Science Focus Lesson Week 6 Polk County Public Schools Linda Vendur, Senior Coordinator

Week 6 – SC.E Benchmark: The student knows that, in addition to the Sun, there are many other stars that are far away. Essential Question: What is our sun like and how is it different from other stars in the universe? Vocabulary: star sun solar system universeMilky Way Galaxy

A star is a huge ball of super heated gases. The sun is a star that is at the center of our Solar System. The sun is the largest object in our Solar System. The sun is the only star in our Solar System.

More sun information Click the sun!

Check This Out! Compare the size of the planets to our Sun!

Summarizing In your Science notebook write what you learned today. Today I learned…

If the Sun is the largest object in the Solar System….

…then the Sun must be a very big star, right? Wrong... Sun

Think - Pair - Share Think about the picture of the Sun and other stars. Pair with another student. Share two observations you made about the picture.

Why does our Sun look so big? Observe the same basketball up close and then REALLY Far away. The Sun looks big to us because it is the closest star to Earth.

Summarizing In your science notebook, write you answer to the question… Why does our Sun look so much bigger to us than the other stars?

What do you think these objects and the Sun have in common? Click on the toaster oven to find out. Space Heaters Toaster Oven

Colors and Temperatures of Stars Blue Star White Star Yellow Star Red Star Red-Orange Star Hottest Coolest Even the coolest stars are HOT! HOT! HOT!

1. A ____ is a huge ball of super heated gases. 2. The ___ is a star that is at the center of our Solar System. 3. The sun is the _______ object in our Solar System. 4. The sun is the only star in our _____ ______. 5. Our solar system is part of the _______ ____. Hint: name of candy bar star sun largest solar system

Our Sun YOU GOT IT! The Milky Way Galaxy The There are trillions of stars outside of our solar system.

Summarizing In your Science notebook, order these words from smallest to largest and explain your thinking. Milky Way Galaxy Sun Universe Solar System Earth Why do you think we call it a Solar System?

1. Betelgeuse is a red giant star in the constellation Orion. Its diameter is approximately 650 times that of the Sun, a yellow star. If Betelgeuse is actually larger than the Sun, why does it appear so much smaller in the sky? A. Yellow is an easier color to see in the sky than the color red. B. Jupiter lies between Betelgeuse and Earth which makes Betelgeuse seem smaller. C. The Sun is closer to the Earth than Betelgeuse is, and therefore the Sun appears larger and brighter. D. Betelgeuse is near a black hole which absorbs the light of the star causing it to be less visible from Earth.

2. How does the Sun compare to other stars? A. It is much larger than any other star. B. It is much smaller than any other star. C. It is medium-sized star. D. All stars are the same size.

3. Which star is closest to Earth? A. Alpha Centauri B. Proxima Centauri C. Betelgeuse D. Sun

4. Why does the Sun appear to us to be larger than other stars? A. It is the hottest star. B. It is the brightest star. C. It is a different color from the other stars. D. It is closer to us than other stars.

5. Which statement best describes our Sun? A. It is one of many stars in the universe. B. It is the only star in the universe. C. It is a planet in our solar system. D. It is a type of comet.

Check your answers 1. C. The Sun is closer to the Earth than Betelgeuse is, and therefore the Sun appears larger and brighter. 2. C. It is medium-sized star. 3. D. Sun 4. D. It is closer to us than other stars. 5. A. It is one of many stars in the universe.

Summarizing Answer the Essential Question in your Science notebook. Essential Question: What is our sun like and how is it different from other stars in the universe?