8-ESS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the…

The Solar System: Gravity, Orbits and Scale Grades 5–8 · partly supports this outcome

Pace out the whole solar system across the schoolyard from real NASA distances, walk a human orbit held together by an arm of 'gravity', graph real planet years to find the pattern, and plan a mission from planet data cards. Nothing to buy: just the printed sheets and some space.

• Why do planets go around the Sun and not fly away? 50–60 min

  Students make a human orbit held together by a linked arm of 'gravity', let go to see where a planet would go without it, and follow Isaac Newton's cannon on a mountaintop. Then they graph the real length of every planet's year against its distance from the Sun and find the pattern.

Printable practice for 8-ESS1-2

• The Solar System: Gravity, Orbits and Scale workbook included with the unit

  1 word wall, 1 English-support page, 1 practice page, 1 reading, 1 unit review, 1 unit test, with answer keys.

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