# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Getting started: Sample starting activities

The following introductory activities can set the tone for the semester by presenting an accurate and engaging perspective on what science is really about. Some are appropriate for lecture, some for discussion, and some for labs. If you have not used the Thinking about science survey (Word document), it may be helpful to ask students to "Define" or "Describe Science" before beginning these activities. Their ideas can be written on a 3x5 card and collected to identify student perceptions about science that you hope to reinforce or change during the year. Follow with one of the activities below to introduce nature of science concepts. Umbrellaology works especially well in conjunction with eliciting students' views on the "definition" of science.

Mystery boxes: Uncertainty and collaboration — Students manipulate sealed "mystery" boxes and attempt to determine the inner structure of the boxes, which contain a moving ball and a fixed barrier or two. The nature and sources of uncertainty inherent in the process of problem-solving are experienced. The uncertainty of the conclusions is reduced by student collaboration.

How scientific is it? — Students are given six knowledge statements and asked to rank them according to how scientific they feel the statements are. A group discussion ensues. This activity is adapted from Scharmann et al. 2005.¹

Umbrellaology — Based on a classic philosophical exercise (Somerville, 1941), students are asked to read a letter that describes detailed data collected on umbrellas. Their task is to determine whether or not umbrellaology represents science.

An introduction to the Understanding Science Flowchart — Prior to visiting the Understanding Science website, students participate in an introductory activity and discuss whether or not they were doing science. They then read a story about Walter Alvarez and discuss what aspects of the story reflect the process of science. They are introduced to the Science Flowchart and provided the opportunity to trace Alvarezs scientific journey.

Amazon fly — This short activity quickly engages the participants in the process of developing testable hypotheses. Students come up with multiple hypotheses to explain a set of observations and figure out how to test these hypotheses. The activity is appropriate for small or large group discussion that could take place during a lecture.

How science works: Scientific inquiry in everyday life — In this very simple starting activity, students make observations of phenomena in their everyday lives and recognize that they can and do reason about such phenomena scientifically. A summative class discussion of this take-home activity can be used to make this point explicit.

Number patterns — In this activity, students are challenged to discover the relationship among six numbers. In the process, they engage in observation, collaboration, questioning, formulating explanations, developing expectations/predictions, and testing and modifying their ideas. Students are then asked to reflect on whether they were doing science.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting started: Sample starting activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Getting started: Sample starting activities The following introductory activities can set the tone for the semester by presenting an accurate and engaging perspective on what science is really about. Some are appropriate for lecture, some for discussion, and some for labs.

# data[].attributes.body
Science news for students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Science News Explores publishes news from all fields of science for students from middle school and up, with resources for parents and educators.

# data[].attributes.body
Dogo news

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DOGO News - Kids news articles on science! Kids current events; plus kids news on science, sports, and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read our kids news articles on science. Read news articles on science like “This Armored Ancestor Of Modern Crocodiles Roamed Earth Over 200 Million Years Ago”, “Powerful Solar Storms Create Dazzling Auroras”, and “Smart Orangutan Uses Medicinal Plant To Heal Wound”.

# data[].attributes.body
General presentation on what is science.

# data[].attributes.body
Contribution of scientists

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mankind would not have progressed to the zenith of advancement it currently enjoys if not for the tireless work of these heroes. Here's a brief sum-up of the Pantheon of science and technology. Read on to know more about some of the most important scientists and inventors who, through their inventions, have made the lives of scores of generations a lot easier.

The list has been compiled in alphabetical order; in the case of an invention/discovery being made by more than one individual, the name occurring alphabetically earlier has been given priority.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Famous Scientists and Their Inventions That Changed the World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mankind would not have progressed to the zenith of advancement it currently enjoys if not for the tireless work of these heroes. Here's a brief sum-up of the Pantheon of science and technology. Read on to know more about some of the most important scientists and inventors who, through their inventions, have made the lives of scores of generations a lot easier.

# data[].attributes.body
Double blind/placebo trial.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Participants in the Add-Aspirin trial take either aspirin or a placebo once a day for up to five years.

Find out more about the treatments used in Add-Aspirin here.

What is a placebo?

A placebo is a "dummy"" tablet. It looks like an aspirin tablet but it doesn't contain any medicine. We are using a placebo in this study so that we can make as clear an assessment as possible about the effects of aspirin. To make sure the results are as reliable as possible, neither the participants, nor the doctors, will know or be able to choose who is taking aspirin and who is taking a placebo.

Run-in treatment

Aspirin is a common, frequently used drug and most people take it without experiencing any side effects. However, a key aspect of any clinical trial is protecting the safety of the participants. In order to help us identify people for whom regular aspirin use may not be suitable, all Add-Aspirin participants are asked to take a 100mg aspirin tablet once a day for about eight weeks at the beginning of the study. This phase of the study is called the run-in. Participants who do not want to carry on taking tablets every day or who experience side effects may be advised not to continue taking part.

Study treatment

Participants who continue to take part in the study after the run-in are randomly assigned by a computer to take either aspirin or a placebo, which they will take once a day for up to five years. All participants have a two out of three chance of receiving aspirin. Some participants receive 300mg aspirin whilst others receive 100mg. Using different doses allows us to investigate how much aspirin may be needed to have an effect, if any, against cancer. To make the assessment of aspirin as reliable as possible, in this phase of the study neither participants nor their doctors know which treatment they are taking. However, all NHS doctors can find out which treatment a participant is taking if they need to in a medical emergency. This is known as unblinding.

Taking the treatment

Add-Aspirin participants take one tablet once a day, every day for up to five years. Tablets should be swallowed whole with plenty of water, preferably after a meal. It is very important that the tablets are taken every day. It is usually easier to remember to do this if the tablet is taken at the same time each day. If you forget to take a tablet, do not take additional tablets to catch up, you should only take one tablet a day.

Other medications

It is extremely important that Add-Aspirin trial participants do not take other medications that contain aspirin regularly whilst they are taking part in the study. It is also important that participants do not take aspirin bought from a chemist or shop. This may be unsafe and could also interfere with the results of the study. In many cases, alternative medications that do not contain aspirin are available. Your study doctor or GP will be able to advise on this. See below for more information on what medications to avoid.

The following medications should not be taken at the same time as the Add Aspirin trial medication. If you are unsure whether you can take a medication please discuss with your doctor.

Any medications that contain aspirin, which include: Nu-seals, Anadin, Beechams powders, Alka-seltzer, Disprin, Codis 500

Anti-coagulation medication, which include: Warfarin, Acenocoumarol, Phenindione, Dabigatran, Unfractionated Heparin, Low molecular weight heparin*, Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, Argatroban
*In some situations low molecular weight heparin may be permitted when prescribed as to prevent blood clots- please discuss with your doctor.

Anti-platelet medication, which include: Clopidogrel, Dipyridamole, Prasugrel, Ticagrelor, Abciximab, Tirofiban, Eptifibatide, Epoprostenol, Fondaparinaux

Other medications: Methotrexate

The following medications should not be taken regularly or long-term, but are permitted for short-term use. If you plan to take any of the following medications please discuss with your doctor first:

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) which include: Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac , Acelofenac, Fenoprofen, Flurbiprofen, Ketoprofen, Dexketoprofen, Tiaprofenic acid, Etodolac, Indomethacin, Meloxicam, Tenoxicam, Nabumetone, Phenylbutazone, Ketorolac, Piroxican, Sulindac, Tolfenamic acid, Celecoxib, Etoricoxib

Corticosteroids, which include: Dexamethasone, Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone

Contact Details

If you are an individual who is interested in taking part in Add-Aspirin, please talk to your doctor who will be able to consider whether you are suitable for the trial.
For healthcare professionals
Please log into the members area for Add-Aspirin contact details.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Participants in the Add-Aspirin trial take either aspirin or a placebo once a day for up to five years. Find out more about the treatments used in Add-Aspirin here. A placebo is a "dummy"" tablet. It looks like an aspirin tablet but it doesn't contain any medicine.

# data[].attributes.body
Nature of Science 9 and 10

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Joomag is a FREE service for creating digital interactive content, including digital magazines, photo albums, catalogs and e-books. All this is possible right from the website using our innovative online editing tool.

# data[].attributes.body
Nature of Science 9 and 10

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are lots of resources for students, parents, teachers and volunteers available for viewing and downloading on this page. Links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Try to imagine life without antibiotics. We wouldn't live nearly as long as we do without them. Here's a look at some discoveries that have changed the world. It's impossible to rank their importance, so they're listed in the order they were discovered.

The Copernicum System

In 1543, while on his deathbed, Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus published his theory that the Sun is a motionless body at the center of the solar system, with the planets revolving around it. Before the Copernicum system was introduced, astronomers believed the Earth was at the center of the universe.

Gravity

Isaac Newton, an English mathematician and physicist, is considered the greatest scientist of all time. Among his many discoveries, the most important is probably his law of universal gravitation. In 1664, Newton figured out that gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other. It explained why things fall down and why the planets orbit around the Sun.

Electricity

If electricity makes life easier for us, you can thank Michael Faraday. He made two big discoveries that changed our lives. In 1821, he discovered that when a wire carrying an electric current is placed next to a single magnetic pole, the wire will rotate. This led to the development of the electric motor. Ten years later, he became the first person to produce an electric current by moving a wire through a magnetic field. Faraday's experiment created the first generator, the forerunner of the huge generators that produce our electricity.

Evolution

When Charles Darwin, the British naturalist, came up with the theory of evolution in 1859, he changed our idea of how life on earth developed. Darwin argued that all organisms evolve, or change, very slowly over time. These changes are adaptations that allow a species to survive in its environment. These adaptations happen by chance. If a species doesn't adapt, it may become extinct. He called this process natural selection, but it is often called the survival of the fittest.

Louis Pasteur

Before French chemist Louis Pasteur began experimenting with bacteria in the 1860s, people did not know what caused disease. He not only discovered that disease came from microorganisms, but he also realized that bacteria could be killed by heat and disinfectant. This idea caused doctors to wash their hands and sterilize their instruments, which has saved millions of lives.

Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity, which he published in 1905, explains the relationships between speed, time and distance. The complicated theory states that the speed of light always remains the same-186,000 miles/second (300,000 km/second) regardless of how fast someone or something is moving toward or away from it. This theory became the foundation for much of modern science.

The Big Bang Theory

Nobody knows exactly how the universe came into existence, but many scientists believe that it happened about 13.7 billion years ago with a massive explosion, called the Big Bang. In 1927, Georges Lemaître proposed the Big Bang theory of the universe. The theory says that all the matter in the universe was originally compressed into a tiny dot. In a fraction of a second, the dot expanded, and all the matter instantly filled what is now our universe. The event marked the beginning of time. Scientific observations seem to confirm the theory.

Penicillin

Antibiotics are powerful drugs that kill dangerous bacteria in our bodies that make us sick. In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin, which he grew in his lab using mold and fungi. Without antibiotics, infections like strep throat could be deadly.

DNA

On February 28, 1953, James Watson of the United States and Francis Crick of England made one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history. The two scientists found the double-helix structure of DNA. It's made up of two strands that twist around each other and have an almost endless variety of chemical patterns that create instructions for the human body to follow. Our genes are made of DNA and determine how things like what color hair and eyes we'll have. In 1962, they were awarded the Nobel Prize for this work. The discovery has helped doctors understand diseases and may someday prevent some illnesses like heart disease and cancer.

