Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces

Transcription

1 Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces from A Spin Around the Solar System Series Video Produced by... Maslowski Wildlife Productions Teacher s guide by... Lauren LaComb Published and Distributed by Sherman Avenue, Suite 100 Evanston, IL Hour FAX

2 This video is the exclusive property of the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting, or reproducing in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the copyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and 506). MMI Maslowski Wildlife Productions

3 Table of Contents Introduction Links to Curriculum Standards Summary of the Program Vocabulary Student Objectives Instructional Notes Student Preparation Introducing the Program Follow-Up Activities Extended Learning Activities Internet Sites Reference Materials Answer Key Script of Narration CC This video is closed captioned The purchase of this program entitles the user to the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher s guide and the blackline master handouts that accompany it for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this program, Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces. This right is restricted only for use with this program. Any reproduction or duplication in whole or in part of this guide and the blackline master handouts for any purpose other than for use with this

4 CLASSROOM/LIBRARY CLEARANCE NOTICE This program is for instructional use. The cost of each program includes public performance rights as long as no admission charge is made. Public performance rights are defined as viewing of a video in the course of face-to-face teaching activities in a classroom, library, or similar setting devoted to instruction. Closed Circuit Rights are included as a part of the pubic performance rights as long as closed-circuit transmission is restricted to a single campus. For multiple locations, call your United Learning representative. Television/Cable/Satellite Rights are available. Call your United Learning representative for details. Duplication Rights are available if requested in large quantities. Call your United Learning representative for details. Quantity Discounts are available for large purchases. Call your United Learning representative for information and pricing. Discounts, and some special services, are not applicable outside the United States. Your suggestions and recommendations are welcome. Feel free at any time to call United Learning at

5 Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces from A Spin Around the Solar System Series Grades 5-8 Viewing Time: 15 minutes with a three-minute, ten-question, Video Quiz INTRODUCTION This in-depth series covers a wide range of essential matters about the solar system. Such topics as planet formation, gravity, nuclear fusion, and the Big Bang theory are presented concisely with the help of specially designed graphics and animations. Each of the eight shows can be presented as a free-standing lesson on its own, but the shows also work together to reinforce important concepts and to add breadth and depth to a student s cumulative knowledge. LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS This lesson correlates to the following standards, outlined by the National Science Education Standards, for students in grades 5-8. Use individual state standard outlines to specify correlations to your state's guidelines. Earth & Space Science (Content Standard D) Gravity is the force that keeps objects in the solar system in motion. Pluto is one of the nine planets that orbit the sun. The solar system includes smaller objects, such as comets and asteroids. SUMMARY OF PROGRAM The solar system is a complex system, comprised of billions of objects. This program teaches students' about a s t e r o i d s, a c c r e t i o n, a s t e r o i d b e l t, m e t e o r s, P l u t o, comets, Kuiper Belt objects, and the Oort Cloud. 1

6 Over 200 years ago, scientists began to research the large gap between Mars and Jupiter. According to the spacing of the planets, scientists figured there should be another planet between Mars and Jupiter. They discovered Ceres, a tiny planet. Eventually they found more than 10,000 of these tiny planets. These are called asteroids and are classified into two categories: metal and rock. There are three theories behind the existence of asteroids. One theory suggests that there once was a planet in between Mars and Jupiter, but it was smashed into asteroids by a huge meteor. Another theory suggests that asteroids came from a planet that got too close to a bigger planet. The gravity from the larger planet pulled apart the smaller object. The third theory suggests that asteroids were starting to form into the shape of a planet, but Jupiter interfered with accretion. A c c r e t i o n is the process through which planets are formed. Fragments float around in space and are drawn together by the force of gravity. This gravitational pull forms the fragments into a sphere. In the case of asteroids, Jupiter's gravity prevented accretion of asteroids into a single planet. The gap between Mars and Jupiter is known as the asteroid belt. Most of the asteroids in the solar system are found in the asteroid belt. Many asteroids found outside of the asteroid belt have elliptical orbits. It takes a long time to cross Earth's path. Every 25,000 years, a sizeable asteroid will strike Earth. Many scientists believe that this was the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs. Asteroids also hit each other and break apart into fragments. Most fragments are the size of a grain of sand. When these fragments enter Earth's atmosphere, friction with the air causes them to burn. These are known as shooting stars, scientifically known as meteors. Meteors usually burn and disintegrate before they hit the ground. If a meteor hits the earth it becomes a m e t e o r i t e. Meteorites are useful to scientists for research. It allows 2

