Topic: Position of the Earth in the Universe and in the Solar System

Addressee

VI grade elementary school student

Core curriculum

V. Earth Movements: Earth in the Solar System; rotational and reciprocating motion; consequences of Earth movements General requirements

General aim of education

You will discover the location of the Earth in the solar system and in the galaxy

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• explain the terms „geocentric theory” and „heliocentric theory” and mention the similarities and differences between these theories;

• discuss the construction of the Solar System;

• list the characteristic features of Earth‑type planets and Jupiter‑type planets;

• describe the general structure of the Galaxy;

• describe the position of the Solar System in the Galaxy.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• exposing

  • exposition.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Students get acquainted with the content of the abstract. They prepare to work on the lesson in such a way to be able to summarize the material read in their own words and solve the tasks themselves.

Introduction

• Before classes, the teacher instructs students to search in various sources (including - in the lesson „Place of the Earth in the Universe and in the Solar System of the textbook) information on the geocentric theory and the heliocentric theory.

• At the beginning of the class, the teacher determines the purpose of the lesson, informing the students about its planned course.

Realization

• The teacher presents a gallery of photos depicting the evolution of the state of knowledge about the place of the Earth in the Universe over the centuries. (Multimedia). During the presentation the lecturer should raise the following topics: similarities and differences between the geocentric and heliocentric model;
  • Solar system and its structure;
  • terrestrial planets and their general characteristics;
  • Jupiter‑type planets and their general characteristics;
  • the position of the Solar System in the Galaxy
  • evidence for extrasolar planets.

• Volunteers or persons indicated by the teacher refer to the following topics:
  • geocentric theory and its basic assumptions;
  • heliocentric theory and its basic assumptions.
  The teacher complements students' answers and corrects wrong answers.

• The teacher presents a gallery of photos depicting the evolution of the state of knowledge about the place of the Earth in the Universe over the centuries. (Multimedia). During the presentation the lecturer should raise the following topics:
  • similarities and differences between the geocentric and heliocentric model;
  • Solar system and its structure;
  • terrestrial planets and their general characteristics;
  • Jupiter‑type planets and their general characteristics;
  • the position of the Solar System in the Galaxy
  • evidence for extrasolar planets.

• Students perform an exercise consisting in ordering the drawings of planets, according to their distance from the Sun (multimedia). The aim of the exercise is to consolidate basic information about the structure of the solar system and the names of individual planets.

Summary

• The last stage is a short summary of the lessons used to systematize and consolidate the message, clarify any ambiguities and complete the notes.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Position of the Earth in the Universe and in the Solar System

For thousands of years, people believed that the Earth is the center of the Universe, and that the Sun, the Moon, and other celestial bodies revolve around it. Such a view was scientifically elaborated in the 2nd century CE by a Greek mathematician, astronomer and geographer Claudius Ptolemy, and written down in documents that have survived to this day. For more than ten centuries, Ptolemy’s geocentric theory was treated as the only true image of the Universe.

Only the research, observations, measurements, and calculations carried out in the 16th century by Nicolaus Copernicus (astronomer, mathematician, economist, lawyer, military strategist, and doctor) – a Pole from Toruń – proved that the Earth (together with other planets and their moons) goes around the Sun. The currently accepted concept of Nicolaus Copernicus, modified by later scholars, is known as the heliocentric theory. It has made humanity aware that the Earth is not some special, central place, but only a small part of the huge Cosmos.