Periodic Table

The Periodic Table is based on the 1869 Periodic Law proposed by Russian chemist Dmitry Mendeleev. He had noticed that, when arranged by atomic weight, the chemical elements lined up to form groups with similar properties. He was able to use this to predict the existence of undiscovered elements and note errors in atomic weights. In 1913, Henry Moseley of England confirmed that the table could be made more accurate by arranging the elements by atomic number, which is the number of protons in an atom of the element.

X-Rays

Wilhelm Roentgen, a German physicist, discovered X-rays in 1895. X-rays go right through some substances, like flesh and wood, but are stopped by others, such as bones and lead. This allows them to be used to see broken bones or explosives inside suitcases, which makes them useful for doctors and security officers. For this discovery, Roentgen was awarded the first-ever Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.

Quantum Theory

Danish physicist Niels Bohr is considered one of the most important figures in modern physics. He won a 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on the structure of an atom and for his work in the development of the quantum theory. Although he help develop the atomic bomb, he frequently promoted the use of atomic power for peaceful purposes.

Atomic Bomb

The legacy of the atomic bomb is mixed: it successfully put an end to World War II, but ushered in the nuclear arms race. Some of the greatest scientists of the time gathered in the early 1940s to figure out how to refine uranium and build an atomic bomb. Their work was called the Manhattan Project. In 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tens of thousands of civilians were instantly killed, and Japan surrendered. These remain the only two nuclear bombs ever used in battle. Several of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project later urged the government to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes only. Nevertheless, many countries continue to stockpile nuclear weapons. Some people say the massive devastation that could result from nuclear weapons actually prevents countries from using them.

HIV/AIDS

In 1983 and 1984, Luc Montagnier of France and Robert Gallo of the United States discovered the HIV virus and determined that it was the cause of AIDS. Scientists have since developed tests to determine if a person has HIV. People who test positive are urged to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease. Drugs are available to keep HIV and AIDS under control. The hope is that further research will lead to the development of a cure.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Try to imagine life without antibiotics. We wouldn't live nearly as long as we do without them. Here's a look at some discoveries that have changed the world. It's impossible to rank their importance, so they're listed in the order they were discovered.

# data[].attributes.body
Short science news stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Earth | Sep 11, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Health | Sep 10, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Health | Sep 03, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Read the full story:
Scientific publication: The Lancet

Technology | Aug 27, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

A new study reports that E. coli bacteria (normally found in our intestines) can be transformed with a manipulated form of a human gene to convert greenhouse gases into useful products. The gene encodes an enzyme that in its manipulated form can couple carbon molecules (such as found in carbon dioxide) into more complex structures. These structures, which are currently produced from oil, can be used in for example cosmetics and in plastics.

Thus, this new technique can be beneficial for our combat against global warming. On the one hand, it might capture greenhouse gases from the atmosphere to synthesize useful polymers, and on the other hand reduces the need for oil.

Earth | Aug 26, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Read the full story:
Scientific publication: Science Advances

Earth | Jul 25, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

The average temperature on earth has risen faster than ever in the last 150 years. This is apparent from three new studies, recently published in the scientific journals Nature Geoscience and Nature. The researchers call the current warming unusual.

The scientists reconstructed the climate of the last 2000 years. The data showed that the average temperature on earth increased by 1 degree since 1850.

For the reconstruction all available climate data were collected from the beginning of our era to the present. The researchers used not only direct measurements for this, but also corals, old ice layers, shells, annual rings and sediment. On the basis of tree growth rings, for example, you can also see whether a certain period has been dry, hot, wet or cold.

Before 1850, cold and warm peaks were mainly at the regional level. But the new research shows that the temperature rise has since 1850 applies to 98 percent of the world. It is for the first time in history that it is getting warmer almost everywhere.

Read the full story: Sciencebriefss
Scientific publication: Nature Geoscience
Scientific publication: Nature

Earth | Jul 05, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Life | Jul 02, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Life | Jul 01, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Earth | Jun 12, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Read the full story: University of Helsinki
Scientific publication: Nature

Life | Jun 07, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Health | Jun 07, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Life | Jun 05, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Health | Jun 05, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

Life | Jun 04, 2019 | Erwin van den Burg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mucus, which lines 200 square meter of our bodies including lungs and digestive tract is not just a physical barrier can also disarm microbes preventing them from causing infections. Glycans, which are found in the mucus are mainly responsible for this property.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Mr. Palermo's Flipped Chemistry Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
​Information on argumentation & Explanation and Modeling

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This classroom activity, a central feature of our modules, offers a fun way for students to develop the critical thinking and science literacy skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards-skills they'll need in order to become critical consumers of scientific information and reporting. Moving away from the fantasy worlds of the video games, No Way! draws students into a compelling real-life scenario in which they are editorial interns at a science-themed website-NoWay!com.

The site publishes amazing-but-true stories about incredible natural phenomena, weird inventions, and sensational events. As part of the editorial team, students must investigate claims in articles being considered for publication on the site. The articles connect to the module's content and focus on the misconception addressed in the video game. Playing No Way! gives students a chance to practice crucial argumentation skills while also deepening their understanding of the module's topic.

The articles students evaluate were written specifically for No Way! Each contains several claims that need to be checked. The rule is that finding counterevidence for any claim means the story can't be posted. The activity involves: a) looking for information relevant to a claim by referring to a set of reliable resources we provide; and b) determining whether the information they find constitutes evidence for or against the claim. While students will find evidence to corroborate most claims, the game keeps them focused on the search for counterevidence that invalidates a claim.

It takes 2-3 classes to complete the activity. Sessions end with students sharing what they've discovered and voting on whether a particular story should be published.

In this classroom activity, students are tasked with investigating two articles that contain claims about energy and electricity. As with the related video game (Monster Music), this activity provides an opportunity to help students understand electricity and the difference between matter and energy.

After viewing the introductory slideshow, students turn their attention to the first story, "A Shattering Performance." It's about a woman who can break a wine glass by singing a high, sustained note. The story dramatically illustrates how something as insubstantial as sound energy has the power to affect matter.

The four claims in the story have to do with sound and other forms of energy. Working in small groups, students look for and record information relevant to the claims by going through a set of resources provided. Then they decide if the information constitutes evidence for or against each claim. There is plenty of information in the resources to support the claims about sound and energy, but none that serves as counterevidence that would invalidate any of the claims. If the students decide that NoWay!com can use this article, they won't be in danger of publishing something that contains a false claim.

The second article is about a man who says he's come up with a device that will reduce the time it takes to charge a cell phone. But his proposed invention is based on the misconception addressed in this module, that electricity is a substance that behaves like a fluid. The inventor makes several claims about electricity and insulation that students will be able to corroborate with information in the resources. But the resources also contain information that serves as counterevidence to his claim that electricity is a substance like water. Since ' s policy is to not publish stories that contain any false claims, students will be making a wise and informed decision if they reject "Pet Pigs Inspire Inventor" for publication on the site.

[Note: If this is the students' first experience with No Way!, they should learn about the activity's premise and rules by viewing the Day 1 Sideshow. It includes a guide to the claim-checking process they'll be using as they go through the activity.]

Connections to the Next Generation Science Standards

The No Way! critical thinking activity connects to Practice 7: Engaging in Argument from Evidence. It offers students opportunities to evaluate and critique scientifically based arguments in the media, an ability emphasized in the NGSS description of Practice 7: "The scientist and the citizen alike must make evaluative judgments about the validity of science-related media reports and their implications for people's own lives and society. Becoming a critical consumer of science is fostered by opportunities to use critique and evaluation to judge the merits of any scientifically based argument."

No Way! directly addresses two specific goals of Practice 7: Engaging in Argument from Evidence:

Identify possible weaknesses in scientific arguments, appropriate to the students' level of knowledge, and discuss them using reasoning and evidence

Recognize that the major features of scientific arguments are claims, data, and reasons and distinguish these elements in examples

Connection to the Common Core State Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

No Way! connects to CCR Reading Anchor #8, which emphasizes evaluating the validity of arguments and whether the evidence offered backs up the claims logically.

( CCR Reading Anchor #8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This classroom activity, a central feature of our modules, offers a fun way for students to develop the critical thinking and science literacy skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards-skills they'll need in order to become critical consumers of scientific information and reporting. Moving away from the fantasy worlds of the video games, No Way!

# data[].attributes.body
Science research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Frontiers for Young Minds is an open access scientific journal that brings the latest research in real time to school kids between 8-15 years old.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A hypothesis is a tentative answer to a scientific question. A testable hypothesis is a hypothesis that can be proved or disproved as a result of testing, data collection, or experience. Only testable hypotheses can be used to conceive and perform an experiment using the scientific method.

In order to be considered testable, two criteria must be met:

It must be possible to prove that the hypothesis is true.

It must be possible to prove that the hypothesis is false.

It must be possible to reproduce the results of the hypothesis.

All the following hypotheses are testable. It's important, however, to note that while it's possible to say that the hypothesis is correct, much more research would be required to answer the question " why is this hypothesis correct?"

Students who attend class have higher grades than students who skip class. This is testable because it is possible to compare the grades of students who do and do not skip class and then analyze the resulting data. Another person could conduct the same research and come up with the same results.

People exposed to high levels of ultraviolet light have a higher incidence of cancer than the norm. This is testable because it is possible to find a group of people who have been exposed to high levels of ultraviolet light and compare their cancer rates to the average.

If you put people in a dark room, then they will be unable to tell when an infrared light turns on. This hypothesis is testable because it is possible to put a group of people into a dark room, turn on an infrared light, and ask the people in the room whether or not an infrared light has been turned on.

It doesn't matter whether or not you skip class. This hypothesis can't be tested because it doesn't make any actual claim regarding the outcome of skipping class. "It doesn't matter" doesn't have any specific meaning, so it can't be tested.

Ultraviolet light could cause cancer. The word "could" makes a hypothesis extremely difficult to test because it is very vague. There "could," for example, be UFOs watching us at every moment, even though it's impossible to prove that they are there!

Goldfish make better pets than guinea pigs. This is not a hypothesis; it's a matter of opinion. There is no agreed-upon definition of what a "better" pet is, so while it is possible to argue the point, there is no way to prove it.

Now that you know what a testable hypothesis is, here are tips for proposing one.

Try to write the hypothesis as an if-then statement. If you take an action, then a certain outcome is expected.

Identify the independent and dependent variable in the hypothesis. The independent variable is what you are controlling or changing. You measure the effect this has on the dependent variable.

Write the hypothesis in such a way that you can prove or disprove it. For example, a person has skin cancer, you can't prove they got it from being out in the sun. However, you can demonstrate a relationship between exposure to ultraviolet light and increased risk of skin cancer.

Make sure you are proposing a hypothesis you can test with reproducible results. If your face breaks out, you can't prove the breakout was caused by the french fries you had for dinner last night. However, you can measure whether or not eating french fries is associated with breaking out. It's a matter of gathering enough data to be able to reproduce results and draw a conclusion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A hypothesis is a tentative answer to a scientific question. A testable hypothesis is a hypothesis that can be proved or disproved as a result of testing, data collection, or experience. Only testable hypotheses can be used to conceive and perform an experiment using the scientific method.