7 them to discover the composition of objects found deep in space. Pluto is a solar system oddity. The other eight planets are divided into either rocky planets or gas giants. Pluto is a tiny sphere of rock and ice. It is the smallest of the planets and has an elliptical orbit. Other planets have a circular path. Pluto's origin is puzzling. Scientists suggest that Pluto may be an escaped moon from a gas giant. It could also be a comet that got captured by the sun's gravity. Pluto has a large moon almost equal its size and shares its orbit area with Kuiper Belt objects. Comets lie beyond the Kuiper Belt. Comets look like a streaking fireball. Comets have three main parts: a nucleus, coma, and a tail. The nucleus is the head of the comet. It is made of frozen water and gasses, and bits of rock and metal dust. The coma surrounds the nucleus. The coma is created by gas and dust that boil off the nucleus as the comet approaches the sun. The tail also forms when a comet approaches the sun. Heat and pressure from the sun push out long streaks of the melting nucleus's gas and dust. As a result, the tail is always pointing away from the sun. The majority of comets stay within the Oort Cloud. The Oort Cloud includes the farthest reaches of the solar system and covers a vast amount of space. Comets are pulled by the sun's gravity and pushed away by its heat and pressure. The comets we see have been dislodged from the Oort Cloud. Some comets appear regularly, such as Halley's Comet that appears every 76 years. Several times a year, Earth crosses the path of old comets. These paths are littered with dust, which we see as meteor showers. Notes: Underlined words are identified vocabulary words to enhance student understanding. 3

8 VOCABULARY asteroids accretion asteroid belt meteors Pluto comets Kuiper Belt gravity fragments sphere elliptical orbits friction meteorite nucleus coma tail tail Oort Cloud meteor showers STUDENT OBJECTIVES After viewing the program and participating in the followup activities, students should be able to: Define key terminology and utilize context. Explain the difference between Pluto and the other eight planets. Describe the process of accretion. Explain the difference between asteroids, meteors, and meteorites. Identify the location and purpose of the asteroid belt, Oort Cloud, and Kuiper Belt. Explain the effect gravity has on objects in outer space. INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES Before presenting this lesson to your students, we suggest that you preview the program, review the guide, and the accompanying blackline master activities in order to familiarize yourself with their content. As you review the materials presented in this guide, you may find it necessary to make some changes, additions or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We encourage you to do so; for only by tailoring this program to your class will they obtain the maximum instructional benefits afforded by the materials. 4

9 STUDENT PREPARATION You may want the students to view the vocabulary words addressed in the program prior to showing the program. This may be accomplished by implementing a Word Splash. Word Splash is an active learning activity that introduces to the students vocabulary words to which they will be be exposed in the program. By doing this activity, students are given the chance to show what words they know well, and to become aware the words they need to find meaning. This is a good pre- and post-activity. It excites the students and gets them thinking. We suggest writing all of the vocabulary words on an overhead (see Blackline Master 1) or individually on pieces of paper. Have students create sentences using as many words as possible. This may be done individually, in partners, or in small groups. Have the students share their sentences and post them. By exposing the students to vocabulary prior to viewing the program, students will be prepared to listen for these words in the program. Additionally, they will want to find the correct meaning. Note: Word Splash may be done at the conclusion of the entire lesson, to compare learning accomplished by students. INTRODUCING THE VIDEO An optional pre-test is provided on Blackline Master 2, Anticipation Guide. This will help you determine the level of student comprehension prior to participating in this lesson. An answer key begins on page 9 of this Teacher's Guide. Ask students to share what they know about the scientific explanation, what is in the universe besides planets and the sun? Tell them that they will complete the Anticipation Guide on this concept prior to viewing the program. Explain that they are not expected to get all answers correct, but they are expected to try their best. 5

