Activity

Orbits and Effects

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

What does your world revolve around? Challenge the class as they learn about orbits and the effects of them on our modern world. Young astronomers begin by measuring ellipses and calculating the eccentricity of Earth's orbit. Then, they compare Earth's orbit to the sun and discuss this relationship. Pupils conclude by discussing the subsequent effects of the earth and sun's orbit on climate change.

65 Views 72 Downloads NGSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Have the class research space exploration and provide details on their orbits around Earth and its moon
  • Challenge learners to figure out if or how space travel affects changes in our ozone layer
Classroom Considerations
  • Provide assistance on math based activities if needed
  • Allow collaborative learning throughout the majority of the activity to encourage student participation
  • This is the third in a series of seven related earth science resources
Pros
  • Provides the ability to implement the lesson over the course of several days
  • Students are able to relate the information learned to present day issues with our environment
Cons
  • Document permissions do not allow for printing