The Planets by Gail Gibbons

The Planets

by Gail Gibbons

Summary: The Planets discusses the movements, location, and characteristics of the planets in our solar system. The book also discusses the following topics/concepts: day and night, orbit, rotation, year, and astronomy. The book is well laid out and easy to read. The book provides a good overview of each of the planets in the solar system. The book however does still address Pluto as a planet so the teacher must address the fact that Pluto is no longer classified as a planet.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science

Indicator: 4-3.2 Compare the properties (including the type of surface and atmosphere) and the location of Earth to the Sun, which is a star, and the Moon.

SC ELA Standard: 4-5 The student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Indicator: 4-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, postcards, flyers, letters, and e-mails) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will use this book to begin an activity on planets. The students will break into break of 8. Each group will be assigned a planet. The groups will not tell the other groups what planet they have been assigned. The groups will construct a brochure about their planet. The groups will present their brochure to the class and the class must guess their planet.

Objectives:

• The student will identify the main properties of an assigned planet
• The student will create a brochure for an assigned planet
  

Materials:

• The Planets
• Computers
• Additional reference books for the groups to use for research
• construction paper
• glue
• markers
• other art supplies

Procedures:

1. The teacher will read The Planets aloud.
2. The teacher will split the class into eight groups and quietly assign a planet to each group. (The group will be instructed to not tell the other groups what planet they have been assigned.)
3. Each group will design a brochure for their planet describing the different properties.
4. Each group will present their brochure to the class without telling what planet they were assigned.
5. The class must guess what planet each group is presenting
6. The teacher will write on the board important facts about each planet as they are presented by the groups.