10 Present the program. The length is 15 minutes and includes an optional, three-minute program quiz at the end. FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES The following Blackline Master sheets are included with this guide. They correlate with the learning objectives outlined on page one of this guide. You may replicate and distribute them as needed. Following the program, students may have additional questions. The facilitator may want to hold off questions until follow-up activities are completed. They may write these answers down and the class may review them prior to the post-test. By doing so, the students may find the answers on their own. This program concludes with a ten-question Video Quiz, which may be used to gauge student comprehension immediately after the presentation of the program. Blackline Master 3, Video Quiz, provides students with a printed copy of the questions and a list from which to choose correct answers. As a class, you may wish to discuss questions that appear on Blackline Master 4, Discussion Questions. These questions should be copied onto an overhead or distributed to students, in order to meet the needs of your visual learners. In order to enforce vocabulary, review words from Word Splash (Blackline Master 1, Word Splash) as a class. Students can then fill out Blackline Master 5, Cloze Activity. This activity also covers the concepts of gravity and inertia. To help students identify the difference between gas giants, rocky planets, and Pluto, have students complete Blackline Master 6, Venn Diagram. Students can start 6

11 by filling out the Venn Diagram individually. Once the students have done as much as possible on their own, have students put Two Heads Together. This active learning strategy allows students to pair up and teach one another what they know, and provides the opportunity to add to their own Venn Diagram. This can be done again by putting Four Heads Together and so on. To practice the concept of the purpose of the sun, complete Blackline Master 7, What's in Space Dust? This experiment is fun to do and easy to administer. It is essential the facilitator get a rain sample prior to the activity. It is suggested that the facilitator do the experiment prior to the students, in order to become familiar with the activity. The goal is for students to find little objects that stick to the magnet. This supports the idea that meteorites are made of metal. Students confuse the difference between meteors, meteorites, and asteroids. To help students practice their knowledge of each one, use Blackline Master 8, Asteroids, Meteors, and Meteorites. This is a cooperative learning activity that gets students writing about these different space objects. It is suggested that answers be reviewed as a class to ensure that all students have the same definitions. To conclude your study A Spin in the Solar System: Asteroids, Comets and Pluto: The Small Pieces, use Blackline Master 9, Post-Test. This should be given to your students after viewing the program and completing additional activities to assess their knowledge of the topic. EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES SCIENCE EXTENSIONS: Students can research different meteorites that have impacted planets and moons. Students can find comets that pass Earth regularly and share their findings with the class. 7

12 ART CONNECTION: Have students bring in music or visual art that contains words that are related to the solar system, emphasizing comets, asteroids, Pluto. Share their findings. Discuss why this topic would be the focus of art. MATH CONNECTION: Study the difference between an elliptical orbit and a circular orbit. Have students find examples of these motions in their everyday lives. Pose the question, which one is better? Have students conduct their own investigations. CREATIVE WRITING CONNECTION: Students act as reporters and write an article on space objects other than the sun and planets. Articles should be fact based, not fictional. Students can personify the space objects, as long as they use scientific facts. Make a classroom newspaper or magazine. SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION: Research comets that are viewed from the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. Have students report their findings in an all class World Space Summit Special Focus on Comets. TECHNOLOGY CONNECTION: Have students create questions based on the topics covered in this program. Type the list of questions for the entire class. Have the students research the Internet for answers to the questions. It may help if you assign students to specific questions. Have a sharing session at the conclusion of class. INTERNET SITES (Nasa's K-12 internet initiat i v e ) h t t p :// w w w. n s t a. o r g / (National Science Te a c h e r ' s Association) (NASA) (Science Learning Network) (Resource for students to use when searching the Internet) h t t p :// K 12. n j i n. n e t / e d u c a t i o n l i n k s. h t m l ( C o l l a b o r a t i v e projects throughout the United States) h t t p :// w w w. s m v. o r g / h a s t i n g s / g a l a x y.htm ( S c i e n c e 8

