activities, parodies, games, jokes, review sheets, “3-d...

Homecourt Publishers Greenville, SC

Activities, Parodies, Games, Jokes, Review Sheets, “3-D Templates”, Cold Reading Passages,

and much more!

• Sun, Moon, & Planets

• Celestial Objects

• Astronomical Tools

• Gravity & the Tides

Copyright 2010 by Homecourt Publishers

Can I really make copies of these pages to use as handouts? Yes. That’s why we made them. Please feel free to make copies of the handouts so that your students can learn and enjoy the material. Keep in mind—it is unlawful to use these handouts for sale or profit. Please do not present the material in these handouts as your own original work, as they are protected by all relevant copyright laws. Every effort has been made to make these handouts as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes, both typographical and in content. Therefore, this material should be used only as a guide and not as an ultimate source of research. Homecourt Publishers shall have neither the liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused by the information contained in these handouts. Okay, now that you’ve got all of the disclaimers out of the way—go have fun!!! For information or comments, contact:

Homecourt Publishers 2435 East North St., #245

Greenville, SC 29615-1442 [email protected]

www.homecourtpublishers.com (864) 877-5123

Managing Editor - Ben Bache [email protected] Lead Editor – Alissa Torzewski Thank you to Joann Wood for contributing ideas, inspiration, and original work to this project. Additional contributions made by Nancy Rechtman and Audrey Cook Cover illustration by Zach Franzen. Copyright 2010 by Homecourt Publishers

Table of Contents

Section 1 — Favorites 5

Sunshine Songs (Song Parodies) 6 A Play About Planets (Reader’s Theater) 8

Section 2 — Information Overload 14

Objects in the Solar System 15 The Sun & Its Impact on Earth 16 Orbits & Rotations 17 The Force of Gravity 18 Our Galaxy & Tools to Study It 19

Section 3 — Pocket Activities 20

Space Tours 20 The Current State of the Earth 20 A Little Humor (Jokes) 21

Section 4 — Language Arts Integration 22

Don’t Forget to Check Your Calendar 22 A Great Quote: Buzz Aldrin 23 The Space Race Begins 24 A Fact is a Fact 25

Section 5 — Printouts, Puzzles, & Games 26

Our Solar System (Word Search & Scramble) 26 The Moon (Crossword & Missing Numbers) 28

Section 6 — 3-D Templates 30

The Seasons (Hands-on Study Sheet) 31

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is

hammering on cold iron.”

—Horace Mann (1796-1859) “The Father of American Public Education”

Over the next few pages I will share some of my personal classroom secrets that are sure to engage and excite your students!

Here’s how it works:

The left-hand page includes

the song parody, activity, poem, game, etc. for

you to share with your students.

The right-hand page includes my

personal commentary, including the

reasons I’ve had success with this exercise, any key

directions, and other tid-bits that might be helpful.

***The exercises on the next few pages are great to use for this topic area, but you can easily modify them to use for other topics and even subject areas.

The simple format and extra notes that are provided will really help with this!

Song Parody

“You Are My Sunshine” (a new & improved version)

Description: Songs to reinforce why we need the sun and how we use its energy. Instructions: Sung to the tunes of “You Are My Sunshine” and to “Oh Susanna!”

You are my sunshine My only sunshine

You make me happy When skies are gray

You'll never know dear, How much we love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away.

We need the sunshine, We need the sunshine,

It is a huge star that guides our way

It gives plants energy To live a long time,

Please don't take our sunshine away.

We get our heat From our dear sunshine

It heats the planet On which we live All living things

Need our dear sunshine Please don't take our sunshine away.

Our food and animals

Grow thanks to sunshine It lights our days and

our whole life It is the main source

Of energy We need sunshine, here on our Earth.

Sun & Earth (Sung to the tune of “Oh Susanna!”)

Oh, there is one Sun and one great Earth In our universe,

The Sun is in the middle And Earth revolves around.

Oh revolving, It takes the Earth a year,

Revolves around the great big Sun Four seasons they are here.

Oh, the Earth spins too

On an axis true, It's tilted while it spins,

Day and night can happen now When one ends, the other begins

Oh rotating, It takes the Earth a day,

Day and night and night and day Will be there either way.

Oh the shadows from the sun do change

Because of how Earth goes Noontime is the shortest one You'll barely see your toes

Oh our shadows, because Earth moves, they change The morning and the evening ones Are when shadows look so strange.

Revolving and rotating

Are what the Earth does do Revolves around the sun Rotates on its axis too

Oh Earth's moving, We just can't feel it here It’s revolving and rotating Makes days, nights, years!

These songs are some of my students’ favorites throughout year. They are a fun way to review the basics of the sun – something most students kind of know, but have trouble putting into words. They also make great “poems of the week” to study during language arts time – they can be sung every morning as the sun comes up!

I always recommend “reading” the songs before singing. This allows struggling readers to make sure they are comfortable with the words and gives students a chance to ask questions about any vocabulary they need to know before singing. It also allows you to address poetic language in the songs and integrate those ELA standards.

