Twisted Astronomy: Tour the Space in Our Solar System
Each week this astronomy class takes learners on a tour of a different part of space inside our solar system, including all the planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroid belt, and Oort cloud.
Kelly McGrath
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(864)
Popular
What's included
19 live meetings
15 hrs 50 mins in-class hoursAssignments
Learners will complete a "tour guide" sheet full of facts about the place we are visiting.Certificate of Completion
Learners will earn a completion certificate after touring the whole solar system. This includes attending all 19 lessons in the series, and completing weekly worksheets.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 5
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Ever wondered what it would be like to visit other places in our solar system? Are you curious about unique sights located on different planets? Then join this class as I take learners on a tour of our solar system! Each week we will examine a different part of our solar system to explore what it would be like to take a vacation to these different places. I will explain basic historical and geological information about each place, give a brief overview of how we know information about it, and then examine specific "tourist destinations" that would be amazing to visit! This class is designed to give learners an in-depth introduction to our solar system. We don't just cover the basics, we take a close look at what's happening on the planets, moons, and other objects in our solar system. Even people who have learned about the solar system before will still learn new things. So learners new to studying the solar system as well as learners who already have some basic knowledge will get amazing new facts from this class. Each class will follow the same format: ~ Watch a slideshow during which I explain basic facts about the location ~ View photographs or artists' renditions of specific sights to be seen at each location ~ Write down basic facts about the destination such as *size *distance from Earth *how long the trip would take *temperature highs and lows *effects of gravity for each location *length of one day/year depending on the destination ~ Draw pictures of three can't-miss sights for each destination (or write a description if you don't want to draw) ~ Discussion of specific information of the location that learners wish to learn more about or are particularly interested in ~ View video clips of computer-generated visits to some of the destinations
Learning Goals
Students will know unique features of each of the objects of our solar system and be able to explain these destinations to others.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)19 Lessons
over 19 WeeksLesson 1:
A Tour of the Sun
Learners will:
~ Record basic facts about the sun including temperature and size
~ Understand that the sun creates heat and light through nuclear fusion
~ Sketch and understand solar events such as sunspots and solar flares 50 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 2:
A Trip to Mercury
Learners will:
~ Record basic facts about Mercury including length of day and year, and temperature and size
~ Learn about unique features of Mercury's surface
~ Draw examples of surface features of Mercury 50 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 3:
Let's Tour Venus
Learners will:
~ Record basic facts about Venus including length of day and year, and temperature and size
~ Understand why Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system
~ Examine photographs of the surface of Venus and draw examples of surface features 50 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 4:
A Tour of Earth's Moon
Learners will:
~ Record basic facts about the Earth's moon including the size, temperature, and orbital period
~ Understand why there is a "near side" and "far side" of the moon
~ Sketch a diagram of the Earth-moon-sun system
~ Examine locations on the moon's surface including Tycho Crater and Aristarchus Plateau 50 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Other Details
Parental Guidance
I may talk about the formation of the solar system and the universe, and when I do this I discuss the Big Bang theory of the universe forming.
Supply List
I post new printouts each week, but if learners would rather write and draw on plain paper that is fine as well. Learners will also want a pencil and colors for each lesson.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined January, 2020
4.9
864reviews
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from St. Cloud State University
I specialize in finding fun twists to standard curriculum to help my students build critical thinking skills as well as scientific knowledge. By adding a new twist to a familiar topic we can expand our thinking to include new possibilities. I have taught science to homeschool students for the last 20 years and during that time I have developed many teaching techniques and hands-on projects to help students explore concepts in new and exciting ways. I have also taught several classes specifically about astronomy in which I allowed students to lead the choice of topics, helping me to know what learners want to know about space.Reviews
Live Group Course
$17
weekly1x per week, 19 weeks
50 min
Completed by 76 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-11
2-8 learners per class
