What is a Solar System?

MS-ESS1-3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Learning Target

  • Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Success Criteria

  • I can identify objects in the solar system
  • I recognize the use of models
  • I understand how models have limitations

Questions to Ponder

  • How do you define a Solar System?
  • What is in a Solar System?
  • Can you name some of the objects in our Solar System?

Organize the Solar System

  • Put the following 17 objects in our solar system in order starting with the center and working your way out.
  • Sun, The Asteroid Belt, Uranus, Mercury, Pluto, Comets, Jupiter, Ceres, Earth, Quaoar, Kuiper Belt, Mars, Neptune, Makemake, Oort Cloud, Saturn, Venus

Models

  • How are these models like and unlike the real thing they are representing?
  • Why do we create models?

What is the Scale of the Solar System?

What is a scale model?

  • Complete the Activity on Pages 122-124 in the PBIS Astronomy Text.
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  • What is an advantage of using an apple to represent the size of the Earth?
  • What is a disadvantage of using an apple to represent the size of the Earth?
  • What else could you choose to represent objects in the solar system?
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