We reviewed the songs as poems, discussing stanzas, rhythm, and rhyme scheme – all ELA standards. We then sang them and they became our poems of the week the following week. It became a subtle reminder throughout the day about what we were learning in science class.

After a lesson on the sun, my students made a little flip book illustrating all the ways we need the sun and some basic facts.

I also have groups of students make posters presenting information we’ve gathered about the sun and the earth.

Reader’s Theater

The Solar System

Mars Venus Jupiter Saturn

Narrator Sun Earth Mercury

Characters

Neptune Uranus Dwarf Planet Pluto

Description: Reader's Theater script about the planets in our solar system Instructions: This is used to review the order of the planets, and it is full of fun facts. It also can

be used during an ELA block.

Narrator: A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... Sun: Not really – we're actually in our own galaxy, the Milky Way... Narrator: My bad – you're right. A long, long time ago, in our own galaxy,

there was a battle going on. A battle of the planets. Sun: Yea, and I was stuck in the middle of it all. Narrator: You see, the planets wanted to see who the best planet of all was,

and they decided to duke it out once and for all. Let's join the action shall we? Mercury: I am so HOT! I am certainly the best planet because I’ve got HEAT

like none other! I am closest to the Sun, who is the center of our solar system, and did I mention how HOT I am?!

Venus: Oooooo, I am so pretty. My coloring is just perfect. I am cool and close to Earth. I am the brightest planet. So, Mercury, you are not all that. I am. You are just too hot for your own good.

Mercury: Whatever. You're just jealous because I am so HOT. Earth: Neither one of you have anything on

ME. I am the only planet that can sustain life. I have water and land and lots of people and animals. Life. You can be hot, you can be bright, but you don't have life. I have you both beat.

Venus: He's kind of got us there, Merc. Mercury: Yea. I don't feel so hot anymore. Narrator: Looks like round one goes to Earth – would you agree Sun? Sun: All these planets revolve around me. Not just the top three. I have

to be fair in my judgment. Narrator: Ok. Let's continue. Mars: I am red, dusty and some scientists think I may have had life on me

at one point. That is very special and important. I also have a polar ice cap – just like Earth. What do you think about that?

Earth: Wow. Too bad you don't have life on your planet now. Only me. I

am still the best. Sun: All right, all right. We haven't even gotten to the gas planets yet.

You are just the rocky ones. Let's hear what they have to say. Narrator: The Sun sure does provide some good refereeing skills when

needed.

Jupiter: I am the BIGGEST, BADDEST planet. The rest of you take a step back because you can't beat me. I have a huge hurricane on my surface that could probably swallow you whole!

Rocky Planets: Oooooo, a hurricane. Saturn: Oh yeah? Well, my rings could sweep you all away – including

you big, bad Jupiter. Your hurricane's got nothin’ on my rings. Jupiter: My size alone could destroy your rings. Saturn: You want to try it? Narrator: Looks like we might have a fight here.... Sun: My planets – my planets – please. Peace among the planets. No

more fighting. Uranus & Neptune: Yea – we have to talk now. Neptune: We are the twins. Uranus: We are blue. Neptune: We have rings, too. Uranus: Just not as many. Neptune: There are no other twin planets. Uranus: Besides us. Neptune & Uranus: We are the most special! Sun: Hmmmmmm. What an interesting decision this will be. I don't

know what to do. Dwarf Pluto: (clears his throat) Ummm, excuse me. Sun: Did you hear something?

Pluto: Excuse me? I am still here. Sun: Pluto, is that you? Pluto: Yes. I am still here. I am small, and I may not be a “real” planet

anymore, but please don't forget about me. Sun: Awwww Pluto. We could never forget about you. Jupiter: Yes, we could. Saturn: Be nice to Pluto. He's just the little guy. Pluto: I am special because I am so far away and so small. I am the only

planet that lost its planet status and I am now a dwarf planet. That should count for something, right?

Narrator: Sun, you have a decision to make. Who is the best planet in your

solar system? Earth: Me, it's gotta be me! Jupiter: Big, Bad, me. Saturn: Rings – glorious rings! Me!!! Uranus & Neptune: Us – the twins! Mercury: I am so HOT! Mars: I am so RED! Venus: I am so Bright! Pluto: I am still here! Narrator: Sun? Anything?

Sun: Without all of our planets, we would no longer be the solar system. Each of you is special and brings something unique to the table. I don't know what I would do if any of you stopped revolving around me.

Narrator: And your decision is? Sun: All the planets. It’s as simple as that. I love all the planets equally

and the same. You are all individuals with your own unique properties. Narrator: There you have it folks. The battle of the planets is over for now.

The Sun is a fair star and loves everyone the same. How about a group hug or something – I’m feeling the love in here... until next time, this is your narrator signing off.

