The Outer Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

The Outer Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
How are the Outer planets similar?_________________________________
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How are the planets different? ____________________________________
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What is another name for the group of Outer planets? _________________
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What order do the Outer planets occur from the sun? __________________
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To help you organize the information on the Inner Planets, use the graphic

Jupiter Saturn

Distance from the sun (in

miles and kilometers)

Time of Rotation: How

long is a day?

(How long does it take to

rotate on its Axis in Earth

Days?)

Time of Revolution: How

long is its year?

(How long does it take to

orbit the sun in Earth days

or years?)

What is the atmosphere

like? (what is it made up

of?)

Number and name of the
satellites (moons)/rings

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organizer. Neptune Pluto
Uranus

Jupiter Saturn

Interesting facts about the
satellites/rings.

Surface Features
(mountains, volcanoes,
water, evidence of life, etc.)

How did it get its name?
Who is it named after?

Gravitational Pull

Other Interesting Facts

Uranus Neptune Pluto

The Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
How are the inner planets similar?_________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How are the planets different? ____________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What is another name for the group of inner planets? __________________
____________________________________________________________
What order do the inner planets occur from the sun? __________________
____________________________________________________________

To help you organize the information on the Inner Planets, use the graphic

Mercury Venus

Distance from the sun (in

miles and kilometers)

Time of Rotation: How

long is a day?

(How long does it take to

rotate on its Axis in Earth

Days?)

Time of Revolution: How

long is its year?

(How long does it take to

orbit the sun in Earth days

or years?)

What is the atmosphere

like? (what is it made up

of?)

Number and name of the
satellites (moons)

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organizer.

Earth Mars

Mercury Venus

Surface Features
(mountains, volcanoes,

water, evidence of life, etc.)

How did it get its name?
Who is it named after?

Other interesting facts

Earth Mars

NASA Missions and Findings Objectives

1. Give a brief history of how NASA began.

2. Why did NASA begin to explore space?

3. Research 2 important missions in NASA’s history and explain
importance of the mission, and what they brought back (findin

4. What information has NASA already gained about the planet

5. What is in the future for NASA?

n the purpose of the mission, the year it happened, the
ngs).

Mars – why should NASA continue to explore this planet?

What were some of NASA’s accomplishments?

What were some of NASA’s failures?

Discuss the importance of Space Exploration
What are the pros and cons of Space Exploration?

What is the cost of Space Exploration?
What are 3 different approaches to Space Exploration? (Page 88.

What are the benefits and draw backs of each?
Look at the Teacher’s Edition on pg. 88 to get NASA’s pros and

. In your text)
d cons list

Characteristics of Stars Objectives

1. Explain how the distance between stars is measured. How is

2. What are the main characteristics used to classify stars? For
each category. For example: Size of stars – what are the diffe
into each category?

3. What is apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude?

4. Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram – What is it? How and when w

s a parallax used in this process?
r each characteristic, explain or describe the possible options in
erence sizes, how are stars measured, what star examples fall

was it created? How is it used by scientists?

The Sun Objectives
1. Explain the process of how the sun gets its energy. H
2. Name and describe the layers of the sun’s atmosphe
3. Explain what sunspots are and what they are caused

4. Describe the features found on and above the surfac
5. Include other general characteristics about the sun (te

How is the energy produced in the core?
ere.
d by. How do sunspots change over time?
ce of the sun.
emperature, size, etc).

6. Why and when do scientists believe the sun may run
have to change to survive?

Does the sun rotate? (explain)
Does the Sun Revolve? (explain)
What does it revolve around? (explain)

n out of energy? How will our population and world

Star Systems and Galaxy Objectives
1. Explain the difference between a star system and a g

2. What evidence do astronomers have that there’re pla

3. Name and describe the three categories of galaxies.
each type of galaxy along with characteristics about t

galaxy.

anets around other stars?

(In your power point presentation, include a picture for
that galaxy.)

4. Describe characteristics of our Milky Way galaxy. W
5. Research 2 other galaxies and describe their charact
6. How do galaxies form?

What are some interesting facts about our galaxy?
teristics – what category of galaxies does each fall into?

The History of

f the Universe

Constel

What is a universe?
How many universes are there?

Explain the Big Bang Theory of how the universe was formed.

Describe how the Solar System was formed.
Once a galaxy forms, what happens next?

llations

Key Terms to define:
light year,
parallax,
giant star,
apparent magnitude,
absolute magnitude,
Hertz-Sprung Russell Diagram,
main sequence star,
constellations
Describe how astronomers measure distances to a nearby star

Explain how stars are classified

Name 2 common constellations. (when can you see them and w

what is the “story” behind the constellation.)

How can you tell a star from a planet?



Asteroids, Mete

Key Terms: That should be defined within your presentation
Asteroid Belt,
Comet,
Meteor,
Meteoroid,
Meteorite,
Asteroid

What are the characteristics of an asteroid (1 slide)
Explain the anatomy of each
Special Features
Where do they come from

Discuss the Asteroid Belt in the Solar system, where do astronom

What are the characteristics of comets? (1 slide1)
Explain the anatomy of each
Special Features
Where do they come from

eors and Comets

mers think it came from?

What are the characteristics of a meteor (1 slide)
Explain the anatomy of each
Special Features
Where do they come from

Explain how a meteor’s name changes as it moves from space, in

How is the orbit of a comet different than that of a planet?

How do asteroids get their names?

How do comets get their names?

Give the names and describe some common/popular asteroids, m

nto our atmosphere and lands on the Earth.
meteors and comets (3 Slides at least one for each)

Astrobiology (is there

What conditions do living things need to exist on earth?
Define an extremeophile
What planets/objects in space do we believe would be suitable fo

Do planetary systems exist beyond our solar system?
Ironic Facts/Discoveries that support the fact that there could be

What missions have tried to discover astrobiological facts? Wha

e life beyond Earth?)

or life? Why?

life outside of the Earth.
at did they find?

Life Cycle

Describe and show in pictures how a star is formed, its life and i

Identify what determines how long a star will last
Explain what happens to a star when it runs out of gas (The life c
Visually show the life cycle of all stars (small, medium and large

e of a Star

its “death” (the life cycle)

cycle of a star)
e stars)