Printed 11/28/2002
By Rhondas Dausman
Email: Rhondas Dausman Not Available
Created
Status: Approved
About the Author
A practice in scientific notation, measurement, and scale distances, this lesson plan is one of a unit that ties into the 6th grade science curriculum, "Exploring the Universe."
Students will convert standard measurement into scientific notation.
Students will create a scale model of the solar system using metric conversions.
Objective 4: Demonstrate the ability to communicate.
Objective 5: Demonstrate the ability to measure.
Objective 8: Demonstrate the ability to use space-time relations.
Objective 13: Analyze problem situations, select appropriate strategies, and use an organized approach to solve non-routine and increasingly complex problems involving geometry and measurement Use technology as appropriate
Grade Levels
6
Materials/Resources Needed
metric rulers
meter sticks
planetary signs (see web address)
chalk
white paper
colored pencils/markers
Technology Resources Needed (computer hardware, software, etc.)
The instructor will need to access a few web sites to gain the information needed for this activity.
Students should know how to scale up or down and should also be familiar with exponential notation.
1. Introduce/review scientific notation (see worksheet attached.)
2. Review the worksheet and discuss relative sizes, distances, and metric measurement.
3. Since metrics are base 10, creating scaled down models are easy! Students use the metric measurement given in standard form and "move the decimal." For instance, Mercury is 58000000 km from the sun. Venus is 6100000000 km from the sun. The scale would be .58 meters for Mercury and 61 km for Venus. Complete a chart as a class or individually (but check!) of the metric conversion. Students then are assigned roles (planets and moons - see web address below) which move to an outside location. Starting from the sun, each planet must be located by measuring the distance from the sun. Students stand where their measurement indicates, and the "moons" orbit the planets. Once completed, bring the students back in and discuss relative distance, placement of the planets, metric conversions. The next step is to again change the scale, only this time in millimeters. Multiply the scaled distance by 10 -- move the decimal one place to the right. On two sheets of white paper placed end to end, measure out th
e planet locations in millimeters. Point out that because the scale is so small, the planets cannot be drawn in scale, but they should be drawn in relative size.
Assessment
Prior to having the students go outside, determine the scaled distance from the sun to Pluto -- 58.9 meters -- and determine where the students should stand in this model.
Assess the students' millimeter scales.
(handouts, background information, bibliographies, examples of student work, etc.):
NASA has several wonderful sites for further research and information.
Planetary signs: http://www.seds.org/billa/tnp
Distances and Relative size: http://www.seds.org/billa/tnp/datamax.html#largest
Comments
This lesson coincides with the science lesson on the solar system and planetary bodies. My team mate and I are doing a co-unit where there is no boundary between Math and Science!
Subjects(provided by the Standard Course of Study) :
Mathematics
Science