Instructional Video

The Sun and Planets

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This The Sun and Planets instructional video also includes:

Do other planets experience night, day, and the seasons like humans do here on Earth? Examine planetary motion using real images of the planets through a simulation from PBS's Space lesson series. After observing the motion of each planet, the class engages in a discussion of their observations to compare rotational speeds and axial tilts.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Open the lesson with the engagement questions to get students thinking about night and day, as well as seasons on Earth
  • Ask scholars to pick two of the planets and create a Venn diagram to illustrate their similarities and differences in tilt and rotation
Classroom Considerations
  • Make sure the class has some understanding of planetary motion prior to launching the lesson
Pros
  • Images of the sun and each planet include text that describes which telescope or observatory captured the picture
  • The ability to compare the rotation of each planet side by side is extremely helpful for learners in visualizing planetary motion
Cons
  • None
Common Core