Resource Detail: Science Object

	Solar System: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites
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Details

Type of Resource:	Science Object
Average Rating:	based on 5 - 24 / 4.8 reviews
Publication Title:	Solar System
Publication Date:	11/1/2006
Grade Level:	Elementary School, Middle School

Description

Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the third of four Science Objects in the Solar System SciPack. It provides an understanding of the bodies other than planets that exist in our solar system. There are many asteroids and meteoroids composed of rock orbiting the Sun. Occasionally, one of these bodies enters the Earth’s atmosphere, glowing as they disintegrate from atmospheric friction. Those that do not completely burn up in the atmosphere may impact the ground. Other chunks of rock mixed with ice have such long and off-center orbits that they only periodically come very close to the Sun, where some of their surface material is boiled off by the Sun's radiation and pushed into a long illuminated tail that we see as a comet.

Ideas For Use

Science Objects are two hour learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers can access any topic “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on the science literacy goals in the national standards (NSES, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks, and the Atlas of Scientific Literacy) and tied to state standards.

Each Science Object provides an understanding of the science content by providing a structured set of learning experiences through simulations and practice assessments. Science Objects challenge teachers to explore and explain real world phenomena and are founded on the principle that learners must be challenged with a problem, observation, data, etc., in order to develop scientific understanding. Science Objects utilize the five phases of inquiry-based learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

Learning Outcomes:

Solar System: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites

Describe the similarities and differences in comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Describe the size, composition, and motion of meteors, asteroids, and comets.
Differentiate between meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids, and explain what happens to meteors as they fall through Earth’s atmosphere.
Explain how we learn about asteroids, comets, and meteorites.

Discussions

Getting to Know the Solar System

Posted in Earth and Space Science by Adah Stock on Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:39 AM

Ladies: This is great news that your students enjoyed learning about the solar system. I am glad you joined the discus...

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)	Asteroids Comets Meteoroids
Intended User Role:	Elementary-Level Educator, High-School Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher
Educational Issues:	Inquiry learning, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge, Teaching strategies

Technical

Resource Format:	application/x-shockwave-flash, audio/mp3, image/gif, image/jpeg, text/html, video/quicktime
Installation Remarks:	Run the Science Objects System Check to ensure that your system is capable of viewing the simulations: http://ecommerce2.nsta.org/system_check/
Requirements:	Requires Macromedia Flash Player and Apple Quicktime Player

National Standards Correlation

This resource has 4 correlations with the National Standards.
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This resource has 4 correlations with the National Standards.
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Earth Science
- Earth in the solar system
  - The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets. (5-8)

Process Standards for Professional Development
- Research-Based
  - Address teachers' needs as learners and build on their current knowledge of science content, teaching, and learning. (NSES)
- Design
  - Introduce teachers to scientific literature, media, and technological resources that expand their science knowledge and their ability to access further knowledge. (NSES)
- Learning
  - Build on the teacher's current science understanding, ability, and attitudes. (NSES)

State Standards Correlation

Use the form below to view which of your state standards this resource addresses.

User Reviews

	Solar System Review
	Leah Lawrence (Thoreau, NM) on March 17, 2013
	This science object was fantastic. Perfect for an older grade level classroom in elementary school. The animations were great and aptly illustrated the concepts in the written text. The explanations for the differences between asteroids, comets and meteorites were concise and clear. I also enjoyed the pictures of the craters along with the possibilities of future impacts discussed. Since there has been a little bit of an entertainment focus on the idea of an impact to Earth and how it would affect the planet, I think that the actual predictions of such an impact were helpful.

	Great Resource!
	Michelle on April 28, 2010
	I would definitely recommend teachers to use this resource. It has much beneficial information regarding meteorites and comets. This material would be great for older grades such as 4th or 5th grade science. Students would truly enjoy learning some of this information. Also, I found that it was quite interesting how this resource discussed Giuseppe Piazzi and how he discovered an object he first referred to as a new comet. This resource overall includes a lot of great science information, specifically about meteorites. There are many different lessons that made using this particular resource.

	Cosmic Collision
	Lorrie Armfield (Laurel, MD) on December 12, 2011
	One of the most glorious things you can see in the night sky is a comet….but what exactly is it? This resource explains the origin of comets, and provides a detailed description of its orbit around the sun. Additionally, it takes us on an adventure of the path of a asteroid as it revolves around the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Finally, we learn about the life of a meteoroid as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere and either burns up completely (meteor) or hits the Earth’s surface (meteorite). I loved this journey and I highly recommend this resource for anyone interested in exploring some of the smaller objects in the solar system.

	Cosmic Collision
	Lorrie Armfield (Laurel, MD) on December 12, 2011
	One of the most glorious things you can see in the night sky is a comet….but what exactly is it? This resource explains the origin of comets, and provides a detailed description of its orbit around the sun. Additionally, it takes us on an adventure of the path of a asteroid as it revolves around the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Finally, we learn about the life of a meteoroid as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere and either burns up completely (meteor) or hits the Earth’s surface (meteorite). I loved this journey and I highly recommend this resource for anyone interested in exploring some of the smaller objects in the solar system.

	solar system review: leanne
	Leanne Palmer on April 28, 2010
	I think that this is an interesting website because it explains that things such as asteroids, comets, and meteorites that we do not normally encounter in our lives but that do exist. Learning more about these things that seem so abstract to us is interesting. This site is good!

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