# data[].attributes.body
Scientific method

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summer Research Program for Science Teachers
Ann Meyer
New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math

August 2005

M&M's and the Scientific Method

Grade Levels: High School (can be adapted for Middle School students)

Introduce the scientific method including terminology

Provide a fun activity for students to experience how the scientific method is used

Stage and duration of activity: 50 minutes

Supplies: One regular sized bag of M&M's for every 2 to 3 students

One regular sized bag of M&M's for demonstration

One bag of peanut M&M's and one large bag of M&M's

Introducing M&M Activity to Class

The teacher holds up a bag of regular sized M&M's. The teacher asks a question to begin the discussion-- What things might we want to know about this bag of M&M's? Students will respond with a variety of inquiries-- How many M&M's are in the bag? What color M&M's are in the bag? How many of each color M&M are in the bag? How much does one M&M weigh? How much does the bag weigh?

The teacher chooses one question. A useful introductory question is-- How many M&M's are in the bag? Students guess the number of M&M's. Using the framework of students' guesses, the teacher introduces scientific terminology. For instance, during the discussion of answers to the question of how many M&M's are in the bag, the numbers put forth are hypotheses. At this point, the teacher should write the definition of the new scientific term on the board and have students copy it onto their definition sheet. In addition, the teacher writes 'Hypotheses' on the board and lists the numbers volunteered by students underneath the word. After asking many if not all of the class to respond with a hypothesis about how many M&M's are in the bag, the teacher asks- How do we determine which hypothesis, if any, is correct? Usually, a student will ask the teacher to open the bag. The teacher then introduces the concept of data collection to determine if one's hypothesis is correct. The teacher opens the bag, counts the number of M&M's and writes 'Data' under which she writes the number counted in her bag. Following the introduction, students form small groups to complete the M&M activity.

Break students into groups of 2 or 3 students. Hand out directions (see Handout). Read directions aloud while students follow along. Allow students about 15 minutes to complete the activity.

The teacher brings the class back together and asks all of the groups about their questions and the answers that were found. At this point, the teacher asks every group to fill out a data table about the multiple bags of M&M's- How many M&M's are in the bag and How many of each color M&M are in the bag. By collecting the data from all of the groups, the teacher introduces the concept of multiple trials. (One discovers that the number of M&M's per bag is not constant nor is the number of each color in the bag resulting in variation between M&M bags and the potential for calculations using the data.)

Example Table for Board:

Using the data from the class, the teacher is able to address the idea of variance in data. To follow up the teacher asks- From our data, what would be an accurate way to determine the number of M&M's in a random bag I pick up at the grocery store? The average of the numbers provides an accurate description of the number of M&M's in a randomly chosen bag. Also, the average number of each color M&M per bag may be calculated. In addition to the average calculations, the class determines the median and mode for the total number of M&M's per bag and/or the number of each color of M&M per bag. Students may also graph the data in histograms and/or pie charts (color-coded graphs follow easily from the M&M colors).

Extending the concepts one step further, the teacher brings out a bag of peanut M&M's and asks- Do we know anything about this bag of M&M's based on our data? Additionally, the teacher may want to bring out a large bag of M&M's and ask- Do we know anything about this bag of M&M's based on our data? At which point the teacher introduces inference. Often, one group determines the weight of a single M&M during the group activity. If not, the teacher weighs an individual M&M. Dividing the weight of the large bag by the weight of a single M&M determines the number of M&M's in the large bag (disregarding the weight of the bag).

National Standards

Teaching Standard A: Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.

Content Standard A: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, understandings about scientific inquiry

Program Standard A: Teaching practices need to be consistent with the goals and curriculum framework.

New York City Science Standards

Standard S5 (a-f) The students demonstrates scientific inquiry and problem solving by using thoughtful questioning and reasoning strategies, common sense and conceptual understanding from Science Standards 1-4, and appropriate methods to investigate the natural world.

Standard S7 (a-d) The student demonstrates effective scientific communication by clearly describing aspects of the natural word using accurate data, graphs, or other appropriate media to convey depth of conceptual understanding in science; that is, the student: represents data and results in multiple ways, such as numbers, tables, and graphs, drawings, diagrams, and artwork; and technical and creative writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Summer Research Program for Science Teachers Ann Meyer New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math August 2005 M&M's and the Scientific Method Grade Levels: High School (can be adapted for Middle School students) Introduce the scientific method including terminology Provide a fun activity for students to experience how the scientific

# data[].attributes.body
Measurement mistake

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NASA's Climate Orbiter was lost September 23, 1999

By Robin Lloyd
CNN Interactive Senior Writer

(CNN) -- NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because a Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units of measurement while the agency's team used the more conventional metric system for a key spacecraft operation, according to a review finding released Thursday.

The units mismatch prevented navigation information from transferring between the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft team in at Lockheed Martin in Denver and the flight team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Lockheed Martin helped build, develop and operate the spacecraft for NASA. Its engineers provided navigation commands for Climate Orbiter's thrusters in English units although NASA has been using the metric system predominantly since at least 1990.

No one is pointing fingers at Lockheed Martin, said Tom Gavin, the JPL administrator to whom all project managers report.

"This is an end-to-end process problem," he said. "A single error like this should not have caused the loss of Climate Orbiter. Something went wrong in our system processes in checks and balances that we have that should have caught this and fixed it."

The finding came from an internal review panel at JPL that reported the cause to Gavin on Wednesday. The group included about 10 navigation specialists, many of whom recently retired from JPL.

"They have been looking at this since Friday morning following the loss," Gavin said.

The navigation mishap killed the mission on a day when engineers had expected to celebrate the craft's entry into Mars' orbit.

After a 286-day journey, the probe fired its engine on September 23 to push itself into orbit.

The engine fired but the spacecraft came within 60 km (36 miles) of the planet -- about 100 km closer than planned and about 25 km (15 miles) beneath the level at which the it could function properly, mission members said.

The latest findings show that the spacecraft's propulsion system overheated and was disabled as Climate Orbiter dipped deeply into the atmosphere, JPL spokesman Frank O'Donnell said.

That probably stopped the engine from completing its burn, so Climate Orbiter likely plowed through the atmosphere, continued out beyond Mars and now could be orbiting the sun, he said.

Climate Orbiter was to relay data from an upcoming partner mission called Mars Polar Lander, scheduled to set down on Mars in December. Now mission planners are working out how to relay its data via its own radio and another orbiter now circling the red planet.

Climate Orbiter and Polar Lander were designed to help scientists understand Mars' water history and the potential for life in the planet's past. There is strong evidence that Mars was once awash with water, but scientists have no clear answers to where the water went and what drove it away.

NASA has convened two panels to look into what led to the loss of the orbiter, including the internal peer review panel that released the Thursday finding. NASA also plans to form a third board -- an independent review panel -- to look into the accident.

Metric system used by NASA for many years

A NASA document came out several years ago, when the Cassini mission to Saturn was under development, establishing the metric system for all units of measurement, Gavin said.

The metric system is used for the Polar Lander mission, as well as upcoming missions to Mars, he said.

That review panel's findings now are being studied by a second group -- a special review board headed up by John Casani, which will search for the processes that failed to find the metric to English mismatch. Casani retired from JPL two months ago from the position of chief engineer for the Lab.

"We're going to look at how was the data transferred," Gavin said. "How did it originally get into system in English units? How was it transferred? When we were doing navigation and Doppler (distance and speed) checks, how come we didn't find it?"

"People make errors," Gavin said. "The problem here was not the error. It was the failure of us to look at it end-to-end and find it. It's unfair to rely on any one person."

Lockheed Martin, which failed to immediately return a telephone call for comment, is building orbiters and landers for future Mars missions, including one set to launch in 2001 and a mission that will return some Mars rocks to Earth a few years down the line.

It also has helped with the Polar Lander mission, set to land on Mars on December 3 and conduct a 90-day mission studying martian weather. It also is designed to extend a robotic arm that will dig into the nearby martian soil and search for signs of water.

NASA managers have said the Polar Lander mission will go on as planned and return answers to the same scientific questions originally planned -- even though the lander will have to relay its data to Earth without help from Climate Orbiter.

Error points to nation's conversion lag

Lorelle Young, president of the U.S. Metric Association, said the loss of Climate Orbiter brings up the "untenable" position of the United States in relation to most other countries, which rely on the metric system for measurement. She was not surprised at the error that arose.

"In this day and age when the metric system is the measurement language of all sophisticated science, two measurements systems should not be used," Young said.

"Only the metric system should be used because that is the system science uses," she said.

She put blame at the feet of Congress that she said has squeezed NASA's budget to the point that it has no funds to completely convert its operations to metric.

"This should be a loud wake-up call to Congress that being first in technology requires funding," she said, "and it's a very important area for the country."

RELATED STORIES:
NASA's metric confusion caused Mars orbiter loss
September 30, 1999
Three panels to investigate Mars orbiter loss
September 28, 1999
NASA gives up search for missing Mars orbiter
September 24, 1999
Mars craft possibly dead
September 23, 1999
Australia fossil to help in search for life on Mars
September 3, 1999
NASA reveals site for next Mars touchdown
August 25, 1999
Researchers: Mars once hummed with magnetism, like Earth
April 29, 1999
NASA finds more evidence of possible past life on Mars
March 19, 1999
Probe heads for Mars with shovel, microphone
January 4, 1999

RELATED SITES:
Mars Climate Orbiter
Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Meteorite Home Page (JPL)
Macquarie University
Stromatolites
Fossil Record of the Cyanobacteria

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Metric mishap caused loss of NASA orbiter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA's Climate Orbiter was lost September 23, 1999 By Robin Lloyd CNN Interactive Senior Writer (CNN) -- NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because a Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units of measurement while the agency's team used the more conventional metric system for a key spacecraft operation, according to a review finding released Thursday.

# data[].attributes.body
Variables

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Generally speaking, in any given model or equation, there are two types of variables:

Using Independent and Dependent Variables

The definition of an independent or dependent variable is more or less universal in both statistical or scientific experiments and in mathematics; however, the way the variable is used varies slightly between experimental situations and mathematics.

Example of Variables in Scientific Experiments

If a scientist conducts an experiment to test the theory that a vitamin could extend a person's life-expectancy, then:

The independent variables and dependent variables can vary from person to person, and the variances are what are being tested; that is, whether the people given the vitamin live longer than the people not given the vitamin. The scientist might then conduct further experiments changing other independent variables -- gender, ethnicity, overall health, etc. -- in order to evaluate the resulting dependent variables and to narrow down the effects of the vitamin on life span under different circumstances.

Here are some other examples of dependent and independent variables in scientific experiments:

A scientist studies the impact of a drug on cancer. The independent variables are the administration of the drug - the dosage and the timing. The dependent variable is the impact the drug has on cancer.

A scientist studies the impact of withholding affection on rats. The independent variable is the amount of affection. The dependent variable is the reaction of the rats.

A scientist studies how many days people can eat soup until they get sick. The independent variable is the number of days of consuming soup. The dependent variable is the onset of illness.

Example of Variables in Mathematics

In mathematics, the "x" and "y" values in an equation or a graph are referred to as "variables."

If an equation shows a relationship between x and y in which the value of y is dependent upon the value of x, y is known as the dependent variable and is sometimes referred to as 'function(x)' or f(x).

The final solution of the equation, y, depends on the value of x, the independent variable which can be changed.

Graphing Dependent and Independent Variables

In both math and science, dependent and independent variables can be plotted on the x and y axes of a graph. The convention is to use the independent variable as the x-axis and the dependent variable as the y-axis. There is typically a clear and obvious relationship between x and y shown on the graph.

An example of this would be Boyle's Gas Law where the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume as long as the temperature remains constant.

