Our Solar System Scavenger Hunt
Grade Three

  For Lesson Information Click Here


Let's take a journey through space and explore our solar system! Grab your space suit; it's time for the countdown. Five, Four, Three, Two, One.......BLASTOFF!




Answer the following questions on your journey. Use the internet links to help you! And, have a safe trip!



Question #1:List the planets in order, starting from the planet closest to the Sun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Planets2008.jpg




Question #2:Which planet is closest to the Sun and how hot is it there (in Fahrenheit)?   Do you think that humans could live there? Why or why not?

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/




Question #3:What causes day and night on planet Earth?

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/index.html




Question #4:How long does it take for the Earth to make one full rotation?

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/index.html

  Which direction does it turn?

http://kids.nineplanets.org/intro.htm




Question #5:How fast does the Earth rotate?  Can we feel it spin?

http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4841




Question #6:What causes the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) on planet Earth?

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/seasons.htm




Question #7:How long does it take for the Earth to orbit the Sun?  How many times has the Earth orbited the Sun during your lifetime?

http://www.classzone.com/
(Click on play to watch the Earth orbit the Sun.)





Question #8:Draw and label the phases of the moon.  Why do we see the phases of the moon?

http://www.coldwater.k12.mi.us/lms/planetarium/guide/moon.html




Question #9:What characteristics of Earth make it livable for human beings?

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/earth.htm/
http://www.faqkids.com/idx/4/018/?lore_sid=6f06bfaae137f7a0d957b518919aee85




Essential Question #10:If you could choose another planet to live on besides Earth, which would you choose and why?   Include facts from the following website (click on the different planets):
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm



Congratulations! You made it! Great Work!




Thanks for taking a journey through the solar system with us! We hope you enjoyed the ride!






Lesson Information

Topic:  Our Solar System

Lesson Objective:  Students will:
• learn that the Earth rotates on its axis counterclockwise.
• learn that it takes 24 hours for the earth to make one full rotation.
• learn that day and night occur as a result of the Earth’s rotation.
• learn that the Earth rotates 1,000 miles per hour and we don’t feel it because everything else is moving with us and the motion is very, very smooth.
• learn that the Earth revolves or orbits around the Sun counterclockwise.
• learn that it takes one year or about 365 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun once.
• learn that the Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun is the reason we have the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter.)
• learn why the moon changes in appearance and be able to show the different phases of the moon.

California Content Standard:  Earth Sciences 4. Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns. As a basis for understanding this concept:

b. Students know the way in which the Moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle.
d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits Earth.
e. Students know the position of the Sun in the sky changes during the course of the day and from season to season.

Technology Standard:  Standard 1. Creativity and Innovation c. Students use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
Standard 3. Research and Information Fluency b. Students locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
Standard 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making c. Students collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
Standard 6. Technology Operations and Concepts a. Students understand and use technology systems.

Subject Matter and Grade Level:  Earth Sciences - Grade Three

Worksheet     Lesson Plan