13 Learning Network) REFERENCE MATERIALS The Origin Of The Universe. Andres L. Ruiz. Sterling Publishing Co., INC., NY Exploring The Reaches of the Solar System. Ray Spangenburg & Diane Moser. Fact on File, NY, Oxford, Sydney Merlin's Tour of the Universe. Neil de Grasse Tyson. Doubleday, NY Black Holes. Heather Couper & Nigel Henbest. DK Publishing, London Comets and Meteor Showers. Paul Sipiera. Children's Press: A Division of Grolier, NY, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Danburg, Connecticut ANSWER KEY Blackline Master 1, Word Splash Answers to the Word Splash will vary. When you use it before viewing the program, do not expect correct connections. After viewing the program and completion of Blackline Masters, expect correct connections. Blackline Master 2, Anticipation Guide 1. T 2. F; Asteroids have two categories: metal and rock 3.T 4. F; The asteroid belt lies between Jupiter and Mars 5. F; The eight planets have a circular orbit. Pluto has an elliptical orbit. 6. T 7. T 8. T 9. F; Pluto is neither a gas giant nor rocky planet 9

14 10. T 11. F; Comets have three parts: a nucleus, a coma, and a tail. 12. T 13. T 14. F: The tail is always moving away from the sun. 15. T Blackline Master 3, Video Quiz 1. Mars and Jupiter 6. smallest 2. accretion 7. Pluto 3. gravity 8. nucleus 4. dinosaurs 9. Oort CLoud 5. meteor 10. true Blackline Master 4, Discussion Questions 1. According to a mathematical formula created by Johann Bode over 200 years ago, there should be a planet between Mars and Jupiter. 2. The asteroid belt. 3. A theory is a proposed explanation that is debatable of certainty.a fact can be proven at any time, whereas a theory cannot. 4. One theory suggests that there once was a planet between Mars and Jupiter, but it was smashed into asteroids by a huge meteor. Another theory suggests that asteroids came from a planet that got too close to a bigger planet. The gravity from the larger planet pulled apart the smaller object. The third theory suggests that asteroids were starting to form into the shape of a planet, but Jupiter interfered with accretion. 5. Accretion is the process through which planets are formed. Fragments float around in space and are drawn together by the force of gravity. This gravitational pull forms the fragments into a sphere. 6. A shooting star is caused by asteroid fragments hitting Earth's atmosphere. The friction causes them to burn. Meteor. 7. Since meteors come from outer space, scientists can 10

15 learn about the metals and dusts in outer space by studying meteorites. 8. Pluto is the smallest planet, made up of ice and rock, and has an elliptical orbit. 9. Answers will vary. Look for scientific evidence. 10. The comet has a nucleus, coma, and tail. 11. The Oort Cloud includes the farthest reaches of our solar system. Comets are found within the Oort Cloud. 12. The Kuiper Belt is where Pluto lies. It includes Pluto and objects that are similar to icy asteroids ) Few comets come close enough to see with an unaided eye. 2) They are beautiful to watch. Heat and pressure from the sun push out long streaks of the melting nucleus's gas and dust. Light from the sun make the dust and gas particles glow. 14. Meteor showers are caused by the Earth passing by old comets. The paths are littered with dust, which hit the Earth's atmosphere. The friction from the fragments hitting our atmosphere makes them glow. 15. Answers will vary. Guide students to give scientific answers. Blackline Master 5, Cloze Activity 1. Gravity 7. asteroids 2. accretion 8. extinction 3. fragments 9. shooting stars 4. sphere 10. meteors 5. Jupiter 11. meteorites 6. asteroid belt Blackline Master 6, Venn Diagram Answers will vary. Encourage students to share ideas and add to their Venn Diagram. Make sure that they have the correct qualities under each type of planet. Blackline Master 7, Experiment: What's in Space D u s t? This is a great opportunity to observe cooperative behavior. Answers and pictures will vary. Look for thorough observations and scientific answers. The answers to the questions are: 1) Students should say that there are 11