The End

Reader's Theater is always a fun way to retain information in a meaningful way. The ELA integration is also obvious – comprehension, fluency, conflict, characters, author’s craft… You name it. This Reader’s Theater ties in science standards about the solar system and allows up to 11 students to perform.

This Reader’s Theater is a perfect review about the solar system and the earth’s position in it. Split your class into two groups and tell the students to read it through first before assigning parts. This could be done in your ELA block because it ties in the reading standards.

After the groups have read through the scripts, get together and discuss the meaning, the personalities, the character traits of each part. Students have to “get it” to “act it”. Then, assign parts or have students pick their parts – if they can do it without problems. They do one cold reading together after highlighting their lines.

On the second day, students read through the script with their groups and start to read with expression. I usually meet with each group to see how things are going and help model expressive reading.

By the third day, the students are usually ready to perform. Use makeshift props if desired and create a mini-stage in the room. Move desks aside, have one group sit on the floor as an audience and take turns performing.

I recommend having students read the entire script before assigning parts! If you assign parts first, the students will just read their own part, and they will miss the overall lesson.

Ok, here’s the deal. My name is Mel, but my close friends call me “Messy Mel.” I think it’s their way of showing respect. I’m a construction worker by day and a scientist by night (well, an “honorary” scientist, anyway).

I know that science is full of fancy terms, concepts, and theories. And that’s just the basics.

Well, I’m about as basic as

you can get. Let me break down some of that scientific jargon in way that’s easy to understand and remember.

Like I said, I’m no rocket scientist (for what it’s worth, my dear Mother used to tell me I had rocks in my head), but I might be just what you need!

The next few pages feature detailed review sheets for your students to study key topics. Messy Mel will serve as the narrator and walk students through a wide variety of terms and concepts (with his special brand of humor).

Feel free to make copies of these “Information Overload” sheets to distribute to your students.

• Asteroid — Pieces of rock that orbit around the sun

• Comet — Frozen mass with a long tail of dust & gas that orbits the sun in an elliptical orbit

• Moon— A fairly large body that serves as a natural satellite to a planet

• Planet — A large body of rock or gas that revolves around the sun

• Meteoroid — Very small (pebble to boulder size) and rocky celestial body

Asteroid

Comet

Moon

Planet

Meteoroids

Don’t you love visiting outer space?

What’s that? You’ve never been? Well, you really should try to get a close look at all of

the celestial bodies in our solar system.

You’ve got asteroids, comets, moons, planets, & meteors (more on those below).

And everything is always moving, either around the sun (asteroids, comets, and plan-

ets), or around individual planets (moons).

Just be careful if you’re traveling between Mars and Jupiter. You don’t want to get

caught in that asteroid belt. Trust me, it can get pretty “rocky”.

Anyway, when you finally do hitch a ride on a rocket ship, these are few things that you definitely want to look out for. Enjoy the trip!

OBJECTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

The sun is hot. I know that you probably already knew that, but I wanted to see for myself. It’s true.

While I’m up here, I might as well tell you a little bit more about the sun. And let’s try to be quick about it (contrary to

popular belief, I don’t like to be smelly and sweaty).

First, the parts of the sun:

Don’t underestimate how important the sun is to the earth. In short, the sun provides the earth with almost all of its heat

and energy. When’s the last time you said “thank you”?

Sometimes, the sun can go a little overboard. It can send out electrically charged particles called solar wind. This can create a magnetic storm that disrupts TV, radio, and television signals.

Also worth mentioning, the electrical particles

from the sun are the reason for auroras. These happen when the particles cause gases in the

atmosphere to glow, resulting in a very impressive light show (common near the poles).

Photosphere the most prominent layer of

the sun that emits light

Corona the outermost layer of the sun; during a total eclipse

(when the photosphere is blocked), it looks like a halo

around the sun Solar Flare Hot explosions that occur when prominences connect; they shoot from the sun’s surface and send energy

into space

Sunspot area of gas on the sun that is cooler than surrounding

areas (therefore, it doesn’t give off as much light)

Prominences hot eruptions of gas that begin in the photosphere and reach the outer layer

THE SUN & ITS IMPACT ON EARTH

A few reasons why the position of the

earth, moon, & sun are so important:

Daytime / Nighttime Due to the rotation of the earth, it is always nighttime on half of the planet.

The earth rotates counterclockwise on its axis, which is why the sun rises in the east

and sets in the west.

Phases of the Moon It takes 29.5 days for the moon to

revolve around the earth. During that time, different phases of the moon are seen from earth (depending on how much

sunlight is reflected off of the moon)

High & Low Tides Gravity from the sun and moon causes the level of the earth’s ocean water to change

daily. It ranges from high tide to low tide. More about that later...

Annual Calendar The earth makes one complete orbit around the sun in one year (365.25

days). It makes one complete rotation in one day (24 hours).

Seasons of the Year The position of the earth compared to the sun determines seasons of the year. The

most important factor is NOT the distance from the earth to the sun, but rather the

angle of tilt in the earth’s axis.

