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SKYWATCHERS 3Program Length: 55 minutes
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Thousands of years ago, the first skywatchers began to carefully observe the sky and by doing so they started the exploration of our Solar System. The ancient skywatchers discovered five planets using just their eyes. In the last 415 years, modern skywatchers - using telescopes - have discovered two more planets and five dwarf planets. They also discovered more than 200 moons and nearly a million asteroids. These days, we continue to explore the Solar System, but now we use space telescopes, space probes, space stations, satellites, and even rovers, in addition to large ground-based telescopes. Our knowledge of the Solar System continues to grow with each new discovery and so does our understanding of Earth.
During this 55-minute program, your students will learn how ancient skywatchers discovered planets and how modern skywatchers continue to make discoveries in the Solar System. Your students will take a tour of the Solar System and meet many of our celestial neighbours. They will also discover that the Solar System is comprised of a complex group of celestial bodies that are interconnected and that each one has its own unique characteristics and that these characteristics (size, shape, composition, and surface conditions) vary significantly among the celestial bodies.
The final part of the program is all about the technologies that are used to explore the Solar System. Your students will learn about telescopes, satellites, space stations, space probes, rovers, and crewed spacecraft. Through a series of short video clips (full-dome and flat screen) your students will go on a few adventures that include being transported to the surface of Mars, taking a tour of the International Space Station, and riding along on a space probe as it travels past a distant planet.
During this 55-minute program, your students will learn how ancient skywatchers discovered planets and how modern skywatchers continue to make discoveries in the Solar System. Your students will take a tour of the Solar System and meet many of our celestial neighbours. They will also discover that the Solar System is comprised of a complex group of celestial bodies that are interconnected and that each one has its own unique characteristics and that these characteristics (size, shape, composition, and surface conditions) vary significantly among the celestial bodies.
The final part of the program is all about the technologies that are used to explore the Solar System. Your students will learn about telescopes, satellites, space stations, space probes, rovers, and crewed spacecraft. Through a series of short video clips (full-dome and flat screen) your students will go on a few adventures that include being transported to the surface of Mars, taking a tour of the International Space Station, and riding along on a space probe as it travels past a distant planet.
Learning Objectives
During this 55-minute program, your instructor will teach your students all (or most) of the following...
- Earth is an interconnected part of the Solar System.
- The Solar System is a complex group of celestial bodies that include the Sun, planets and their moons, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids.
- Celestial bodies are natural bodies located beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
- Celestial bodies have characteristics that vary in many ways, including size, shape, composition, and surface conditions (temperature, gravity, and atmosphere).
- Some celestial bodies emit light and others reflect light.
- The Asteroid Belt is a collection of asteroids found within the Solar System.
- Pluto was originally classified as a planet, however, new information led to the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet.
- The Solar System can be modelled to represent the size of the Sun and the planets, as well as the distance between them.
- Information about Earth can be acquired through exploration of the solar system.
- Technologies that are used to explore the Solar System include telescopes, satellites, space probes, rovers, crewed spacecraft, space stations, and computer modelling.
- Satellites are objects in space that orbit around another larger object.
- An orbit is the recurring path of an object around another object in space.
- Natural satellites are celestial bodies.
- Artificial satellites are constructed and put into orbit by humans.
- The International Space Station is a research facility that orbits Earth.
- Knowledge of the Solar System continues to develop with further space exploration, discovery, and use of technologies.
Curriculum Connections
Organizing Idea:
Space: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Space: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question:
In what ways can the Solar System be explored?
In what ways can the Solar System be explored?
This NEW AstroDome Planetarium program has been developed with the NEW Alberta science curriculum in mind. The learning objectives in this program come directly from the Knowledge, Understanding, Skills & Procedures (KUSP) portion of the "Space" component (Organizing Idea) located within the Grade 6 section of the NEW Alberta Education K-6 Science Curriculum.
Please note that many, but not all, of the KUSPs will be covered or touched upon during the 55-minute program.
Please note that many, but not all, of the KUSPs will be covered or touched upon during the 55-minute program.
Alberta Education - K-6 Science Curriculum - Grade 6 - "Space"
