Neptune Lesson Plans - LessonCorner

1. Mission to Mars
...otch candy, representing the Sun. Place this candy at the center of the plate. Colored, large crystal Areology: The decorating Study of Mars 6. Using the same method, have students affix each of sugar (for the nine planets to its appropriate orbit. We suggest the asteroid that Pluto be placed after Neptune, because while belt) Pluto is presently closer to the Sun than Neptune (until 2000), Pluto's average orbit radius is greater than that of Neptune. Instruct students at each step, Frosting and tell them a little bit about each planet as they glue it into place. For example, note that Mars is red, Jup...

2. Solar System Search
...side. See if you can find the planet that is lying on its side. Its rings look like they go from top to bottom instead of side to side. This planet is Uranus. Uranus is a light blue color, but its rings are dark. Color Uranus and its rings. The ringed planet that is farthest from the Sun is called Neptune. Neptune looks like a big blue ball. Some people say Neptune and Uranus are twins. How are they like twins? Color Neptune the same color as Uranus. Put your finger on the planet you think is the smallest. This planet's name is Mercury. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Mercury is a fast-movi...

3. Voyage to Titan
...the five planets of the outer solar system. 2. Scroll down to the More General Overview section, select Your Weight on Other Worlds, another neat calculator from the Exploratorium . Enter your weight and then record your weight on the planets MERCURY, VENUS, THE MOON, MARS, JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS, NEPTUNE, and PLUTO. 3. Scroll up and select Titan from the Contents section. In Greek mythology who were the Titans? 4. In relation to Saturn what is Titan? 5. Describe the atmosphere of Titan. 6. Describe Titan's surface temperature.

4. Solar System
...stem. 2. To help the students learn the positions of the planets, make up a phrase using the first letter of each planet's name in the order of their distances from the sun. For example: "My Very Educated Mother Just Sat Upon Pink Nests" (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, Neptune). Note that until 1999, the orbit of Pluto will be closer to the sun than that of Neptune. 3. Let the students act out the parts of the sun and the Earth. Have them demonstrate the rotation of the Earth and its revolution around the sun. Tying it all Together: 1. Students can use colored styrofoam b...

5. Planets of Our Solar System
...for visual representation assessment handout and word-find worksheet [Note: The original handouts/worksheets could not be included with this lesson plan.] Procedure: Scientific explanation: What is the order of the planets in our solar system? (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) Name one key characteristics of each planet and how the sizes of the planets compare to each other. Earth- only planet to support life as we know it, third planet from the Sun, made of rock and surrounded by a layer of gas called and atmosphere. Jupiter- largest planet, has Great Red Spot, h...

6. Paper Mache Solar System
...sun (km) from sun (cm) Mercury 58 000 000 5.8 (5 footsteps) Venus 108 000 000 10.8 (10 footsteps) Earth 150 000 000 15.0 (15 footsteps) Mars 229 000 000 22.9 (22 footsteps) Jupiter 777 000 000 11.1 (11 footsteps) Saturn 1 426 000 000 142.6 (142 footsteps) Uranus 2 876 000 000 287.6 (287 footsteps) Neptune 4 490 000 000 449.0 (449 footsteps) Pluto 5 914 000 000 591.4 (591 footsteps) Scale of distances 1 cm = 10 000 000 km Planet Scale diameters of planets Mercury .76 inches Venus 1.90 inches Earth 2.00 inches Mars 1.06 inches Jupiter 22.36 inches Saturn 18.00 inches Uranus 7.74 inches Neptune 7.8 inch...

7. Solar System
...ou think the rings are there for? http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/Images/slides/slide3.html Uranus- Can you name this planet? Describe the color and the shape of this planet. How did the planet get so blue? http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/image_gallery/solar_system/graphics/uranus_true.jpg Neptune- Can you name this planet? Describe the color and the shape of this planet. Which other planet has the dark spot? http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/image_gallery/solar_system/graphics/neptune.jpg Pluto- Can you name this planet? Describe the color and the design of this planet. Guess which on...

8. Astronomy Jeopardy Review
...lanets Earth Sun Constellations Potpourri ? ? ? ? ? 10 ? ? ? ? ? 20 ? ? ? ? ? 30 ? ? ? ? ? 40 ? ? ? ? ? 50 Sample Questions: PLANETS 10. How many planets are there? (9) 20. Which planet is nearest the sun? (Mercury) 30. The largest planet is ... (Jupiter) 40. Two planets with rings are ... (Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter - name any two) 50. Name the planets in order from the sun. (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) EARTH 10. Earth is a ... (planet) 20. Earth is mostly covered by _______. (water) 30. The distance around Earth is .... (25,000 mi) 40. The distance thr...

9. Math Scales
...completing the appropriate rubrics. (Criteria for Success = Each team member must receive an average of 3 on both the peer and self evaluations.) Curricular Strands and Major Concepts: 1. Math - Comparison, subtraction, proportions. 2. Science - Balances, weights, accuracy. Possible Extensions: 1. Neptune's Web - Students could make conversions relevant to the amount of water in the ocean. http://www.cnmoc.navy.mil/educate/neptune/lesson/math/gallons.htm Go to Ocean Life Models Go to Shark Trap Go to Schedule of Lessons

10. Pluto a Planet No More
...anet means Pluto is being demoted. Now we have only eight planets instead of nine. Anticipation Guide Before reading, ask students to help you create a list of planets in the solar system. Are your students able to list all nine of the planets? (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) You might even see if your students can name all nine planets in order of their distance from the sun. If some students know the planet names in order, ask how they know them. Do they have a trick for remembering the planets' sequence? Next, provide students with a copy of this week's News f...