Are you sitting still? If you said, “Yes,” then you’re wrong. You’re actually moving at a speed of more than 67,000 miles per hour. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

Okay, so it’s a trick question. It’s the earth that’s actually moving as it revolves around the sun (not to mention its speed of rotation). It doesn’t feel that fast, does it? Oh well, I thought it

would be a good way to tell you about the position of the earth, moon, and sun.

As my fancy model shows, the earth revolves

around the sun, and the moon revolves around the

earth

ORBITS & ROTATIONS

Oh no, I seem to have gotten caught in the gravitational pull of the giant hamburger sign outside of my favorite fast-food joint, Fat ‘N Lazy Burger. I’ll probably be orbiting this sign for a few hours

before I can break free. Let me explain to you why.

You see, the force of gravity is the pull between all objects in the universe, and it’s determined by the distance and mass (that is a big hamburger). Since the sun is the most massive object in the solar system, it has the greatest pull on other objects. That’s why all of the planets orbit the sun

(meanwhile, the moon orbits the earth because it is much smaller and so close to the earth).

The sun’s gravity keeps the planets on

an elliptical orbit. The planets closest

to the sun revolve faster because the

gravitational attraction is greater.

Since we are talking about gravity, this is a good time to talk about the difference between mass and weight. This is confusing, so pay close attention:

Mass = amount of matter in an object (has nothing to do with the forces acting on it) Weight = measure of the pull of gravity on an object (this can change depending on amount of gravity)

Take a look at Object A below. The mass of the object is the same in all three locations. It’s weight, however, is the greatest on earth (where gravity is the greatest). The weight is lower on the

moon (less gravity), and it is basically zero in outer space where there is almost no gravity.

Low Tide High Tide The pull of gravity does more than simply keep me from being a world-class high jumper. It

also controls the tides.

The gravity from the sun and moon (mainly the moon, because it is closer) causes the level of the

earth’s ocean water to change daily. It ranges from high tide to low tide.

At certain times, the pull of the moon and sun combines to form higher tides. These are called spring tides. When the moon and sun are at right

angles, the result is very little tidal change, or neap tides.

THE FORCE OF GRAVITY

Here’s a good question: Since everything in our universe is so far away—remember that one light year is well over 5 trillion miles—then how do we

know so much about it?

Basically, we spend a lot of time watching outer space and recording what we see. On occasion, we’ll send something up there to take a measurement, or a photograph, or even bring a sample back to Earth. Here are few tools

that are critical to the field of astronomy:

• Telescopes—The first major breakthrough in astronomy. Optical scopes magnify objects in space; radio telescopes receive radio waves that are emitted by objects in space.

• Satellites—Placed in orbit around earth with special instruments and telescopes that collect data and send it back to earth. A benefit is that the data gathered is not hampered by earth’s atmosphere.

• Space Probes—Travel out of earth’s atmosphere to places that might be too dangerous (or too far away) for astronomers. The probes can collect samples and take other measurements.

• Spectroscopes—Collect the light from different stars, and then separate that light into distinct bands of colors. Astronomers can determine the properties of the stars by studying this data.

The Sun, and the rest of our solar system, is located somewhere around

here. That’s about 25,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.

There it is. The Milky Way—the spiral galaxy that we call home. Our sun is just one of at least 100 billion stars within the galaxy. Too bad I didn’t

have time to visit each one.

Now I’m going to travel to the closest galaxy, which is a mere 2.5 million light years away (a light year is the distance

that light can travel in one year).

I have to admit. I’m starting to miss my

home a little bit.

OUR GALAXY & TOOLS TO STUDY IT

Activity - Space Tours

Ask your students to imagine that they own a company known as “Sun Tours.” This is a high-tech firm that has created a safe vessel that allows people to take a tour of the Sun (or some other celestial body).

Your students must write the script for the tour guide as he moves a group of tourists through the Sun. The tour should be entertaining, but it should also give the tourists basic information about the Sun. A few key items that could be included in the script are:

• The basic structure and physical features of the Sun • The size and distance of the Sun relative to Earth • The location of the Sun among the planets, solar system, and rest of the universe • An explanation of sunspots, prominences, and other frequent occurrences on the Sun • The Sun as a source of light, heat, and energy for the Earth • The gravitational pull of the Sun and its impact on planetary orbits, currents, and tides • The causes and consequences of solar flares and solar winds • The cause of solar eclipses seen from Earth

Make sure that students first decide on the order of the tour (assume that the vessel can travel at very fast speeds). The tour guide will highlight the interesting points about the sun when the vessel gets to the appropriate location. Activity - The Current State of the Earth

Ask your students to consider the state of solar system as it is RIGHT NOW, at this particular moment. As a class, answer questions like:

• Where is the earth in its orbit around the sun? • Is the earth tilted towards or away from the sun? • How are the weather and seasons being affected by the earth's position in relation to the sun? • Based on the earth's orbit, how many daylight hours can be expected at this time of year? • Where is the moon in relation to the earth? • Where is the moon in relation to the sun? • At what point is the earth in its daily rotation? • How are the Sun and Moon having an impact on the tides along the Atlantic coastline? • Are there any other celestial bodies (comets, asteroids, etc.) currently near the earth? • How much of the moon will be visible from the earth when it appears at night? • Aside from the moon, what satellites are orbiting the earth?