Using the equation (y = kx), one can plot a graph that will yield a theoretical value for y when given any value for x, allowing one to accurately predict the affect the independent variable will have on the dependent variable.

In order to have come up with the equation for what is now Boyle's Law, Boyle himself would have had to conduct a series of experiments that measured the effect that altering the independent variable (pressure) had on the dependent variable (volume). This would have put both independent and dependent variables into a real life, practical context. Boyle was then able to devise his equation based on his observations of the independent and dependent variables.

Knowing the differences between independent and dependent variables will help as you sharpen your problem solving skills and explore new concepts within the fields of mathematics and the science

Independent and Dependent Variable Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Independent and Dependent Variable Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Generally speaking, in any given model or equation, there are two types of variables: The definition of an independent or dependent variable is more or less universal in both statistical or scientific experiments and in mathematics; however, the way the variable is used varies slightly between experimental situations and mathematics.

# data[].attributes.body
Inquiry-Based science

# data[].attributes.body
Nature of Science 4
Analyse data .... draw and justify conclusions

# data[].attributes.body
Evaluating media based arguments

# data[].attributes.body
Nice lesson on climate change with links to videos and support documents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Air: Climate Change and Modeling Combustion with LEGO® Bricks | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this lesson, students learn about the components of air and the chemical reactions that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. They model combustion using LEGO bricks, and explore the connection between carbon dioxide, climate change, and environmental health.

# data[].attributes.body
Burning Fuel - Global Warming.
Links to Lego modeling of chemical reactions in CW2

# data[].attributes.body
Composition of air - LEGO

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inspired by an existing project I saw linked on Hackaday, I couldn't resist having a go at building a compressed air rocket launcher. To keep the costs down, I tried to use commonly available plumbing fittings where possible (40mm solvent weld waste pipe). Originally I planned to use larger diameter pipe, but reducing fittings didn't seem that easy to source locally.

Here's my first prototype assembled, with the rocket (made of 15mm pipe insulation foam) in situ. The rocket is concealing a length of 15mm copper pipe which serves as the launch tube:

To get a reasonable volume of air in a small footprint, the pipework is folded into an S shape, rather than having one long length. The two parallel pipes at the left were intended to be closer together, but I accidentally welded in a longer pipe than I planned, and there was no going back 🙂

The 40mm pipe is solvent welded, and has two screw on access plugs at either end. These have been drilled through, and fitted with tank connectors, along with the various reducing fittings needed to connect the inlet and outlet valves.

This next shot shows a close-up of the outlet side which consists of a 12V solenoid valve (the black cylinder) which is normally closed, and fires a blast of compressed air when it opens. The other cylindrical component is an oil pressure sensor, which I plan to use to measure the air pressure. The pressure sensor has NPT thread, so an adaptor is needed for BSP thread. There's also a 1/4 BSP female 3 way tee fitting used to connect the pressure sensor in circuit.

Various 1/4″ and 1/2″ brass hexagon bushes, hexagon nipples and other parts are needed to connect these together, with PTFE tape used on all joints. The final output is through a compression wallplate elbow, with a vertical 15mm copper pipe for the launch tube.

The inlet is a standard Schrader valve, so that a 12V car tyre pump compressor can be used to pressurise the system.

There was some guesswork in the design, because I didn't bother to calculate what sort of volume of air was needed, and wasn't sure if the solenoid valve would have a high enough flow rate (it has quite a narrow bore). I just decided to try it and see what happens.
Obligatory warning: if you build something like this, be aware that the plastic pipe could explode and shatter under pressure.
Having built it, I donned safety glasses, retired to a safe distance and pressurised it. At the first attempt I managed to get it up to 30psi, due to a slow air leak. The first launch was pretty impressive, and the foam rocket (lacking flights at this point) narrowly missed landing on the roof of the house! Adding some cardboard flights to the rocket improved the aim dramatically.

Some reassembly of the outlet joints cured the leak, and I've since had it up to 60psi. I'm going to box it up before pushing it to higher pressures. The compressor is rated for 100psi (just under 7 bar) so it will be interesting to see how high this thing can go 🙂

Next steps are to build a box for it, and to make the control unit. I'm planning to give it a mission control look with key switch, flip up covered toggle switch and big red button to launch... to be continued!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inspired by an existing project I saw linked on Hackaday, I couldn't resist having a go at building a compressed air rocket launcher. To keep the costs down, I tried to use commonly available plumbing fittings where possible (40mm solvent weld waste pipe).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Updated January 12, 2018 16:35:21

Last night I cooked my family a delicious pasta dinner using biogas energy. This morning we all had eggs cooked on biogas.

I'm not sure what's for dinner tonight, but I know what will provide the energy for cooking: biogas.

And not just any biogas - it's home biogas, produced in our suburban backyard, as part of my ongoing "action research" into sustainable energy practices.

In an age of worrying climate change and looming fossil energy decline, the benefits of biogas are obvious. It is a renewable energy source with zero net greenhouse emissions. And yet its potential has largely gone untapped, at least in the developed world.

Based on my research and experience, I contend that home-produced biogas is an extremely promising technology whose time has come.

In fact, I believe it could provoke a domestic green energy revolution, if only we let it.

What is biogas?

Biogas is produced when organic matter biodegrades under anaerobic conditions (that is, in the absence of oxygen).

This process produces a mixture of gases - primarily methane, some carbon dioxide and tiny portions of other gases such as hydrogen sulphide.

When the biogas is filtered to remove the hydrogen sulphide, the resulting mixture can be burned as an energy source for cooking, lighting, or heating water or space.

When compressed it can be used as fuel for vehicles. On a commercial scale biogas can be used to generate electricity or even refined and fed into the gas grid.

The types of organic matter used to produce biogas include food waste, animal manure and agricultural by-products.

Some commercial systems use sewage to produce and capture biogas.

The benefits of biogas

The primary benefit of biogas is that it is renewable.

Whereas the production of oil and other fossil fuels will eventually peak and decline, we will always be able to make biogas as long as the sun is shining and plants can grow.

Biogas has zero net greenhouse emissions because the CO2 that is released into the atmosphere when it burns is no more than what was drawn down from the atmosphere when the organic matter was first grown.

As already noted, when organic matter biodegrades under anaerobic conditions, methane is produced.

It has been estimated that each year between 590 million and 800 million tonnes of methane is released into the atmosphere.

This is bad news for the climate - pound for pound, methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2.

But in a biogas system this methane is captured and ultimately converted to CO2 when the fuel is burned. Because that CO2 was going to end up in the atmosphere anyway through natural degradation, biogas has zero net emissions.

There are other benefits too. The organic matter used in biogas digesters is typically a waste product. By using biogas we can reduce the amount of food waste and other organic materials being sent to landfill.

Furthermore, biogas systems produce a nutrient-rich sludge that can be watered down into a fertiliser for gardens or farms.

All of this can help to develop increased energy independence, build resilience and save money.

My biogas experiment

In the spirit of scientific research, I installed one of the few home biogas systems currently available, at a cost of just over $1,000 delivered, and have been impressed by its ease and functionality. (Please note that I have no affiliation, commercial or otherwise, with the manufacturer.)

In practical terms, I put in about two kilograms of food waste each day and so far I have had enough gas to cook with, sometimes twice a day.

If I ever needed more gas, I could put in more organic matter. I will continue to monitor the system as part of my research and will publish updates in due course. If interested, watch this space.

My personal motivation to explore biogas (related to my research) arises primarily from a desire to decarbonise my household's energy use. So far, so good.

We have disconnected from the conventional gas grid and now have more money to spend on projects such as expanding our solar array.

Given the alarming levels of food waste in Australia, I also like the idea of turning this waste into green energy.

My neighbours kindly donate their organic matter to supplement our own inputs, increasing community engagement. When necessary I cycle to my local vegetable market and enthusiastically jump into their large food waste bin to take what I need, with permission.

They think I'm mad. But, then, I think using fossil fuels is mad.

Hurdles and hopes

Home biogas is widely produced in developing regions of the world.

The World Bank and the United Nations actively encourage its use as a cheap, clean energy source. China has 27 million biogas plants.

But developed regions, including Australia, have been slow to exploit this vast potential.

Given that Australia is one of the most carbon-intensive countries on Earth, this is unfortunate.

The failure to embrace home biogas is partly due to a lack of clear regulations about its use. Where is the Home Biogas Act?

Almost every Australian backyard has an independent gas bottle to power the ubiquitous barbecue, so clearly storing gas in the backyard is not a problem.

My biogas system came with robust safety certificates, warranties and insurance, and these systems do not feature high-pressure gas pipes.

Home biogas production is unusual. But I believe that state governments should draw up legislation to accommodate it, and that local councils should offer advice and assistance to householders who are interested in taking it up.

Hoping for progress in this regard, I recently made a submission to the Victorian Government as part of its Waste to Energy consultations.

My own carefully managed experiment demonstrates how home biogas can be used safely and successfully.

Nevertheless, biogas is a combustible fuel and needs to be filtered for poisonous hydrogen sulphide.

Like any fuel, it should be respected and used responsibly. But biogas need not be feared. Fossil gas is far more dangerous anyway.
Samuel Alexander is a research fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne. Originally published in The Conversation
Topics: alternative-energy, environment, recycling-and-waste-management, australia

First posted January 12, 2018 15:29:48

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How you can turn your food scraps into homemade gas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Updated January 12, 2018 16:35:21 Last night I cooked my family a delicious pasta dinner using biogas energy. This morning we all had eggs cooked on biogas. I'm not sure what's for dinner tonight, but I know what will provide the energy for cooking: biogas.

# data[].attributes.body
water cycle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most of us probably never think of ourselves as being passengers on-board a spinning planet that whips around on its axis of rotation once every 24 hours, or that travels 970 million kilometres on its 365-day journey around the sun.

f the earth's axis of rotation was perpendicular to the sun-earth line, we would have no solstices and no strong seasonal effects. However, the 23.5o tilt of the earth's axis gives rise to different orientations of earth relative to the sun during the year, giving us both.

At the summer solstice, the northern hemisphere is tipped most directly towards the sun, leading to more concentrated sunlight and shorter shadows at noon. We observe the sun as reaching its maximum height in the sky and the day of the solstice has the greatest number of daylight hours in the year.

On the same day in the southern hemisphere, which is tipped away from the sun, the sun's rays at noon are less concentrated and shadows are longer - it is their mid-winter. The situation in the two hemispheres is reversed at the winter solstice.

The exact moment of the summer solstice, which occurs between June 20 and June 22, varies from year to year because of the influence of other planets on earth's orbit and the slight wobble of its axis. This year, the summer solstice is on June 21. In Dublin, sunrise is at 04:57 and sunset at 21.57, giving just over 17 hours of daylight.

Be glad we don't live on Venus, where the very small axial tilt of 3o provides no seasonal respite from the 462oC temperature caused by its proximity to the sun and its runaway greenhouse effect.

Professor Lorraine Hanlon, is a professor at the School of Physics, University College Dublin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Summer solstice the longest day of the year but why?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most of us probably never think of ourselves as being passengers on-board a spinning planet that whips around on its axis of rotation once every 24 hours, or that travels 970 million kilometres on its 365-day journey around the sun.

