mwmw

Study of the Stars!
Fourth Grade Earth Science

mwmw

Table of Contents
1. Georgia Performance Standards
2. Topic Websites
3. Activities
4. Software
mwmw
Georgia Performance Standard!
milkywaymilkyway

Earth Science:
S4E1. Students will compare and contrast the physical attributes of stars, star patterns, and planets. 
a.  Recognize the physical attributes of stars in the night sky such as
number, size, color, and patterns.
mwmw

Websites
milkywaymilkyway

ys


Yahooligans Science is a great website that tells you all about the nine plantes in the Solar System.  This site explains the path that the planets take around the sun.  You can also click on your favorite planet to learn more!  Yahooligans Science also has a Galactic Glossary which gives different space terms, definitions, and people!



bbc

The BBC Science and Nature: Space web site offers great information about different parts of space.  You can take a 3-D tour of the Solar System, look at a guide of the Constellations, and even play fun space games!



cons
This site offers information about the various constellations.  This site offers a list of constellations, gives the myths of each constellation, and data about the stars that make up the constellations.  This site even offers a chart to help you find the constellations in the night sky!
Kidz Exploring Space

This is a fun web site that offers great information for kids exploring space!  This site has information on the planets, activities to do, information on space exploration and satellites.  It even offers information about aliens!


ka

This is a great site that has research on stars!  It tells about the different types of stars, gives information about the reason they are a particular color, and facts about the star in general.  It also gives great pictures!
mwmw
Activities
milkywaymilkyway
planets  Learning about the Solar System!   planets
Description of Activity:  Students will use the internet to gather information about the planets that make up the solar system, and use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Paint as follow up activities.

Primary Learning Outcomes:
  • The students will write a description of the solar system, and draw the nine planets of the solar system.

Materials:

Procedures:
  • Go to the Yahooligans Science.
  • Look at the Solar System and make notes about your favorite planet and how the planets are aligned.
  • Go to the start menu, go to Microsoft Word, and type a paragraph about the solar system and your favorite planet in the solar system.
  • Go to the start menu, go to Microsoft Paint, and draw the solar system with the planets in the appropriate places.
Product:  The students will learn about more about their favorite planet, and will also know the way the planets are aligned, by drawing a picture on paint.



mu Glowing Glimpses of our Universe! mu
Description of  the Activity:  Students will make a "glow-in-the-dark" planet chart.

Primary Learning Outcomes:
  • The students will be able to describe the solar system and some of the characteristics of the inner planets, and describe the outer planets.

Materials:
  • pliable styrofoam
  • glitter for planets
  • rectangular piece of black poster board
  • labels for planet name and characteristics

Procedures:
  • The student will go to one of the web sites above, such as the Kidz Exploring Space web site, and research the characteristics of the planets, and the arrangement of the planets.
  •  Each planet is cut from thin sheets of pliable styrofoam.
  • Paint the planet with luminescent paint (available in craft stores).
  • While paint is still wet, sprinkle on a different colored glitter for each planet.
  • Put planets onto a large rectangular piece of black poster board, in order from the Sun (depicted by a partial circle that takes up the whole left edge) to Pluto.
  • Small rectangular labels are placed beneath each planet that says the name, diameter, distance from the sun and rotation rates.
Product:  The students will be able to describe the solar system and characteristics of the planets because of the planet charts that were made.

tooth  Toothpaste Constellations tooth
Description of the Activity:  The students will use the internet and toothpaste to draw constellations.

Primary Learning Outcomes:
  • The students will draw constellations using toothpaste.

Materials:
  • black construction paper
  • pencil
  • white tooth paste

Procedures:
  • The students will use any of the web sites, such as the constellation web site, above to find their favorite constellation.
  • Have students choose a constellation and draw the rough draft.
  • The students will get the tube of toothpaste and make their constellation on the black construction paper.
  • Early finishers can do an additional, more complicated constellation.
  • Encourage students to compare their art with the constellation in the sky.
 Product:  Students will learn that constellations make various patterns and will recognize them in the night sky, by making a constellation out of toothpaste.



mwmw

Software Review
milkywaymilkyway
Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe
es        Published by Dorling Kindersley        es 



This is a great computer program that will be helpful to students doing research and just wanting to learn about space and the universe!  This software contains illustrations, 3-D models, activities, and quizzes. 
This software seems to cover a wide variety information on space, and is geared towards younger students so it should be great to use!  The only problem may be that it covers such a range of information, some of the information may be over the subject level of the students.

 Microsoft Paint
pt  Published by Microsoft   pt
The students will use Microsoft Paint to draw a picture of the solar system.  By using this program, the students will be able to draw a visual image of the solar system.
Microsoft Paint is good to use because you are able to combine computer skills with any basic subject.  The only downfall of this program is that it is hard to draw pictures unless you have used the program before.




Space Traveler
st Published by Isaac Asimov st


This is a great software program that contains 290 minutes of multimedia content with over 2500 pictures. This software program would be great to expand upon the science knowledge of the students.  This program has a question and answer mode with 700 interactive questions that are open book and lets your browse to find the answers.  It also has a quiz mode which is closed book, so the student has to get the information from their memory.
This software seems like a great tool to use when teaching space science to students.  However, the software covers astronomy, the inner and outer planets, space exploration, and the universe, so it could also have some components that are above the certain subject level of the students.




Microsoft Word
  mwPublished by Microsoftmw
The students used this software to write a paragraph about the solar system and their favorite planet in the solar system.  This is a great program to write papers, letters, and anything that is needed to be turned in.  It has various tools that are a great help when writing.
This software is really great when writing anything.  It is a great help because it does contain so many tools.  I do not believe that students will have any problem with this software.




   World Almanac for Kids
wa Published by World Almanac Education Group Inc.  wa                                                         
This software is great for students to use when doing research about stars and planets.  It has a whole section over space that is a great tool for research.
 This software seems to be a really great tool to use as research and since all of the information is for kids, I do not foresee a problem using this  software.



mwmw
My Hub Page

 Resources for Parents and
 Their Students
Global Diversity Page
Exploring the World through Literature
 Topic  Page
 
              Exploring Maps and Graphics
LiveText Link
globe17










ni