Lesson plan for Science class grade 6 on The Universe
Lesson plan for topic on The Universe
Prepared by: Teacher Le Quoc Chon
Subject: Science
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Approximate Time Needed: 30 – 45 minutes
Summary: The purpose of this lesson is to help students learn the basic concepts to understand a little better our Universe. To see how our undersanding about the Universe evolves over time from ancient time. We compare Geocentric theory with Hellocentric theory. We then learn about the components of the Universe and the size of the Universe. We learn th differences between stars and planets. Next, we look at the Solar System, the Sun and its planets.
Essential questions:
What is the Universe like?
What makes up the Universe?
How big is the Universe?
What units do scientists use to measure the size of the Universe?
What makes up the Solar System?
How do planets move in the Solar System?
Key terms to know:
Geocentric theory: The ancient people believed that the Earth is the center of The Universe, and the Sun, stars, moon and planets revolve around the Earth.
Heliocentric theory: The Sun is the center and the Earth, planets and stars revolve around the Sun.
Components of the Universe: consists of matter, energy and space which create stars, planets, and smaller bodies. There are thousands of millions of stars gathering in group called galaxy. The Universe has many galaxies.
Astronomical unit: the distance between the Sun and Earth, equals to 150 million km.
Light year: the distance light travels in one year, equals to 9.5 trillion km
The solar system: has the Sun at the center and eight planets. The inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
The Universe
Recap:
What can we see in the sky?
Can you tell the diffence between a star and a planet?
Can you tell the diffence between the moon and a comet?
Today lesson:
Long time ago, the ancient people believed that Earth was the center of the Universe and the Sun, moon and planets revolve around the Earth. This is Geocentric theory.
Now we understand better: the Earth is not at the center, the Sun is. The Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. This is Heliocentric theory.
The Sun is a star, and the Universe has thousands of millions of stars. The universe also has other bodies, dusts and gases. These stars, bodies, dusts and gases gather together into galaxies. A group of close galaxies in space called a cluster of galaxies.
Star is different from planet. Stars emit light and heat, but planets do not.
Very big, vast and huge that we may not know exactly. What we can see is called observable universe.
We use special units to talk about the size of the Universe. Astronomical unit (AU) = 150 million km
Light year = 9.5 trillion km
The inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The outer planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
How do planets move around the Sun?
Understand the terms: rotation, revolution and orbit
Rotation: the circular movement of a celestial body around an imaginary axis – the axis of rotation.
Revolution: one body moves aroudn another body.
Orbit: a curved path a body follows when it revolves around another body. For example, the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipse.
Which planets support life in our solar system? Only Earth.
What make Earth support life? Water, temperature, oxygen.
The inner and outer planets in our Solar System
The largest: Jupiter
The smallest: Mercury
The coldest: Uranus
The hotest: Venus
Can we visit these planets?
What can we see surround these planets? Asteroids and comets and other bodies in the universe.
- How the ancient people think about the Universe? Write name of the theory and explain.
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- How do we understand the Universe now? Write name of the theory and explain.
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- What makes up the Universe? Write the name of bodies we can see in the Universe.
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- What units do we use to talk about the size of the Universe? Write them down and explain what they mean.
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- Sketch our Solar System, label the name of the main stars and planets.
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- What makes The Earth support life?
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- Do you think other planets in the Universe also support life?
For reference you can download my lesson: The slides and the Lesson Plan
