1. The Solar System By: Tammy Griffith

2. So What About It? BIG QUESTION: MOST importantly, What IS the Solar System? *Does anyone know where the Solar System is? *What’s so important about it? * How does the Solar System affect us? In your groups, try to answer these questions. If you can’t answer them, just write down everything you know or want to find out about the solar system. Write down at least 3 things. When everyone is finished, have 1 person from your group come and write down your ideas on the board.

3. Where do I go to get there again? The Solar System is located in Outer Space. We can not see Outer Space without using special instruments, like telescopes and satellites. These are like super magnifying glasses, that can see very far away. The Solar System is a part of something bigger, which is known as a galaxy, more directly, the Milky Way. Individual Quest: Can you think of anything else that reminds you of the Solar System, in terms of parts? Write down your answers on your paper and be ready to share.

4. What Makes Up the Solar System? We all live on a planet called Earth. This planet is one part of the WHOLE Solar System. On “Go”, walk to where your number is listed, around the room. Count the amount of people in your group and write this number down on your butcher paper. Mode. What else can you think of that has the same important number (8), like the Solar System?

5. What’s the Number For? How many people are in your group? This is the number of PLANETS or parts in the Solar System. Every planet is special. It has it’s own unique characteristics, just like you and I. All 8 planets together circle or orbit around the Sun.

6. Order, What Order? The order of the planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth (OUR home ) Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Back to each planet having it’s own special characteristics, think of things that could possibly be different about the planets. Here’s a hint: some of these planets have rings. Do all the planets have rings? Are all the planets the same shape? Are they all the same color? In pairs of 2, walk around the room and at each planet, write down as many things, using describing words, about the planet. You will only have a minute at each planet, to write, so put on those thinking caps.

7. TEKS Used For 2 nd Grade 112.4 (5A) Classify and sequence organisms, objects, and events based on properties and patterns. 112.4 (12D) Identify gravity as the force that keeps planets in orbit around the Sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth. 112.4 (10B) Identify uses of natural resources. 112.7 (2.7A) Describe attributes ( 3 of vertices, faces, edges, sides) of 2 and 3-dimensional geometric figures such as circles, polygons, spheres, cones, cylinders, and pyramids, etc.

8. Sources Used TEKS webpage: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter1 11/ch111a.html Google Images: www.google.com/images http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/our _solar_system/planets.html Menu