# data[].attributes.body
Solar system activities. Useful moons activity

# data[].attributes.body
Well presented info about life of our sun with questions included

# data[].attributes.body
Scripted podcast idea about the sun

# data[].attributes.body
Solar energy competition

# data[].attributes.body
All planets atmosphere compared

# data[].attributes.body
Looking inside planets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Image: Uranus appears as a crescent as Voyager 2 soars past, starting its journey out of the solar system. "We find them smaller and fainter, in constantly increasing numbers, and we know that we are reaching into space, farther and farther, until, with the faintest nebulae that can be detected with the greatest telescopes, we arrive at the frontier of the known universe."

# data[].attributes.body
Comparison of amospheric gases Earth, Venus and Mars using bean bags.

# data[].attributes.body
Asteroid collision preparedness

# data[].attributes.body
Sun earth moon model

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Preparation

The activity is structured into four parts: 1) What do you already know? 2) The matching game 3) Revolving Earth 4) Sun-Earth-Moon mobile.

Print the mobile activity worksheet for each student. Prepare the listed materials. For the matching game, print one copy of the game sheet per three students onto stiff card paper. Cut out all the cards before the activity.

Image: Siyavula Education (not to scale)

Activity 1: What do you already know?

Step 1: Provide each child with an A4 sheet of paper and some colouring pencils.

Step 2: Encourage students to draw the Sun, Earth and Moon and to write any words they associate with them. Discuss what the students have drawn/written.

Step 3: Write their ideas on an A2 sheet of paper and display it in the classroom. Explain to the students that they can add to this whenever they like, either in words or drawings.

Activity 2: Solar System matching game

Step 1: The students play a matching game to learn some differences between the Sun, Earth and Moon. Explain how the matching game works: in groups of three, students match the picture cards with the cards that have the matching texts. The game finishes when all the card pairs have been found.

Step 2: Before starting the game, encourage the students to lay out all the cards and look at all of the images and texts on the cards.

Step 3: Afterwards, show students the correct pairing of the cards (use the answer sheet of the game). Then, discuss what the students learnt about the properties of Sun, Earth and Moon covering the following points:

It is much hotter on the Sun than on Earth, because the Sun is a star.

Stars are much hotter and brighter than planets.

The temperature on Earth is hotter than the temperature water freezes, but colder than the temperature water boils, giving us liquid water, and therefore oceans, on Earth.

The temperature on the Moon can range from very cold to very hot.

The Sun is more than a hundred times wider than the Earth.

The Earth is about four times wider than the Moon.

Activity 3: The revolving Earth

Step 1: Draw a picture of the Earth in the middle of the board. Explain that the Moon revolves around the Earth, and then add it to the drawing. Now explain that both the Earth and the Moon revolve around the Sun. Draw this on the board as well.

Step 2: Invite three students to come to the front of the class. Explain that student 1 is the Moon, student 2 is the Earth and student 3 is the Sun. Encourage the students to enact the movement of the Moon around the Earth and the spinning of the Earth on its axis while it revolves around the Sun. Explain that the Moon, a natural satellite, revolves around the Earth, a planet, and both revolve around the Sun, a star.

Step 3: Explain that they are going to make a mobile showing this.

Activity 4: The Sun-Earth-Moon mobile

Step 1: Now distribute the Sun-Earth-Moon mobile worksheet and explain the ten steps to making the Sun mobile. Talk through the instructions together.

Step 2: The wooden skewers are used for the top bar. Help the students tie the string to the wooden skewers. Using the drawing, demonstrate how to put the rest of the mobile together.

Step 3: Hang the mobiles in the classroom. Check that the mobiles they have made work properly. Does the Earth revolve around the Sun and the Moon around the Earth?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The activity is structured into four parts: 1) What do you already know? 2) The matching game 3) Revolving Earth 4) Sun-Earth-Moon mobile. Print the mobile activity worksheet for each student. Prepare the listed materials. For the matching game, print one copy of the game sheet per three students onto stiff card paper.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site.

As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages.
Click here to learn more.

(Already a member? Click here.)

The Planets (plus the Dwarf Planet Pluto)

Our solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, moons, many dwarf planets (or plutoids), an asteroid belt, comets, meteors, and others. The sun is the center of our solar system; the planets, their moons, a belt of asteroids, comets, and other rocks and gas orbit the sun.

The eight planets that orbit the sun are (in order from the sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Another large body is Pluto, now classified as a dwarf planet or plutoid. A belt of asteroids (minor planets made of rock and metal) lies between Mars and Jupiter. These objects all orbit the sun in roughly circular orbits that lie in the same plane, the ecliptic (Pluto is an exception; it has an elliptical orbit tilted over 17° from the ecliptic).

Easy ways to remember the order of the planets (plus Pluto) are the mnemonics: "My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas" and "My Very Easy Method Just Simplifies Us Naming Planets" The first letter of each of these words represents a planet - in the correct order.

The largest planet is Jupiter. It is followed by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and finally, tiny Pluto (the largest of the dwarf planets). Jupiter is so big that all the other planets could fit inside it.

The Inner Planets vs. the Outer Planets
The inner planets (those planets that orbit close to the sun) are quite different from the outer planets (those planets that orbit far from the sun).

The inner planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are relatively small, composed mostly of rock, and have few or no moons.

The outer planets include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (a dwarf planet). They are mostly huge, mostly gaseous, ringed, and have many moons (again, the exception is Pluto, the dwarf planet, which is small, rocky, and has four moons).

Temperatures on the Planets
Generally, the farther from the Sun, the cooler the planet. Differences occur when the greenhouse effect warms a planet (like Venus) surrounded by a thick atmosphere.

Density of the Planets
The outer, gaseous planets are much less dense than the inner, rocky planets.

The Earth is the densest planet. Saturn is the least dense planet; it would float on water.

The Mass of the Planets
Jupiter is by far the most massive planet; Saturn trails it. Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Pluto are orders of magnitude less massive.

Gravitational Forces on the Planets
The planet with the strongest gravitational attraction at its surface is Jupiter. Although Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are also very massive planets, their gravitational forces are about the same as Earth. This is because the gravitational force a planet exerts upon an object at the planet's surface is proportional to its mass and to the inverse of the planet's radius squared.

A Day on Each of the Planets
A day is the length of time that it takes a planet to rotate on its axis (360°). A day on Earth takes almost 24 hours.

The planet with the longest day is Venus; a day on Venus takes 243 Earth days. (A day on Venus is longer than its year; a year on Venus takes only 224.7 Earth days).

The planet with the shortest day is Jupiter; a day on Jupiter only takes 9.8 Earth hours! When you observe Jupiter from Earth, you can see some of its features change.

The Average Orbital Speed of the Planets
As the planets orbit the Sun, they travel at different speeds. Each planet speeds up when it is nearer the Sun and travels more slowly when it is far from the Sun (this is Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion).

The Planets in Our Solar System

Planet (or Dwarf Planet)

Distance from the Sun(Astronomical Units

miles
km)

Period of Revolution Around the Sun
(1 planetary year)

Period of Rotation
(1 planetary day)

Mass
(kg)

Diameter(miles

km)

Apparent size
from Earth

Temperature(K

Range or Average)

Number of Moons

Mercury
0.39 AU, 36 million miles
57.9 million km

87.96 Earth days

58.7 Earth days

3.3 x 10 23

3,031 miles
4,878 km

5-13 arc seconds

100-700 K
mean=452 K

0

Mars
1.524 AU
141.6 million miles
227.9 million km

686.98 Earth days

24.6 Earth hours
=1.026 Earth days

6.42 x 10 23

4,222 miles
6,787 km

4-25 arc seconds

150-310 K

2

Saturn
9.539 AU
886.7 million miles
1,427.0 million km

29.456 Earth years

10.2 Earth hours

5.69 x 10 26

74,600 miles
120,660 km

15-21 arc seconds
excluding rings

88 K

62 (30 unnamed)

Planet (or Dwarf Planet)

Distance from the Sun(Astronomical Units

miles
km)

Period of Revolution Around the Sun
(1 planetary year)

Period of Rotation
(1 planetary day)

Mass
(kg)

Diameter(miles

km)

Apparent size
from Earth

Temperature(K

Range or Average)

Number of Moons

Another Planet?
In 2005, a large object beyond Pluto was observed in the Kuiper belt.

A few astronomers think that there might be another planet or companion star orbiting the Sun far beyond the orbit of Pluto. This distant planet/companion star may or may not exist. The hypothesized origin of this hypothetical object is that a celestial object, perhaps a hard-to-detect cool, brown dwarf star (called Nemesis), was captured by the Sun's gravitational field. This planet is hypothesized to exist because of the unexplained clumping of some long-period comet's orbits. The orbits of these far-reaching comets seem to be affected by the gravitational pull of a distant, Sun-orbiting object.

Planet Activities and Quizzes
Planet Coloring pages

An interactive puzzle on the Solar System.

Find It!, a quiz on the planets.

A fill-in-the-blank (cloze) activity on the Solar System - or go to the answers.

Solar System Model to make.

Solar System calendar to print out and color.

Solar System Crafts

How to write a report on a planet - plus a rubric.

Activities, quizzes, books to print, and printouts.

The Planets
A Book With Tabs
An activity book on the Solar System to print for fluent readers. The book contains information, pictures, and questions to answer.

The Solar System Book
A simple printable coloring book about the Solar System to print (for early readers). Pages on the Solar System, the sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

Solar System Coloring Book

Color and learn about our Solar System, the Sun, the planets, asteroids, comets, and our moon.

A printable activity worksheet in which the student reads a bar graph of the average temperatures of the planets to answer questions, for example, "On average, is it warmer on Jupiter or Mars?" Or

Celsius Bar Graph Questions #2:
Printable Worksheet go to the answers. Go to a pdf version of the worksheet.

Enchanted Learning ®
Over 35,000 Web Pages
Sample Pages for Prospective Subscribers, or click below

Click to read our Privacy Policy

E-mail

Enchanted Learning Search

Search the Enchanted Learning website for:

Advertisement.

Advertisement.

Advertisement.

Copyright ©1998-2018EnchantedLearning.com ------ How to cite a web page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site. As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages. Click here to learn more. (Already a member? Click here.) The Planets (plus the Dwarf Planet Pluto) Our solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, moons, many dwarf planets (or plutoids), an asteroid belt, comets, meteors, and others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Background

Greenhouse Gases

On Earth, two elements, nitrogen (N ₂) and oxygen (O ₂), make up almost 99% of the volume of clean, dry air. Most of the remaining 1% is accounted for by the inert gaseous element, argon (Ar). Argon and the tiny percentage of remaining gases are referred to as trace gases. Certain trace atmospheric gases help to heat up our planet because they appear transparent to incoming visible (shortwave) light/radiation but act as a barrier to outgoing infrared (longwave) radiation. These special trace gases are often referred to as greenhouse gases which are heat-trapping gases that radiate the heat back to the Earth's surface, to another greenhouse gas molecule, or out to space.

The major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO ₂), water vapor (H ₂O), methane (CH ₄), and nitrous oxide (N ₂O). These greenhouse gas molecules all are made of three or more atoms. The atoms are held together loosely enough that they vibrate when they absorb heat. Eventually, the vibrating molecules release the radiation, which will likely be absorbed by another greenhouse gas molecule. This process keeps heat near the Earth's surface and contributes to the greenhouse effect.

Plants, animals, and humans are able to live and thrive on Earth because the conditions in our atmosphere are just right. Earth's atmosphere acts like a blanket, keeping the temperatures from being too hot or too cold for living organisms. Without the greenhouse effect, Earth's average temperature would be roughly -19° C (-2° F), well below freezing, instead of the current comfortable 15° C (59° F).

