Science KS 3 Unit 7L The solar system and beyond

In this unit pupils:

• consolidate their ideas about the Sun and Moon, and use models of these to explain phenomena such as eclipses and the seasons.
• learn that planets and satellites are seen by reflected light and that the Sun, as a star, emits light.
• compare the Sun with other stars.

In scientific enquiry pupils:

• consider how evidence about the solar system has been collected and interpreted.
• use models to explain phenomena.
• present data as a line graph and interpret this.
• evaluate the strength of evidence obtained.
• use data from secondary sources to answer questions about the solar system and the stars.


This unit is expected to take approximately 9 hours

OTHER RESOURCES

• secondary sources, eg internet, CD-ROMs, photographs, video clips, reference books, showing the phases of the Moon, Earth from Moon, solar eclipses, discussing the possibility of life on other planets, the apparent movement of stars across the night sky
• secondary sources giving seasonal data, eg temperature, day length, rainfall, for a variety of places
• suitable materials for making models of the Earth, Moon and Sun system and of the solar system or a planetarium
• datalogger with light sensor and heat sensor