Lesson 1: The Structure of the Solar System - Objects in the Solar System:
We learned that the objects that orbit the Sun include planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets. These objects reflect the Sun’s light. Then we learned that a planet has a nearly spherical shape. The mass of a planet is much larger than the mass of nearby objects. Next we learned about the eight planets in our solar system. The four planets closest to the Sun are called the inner planets. The inner planets are made mainly from rocky materials. The four planets farthest from the Sun are called the outer planets which are made mostly of ice and gases. These outer planets are much larger than the inner planets so they are sometimes called gas giants. We learned that a dwarf planet is a spherical object that orbits the Sun, is not the moon of another planet, and has less mass than any of the eight planets. Then we learned that millions of small, rocky objects called asteroids orbit the Sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter. We learned that a comet orbits the Sun in an oval-shaped orbit and is made of dust, gas, and ice. Next we learned that the astronomical unit is used to measure long distances in the solar system and one astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance from Earth to the Sun.
Assignment: Add notes on planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets to the science notebook.