We can evaluate the effect of greenhouse gases by comparing Earth with its nearest planetary neighbors, Venus and Mars. These planets either have too much greenhouse effect or too little to be able to sustain life as we know it. The differences between the three planets have been termed the " Goldilocks Principle". The "Goldilocks Principle" refers to the fact that Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, but Earth is just right.

Mars and Venus have essentially the same types and percentages of gases in their atmosphere. However, they have very different atmospheric densities.

Venus has an extremely dense atmosphere and many more greenhouse gases than Earth. The concentration of CO₂ is responsible for a "runaway" greenhouse effect and a very high annual average surface temperature of 464° C (867° F).

Mars has a very thin atmosphere, and therefore very small amounts of greenhouse gases compared to Earth; so even though the atmosphere of Mars is mostly CO₂, there is so little of it that it does not warm Mars very much and the annual average surface temperatures are quite low at around -63° C (-82° F).

Mars is much further away from the Sun than is Venus.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On Earth, two elements, nitrogen (N 2) and oxygen (O 2), make up almost 99% of the volume of clean, dry air. Most of the remaining 1% is accounted for by the inert gaseous element, argon (Ar). Argon and the tiny percentage of remaining gases are referred to as trace gases.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How Much Would You Or Any Object Weigh On Jupiter?

This Weight on Jupiter Conversion Calculator calculates your weight or the weight that any object would be if on Jupiter.

To use this calculator, a user just enters his or her weight or the object's weight and clicks the 'Calculate' button, and the weight will automatically be computed and shown below. The weight can be entered in any units and the resultant answer will be in the same units which the user has input. Thus, for example, if a user enters 210lbs, the resultant answer of the weight in Jupiter would be 530.67lbs. The units will always match. Just for the sake of clarity, a user can select the units he wants the answer to appear in, whether grams, kilograms, or pounds, and that unit will show in the answer.

This calculator calculates the weight on Jupiter from the weight of the object on Earth. Being that it takes the weight of an object on Earth and converts it to the weight on Jupiter, the formula is Weight on Jupiter= (Weight on Earth/9.81m/s²) * 24.79m/s². To find the weight on Jupiter, we divide the weight on Earth by the Earth's force of gravity, which is 9.81m/s ². This calculates the mass of the object. Once we have the object's mass, we can find the weight by multiplying it by the gravitational force, which it is subject to. Being that Jupiter has a gravitational force of 24.79m/s ², we multiply the object's mass by this quanitity to calculate an object's weight on Jupiter.

So an object or person on Jupiter would weigh 252.70% of its weight on Earth. Therefore, a person would be heavier on Jupiter than on Earth. Conversely, a person is 39.6% lighter on Earth than on Jupiter.

What causes the differences in weight between the various planets? The answer is the gravitational force which a planet is subject to. Earth has less mass than Jupiter. Therefore, the sun pulls on the Earth with lesser force, because of the lesser mass. You probably are familiar that gravity is a downward force. It pushes you back to the Earth's surface. This is why when you jump, you come back down. Being that the Earth has lesser gravitational force, it pulls object downward with lesser force. This translates into lesser weight.

If you want to calculate the weight of all of the planets simultaneously, see our Weight on Planets Calculator.

Related Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This Weight on Jupiter Conversion Calculator calculates your weight or the weight that any object would be if on Jupiter. To use this calculator, a user just enters his or her weight or the object's weight and clicks the 'Calculate' button, and the weight will automatically be computed and shown below.

# data[].attributes.body
Earth and Space 1-3

# data[].attributes.body
Earth and Space 4-5

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Overview

In this 30-minute demonstration, children compare the relative sizes and masses of scale models of the planets as represented by fruits and other foods. The children dunk the "planets" in water to highlight the fact that even a large, massive planet - such as Saturn - can have low density. They discuss how a planet's density is related to whether it is mainly made up of rock or gas.

This activity establishes the relationship between density and composition. It should be conducted before Heavyweight Champion: Jupiter! in order for the children to better distinguish the concepts of size, weight, and mass. These concepts involve more advanced science than previous activities in Jupiter's Family Secrets, and they explore more deeply the science of the Juno mission and the rich information it will return to us. Facilitators who choose to undertake this activity should have a firm grasp of the scientific basis so that misconceptions are not introduced to the children.

This series is appropriate for children ages 10 to 13.

What's the Point?

Models can help us compare characteristics of planets.

Planets have measurable properties, such as size, mass, and composition.

An object's density cannot be determined by its size alone (larger objects are not necessarily more or less dense), but also depends on its mass.

A planet's density is related to its composition. The four inner terrestrial planets are dense compared to the four outer planets. The inner planets are made up mainly of dense, solid rock. The outer planets are composed primarily of gas, so their overall density is lower. However, they are larger in size and much more massive!

Saturn is massive and second in size to Jupiter, but its density is so low that it would float in water!

Materials

For each group of 10 children:

One of each of the following fresh fruits and other foods (listed from largest to smallest):

(5 1/2"-wide) large mango or potato

(4 1/2"-wide) large unpeeled orange, coconut, or cantaloupe

(2"-wide) plum

(2"-wide) kiwi or lime (not a lemon)

(1/2"-wide) small grape

(1/2"-wide) large blueberry

(1/4"-wide) pea or navy bean

(1/5"-long) uncooked orzo pasta

1 (18" wide x 8" deep or larger) bowl, tub, or small wading pool

A sink or other access to water

Optional: 1 golf ball or ball bearing

Optional: 1 ping-pong ball or a marble that is similar in size to the ball bearing

For each child:

For the facilitator:

Preparation

Review the complete background information.

Because of the differences between individual fruits and changes in their composition over time, you will need to test your materials before the activity. Substitute as needed, using the Dunking the Planets: Selecting Appropriate Foods to select appropriate fruits and other foods to represent the planets, based on their size and density. Only the 4 1/2"-wide large orange, coconut, or cantaloupe should float; the others should sink.

Activity

1. Present the fruits and other foods to the children and explain that you will use them to model the physical properties of the planets. Discuss one important property of the planets represented by this model: size.

We use models to help us represent objects and systems so that we can study and understand them more easily. By "a scale model" in this case, we mean a model that has smaller parts but parts that are relatively the same size and distance to each other as the real planets, dwarf planets, asteroid belt, and Sun.

What are the names of the planets in the solar system? Starting with those closest to the Sun, the planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Which planets are the biggest? Which are the smallest?

As the children answer, give them the fruit or other object that represents each planet and ask them to stand at the front of the room.

2. Optional: Have the children investigate the difference between size and mass by comparing a golf ball and a similarly sized ping-pong ball. Invite them to predict which is more massive before allowing them to hold them.

How do the sizes of the two balls compare? They're about the same size.

Which is more massive? The golf ball.

Is that what they predicted, based on looking at their sizes? Why would they be different? Answers may vary. Encourage discussions about how the golf ball has more mass packed into the same volume, i.e. it is more dense, and help the children discover the concept of density as it relates to the planets as the activity progresses.

Facilitator's Note: Children may not know the difference between mass and weight, so it is important to explore the concept of mass as you introduce this activity. Mass is the amount of matter an object contains and is an intrinsic property of that object - its mass does not change depending on its location, temperature, or any other function of its environment. Weight depends in part on the gravitational pull experienced by the object; an object's weight does depend on its location. An object may weigh less on the Moon, but it still has the same mass as it does on the Earth.
3. Discuss which of the models of planets has the most mass and which has the least.

What is mass? Mass is the amount of "stuff" or material that an object has. This can include solid, liquid, and gas.

How can we estimate which fruits are the most massive? The least massive? The children may offer that the most massive objects are "heavier," and the least massive objects are "lighter."

It is true that the more something weighs, the more mass it has. Clarify that mass and weight are different, however. An object's mass does not change simply by changing its environment, but its weight can change. For example, a child's mass does not change when she enters a pool. Yet, the water's buoyancy helps her feel "lighter" while swimming and she is able to jump higher or lunge further as a result. Similarly, an astronaut's mass is the same whether he is on Earth or the Moon. His weight on the Moon is only a fraction of his weight on Earth.

4. Invite the children to group the different models of the planets based on their estimated masses. The groups may include " heavy" and "light," or a range of estimated masses. Invite them to record their estimates in their journals.

Which of the fruits and food has the most mass? One of the largest objects, such as "Jupiter" or "Saturn" should be heaviest.

Is Earth or Jupiter more massive? Jupiter.

Is the largest fruit necessarily the most massive? No, size and mass are two different things.

What are some examples of objects that have similar sizes (volumes), where one has a lot of "stuff" packed into it compared to the other? The children may have a variety of ideas, such as ball bearings (compared to marbles), bricks (compared to wood blocks), a candy bar (compared to cotton candy), etc.

How do we describe objects that have a great deal of "stuff" (mass) for their size (volume)? Dense.

5. Invite the children to describe the different planets' compositions.
What materials make up the planets? The inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are made of rocky material; the outer planets are composed of "gases."

6. In their journals, have the children record their notes and make predictions: Which of the fruit "planets" will float and which will sink if placed in water? Have them consider, in general, which is more dense: rock or gas? Which planets are more dense: the rocky, inner planets or the gaseous outer giants?

Have any of them heard that one of the planets would float, if it were placed in a large enough bathtub? Saturn would float.

Why do they think this would happen?

7. Begin the density experiment. First, invite the children to state their predictions about what will happen when "Saturn" is placed in the water. 8. Invite the child holding "Saturn" to place it in the bowl filled with water, and then continue with the other planets.

Is this object light or heavy? Why? What is it made of? It is heavy because it has a lot of mass.

Why might it float? Why might it sink? It will feel "heavy" and so the children may guess that it will sink. Some may realize that this object has trapped air in it, which will help it to float.

9. Compare the properties of the fruits and food to the planets with the children, as a model.

What happened to "Saturn"? It floated.

What might happen to the other planets if we put them into the water? They will sink. Let the children place each of the other "planets" in the water, one at a time.

Why do the smaller, less massive "planets" like Mercury sink when Saturn floats? The other "planets" are all denser than "Saturn."

Is Saturn big? Does it have a lot of mass? Yes and yes.

How is the orange like Saturn? It's bigger and has more mass than most of the other objects, yet it floated.

Why would Saturn float if it were placed in water? It is made of a lot of gases that are lighter than water.

Facilitator's Note: The hydrogen and helium that make up much of Saturn are compressed to a density more like that of a liquid or even a solid for much of the planet. However, the planet's overall density is still lighter than water. That does not detract from the enormous amount of mass that the planet has; it is the second most massive planet in our solar system.
Help the children compare the models of the planets to the characteristics of the planets.
Conclusion

In this activity, which planet was the least dense? Saturn.

Were the giant planets all less dense than water? No, only Saturn was. Why not? The giant planets are made of mostly gas, but they are made of a LOT of gas! The gases are squished, or compressed, to a greater density, and even act like liquids or even solids.

The giant planets are made mostly of gas. What are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars made of? Rock.

In general, what can we say about what a planet is made of from its density? The giant planets are less dense overall because they are made mainly of gases, and the inner rocky planets are more dense because they are made mainly of rock.

If we weighed our models, which planet would weigh the most (and has the most mass)? Jupiter.

The least? Mercury.

Which planets were the biggest? Jupiter, followed by Saturn. Smallest? Mercury.

