1. Traveling in space Open Learning Activity

2. The day before Ask each group to bring in 3 balls of different sizes or colours – tennis ball, table tennis balls etc. These will be models for the earth moon and sun in our solar system.

3. Nicolaus Copernicus was right! Born on 19 th February 1493 – 520 years ago in Poland he showed that the sun was at the centre of the solar system and not the earth. He published his book when he was dying and it changed science forever Celebrating Copernicus

4. Our Solar System A journey from the sun past Pluto 1. Can you name the planets in our solar system 2. Do you know why there is an argument about whether it is 8, 9 or perhaps even 10 planets? 3. The earth rotates on its own axis once every 24 hours and it makes a complete Orbit of the sun in 365.25 earth days. Meanwhile the moon orbits the earth but does not rotate. Use your three balls to model this. 4. You have been asked to take note of the path of the sun from your home and at school. Can you understand why people before Copernicus thought the sun went round the earth? Discuss this. Can you use your balls to explain why it looks like this and can you work out if the earth is rotating clockwise on its axis or anti clockwise 5. People say when you look at the sun you are looking back in time. Why? Go home tonight and research this on the internet ready for tomorrow when you Will report back what you have discovered about our amazing planet

5. Lesson Two