Solar System

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Topics and Activities

• Solar system scavenger hunt
  • ("Where besides Earth can you find water? What is your weight on...? etc.)
• The Mars Show (see below)
• Martian canals activity
• Solar System Detectives. Students chase two thieves throughout the solar system, gathering clues to solve this "space case" by recognizing scenes near each planet the thieves pass.
• Size and scale of the solar system
  • See Solar System web links

Resources

• Solar System web links
  • Unmanned space exploration
• See the Mars links page
  • Mythology and literature of the planets
  • Science fiction
  • Search for Extra-terrestrial life

Bibliography

Juvenile non-fiction astronomy books are shelved under j522 and j523. Books published by Scholastic are marked [S]. General astronomy books are listed on the primary group index page. See Material Goodies list for other adult or teacher recommended items.

• The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, Joanna Cole
• Our Solar System, Seymour Simon
• Looking at the Planets, Melvin Berger [S]
• My Picture Book of the Planets, Nancy E. Krulik [S]
• Voyager, An Adventure Through Space, John Gustafson [S]
• Mars, Michael George
• Jupiter, MaryAnn McDonald
• Einstein Anderson Lights Up the Sky, Seymour Simon (Grades 4-7)
• Einstein Anderson Tellas a Comet's Tale, Seymour Simon (Grades 4-7)
• The Planet of Junior Brown, Virginia Hamilton (Grades 5-12)
• The Year of the Comet, Roberta Wiegand (Grades 3-9)
• To Space and Back, Sally Ride (Grades 4-7)

Planetarium show

Drama in Three Acts: The Red Planet in myth, history, and modern exploration Mars show info Mars links Show focus and discussion questions

Feature presentation for adults and older children, narrated by Patrick Stewart 45 minutes (contains dramatic material that may alarm younger children) created by Loch Ness Productions

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