Ask the children to write, in their own words, the relationship between mass, size, and density in their journals.

Reiterate that a planet's density is determined by a combination of its size and mass, and that we can't measure an object's density just by weighing it. Jupiter has the most mass and is very big, but is denser than Saturn. The Juno mission to Jupiter will help scientists map the densities of the planet's deepest layers in order to better understand their composition and structure.

If possible, build on the children's knowledge by offering them a future Jupiter's Family Secrets activity. Invite the children to return for the next activity to discover what effect Jupiter's immense mass would have on them in Heavyweight Champion: Jupiter!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Explore - Free fun space science activities for child and pre-teen programming

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore provides hands-on space science activities and supporting resources for out-of-school time programs at libraries, camps, museums, planetariums, librarians, and clubs. Use Explore to engage children and pre-teens in the wonders of lunar exploration; the planets Earth, Jupiter, and Mars; rockets; staying healthy in space; and more!

# data[].attributes.body
Planet sorting activity

# data[].attributes.body
Star charts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Interactive sky chart (now with PDF print option)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Satellite predictions and other astronomical data customised for your location.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On February 7th 2020, ESA's Solar Orbiter will be launching to the sun with the help of several Irish connections. To celebrate this exciting mission, ESERO Ireland are offering two schools the opportunity to speak to Dr Niamh Shaw, live from the European Space Operations Centre at Darmstadt. Find out how to win here!

ESERO is an education project of the European Space Agency (ESA), co-funded by ESA and by national partners active in the fields of education and space. In Ireland, the national partner is Science Foundation Ireland.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home | ESERO | European Space Education Resource Office

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On February 7th 2020, ESA's Solar Orbiter will be launching to the sun with the help of several Irish connections. To celebrate this exciting mission, ESERO Ireland are offering two schools the opportunity to speak to Dr Niamh Shaw, live from the European Space Operations Centre at Darmstadt.

# data[].attributes.body
Energy usage in Ireland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Junior Cycle students

Energy in Action is a collection of online activities and ideas. We designed it to support the teaching and learning of energy and sustainability in the Junior Cycle. It is suitable for students of Science, CSPE, Geography and Home Economics.

An inquiry approach to energy and sustainability

These resources have been developed for use with an inquiry approach to education. They aim to enhance students' scientific knowledge, skills and competencies. The focus is on providing students with opportunities to consider and tackle problems that the future holds, e.g. sustainable practices in schools, homes and beyond.

A range of topics linked to our daily lives

It will develop young peoples' knowledge across a range of topics such as, energy sources, efficiency, conservation, climate change and global warming. These concepts will then be linked to students' daily lives.

Programme development

The programme was developed by the SEAI in collaboration with Junior Cycle teachers and CASTeL at Dublin City University.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Energy in Action is a collection of online activities and ideas. We designed it to support the teaching and learning of energy and sustainability in the Junior Cycle. It is suitable for students of Science, CSPE, Geography and Home Economics. These resources have been developed for use with an inquiry approach to education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The energy debate: Renewable energy cannot replace fossil fuels - DevelopmentEducation.ie

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Currently, we are (over)dependent on fossil fuels to heat our homes, run our cars, power our offices, industry and manufacturing, and respond to our insatiable desire to power all of our electrical goods

# data[].attributes.body
Renewable energy sources

# data[].attributes.body
Comparing planets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. Program

1. Review planet order and relative sizes in our solar system.
Display the NASA illustration: All Planet Sizes. Ask students to point out the location of Earth. Then challenge them to identify all of the planets, outward from the sun (left to right): inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars; outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Remind students that Pluto is no longer considered a planet in our solar system; it was downgraded to the status of dwarf planet in 2006. Point out the locations of the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) and Kuiper belt (past Pluto) if they were included in this illustration. Explain to students that the illustration shows the planets in relative size. Ask: What do you think relative size means? Elicit from students that the pictures show how big the planets are when compared to each other and to the sun. Ask: Which planet is the smallest? (Mercury) Which is the largest? (Jupiter)

2. Have students gather data and compare planet sizes.
Divide students into small groups. Distribute one copy of the worksheet Planetary Size Comparison to each group. Have groups use the Planet Size Comparison interactive to find and record data on planet diameters and ratios. Ask:

What do you notice about the size of the planets? (Possible response: The inner, rocky planets are smaller than the outer, gaseous planets.)

How do you think the sizes of the planets compare? (Possible response: There is a big difference in the sizes of the planets. Some are fairly small and others are extremely large.)

Would it be easy to model the planet sizes? Why or why not? (Possible response: No, because of the great differences in size.)

How could we model differences? What everyday objects could represent planets and the sun? (Possible responses: peas/beach ball; grains of sand/orange)

Have students discuss the answers in their small groups. Then regroup as a class to discuss students' ideas.

3. Build background about the astronomical unit (AU).
Explain to students that an astronomical unit, or AU, is a simplified number used to describe a planet's distance from the sun. It is a unit of length equal to the average distance from Earth to sun, approximately 149,600,000 kilometers (92,957,000 miles). Only Earth can be assigned AU 1. Planets farther away would have AU greater than 1; planets closer would have AU less than 1. Ask: Why do you think scientists find it helpful to use astronomical units? (Possible response: Distances in the solar system are very large. Using AU helps keep the numbers manageable, or smaller, so we can easily calculate very large distances.) What are the challenges of using kilometers or miles instead? (Possible response: Using kilometers or miles would make calculations more difficult and could produce errors in measurements required to accurately send a probe or lander to another planet.) Explain to students that the astronomical unit provides a way to express and relate distances of objects in the solar system and to carry out astronomical calculations. For example, stating that the planet Jupiter is 5.2 AU (5.2 Earth distances) from the sun and that Pluto is nearly 40 AU allows you to more easily compare the distances of all three bodies.

4. Introduce the modeling activity.
Tell students that they are going to stand in for the planets and planetary objects in order to create a model of relative planetary sizes and relative distances. Display the NASA illustration: How Big is the Sun? to give students a sense of the relative sizes of planets compared to an everyday object like a basketball. Make sure students understand that the distances between the planets are very large compared to the sizes of each planet. This makes it extremely difficult to create an exact scale of our solar system, so this activity will focus on the distance comparison.

5. Have groups create models of relative planetary distances.
Divide students into groups of 9, 10 or 11, depending on class size. (If 9, one student represents the sun and the remaining students represent 8 planets; If 10, the sun, planets, and asteroid belt; If 11, the sun, planets, asteroid belt, and Kuiper Belts) Take students to a large area, such as the gymnasium or empty parking lot. You'll need enough space for each group to spread out and create their model, using the following scale, with each step equaling approximately 1 meter (about 3.28 feet):

Sun: stands at the edge of the area

Mercury = 1 step from sun

Venus = 2 steps from sun

Earth = 2.5 steps from sun

Mars = 4 steps from sun

Asteroid belt = 8 steps from sun

Jupiter = 13 steps from sun

Saturn = 24 steps from sun

Uranus = 49 steps from sun

Neptune = 76 steps from sun

Kuiper belt = 100 steps from sun

Emphasize that at this scale, the sun would be less than 1.3 centimeters (0.5 inches) in diameter. Ask students to describe what they notice about planetary distances from the model. If needed, allow one student from each group to put an object in their place and walk around their group's model to make observations.

6. Have students make a math connection.
Distribute copies of the worksheet Stepping Out the Solar System to each group. Have students recalculate the number of paces for each planet's orbit, as constrained by the size of the available area. Use the provided answer key to check groups' work. Then have students recreate the model.

Informal Assessment

Have students work independently to summarize, in writing, what they learned about our solar system, including:

locations of planets in relation to the sun and one another

relative sizes of planets, including Earth

relative distances of planets

any conclusions they can draw about the locations of the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt

Extending the Learning

Encourage students to practice backyard astronomy. At certain times of day and year, it's possible to view planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn with the naked eye. Students can use Sky and Telescope Magazine's Sky at a Glance feature to find out what planets are visible in the night sky and where to look. Ask students to report back to the class with what they observed.

Background Information

Vocabulary

Video

Websites

Credits

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Writer

Anna Mika, M.S. Ed., NASA Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers (NEAT)

Editor

Christina Riska Simmons

Educator Reviewers

Dianne Koval Butler, Manager, Education Outreach & Partnerships, Lockheed Martin Corporate Communications
Jeanne Wallace-Weaver, Educational Consultant

Expert Reviewer

Buddy Nelson, Media Relations, Lockheed Martin Space Systems

National Geographic Program

Wildest Weather in the Solar System

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

Media

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service.

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Christina Riska Simmons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. Program 1. Review planet order and relative sizes in our solar system. Display the NASA illustration: All Planet Sizes. Ask students to point out the location of Earth.

# data[].attributes.body
Packing for Mars.

# data[].attributes.body
Telescopes and galaxies

# data[].attributes.body
Pluto or Bust reading comprehension

# data[].attributes.body
NASA What causes the seasons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's all about Earth's tilt!

Many people believe that Earth is closer to the Sun in the summer and that is why it is hotter. And, likewise, they think Earth is farthest from the Sun in the winter.

Although this idea makes sense, it is incorrect.

It is true that Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a bit lop-sided. During part of the year, Earth is closer to the Sun than at other times. However, in the Northern Hemisphere, we are having winter when Earth is closest to the Sun and summer when it is farthest away! Compared with how far away the Sun is, this change in Earth's distance throughout the year does not make much difference to our weather.

There is a different reason for Earth's seasons.

Earth's axis is an imaginary pole going right through the center of Earth from "top" to "bottom." Earth spins around this pole, making one complete turn each day. That is why we have day and night, and why every part of Earth's surface gets some of each.

Earth has seasons because its axis doesn't stand up straight.

But what caused Earth to tilt?

Long, long ago, when Earth was young, it is thought that something big hit Earth and knocked it off-kilter. So instead of rotating with its axis straight up and down, it leans over a bit.

By the way, that big thing that hit Earth is called Theia. It also blasted a big hole in the surface. That big hit sent a huge amount of dust and rubble into orbit. Most scientists think that that rubble, in time, became our Moon.

As Earth orbits the Sun, its tilted axis always points in the same direction. So, throughout the year, different parts of Earth get the Sun's direct rays.

Sometimes it is the North Pole tilting toward the Sun (around June) and sometimes it is the South Pole tilting toward the Sun (around December).

It is summer in June in the Northern Hemisphere because the Sun's rays hit that part of Earth more directly than at any other time of the year. It is winter in December in the Northern Hemisphere, because that is when it is the South Pole's turn to be tilted toward the Sun.

Earth's lopsided orbit

Earth's perihelion (point closest to Sun) = 91,400,000 miles from Sun

Earth's aphelion (point farthest from Sun) = 94,500,000 miles from Sun

While that is a difference of over 3 million miles, relative to the entire distance, it isn't much.

And, believe it or not, aphelion (when Earth is farthest from the Sun) occurs in July, and perihelion (when we are closest) occurs in January. For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere where it's summer in July and winter in January, that seems backwards, doesn't it? That just goes to prove that Earth's distance from the Sun is not the cause of the seasons.

