Bode Law is a rough rule that predicts the spacing of the planets in the
Solar System. The relationship was first pointed out by Johann Titius in 1766 and
was formulated as a mathematical expression by J.E. Bode in 1778. It led Bode to
predict the existence of another planet between Mars and Jupiter in what we now
recognize as the asteroid belt.

The law relates the mean distances of the planets from the sun to a simple math-
ematic progression of numbers.

To find the mean distances of the planets, begin with the following simple se-
quence of numbers:

0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384 (if including Pluto)

With the exception of the first two, the others are simply twice the value of the
preceding number.

Add 4 to each number:

4, 7, 10, 16, 28, 52, 100, 196, 388 (for Pluto)

Then divide by 10:

.4, .7, 1, 1.6, 2,8, 5.2, 10.0, 19.6, 38.8

The resulting sequence is very close to the distribution of mean distances of the
planets from the Sun. The distances are measured in astronomical units (A.U.);
one A.U. is equal to approximately 150,000 kilometres, and is the distance between
the Earth and the Sun, as suggested by the mathematical results.

One really important point to emphasize is the predictive aspect of Bode’s work.

Explain to students that the distances will be used by converting them to metres i.e.
Earth is 1.0 metre from the Sun. Thus, the ratio being used is 1 metre:150,000 km.
Action! (Explore & Explain)
Next, provide a list of the relative sizes of the Sun and planets compared to the Earth.
Following the same order above, the sizes are:

108, .39, .95, 1, .53, (no asteroid belt), 11.1, 9.41, 4.0, 3.89, and .18 (if including
Pluto). (The moon is .27.)

Model a comparison of sizes indoors e.g. different sized balls, etc. Now tell the students
that the first task will be to visit a natural area to gather objects that are representative
of the planets in size.

Visit your nearby nature area and have students gather objects to represent the planets
e.g. rock, acorn, chunk of wood, bag of leaves, different-sized snowballs in winter. As a
class, decide which object should represent each planet.

Find a spot that has plenty of space to construct the solar system.

Place the Sun at the start and demonstrate how to measure the distance to the next
planet. This can be done using metre sticks, measuring a length of string e.g. five me-
tres, and figuring out distance using it, or by measuring a pace of one metre and count-
ing out paces as you go. Have the students walk together, each pair or small group be-
ing responsible for placing and staying with a planet. Continue for all the planets. (You
may include Earth’s moon as well.)

Be sure to stop as you are marking the planets and comment on the changes in dis-
tance, especially from Mars to Jupiter and from Jupiter to Saturn.

Take pictures.

Reflect and evaluate:

 How was the space walk different from your predictions or first attempts?
 Were you amazed at the size of the solar system?

Consolidation (Elaborate, Evaluate, Extend)

 Re-try the activity using different ratios to fit it into a smaller or larger space. How
do the results compare?

Actual Converted (1cm = 10,000km)

Earth's width 12,875 km 1.3 cm
Sun's width 1,287,500 km 130 cm = 1.3 m
and Sun-Earth distance 149,730,000 km 150 m

The Moon is 380,000 km from the Earth, which is represented as 38 cm using this scale.