16 some types of metal because the magnet picked them up. 2) Answers should include that the friction from the meteorite hitting the Earth's atmosphere shaped the objects. The magnet. Blackline Master 8, Asteroids, Meteors, and Meteorites The students' answers will vary. Highlight scientific responses. Encourage cooperative work. This is a great time to observe cooperative behavior and to grasp students' understanding of the three objects. Blackline Master 8, Post-Test 1. D 6. D 2. A 7. A 3. B 8. D 4. B 9. B 5. C 10. A Scrip Narration We generally think of the solar system as a neat, tidy, package of nine planets that orbit the sun. But many astronomers say the solar system more closely resembles a construction site, where the area is littered with leftover scraps, unused parts, and other odds and ends. We are not always sure what's being made or where the parts came from, except to feel that somehow they all make sense. Lets look at the solar system, ignoring the sun and most planets, to examine all the small pieces scattered around. Two hundred years ago, Johann Bode was in search of logic and order for the solar system when he developed a mathematical formula for the spacing of the planets. This formula indicated that a planet was missing between Mars and Jupiter, where there was an unusually large gap. Astronomers began searching for the missing planet, and soon found one, which they named Ceres. But Ceres was tiny, barely 600 miles (1000 kilometers) in diameter. It's less than a third the size of the moon. 12

17 Astronomers eventually found many more of these midget planets, which they called asteroids. Presently, tens of thousand of asteroids have been located between Mars and Jupiter, and there may be hundreds of thousands of others. Ceres remains the largest. Some are barely the size of a peanut. Most fall into one of two basic groups. There are dark ones, made of metal, especially iron and nickel; and there are light-colored ones made of rock. Why, instead of a planet, are asteroids here in this Mars- Jupiter gap? Astronomers offer a few theories. First, perhaps the asteroids once did form a planet, but the planet was smashed by a huge meteor. The volume of the varying sized fragments and their rock and metal composition are what we might expect from a planet somewhat smaller than Mars. Another theory says that asteroids came from a planet that got too close to Jupiter. Small orbiting bodies that get too close to big ones can be pulled apart by the larger planet's gravity. A third theory suggests that asteroids were starting to gather together to form a planet, but never finished, because Jupiter interfered with accretion. Accretion is the process through which Earth and other planets formed 4.5 billion years ago. During accretion, fragments floating in space much like asteroids today, were drawn together by the force of gravity into a growing sphere for each planet. In the case of asteroids, gravity was perhaps unable to assemble a new planet because of Jupiter's gravity. Jupiter's gravity is several times stronger than Earth's. It's pull could have prevented accretion of asteroids into a single planet. Today we call the gap between Mars and Jupiter the asteroid belt. While the concentration of asteroids is heaviest here, small numbers are scattered across the 13

18 solar system. Many asteroids outside the Mars-Jupiter belt have egg-shaped elliptical orbits. This takes some of them across the Earth's path. In fact, on average every 250,000 years, a sizeable asteroid strikes us. A hit by even a moderate-sized asteroid could replace a big city with a deep crater. Many scientists believe a huge asteroid strike occurring 65 million years ago helped cause the extinction of dinosaurs by creating a worldwide cloud of pulverized rock and metal that changed Earth's climate. Asteroids also hit each other. The collisions scatter blizzards of fragments, most of them about the size of a grain of sand. Every day, some of these fragments enter the Earth's atmosphere, traveling up to 10 times faster than a rifle bullet. Friction with the air causes them to burn. We call these flaming streaks shooting stars, or more properly, meteors. Most shooting stars are asteroid fragments, but some come from another source, as we'll see later. Meteors usually burn and disintegrate before they hit the ground. If a meteor reaches Earth, it becomes a meteorite. Meteorites, like these brick-sized ones, are hard to find, and give us rare chances to inspect deep space objects first hand. Even though most meteors burn and disintegrate, an estimated 10 tons of space dust still falls on Earth every day. Well beyond the asteroid belt, we meet another solar system oddity. This is the planet Pluto. How and why is Pluto different? First, the other eight planets can be neatly divided into two groups. The four planets nearest the sun, including Earth, are small, dense, and have lots of rock and metals. The next four planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, are enormous globes of gas, hundreds of times the size of Earth. And then there is Pluto, a tiny sphere of ice and rock. In size, it is the smallest of all planets, but in location and composition, it's like a gas giant, or even a comet. Pluto also has a peculiar, strongly elliptical orbit. Other planets have almost circular paths 14