Related Resources for Educators

Seasons (Educator Guide to go with Seasons Spotlite video)
Seasons (Nearpod Lesson to go with Seasons Spotlite video)
Our World: Sun's Position
Sun's Position (Educator Guide to go with Sun's Position Spotlite video)
Sun's Position (Nearpod Lesson to go with Sun's Position Spotlite video)

# data[].attributes.body
24 minute video about a spacecrafts mission to a comet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The amazing adventures of Rosetta and Philae

# data[].attributes.body
Enzymes and catalysts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Activation energy enzyme demo - Stock Video Clip - K004/9916

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Demonstration of the activation energy of enzymes represented by a ball attempting to roll uphill. For any chemical reaction to occur, an energy barrier must be overcome.

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/17MkFimaAJ0

# data[].attributes.body
Old but good

# data[].attributes.headline
Particle nature, includes video on movement of gas particles 

# data[].attributes.subject
Particle nature, includes video on movement of gas particles 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Worksheets and lesson ideas to challenge students aged 11 to 16 to think hard about solids, liquids and gases (GCSE and Key Stage 3)
The particle model for solids, liquids and gases is a controversial topic in science education. Many teachers believe it introduces misconceptions that we spend time unpicking later. The concept must be approached with real caution so students are helped to make the link between the concrete substance and the abstract particle. The term particle should really be used to refer to an atom, molecule or ion. But how do we know particles are moving? The smoke cell video below is a great way to introduce particle movement in gases.
Drawing particle pictures in beakers

Click here for an excellent review of misconceptions involving the particle model from the RSC.

KS3 worksheet for drawing particle pictures. Use peer assessment to mark particle pictures so students are able to "see" what the teacher is seeing. Drawing particle models in beakers can support the concepts of fixed shape and fixed volume, although it is also worth considering what is happening to particles outside the beaker. ( PDF)

Particle pictures and melting points

KS3 worksheet to encourage students to think deeply about particle pictures and melting points. The worksheet shows a particle picture of a gas within a solid glass jar. The jar is also drawn from particles. Students consider what exists between the gas particles and think about why some substances are gases at room temperature whilst others are solids. This task challenges students to think deeply about the particle model and melting point. ( PDF)

Tackling misconceptions about the particle model

KS3 activity and worksheet on common particle model misconceptions. Students are presented with a number of questions that challenge common misconceptions about the particle model. This activity is best done in small groups. ( PDF)

Latent heat and internal energy

Click here for resources on latent heat and internal energy stores.

Thinking deeper

↵ Back to Chemistry teaching resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Particle pictures: solids, liquids and gases | the science teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Worksheets and lesson ideas to challenge students aged 11 to 16 to think hard about solids, liquids and gases (GCSE and Key Stage 3) The particle model for solids, liquids and gases is a controversial topic in science education. Many teachers ...

# data[].attributes.body
Simple Periodic Table

# data[].attributes.body
Classifying substances- Cut out bottom 4 pictures and use as sorting matching exercise with real samples.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
10 Heterogenist clipart science on Clipart 4Biz. Download Heterogenist clipart science and use them in your website with no signup. You can allso insert Heterogenist clipart science in your document or presentation.

# data[].attributes.body
Evolution of the model of the atom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This game explores the meeting of five famous scientists from the past. During the meeting, the panel members will be asked to present, in chronological order, their model of the atomic structure and how it relates to others. Feel the electricity in the air?

# data[].attributes.body
Baking Soda and Vinegar LEGO mat

# data[].attributes.body
Print and use as a placemat for modelling elements compounds and mixtures

# data[].attributes.body
Print this on A3 and use as a placemat to model elements, compounds and mixtures

# data[].attributes.body
Lego pieces needed to model chemical changes

# data[].attributes.body
Student mat to model reaction

# data[].attributes.body
Student Instructions for lego modelling of chemical change

# data[].attributes.body
Student Answer sheet for modelling chemical reactions with lego

# data[].attributes.body
Detecting solution concentration using light absorption.

# data[].attributes.body
Cw10

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Compostable cup for your coffee sound good? It all depends on where it ends up'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Recyclable and compostable options are only truly beneficial if they end up, and are processed, in the correct waste facility, writes industry expert Brian O'Sullivan.

# data[].attributes.body
Chemical World 1-4

# data[].attributes.body
Inquiry-Based activity on filtration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary Students are asked to design methods to filter water using ordinary materials, while also considering their designs' material and cost efficiencies. They learn about the importance of water and its role in our everyday lives. They come to understand what must occur each day so that they can have clean water.
This engineering curriculum meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Clean water is not available in all parts of the world. Many people live with polluted water that is unhealthy to drink and bathe in. Civil, environmental , materials and mechanical engineers all contribute to developing technologies and systems to purify unclean water. Purifying water can be done easily if it is a small amount that is fairly clean, but larger amounts that are very polluted are much more complicated. Typical steps for full water treatment include aeration, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Understand how filtration works.

Create creative design methods.

Problem solve given a design challenge.

Apply mathematics (multiplication) reinforcement.

Engage in teamwork to solve a challenge.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.

People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

1 liter of water prepared in advance with soil and sand in it until it is thin but relatively opaque

3 test tubes prepared with the water standards "A," "B" and "C" (C is filtered through some grass, B is filtered through a coffee filter, and A is filtered through 2 coffee filters with a paper towel in the middle)

cotton balls

gauze squares

tulle/netting

tissue

paper towels

coffee filters

gravel (aquarium gravel works great)

sand

3 test tubes per student

test tube racks

graduated cylinders

Design Components Worksheet

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/water_filtration] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation

One of our most valuable and often overlooked resources is water. We can survive for a few weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Having clean water to drink is a luxury. The water that eventually comes out of our faucets sometimes does not start off being safe to drink. In most cases, it has gone through a water treatment plant designed by engineers prior to reaching our faucets.

Procedure

Background

This is a great activity for students to experience some "real-life" engineering.

Most any materials in a typical classroom can be adapted as filtration materials.

Water from lakes and rivers often has contaminants that make it unfit for drinking. The water may contain dirt, rocks and other objects that can be easily identified. Water may also contain bacteria and other microscopic organisms that cannot be seen easily. For these reasons, water that is delivered to our homes must go through a water treatment process. This is typically a five-part process that consists of aeration, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. This activity is only concerned with filtration, which removes most but not all of the impurities from the water. Make sure students know that in this activity the filtered water is still unfit to drink.
Recommended Resources:
Information on the water treatment process and drinking water standards: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water.

Information on different types of filters and filtration processes: https://www.thoughtco.com/filtration-definition-4144961.

Before the Activity

With the Students

1. Engineering Challenge: Tell the students they have been hired by (your last name) Water Supply Company. With the ongoing drought, not enough water is available for all the things we need to supply - people, animals and plants. Tell them that they will each be given a sample of the dirty water they have remaining, and show them the tubes "A," "B" and "C." A is nearly ready for human use, B is nearly ready for animal use, and C is nearly ready to feed the plants. Remind them that no one must taste anything in the lab. They will be paid for their supply of filtered water: A gets $10 per ml, B gets $5 per ml, and C gets $1 per ml.

2. Have students complete the worksheet to make sure they understand the activity purpose, and to help them think about the components of engineering design.

3. Put trays of materials in front of the students. Let them decide in teams what materials they would like to use to filter their water. To challenge students, include one of the following constraints:

Limit the amount of materials allowed for the design.

Assign a price per unit of material and give students a budget to work within.

1. Have students draw schematics of the layers. Once completed, give each team 25 ml of the dirty water to begin to filter in their test tubes.

2. Once filtering is complete, have them bring the test tubes to you for observation. Decide if the water is A, B or C grade and help them measure their sample in a graduated cylinder. They must return to their desks and do the math to come up with their $ value. Have students put their $ values on the board.

Assessment

Activity Embedded Assessment

Have students complete the Design Components Worksheet to assess their understanding of the activity and to encourage them to consider the design components involved in design a water filtration system. Sample answers are provided on the Design Components Worksheet Answer Key.

Post-Activity Assessment

Use the attached Rubric for Performance Assessment to evaluate students' design projects using criteria for the final filtering system and teamwork effort.

Investigating Questions

What was the best filtering agent and why?

What are other ways we purify our water?

Design a package for your "clean" water.

Safety Issues

Make sure students know that in this activity the filtered water is still unfit to drink.

Contributors Erin Santini; Erik Rushton

Copyright © 2013 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2004 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Supporting Program Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts University

Last modified: October 24, 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Water Filtration Project: Make Your Own Water Filters - Activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students are asked to design methods to filter water using ordinary materials, while also considering their designs' material and cost efficiencies. They learn about the importance of water and its role in our everyday lives. They come to understand what must occur each day so that they can have clean water.

# data[].attributes.headline
Arms and link model for predicting ratio of elements in compounds.

# data[].attributes.subject
Arms and link model for predicting ratio of elements in compounds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is the arms and link method?

The arms and link method is a simple way for students to learn how to write chemical formula. Each chemical species is drawn so that the number of arms matches its combining power or valency.

Metals are drawn with arms to the right and non-metals with arms to the left.

For example magnesium metal, chemical symbol Mg has a combining power of 2 and has two arms drawn to the right.

Chlorine is a non-metal. It has the chemical symbol of Cl and has a combining power of 1 and is drawn with one arm in the opposite direction.

A squiggly 'link' is drawn to link the arms of the different chemical groups.
Simply keep adding chemical groups until all the arms match up! Watch the video below.
The number of individual chemical species is then counted and the chemical formula quickly determined.

If there is more than one type of chemical in a compound the number is written as a subscript. There are two chlorine atoms so a small ₂ is used in the formula.

The chemical formula of magnesium chloride is MgCl ₂

Using a simple Periodic Table, students are able to quickly relate the group number to the combining power or valency of an element. The combining power of polyatomic groups can also quickly be shown. See Chemical formula worksheets for International spelling (IUPAC).

This method has a big advantage of simplicity and can be taught to junior high or middle school students. They do not become confused with ionic charges or superscripts. These concepts can be introduced later on.

Using arms and links to write chemical formula

The main advantage of using the arms-link method is that students are not confused with ionic charges which can be introduced later. All students, from low ability to high achievers, can quickly learn to write chemical formula. Refer to Table 1 for specific examples.
Table 1. Determining Chemical Formula by the arms-link method

Element or polyatomic group

Element or polyatomic group

Compound

Chemical formula

Chemical name

NaCl

Sodium chloride

MgO

Magnesium oxide

Na ₂ O

Sodium oxide

MgCl ₂

Magnesium chloride

Mg(OH) ₂

Magnesium hydroxide

Al ₂(SO ₄) ₃

Aluminum sulfate

NH ₄NO ₃

Ammonium nitrate

AlPO ₄

Aluminum phosphate

MgCO ₃

Magnesium carbonate

Further questions

1. What is a polyatomic group?

A polyatomic group is a group of elements that are chemically bonded together. They act together as one.
Examples
Hydroxide group,

Carbonate, group,

Nitrate group,

2. When are brackets needed?

Brackets are only used in a chemical formula if the number of polyatomic groups is greater than one.
Examples
a) Sodium hydroxide, NaOH

The polyatomic group is the hydroxide, OH group. Since it only appears once no brackets are needed.

b) Magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH) ₂

The polyatomic group is the hydroxide, OH group. It appears twice, so brackets are needed.

c) Magnesium nitride, Mg ₃N ₂

There are no polyatomic groups in magnesium nitride, so no brackets are needed.

Chemical Formula Worksheets

For more help download the Chemical Formula Worksheets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The arms and link method is a simple way for students to learn how to write chemical formula. Each chemical species is drawn so that the number of arms matches its combining power or valency. Metals are drawn with arms to the right and non-metals with arms to the left.