Earth and Other Planets
Instructor:
Kim Hanley – Media Specialist
Students:
4th Grade – 20 to 25 students
Purpose of Lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is to compare and contrast Earth to other planets.
Georgia Performance Standards:
S4E2. Students will model the position and motion of the earth in the solar system and will explain the role of
relative position and motion in determining sequence of the phases of the moon.
a. Explain the day/night cycle of the earth using a model.
b. Explain the sequence of the phases of the moon.
c. Demonstrate the revolution of the earth around the sun and the earth’s tilt to explain the
seasonal changes.
d. Demonstrate the relative size and order from the sun of the planets in the solar system.
ELA5W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing.
The student:
a. Acknowledges information from sources.
b. Uses organizational features of printed text (i.e., citations, end notes, bibliographic
references, appendices) to locate relevant information.
c. Uses various reference materials (i.e., dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, electronic
information, almanac, atlas, magazines, newspapers) as aids to writing.
d. Uses the features of texts (e.g., index, table of contents, guide words, alphabetical/
numerical order) to obtain and organize information and thoughts.
e. Demonstrates basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology (e.g.,
software, memory, disk drive, hard drive).
f. Creates simple documents by using electronic media and employing organizational
features (e.g., passwords, entry and pull-down menus, word searches, thesaurus, spell
check).
g. Uses a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings.
Gwinnett County AKS
analyze the components of our solar system and their relationship to one another (GPS, ITBS) (4SC_B2006-8)
8a - compare and contrast the physical attributes (number, size, color, patterns) of stars in the night sky (GPS),
8b - compare the similarities and differences of planets to the stars in appearance, position and number in the night sky
(GPS),
8c - explain why the pattern of stars in a constellation stays the same but a planet can be seen in different locations at
different times (seasons) (GPS),
8d - compare and contrast the earth and other planets in our solar system,
8e - explain how technology is used to observe the universe (telescopes, sensors) (GPS)
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the will learner will:
(Knowledge Level) recognize the similarities and differences between Earth and other planets.
(Comprehension Level) explain how the similarities and differences affect life on the planet.
(Synthesis Level) create a concept map that breaks down the similarities and differences.
Equipment:
Computers
Kidspiration Software
Materials Needed:
McGraw-Hill Science pages C82-C85
Planet Chart
Kidspiration Venn Diagram Template
Vocabulary
Inner planets, outer planets, diameter, revolve
Time Required:
2 – 45 Minute Lessons
Synopsis of Lesson:
Day One –
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Divide students into groups of 3-4 students.
Have them brainstorm what they know about planet Earth.
Once they have brainstormed as a group, they may send out a “spy” to get more ideas from the other groups.
Add the new ideas to the brainstorm list started by the group.
Give students the Planet Chart.
Read over the items filled in on the chart.
Allow the students to share what they can learn from the chart. Example: Jupiter is the largest planet. Neptune
is the farthest planet from the sun. Venus and Earth are the closest in size, etc.
8. Read pages C82-C85.
9. Have students fill in how long it takes Earth to revolve around the sun.
10. Students may use the book pages to fill in interesting facts about each planet, or they may choose to use other
resources to find more information
Day Two
In the Media Center with the Media Specialist
Have students create their Venn Diagram using Kidspiration Template.
1. Review with students the facts they learned prior coming to the Media Center.
2. Allow students time to do additional research on the planet they have chosen to compare to Earth.
Remind them they need to write down their sources
3. Using the computers in the Media Center, students will use the Venn Diagram template in
Kidspirtation. Have students create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the Earth and another
planet of their choosing. Directions for the completing the diagram are on the template.
4. Explain to students that they will write a paragraph about how Earth compares to the planet that was
chosen.
Assessment of Learners:
By achieving 77% or better the learner demonstrated that they could recognize similarities and
differences between the Earth and another planet.
By finding the information on the planets, the learner demonstrated that he/she could effectively use
books and online resources.
By creating a Kidspiration Concept Map, the learner had to organize and effectively communicate
his/her researched information.
By creating a written documentation list, the learner had to show documentation of sources.
See the grading rubric in the Project Guide for the method of point distribution.
Needs
Improvement
Found 3 facts for
each section
Located and used
Good Resources
Completed all the
sections of the Venn
Diagram
Produced complete,
grammatically
correct sentences
Satisfactory
Very Good
Excellent
Found no facts for
each section
(0 Pts.)
Found 1
appropriate fact
for each section
(3 Pts.)
Found 2
appropriate facts
for each section
(4 Pts.)
No resources
(0 Pts.)
1 resource
(8 Pts.)
2 resources
(9 Pts.)
Almost All
Answered
(40-49 Pts.)
Almost all
sentences
complete and
grammatically
correct
(9 Pts.)
Found 3
appropriate facts
for each section
(5 Pts.)
More than 2
resources
(10 Pts.)
Very Few Answered Most Answered
(1-29 Pts.)
(30-39 Pts.)
Few complete and
grammatically
correct sentences
(2Pts.)
Many sentences
complete and
grammatically
correct
(7 Pts.)
Complete
(50 Pts.)
All sentences
complete and
grammatically
correct
(10 Pts.)
Notes are
Notes are excellent,
adequate and
Notes are good and well organized and
show where the
show where the
show where the
Took good notes
information came information came
information came
that kept good track
from
from
from
of resources
(10-14Pts.)
(15-19 Pts.)
(20 Pts.)
Some
Most
Complete
Information Source* No Documentation Documentation
Documentation
Documentation
Documentation
(0 Pts.)
(3 Pts.)
(4 Pts.)
(5 Pts.)
*Since these are 4th graders, emphasis will not be placed on correctly documenting resources using a style like
MLA. Merely having the information attributed to their sources is acceptable.
Notes are poor and
do not show where
the information
came from
(0-9 Pts.)
Assessment of Instruction:
Will be based upon how easily the learners navigate through the information resources.
Will be based upon the quality of the information produced by the learners.
Will be based on completion of the Venn Diagram.
Reflection of Lesson:
Planet
Distance
from Sun in
(km)
Planets
Make up
Diameter Inner or
Outer
of Planet
(km)
Planet
58 million
4,880
Inner
Mercury
108 million
12,100
Inner
Venus
150 million
12,756
Inner
Earth
228 million
6,794
Inner
Mars
778 million
143,000
Outer
Solid,
rocklike
materials
88 Earth Days
Solid,
rocklike
material
225 Earth Days
Solid,
rocklike
material
365 Days
Solid,
rocklike
material
687 Earth Days
Mostly of
gases
Jupiter
1,429 million
120,536
Outer
Mostly of
gases
Saturn
2,871 million
51, 118
Outer
Mostly of
gases
Uranus
4,504 million
Neptune
49,528
Outer
How long does it Interesting
take to revolve
Fact
around the sun?
Mostly of
gases
12 Earth Years
30 Earth Years
84 Earth Years
165 Earth Years
*Choose one of the planets to compare to Earth. Using the Kidspiration template, complete the Venn Diagram
comparing and contrasting Earth to another planet. You may use other resources to gather more information about the
planet you choose.