19 but Pluto's is like a stretched circle. Only a few years ago, Pluto was closer to the sun than Neptune because its path cut inside Neptune's. Not surprisingly, Pluto's origin is puzzling. Pluto may be an escaped moon from a gas planet, or a comet that got captured by the sun's gravity. Or maybe Pluto is made of material left over from the early formation of the solar system that just didn't fit anywhere else. Recently astronomers have also discovered that Pluto is not entirely alone. Pluto has a large moon almost equal its size, and shares its orbit area with hundreds or thousands of smaller objects called Kuiper Belt objects, which are like icy asteroids. The Kuiper Belt covers a broad band 30 to 100 times farther from the sun than Earth. Pluto's odd character, and the discoveries in the Kuiper and Asteroid belts blur the definition of what is a planet. At what size, and what kind of orbit do asteroids and objects become planets? These small pieces also help us realize the solar system is not simple, and has more construction, remodeling or cleaning up in store in the future. Beyond Pluto and the Kuiper Bel, we encounter yet another group of solar oddities, the comets. A comet, we see, looks like a giant streaking fireball in the night sky. A comet has three main parts. First, there is the head, or nucleus. The nucleus resembles a huge dirty snowball, perhaps 20 miles, or 36 kilometers across. The nucleus is made of frozen water and gases, mixed with bits of rock and metal dust. The contents of the nucleus are a lot like Pluto's. Surrounding the nucleus is the coma. The coma is created by gas and dust that boil off the nucleus as the comet approaches the sun. The coma can swell out from the nucleus hundreds of miles or kilometers. A comet's long tail also forms as it approaches the sun. Heat and pressure from the sun push out long streaks of the melting nucleus's gas and dust. The resulting tail faces straight away from the sun. So a comet's tail does not necessarily point to its direction of travel. Light from the sun makes the dust and gas particles of the tail appear to 15

20 glow. Seeing a comet with unaided eyes is rare, because few comets come close enough. The vast majority of them, in untold billions, stay in and form what is called the Oort Cloud. The Oort Cloud includes the farthest reaches of our solar system. If Pluto's orbit were the size of a quarter, the Oort Cloud would be nearly twice the size of an average classroom. In the Oort Cloud, comets are both pulled by the sun's gravity and pushed away by its heat and pressure. Comets we see have been dislodged from the Oort Cloud, perhaps by a collision with another comet, or the gravitational pull of a passing star, or even the gravitational pull of Neptune. Some comets reappear regularly for centuries. Halley's comet, for example, shows up every 76 years. Other comets appear once and disappear forever. Eventually, any comet that regularly swings near the sun breaks up or melts. Several times a year, Earth crosses paths of old comets. The paths are littered with dust, which turns into dramatic meteor showers with many times more streaks per hour than we get from asteroid fragments. If the solar system is ever fully completed and packaged, we will no longer see comets or shooting stars. The fragments and snowballs will have burned up, melted, or settled into a safe, permanent orbit. But this is unlikely to happen. The solar system has billions of parts. Slowly, over billions of years, they are getting used in a remarkable construction project that probably will always change, and never run out of small pieces. SMALL PIECES: Video Quiz 1. The asteroid belt lies between the planets of and. 2. is the process through which fragments in space are drawn together to form planets. 16

21 3. One theory about asteroids says that Jupiter's strong prevented the asteroids from forming a planet. 4. Many scientists believe a strike by an asteroid 65 million years ago helped cause the extinction of on Earth. 5. Another, more proper, name for a shooting star is. 6. In size, Pluto is the of all planets. 7. Kuiper Belt objects are like icy asteroids that share an orbit with which planet? 8. A comet has three main parts: the, the coma and the tail. 9. Billions of comets occur in the, which lies beyond Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. 10. True or False: A comet's tail always points away from the sun. 17