You can repeat this exercise for another time period. For example, what will the answer to the above questions be exactly six months from now?

These are quick activities that can be used for class-openers, ice-breakers, attention-grabbers, and so on.

We’ve also added a few jokes to have in your pocket when you’re

really trying to keep students from staring out the window!

Astronomy:

Q: How far can you see on a clear day? A: 93 million miles... From here to the Sun.

(a bit of a trick question, but a great lead into the relationship between the sun & the earth)

Q: What was the name of the first satellite to orbit the earth? A: The moon!

(another trick question, but completely true! Use this when discussing the moon and the earth) After eating his first meal in outer space, the astronaut commented, “Well, the food was good, but the place lacked atmosphere.”

(a silly pun, but a good way to explain the lack of gravity and atmosphere in outer space)

Astronomer #1: I think it’s time that we send an astronaut to the sun. Astronomer #2: But won’t it be too hot to land on the sun? Astronomer #1: I’ve already thought of that. We’ll just go at night.

(yes, it’s cheesy, and hopefully all of your students will quickly recognize the logical flaw) TEACHER: A meteorite is an object that originated in outer space and survived

the impact when it hit the earth’s surface. If the meteorite had missed the earth, what would it be called?

STUDENT: A meteorong (meteo-”wrong”)

(this should get a sympathy laugh, and it will help you begin a discussion on celestial objects) TEACHER: One of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way is the Andromeda

Galaxy, which is 2,500,000 light years away. If you were to try to drive that distance in a car, about how long would it take?

STUDENT: That’s a trick question. TEACHER: Why? STUDENT: Because you’d probably run out of gas before you got there…

(those are actually good points, and it will help you explain the vast distances of outer space, such as a light year being over 5 trillion miles—a lot when you consider that the Earth’s equator is just under 25,000 miles!)

The next few pages include passages that focus on this scientific topic, but can also be used for practice with

Reading Comprehension and other Language Arts skills. Please feel free to make copies.

Don’t Forget to Check Your Calendar—a look at how our earthly calendar would fare elsewhere

The Gregorian calendar, which is the most commonly used in the world, is the culmination of thousands of years of astronomy, mathematics, and trial and error. In its final form, it does a fine job of coordinating the earth, the sun, the moon, and the tropical seasons. As great as it is, however, the calendar would be pretty much useless if we all decided to move to Mars. The calendar we use on earth is based entirely on the amount of time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. Since the planet Mars has a longer revolution time, it would require a different calendar. There is good news, though. In the event that people suddenly decide to move to the Red Planet, they’ll be glad to know that scientists and other experts have been refining the Martian calendar for decades. But there are some problems. The first problem in creating the Martian calendar proved to be that its days did not match earth days. On earth, most people are aware that one day is exactly 24 hours. On Mars, one day ends up being 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35 seconds. This subtle difference can easily throw a calendar way off in a matter of weeks. If the Martian clock was to use the same time units that we use on earth (60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour, and 24 hours per day), it would be necessary to increase each unit by 2.75% to make up for the difference in day length. Problem solved? Not exactly. Mars takes nearly twice as along to revolve around the sun, which means that its years are nearly double the ones we use on earth. Our standard twelve-month, thirty-day calendar just wouldn’t work. What’s more, the entire purpose of assigning months to a year is to coordinate them with the changing seasons. This is extra important on Mars, where the changes in weather are even more drastic than they are here on earth. In the end, it becomes a “give and take” exercise, based on some general comparisons between earth and Mars (listed below).

A comparison of the earth calendar against the Martian calendar:

Earth Mars Days 24 hours 24 hours, 39 minutes, 35 seconds Months 12 months w/ approx. 30 days either 12 months w/ approx. 56 days OR 24 months w/ approx. 28 days Years 365.24 days per year 668.59 days per year

***On the Martian calendar, “Days” are often referred to as “Sols”

“A Great Quote...”

“History will remember the inhabitants of our time as the people who went from Kitty Hawk to the moon in 66 years.” Buzz Aldrin (1998) In 1998, Buzz Aldrin had the honor of rededicating the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. He spoke to a crowd at Kill Devil Hill on the outer banks and remarked on the historic events that began a short distance from where he was standing. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made history when they created the first heavier-than-air machine to fly through the air. The machine flew without any reduction in speed, and it landed at a place higher than the one from which it took off. In short, the Wright brothers had flown the world’s first airplane.

Aldrin was an appropriate selection, having been one of the pioneers to expand on what the Wright brothers had accomplished that day. On July 20, 1969, he accompanied Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins on the space mission Apollo 11. The men successfully landed on the moon, becoming the first in history to do so. While Collins stayed on the spacecraft and orbited the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin boarded the lunar lander, known as the “Eagle”.

