+ Finding the Moon Part 2

+ Inquiry Question What is the Earth’s relative size to the Sun? Why does the Moon look the same size as the Sun in the sky, even though it is much smaller?

+ Toy Car What is this? Is it a real car? Can you ride in it?

+ Models A model is a small object that is built to look just like an object whose actual size is much bigger. What are some other models you have seen? What are they models of?

+ Examples Dolls Dollhouse Stuffed animals Model airplanes Trains Ships Cars Action figures

+ Activity Sheet Look at the sheet. Draw a line from each object to its model. Complete this independently. You have 5 minutes.

+ Diameters In milesIn kilometers Moon 2,1603,476 Earth 7,93012,760 Sun 865,1001,392,000 Diameter is a straight line passing from side to side through the center of a body or figure, especially a circle or sphere.

+ Making Models You are going to make models of Earth and the Moon. These models will help us learn more about the shape and size of the Earth and Moon.

+ Shapes What shape is in the Moon? How do you know? What shape is Earth?

+ Globe What is this? What is a globe? What shape is this globe? Do Earth and the Moon have the same shape?

+ Spheres The globe is a sphere. Spheres are 3D (3 dimensional) shapes. The Moon, Earth, and other planets in our solar system are spheres. Examples: Tennis ball Basketball Can you name any other examples of spheres?

+ Making Models Is the Moon bigger or smaller than Earth? Work with your elbow buddies to make models of Earth and the Moon. Show their correct shape and size compared to each other. Earth models will be much smaller than the globe because you only have a small amount of clay.

+ Hint Imagine yourself as a giant. Pretend that you’re creating and shaping the real Moon and Earth. If you think that Earth is twice as big as the Moon in real life, then your Earth clay ball should be twice as big as the Moon clay ball.

+ Discussion What shape have you made your Earth and Moon models? How big did you make each model? Demonstrate. Explain why you made your models that size.

+ Models The tennis ball will be used as a model of the Moon. How are the tennis ball and globe alike? How are they different? Which is smaller: the globe model of Earth or the tennis ball model of the Moon?

+ Comparing Models Compare your clay models to the globe and tennis ball models, especially the size difference between Earth and the Moon in each model pair. Did your team make a good guess about the size? Change the size of your model by adding clay to one model or by pinching off clay from the other, then reforming it into the shape of a ball.

+ Return Equipment Return the clay to the cans. Tightly close the lids. Check under the chairs and tables. Sit quietly so I know you are ready to move on.

+ Break Point We’ll stop here for now, but resume during our next session.

+ Review We know the shape of the Earth and the Moon and that Earth is much bigger than the Moon. What shape is the Sun? Which do you think is bigger: the Sun or the Moon? Why?

+ Relative Size If the Sun is so much bigger than Earth and the Moon, why does it look the same size as the Moon in the sky?

+ Activity Sheet 1. Think of an object. 2. Draw a picture of what it looks like up close in the top box. 3. Draw a picture of what the object might look like from very far away in the bottom away.

+ Relative Distance Which was bigger: the drawing of an object up close, or the drawing of that same object far away? Teacher demonstration in hallway. Why does the Sun and Moon appear to be the same size in the sky?

+ Answer An object looks bigger up close than it does from far away. The Moon is much closer to Earth than the Sun. This makes the Moon seem about the same size as the Sun.

+ Distance from Earth In milesIn kilometers Moon238,990384,400 Sun92,980,000149,600,000

+ Word Bank Entries model

+ A small object that is built to look just like an object whose actual size is much bigger.

+ Content Chart Entries What is the Earth’s relative size to the Sun? Why does the Moon look the same size as the Sun in the sky, even though it is much smaller?

+ What We Learned The Earth is about 100 times smaller than the Sun; the Sun is about 400 times bigger than the Moon. The Moon looks about the same size as the Sun in the sky because it is much closer to Earth.

+ Questions?