22 1 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Word Splash asteroids accretion asteroid belt gravity Kuiper Belt elliptical sphere orbits friction meteor showers meteorite coma tail nucleus Pluto fragments 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

23 2 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Anticipation Guide Directions: Answer the following questions by circling the correct response. Do your best! 1. There is a mathematical formula for the spacing of planets. True False 2. Asteroids are categorized into 5 basic groups. True False 3. Accretion is the process through which planets are formed. True False 4. The asteroid belt lies between Jupiter and Saturn. True False 5. Most planets orbit in an elliptical pattern. True False 6. Scientists suggest that an asteroid hitting the earth caused the extinction of dinosaurs. True False 7. There are three theories explaining why there is no planet in the asteroid belt area. True False 8. If a meteor hits the earth it is called a meteorite. True False 9. Pluto is categorized as a gas giant. True False 10. Pluto shares its orbit with Kuiper Belt objects. True False 11. Comets have five parts. True False 12. The Oort Cloud can be found in the farthest reaches of the solar system. True False 13.The Oort Cloud is affected by the sun's gravitational pull. True False 14. Comets are always moving towards the sun. True False 15. An estimated ten tons of space dust fall on Earth every day. True False After viewing the program, review your answers. See how many questions you answered correctly. Review the ones you answered incorrectly Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

24 3 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Video Quiz Directions: Now that you have viewed the program, let's challenge your memory by answering some quiz questions. Fill in the blanks with the correct words. Good luck! 1. The asteroid belt lies between the planets of and. 2. is the process through which fragments in space are drawn together to form planets. 3. One theory about asteroids says that Jupiter's strong prevented the asteroids from forming a planet. 4. Many scientists believe a strike by an asteroid 65 million years ago helped cause the extinction of on Earth. 5. Another, more proper name, for a shooting star is. 6. In size, Pluto is the of all planet. 7. Kuiper Belt objects are like icy asteroids that share an orbit with which planet?. 8. A comet has three main parts: the, the coma, and the tail. 9. Billions of comets occur in the, which lies beyond Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. 10. A comet's tail always points away from the sun. True or False? 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

25 4 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Discussion Questions Directions: Answer the following questions as directed by your teacher. 1. Why were scientists looking for a planet between Jupiter and Mars over 200 year ago? 2. What was actually found between Jupiter and Mars? 3. Scientists often create theories. What is a theory and how is it different from facts? 4. What is one of the theories behind the existence of the asteroid belt? 5. What is the process of accretion? 6. What is a shooting star? What is the scientific name of a shooting star? 7. What can scientists learn form meteorites? 8. How is Pluto Different from the other eight planets? 9. If you were a scientist, would you classify Pluto as a planet? 10. Describe an experience when you have seen a comet. What did it look like? Now that we have viewed the program, what are the parts of a comet? 11. Where would you find the Oort Cloud? What would you find in the Oort Cloud? 12. Where would you find the Kuiper Belt? What would you find in Kuiper's Belt? 13. Why are comets so amazing to see? (Hint: There are at least two reasons) 14. What is a meteor shower a result of? 15. Why do you think it is important that scientists study objects in space other than the sun and nine planets? 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