After a bumpy flight, which resulted in Armstrong having to override the computerized trajectory in order to avoid hitting boulders, Aldrin and Armstrong landed on the moon’s surface. When they had touched down, Armstrong called back to Mission Control in Texas, saying the famous lines, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” Of course, an equally legendary statement was soon to be made. As Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon he uttered the words, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The entire country watched as history was made on live television.

The lunar landing of 1969 was a true testament of just how far man’s ability to conquer gravity had come in less than an average lifetime. In fact, man had traveled into space for the first time just eight years earlier. On April 12, 1961, Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin took the vessel Vostok 1 past the point of no return. He was exposed to about six times the force of gravity when he shouted, “Poyekhali”, which translates to “Let’s go!” Moments later he became the first man ever launched into space.

After orbiting the earth one time in 108 minutes, Gagarin successfully returned to earth near Saratov, Russia. Immediately, he became a worldwide hero—except, perhaps, in the United States. The scientists of the American space program had hoped to beat the Soviets, but they weren’t able to send their first astronaut until twenty-three days later. To add insult to injury, Gagarian was an unlikely candidate to be the one making history at the expense of the United States. Before joining the cosmonaut program a year earlier, he had just over 200 hours of flying experience. In fact, Gagarin didn’t know that he had been selected as the pilot of Vostok 1 until four days before the mission. After the revolutionary launch, the cosmonaut continued his training before being killed in a routine flight at the young age thirty-four. Because of his accomplishments, Gagarin’s ashes are buried in the Kremlin Wall.

Neil Armstrong walking on the moon

The Space Race Begins—Sputnik I launched into orbit The way it was…

There were lots of practical reasons for space exploration. It would be a great tool for research, providing valuable data on magnetic fields, cosmic rays, and celestial objects. Satellites could be used for communication, and they could make it possible to broadcast radio and television frequencies throughout the world. There was the possibility of up to the minute weather analysis, vastly improving our storm tracking methods. It was even an option to send equipment to space to establish a global navigational system. In the 1950s, all of these very sound reasons concerning the benefits of a space program were obvious. But none of them really touched on the main reason—we just wanted to know what was out there. For thousands of years, mankind had looked toward the stars with curiosity. Astronomers made their best estimates about the workings of the universe, and the invention of telescopes and other surveying equipment gave us a few more clues. For the most part, though, people had to settle for an educated guess. That is, of course, until World War II came along. During the war, the advancement of technology became a top priority as both sides struggled for an advantage. Powerful rockets were designed, and these rockets made the concept of space travel a technical possibility for the first time. The end of World War II didn’t bring a relaxing peace to the world. Instead, the United States and the Soviet Union settled into a tense “Cold War” that would last for several decades. The two world powers constantly kept an eye on each other, careful not to let the other gain an advantage. Apparently, the United States was not keeping close enough watch. In 1957, the scientists in the Soviet Union were working very secretly on a project that, if they succeeded, would be a major blow to the American public. How it changed history…

The scientists in the United States space program were caught sitting on their hands. As soon as Sputnik I was launched into orbit, they sprung into action. With Cold War tension as high as it was (and

continuing to rise), it was regarded as completely unacceptable to let Soviet technology surpass that in the United States. Four months later, on January 31, 1958, the Americans launched their first satellite, Explorer I. But the real competition had just begun. In what became termed as the “Space Race,” the United States and the USSR spent the next decade competing to take the next major step in space exploration. The Soviets had won the first victory, and they achieved another major one on April 12, 1961. On that day, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to be launched into space. The United States was beginning to get frustrated, but the largest prize was still up for grabs—to send a man to the moon. President Kennedy

promised that the United States would win this one and would do so by the end of the decade. Kennedy wasn’t around to see it, but his prediction came true. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. In the next few decades, space exploration continued to improve with the development of the space shuttle and space stations that enabled people to stay in orbit for an extended time.

What Happened Next…

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launches Sputnik I into space, the world’s 1st artificial satellite. This becomes earliest major milestone in space exploration, and is the start of the intense “Space Race.”

Sputnik

A Fact is a Fact — Galileo takes a stand by joining sides with Copernicus

At first glance, it seemed as clear as could be. The Bible told of the first days of the earth and how God created the oceans and the stars. It would be easy to assume the earth was the center of the universe, and it would be foolish to say otherwise. Galileo Galilei, in that case, was a fool.

Galileo was not trying to go against the Catholic Church. He wasn’t a theologian, nor did he try to pretend he was. Instead, in the early 1600s, he got hold of an early telescope and began studying astronomy. In his observations, he studied nearby stars and planets and found a great way to predict their positions in the sky at any given time. His new formula had one problem, however: it was based on the Copernican Theory (contrived by Polish astronomer Nicolas Copernicus over fifty years earlier) that stated that the earth revolved around the sun, which meant that the earth was not the center of the universe.

The fact that this theory was controversial was not the problem of Galileo (or so he thought). He was a scientist, and based his theories on research and fact. He was not out to insult priests and clergy. But to say that the earth revolved around the sun, and not the other way around, was a bold statement in the early 17th century—even if you had the proof and data to back it up.

The Roman Catholic Church was not excited to hear about Galileo’s new findings, to say the least. In 1616, Galileo’s radical theories were declared as being dangerous to the faith, and he was basically told not to bring it up again. Not surprisingly, Pope Urban VIII wasn’t too happy when Galileo published A Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems. The work ignored the “gag order” and had obvious references that supported the Copernican Theory.

Galileo was summoned to meet with the Pope in Rome. After arriving there in 1632, Galileo was immediately ordered to recant all of his previous statements that the earth revolved around the sun. With death his only other alternative, Galileo agreed, and was then sentenced to life imprisonment.

Upon hearing his punishment, Galileo rose and said the words, “E pur si muove” (“And yet it moves”). His legendary statement announced that, no matter what happened to him, the earth was still

revolving around the sun. Suddenly, the Roman Church was faced with the big picture. Galileo’s observation, “And yet it moves,” was a reminder that facts were still facts, no matter what the Church authorities claimed. Galileo was just the messenger. This new revelation immediately had an impact on the power of the Church. Before, it seemed as if the Pope had the sole ability to declare what was fact and what wasn’t. However, Galileo reminded the world that everyone, the Pope included, had to obey certain laws of nature. Actually, everyone had to obey all facts, no

matter how simple or controversial. If it was true that the earth was the center of the universe, then why did the stars position themselves as if the earth revolved around the sun? It was a question to which the people were suddenly waiting for an answer. The Church was having trouble finding one.

Troubles for the Church grew as more scientific findings started to support the Copernican Theory. For hundreds of years, constant battles arose between scientific fact and the opposition of Church authorities. In the end, the Church admitted that the earth revolves around the sun (the statement that had earned Galileo life imprisonment) and that the original teachings of scripture were based on misinterpretations of the Bible. Though centuries had passed, Galileo was eventually issued an annulment for his crime.

Portrait of Galileo Galilei by Justus Sustermans, 1636

Directions: Use the clues to fill in the words below. Unscramble the letters that appear in the circle-boxes to finish the final phrase.

1. Line on which the earth tilts: _ _ _ _ 2. Earth’s only celestial satellite: _ _ _ _ 3. Earth does one of these per day: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. The Sun is actually a _ _ _ _. 5. The third planet from the Sun: _ _ _ _ _ 6. Earth travels in an _ _ _ _ around the Sun. 7. The angle of Earth’s axis determines the _ _ _ _ _ _. 8. The center of our solar system: _ _ _ 9. The U.S. is in the Northern _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. 10. Pluto is now known as a “Dwarf _ _ _ _ _ _.” 11. You can tell the time of day by your _ _ _ _ _ _. 12. The slant of Earth is also known as a _ _ _ _.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

1 Season when Earth is most tilted toward the Sun: 2 The imaginary line that runs through the center of Earth: 3 Season when Earth is least tilted toward the Sun: 4 Season when Earth is not tilted directly toward or

away from the Sun: 5 The movement of the Earth around the Sun: 6 Season when Earth is not tilted directly toward or

away from the Sun (opposite of Question 4):

Directions: Use the numbered clues to find the terms that are hidden in the Word Search puzzle. Write the unused letters of the World Search on the lines at the bottom to spell a message!

Final Phrase:

Earth’s Seasons

T H E S U S T R N I S S

R O T A T I O N A B E R

I G H T L X E R T T A H

A N M T O A S T O F S T

E R E H P S I M E H O H

N U S E O T O H E E N M

T E N A L P R R A S O T

S H A D O W A R B O R S

I N T H E M T I N I L K

Y W A Y G H A L A X T Y

A

Feel free to make copies of the puzzles to distribute to your students for review

Enjoy!

1. Line on which the earth tilts: A X I S 2. Earth’s only celestial satellite: M O O N 3. Earth does one of these per day: R O T A T I O N 4. The Sun is actually a S T A R . 5. The third planet from the Sun: E A R T H 6. Earth travels in an O R B I T around the Sun. 7. The angle of Earth’s axis determines the S E A S O N . 8. The center of our solar system: S U N 9. The U.S. is in the Northern H E M I S P H E R E . 10. Pluto is now known as a “Dwarf P L A N E T .” 11. You can tell the time of day by your S H A D O W . 12. The slant of Earth is also known as a T I L T.

