Solar System~

How's your 'spacial' sense?

My students had almost none! Haha ...

They were surprised that the SUN was in the center of it~

^^ Well, now they know ...

and that there are 8 planets orbiting it~

Oh, and they even know the names of the planets in order!

Do YOU?!

Students first draw the SUN in the middle of the paper...

so they know the Sun is what's in the middle of the SOLAR system.

Then they draw 8 lines around the Sun. You may want to ask,

"Who can guess how many planets there are in the solar system?"

Hahah ... after the 8 lines around it ... NO ONE will miss this question.

... then I go around acknowledging their work...

saying they are great artists, so on and so forth...

just so the lines don't bore them~~



Give them different colour playdough representing each planet

and tell them to roll'em on the lines ...

imagining the planets orbiting the Sun out there in space

... as you give each dough ...

you teach the names of the planets in order

from the closest to the farthest from the Sun.

... walk around the class ... observing/assessing. ^^
you'll almost always find some students
trying to help their group members ...
Playdough is great cuz you get those kinesthetic learners involved.



Voila~~ At the end of this lesson the students should know
the names of the 8 planets that orbit the Sun, in order.