26 5 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Cloze Activity: A Few Scientific Questions Directions: Choose the correct word from the word box to complete the paragraph below. asteroids accretion asteroid belt meteors meteorite extinction gravity fragments sphere Jupiter shooting stars Our solar system is extremely complex. There are more objects out there than the sun and nine planets. There are many questions scientists research about our solar system, in the past, present and future. One question that has been researched is how were planets and space objects formed? One thing is known, all objects need (1.) to be held together. (2.) is the process through which Earth and other planets were formed 4.5 billion years ago. During accretion, (3.) floating in space were drawn together by the force of gravity. As a result, they grew into a (4. ) shaped object. In the case of asteroids, gravity was perhaps unable to assemble a new planet because of Jupiter's gravity. Another question scientists have researched is why there is no planet in between Mars and (5.). Today we call the gap the (6.). While the concentration of (7.) are heaviest here, small numbers are scattered across the solar system. Another question scientists research is will any of these objects hit Earth? It is rare that a sizeable asteroid would hit Earth. Many scientists believed that a huge asteroid hit Earth 65 million years ago, which helped cause the (8.) of dinosaurs. Asteroids do hit each other, creating fragments the size of a grain of sand. These fragments hit Earth's atmosphere daily. Friction with the air causes them to burn. We call the flaming streaks (9.), or scientifically, (10.). These usually burn or disintegrate before they hit the ground. If a meteor hits Earth, it becomes a (11.). Scientist study these objects to get a better picture on what exists is outer space. Maybe one day you will be a scientist and find out more information about these puzzling questions or ask some yourselves Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

27 6 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Venn Diagram Directions: Fill in the Venn Diagram below. Under the circle labeled Rocky Planets, write in everything you know about Rocky Planets. Under the circle labeled Gas Giants, write in everything you know about Gas Giants. Above the circle labeled Pluto, write everything you know about Pluto. Where the circles intersect, write any common qualities that they share Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

28 7 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Experiment: What's in Space Dust? Every day fragments from space enter the earth's atmosphere. Have you ever seen any evidence of this? Collect some rainwater and see what you can discover! Materials: Magnet Clear sandwich bag Rainwater collected. If it is winter, collect fresh fallen snow and melt. Hand lens Popsicle stick Microscope Microscope slide Directions: 1. Put the magnet inside of the plastic bag. Then run the magnet over the rainwater. 2. Use the hand lens to observe what is outside of the baggie. 3. Use the Popsicle stick to rub off any thing collected onto a microscope slide. 4. Write your observations below and answer the questions. Observations: 1. Use words and pictures to describe what you have found in your rainwater: Questions: 1. You have been viewing space dust that comes from meteorites. What do you think meteorites are made of? What did you use in the experiment that made you make this conclusion? 2. What might have caused the meteorites to shape the way they are? 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

29 8 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Asteroids, Meteors, and Meteorites Our solar system has many fascinating objects. With a partner, write about three well-known space objects. Include as many facts as you can. You may view the program again or use additional resources that you may have in your classroom. Use complete sentences and double-check your work! Asteroids: Meteors: Meteorites: 2001 Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

30 9 Name Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto: The Small Pieces Post-Test Directions: Answer the following questions by circling the correct answer. Remember to double-check your work for accuracy after you have completed the test. Do your best! 1. Asteroids fall into which category? A. planets B. metal C. rock D. both B & C 2. The Asteroid Belt is located between which 2 planets? A. Mars and Jupiter B. Venus and Earth C. Jupiter and Saturn D. Neptune and Pluto 3. Which theory supports why asteroids did not form into planets? A. There was not enough material to make a planet. B. Jupiter's gravity interfered with the accretion process. C. The amount of gravity was too little to hold the fragments into a sphere. D. There were enough planets already. 4. Accretion is which process? A. The process of asteroids forming. B. The process through which Earth and other planets were formed billions of years ago. C. The process of how a comet is formed. D. The process for how meteors hit the earth's surface. 5. What is the scientific name of a shooting star? A. Meteorite B. Comet C. Meteor D. Space Dust 6. Which is not true about the planet Pluto? A. Pluto is the smallest planet. B. Pluto is made up of ice and rock. C. Pluto has an elliptical orbit. D. Pluto shares its space with the asteroid belt. 7. Comets are found beyond Pluto? A. True B. False 8. A comets three main parts are a, tail, and a coma. a. ice b. rock c. dust d. nucleus 9. Which force is needed to keep planets formed and within their orbit? A. friction B. gravity C. electromagnetic energy 10. Which are true about the Oort Cloud? A It is close to the earth. B. It is extremely large. C. Comets exist within the Oort Cloud. D. Objects in the Oort Cloud are pulled by gravity and pushed by heat and pressure Maslowski Wildlife Productions Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.