T H E S U N I S B R I G H T E R T H AN M O S T O F T H E S T A R S I N T H E M I L K Y W A Y G A LA X Y

Our Solar System

1 Season when Earth is most tilted toward the Sun: 2 The imaginary line that runs through the center of Earth: 3 Season when Earth is least tilted toward the Sun: 4 Season when Earth is not tilted directly toward or

away from the Sun: 5 The movement of the Earth around the Sun: 6 Season when Earth is not tilted directly toward or

away from the Sun: Final Phrase:

Earth’s Seasons

T H E S U S T R N I S S

R O T A T I O N A B E R

I G H T L X E R T T A H

A N M T O A S T O F S T

E R E H P S I M E H O H

N U S E O T O H E E N M

T E N A L P R R A S O T

S H A D O W A R B O R S

I N T H E M T I N I L K

Y W A Y G H A L A X T Y

R E O U T I N

S U M M E R A X I S W I N T E R

A U T U M N O R B I T

S P R I N G

Across 1 The Moon reflects ______ from the

Sun 4 The changing shapes of the Moon 5 ______ Moon: When the entire circle

is lighted 7 ______ Moon: When a small section is

lighted 8 The change in the ocean level 9 The number of weeks it takes for the

Moon to complete all phases

Down 2 The pull between Earth & the Moon 3 ______ Moon: When it is half lighted 6 ______ Moon: When it is completely dark 8 The number of times there is a high ocean level per day.

Missing Numbers Directions: Fill in the missing numbers to complete each statement. Clues are given to help you. Each number—from 1 to 10—is used exactly once. Cross out the number at the bottom of the page when you have used it. ⇒ Man first landed on the Moon on July 20, 19__9. ⇒ The Moon is a “natural satellite.” Earth has __ of them. ⇒ The Moon completes all of its phases in 2__.5 days. ⇒ Without Pluto considered a planet, our solar system has __ planets. ⇒ There are __4 hours in a day. ⇒ Uranus is the __th planet from the Sun.

⇒ The Moon rotates at __ miles per hour - - 100 times slower than Earth, which travels at 1,000 mph ⇒ There are 36__days per year. ⇒ As far as planets, Earth is number __ from the Sun.

⇒ The Moon has __ main phases.

Each number is used once. Cross them out as you go!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Feel free to make copies of the puzzles to distribute to your students for review.

Missing Numbers Directions: Fill in the missing numbers to complete each statement. Clues are given to help you. Each number—from 1 to 10—is used exactly once. Cross out the number at the bottom of the page when you have used it. ⇒ Man first landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. ⇒ The Moon is a “natural satellite.” Earth has 1 of them. ⇒ The Moon completes all of its phases in 29.5 days. ⇒ Without Pluto considered a planet, our solar system has 8 planets. ⇒ There are 24 hours in a day. ⇒ Uranus is the 7th planet from the Sun.

⇒ The Moon rotates at 10 miles per hour — 100 times slower than Earth, which travels at 1,000 miles per hour. ⇒ There are 365 days per year. ⇒ As far as planets, Earth is number 3 from the Sun.

⇒ The Moon has 4 main phases.

Each number is used once. Cross them out as you go!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Across 1 The Moon reflects ______ from the Sun 4 The changing shapes of the Moon 5 ______ Moon: When the entire circle is

lighted 7 ______ Moon: When a small section is

lighted 8 The change in the ocean level 9 The number of weeks it takes for the

Moon to complete all phases Down 2 The pull between Earth & the Moon 3 ______ Moon: When it is half lighted 6 ______ Moon: When it is completely dark 8 The number of times there is a high ocean level per day.

The Seasons

This template is a great way to review how the tilt of the earth’s axis and its distance from the sun contribute to the four seasons. While a diagram has been provided, students must offer their own explanation as to how these factors create the seasons. Once completed, the 3-D Template will make a great review sheet!

The template is provided on the next page. Make copies to hand out to your students.

Why 3-D Templates? Our 3-D Templates give students a hands-on way to interact with information.

This kinesthetic technique engages the learner while the information is being presented, and also helps in the processing and cognitive organization of it. To put it another way:

Step 1: Students cut and fold the template as shown on the paper.

This will cover the names of each of the four seasons.

Step 2: Students unfold the paper to reveal each of the four seasons, and they describe in the box how the tilt of the earth’s axis and its distance from the sun form those seasons. This forms a great study sheet.

During the Spring, the earth is tilted so that the sun’s rays hit the earth at an indirect angle, causing shorter days than the summer, but longer than the winter

Repeat the

step to fill out each

panel.

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Use this space to describe how timing, the tilt of the earth’s axis, and its distance from the sun contribute to this season:

Use this space to describe how timing, the tilt of the earth’s axis, and its distance from the sun contribute to this season:

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:

Ecosystems, Habitats, & the Environment

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Slavery in America

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Ecosystems

Plants

Animals

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Living Things

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Energy

Light & Sound

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Weather

Earth’s Materials

Biological History

Landforms & Oceans

Chemistry

Forces & Motion

Exploration

Settlement

American Revolution

A New Nation

Westward Expansion

Slavery

Civil War

Reconstruction Era

Late 1800s / Early 1900s

1920s & 1930s

World Wars

Cold War Era

Modern Times

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