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Lesson Title: Make a Comet and Eat It!
Year of the Solar System
Grade Levels: 4-6
Connection To Curriculum:
Science and Technology
Teacher Prep Time: 2 hours
Lesson Time Needed: 1.5 hours
Complexity: Moderate
Keywords: solar system, small
bodies, coma, tail, nucleus, deep
impact, scientific methods, solar
wind, sun, orbits, Kuiper Belt, oort
cloud, edible
Materials:
One sandwich-size reclosable plastic bag per teams of two to four
One gallon-size reclosable plastic bag per teams of two to four
Small cups for ice cream -- one for each person on the team. Two additional cups are needed to trade with another team -- one each to feel only, taste, smell and see.
Plastic spoons -- one per student
Rubber kitchen gloves, oven mitts, or cloths or sweaters (The comet bags get cold!)
Ice (to fill a gallon-size bag half full per team) or fresh snow
Chunky cookies in black or brown, crushed candies (like toffee or peppermint), gummy bears, coconut flakes or peanuts
Whole milk (2% won't work)
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Evaporated milk
Salt
Can opener
Something to use to crush cookies and other additives
One gallon-size reclosable plastic bag per teams of two to four
Small cups for ice cream -- one for each person on the team. Two additional cups are needed to trade with another team -- one each to feel only, taste, smell and see.
Plastic spoons -- one per student
Rubber kitchen gloves, oven mitts, or cloths or sweaters (The comet bags get cold!)
Ice (to fill a gallon-size bag half full per team) or fresh snow
Chunky cookies in black or brown, crushed candies (like toffee or peppermint), gummy bears, coconut flakes or peanuts
Whole milk (2% won't work)
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Evaporated milk
Salt
Can opener
Something to use to crush cookies and other additives
Description
In this activity, students develop a comet model that can be eaten and trade another "comet" on which to take measurement using four senses.
Objectives
Students will:
• Investigate the physical characteristics of comets.
• Compare their ideas about comets with the data that NASA comet missions have sent back to Earth.
• Develop a comet model.
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Lesson Guide Make a Comet Lesson [257KB PDF file] |
Lesson Activities and Sequence
Comet on a Stick
In this activity, you are going to develop a comet model that you can eat. The students will trade "comets" and pretend to be an instrument on the Deep Impact spacecraft called a spectrometer. You will use four of your senses individually to decide what is in the ice cream.
Keywords: solar system, small bodies, coma, tail, nucleus, deep impact, scientific methods, solar wind, sun, orbits, Kuiper Belt, oort cloud, edible
National Standards:
National Science Education Standards, NSTA
Science as Inquiry
• Understanding of scientific concepts.
• An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in science.
Physical Science
• Properties of objects and materials.
Earth and Space Science
• Objects in the sky.
Science and Technology
• Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans.
ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators for Students, ISTE
Communication and Collaboration
• Interact, collaborate and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
• Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Science as Inquiry
• Understanding of scientific concepts.
• An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in science.
Physical Science
• Properties of objects and materials.
Earth and Space Science
• Objects in the sky.
Science and Technology
• Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans.
ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators for Students, ISTE
Communication and Collaboration
• Interact, collaborate and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
• Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.