Planets
Kathryn Fuller
February 12, 2007
Mercury
Closest to the sun.
Surface is similar to
moon heavily
cratered.
Temperature on
surface ranges from
-180 to 430 degrees
Celsius.
Venus
Similar to earth in
size and gravity
Surface is covered
with reflective
clouds
“terrestrial planet”
Volcanic surface.
Earth
Largest of the
terrestrial planets
Surface made of
many tectonic plates
71% of surface is
covered with salt
water the rest of
surface consists of
continents and
islands.
Mars
Known as the “Red
Planet”
Seasonal cycles very
similar to Earth
Evidence of an
existence of large
body’s of water in the
past.
Other than Earth Mars
is the planet most likely
to harbor life
Jupiter
Largest Planet
Has no solid
surfaces (gaseous
planet)
90% hydrogen 10%
helium
Three distinct layers
of clouds
Saturn
Less dense than
water
Has three rings
made of ice, rocky
debris and dust
Saturn is an oblate
spheroid (flattened
at poles)
Uranus
Gaseous planet
One pole faces the
sun continually for
42 years, then
switches and has 42
years of darkness.
First planet to be
discovered by
technology.
Neptune
Farthest planet from
sun
Has highest winds of all
the planets (1,500 mph)
Very cold surface but
the core is 13,000
degrees Fahrenheit (
hotter than the sun’s
surface
Pluto
One of three “dwarf
Planets”
Mostly made of rock
and ice.
Discovered in 1930
Many things are
unknown because
no space craft has
visited Pluto.
Solar system on page 1 from
http://www.agu.org/sections/planets/index.html
Mercury on page 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28Planet%29
Venus on page 3
www.childrensmuseum.org/.../venus.html
Earth on page 4
http://www.solarviews.com/cap/earth/earthafr.htm
Mars on page 5
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20070108a.html
Jupiter on page 6
http://www.astronomija.co.yu/suncsist/planete/planetestalevski/jupiter.htm
Saturn on page 7
www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9503672/astro/pics.htm
Uranus on page 8
pds.jpl.nasa.gov/.../captions/uranus/uranus.htm
Neptune on page 9
voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/image/neptune.html
Pluto on page 10
library.thinkquest.org/.../pluto/index.html
ICE/S Lesson Idea for Presentation Exercise
Your Name: Kathryn Fuller
Subject Area: Science
Grade Level: 6th
Lesson Title/ Painting Planets
Web Address http://quest.nasa.gov/hst/tg/Activity_1.html#14
Curriculum- (Space Science Unifying Concept B) E.8.B.2 Students know
Nevada State characteristics of the planets in our solar system.
Standard:
Objectives: Students, in a group, will construct and present accurately-scaled
models of the planets in our solar system, reflecting each planet’s
characteristics. The students will be able to give a 5 minute
presentation.
Instruction- I will introduce the basic characteristics of each planet in our solar
Procedures: system. The students will then break off into groups of 3 or 4. They will
choose a planet they wish to research. The group will create an
accurate model of the planet and prepare a 5-10 minute presentation for
the class. As a class we will display the planets around the room.
Assessment- The planet must have the appropriate color, size, and additional
How will you characteristics. The presentation must be 5-10 minutes of valuable
check student information.
learning: