Science Year 7

Unit 7L The solar system and beyond

About the unit Expectations

In this unit pupils: At the end of this unit
• consolidate their ideas about the Sun and Moon, and use models of these to explain phenomena such as in terms of scientific enquiry
eclipses and the seasons
• learn that planets and satellites are seen by reflected light and that the Sun, as a star, emits light most pupils will: describe and explain a phenomenon of the solar
• compare the Sun with other stars system, eg solar eclipse; describe ways in which evidence about the
solar system has been collected; interpret patterns in data with
In scientific enquiry pupils:
respect to a model of the solar system, eg the tilt of the Earth causing
• consider how evidence about the solar system has been collected and interpreted
seasonal variation; select information from secondary sources to
• use models to explain phenomena
present a report about a planet and evaluate the strength of evidence
• present data as a line graph and interpret this
from data
• evaluate the strength of evidence obtained
• use data from secondary sources to answer questions about the solar system and the stars some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: describe a
phenomenon of the solar system using some scientific terms; describe
This unit is expected to take approximately 9 hours. patterns in seasonal variation, eg day length, climate; use simple
secondary sources to collect information about a planet
Where the unit fits in
some pupils will have progressed further and will: describe and explain a
This unit uses ideas developed in the key stage 2 programme of study. It builds on ideas introduced in unit 5E
phenomenon of the solar system, showing that explanations have
‘Earth, Sun and Moon’ and unit 6F ‘How we see things’ in the key stage 2 scheme of work.
changed over time; use a model of the Earth, Moon, Sun system to
The unit relates to unit 9J ‘Gravity and space’. Reflection of light is covered in unit 8K ‘Light’. explain patterns in data, eg seasonal variations, and relate this to real
The historical impact of discoveries about the universe is covered in unit 21 ‘From Aristotle to the atom’ in the observations; use a range of secondary sources in finding information to
history scheme of work. report on aspects of the solar system
in terms of physical processes
most pupils will: relate eclipses, phases of the Moon and seasonal changes
to a simple model of the Sun, Earth and Moon system; describe the
relative positions of the planets and their conditions compared to Earth;
state that the Sun is a star and that stars are light sources, while planets
and other objects in the solar system reflect light
some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: describe how
the Moon orbits the Earth and the Earth spins while orbiting the Sun;
identify some differences between features of the Earth and other
planets; recognise that the Sun and stars are light sources but the
Moon reflects light
some pupils will have progressed further and will: explain, using models,
patterns or associations in data about the Earth and other planets in
the solar system, eg relationship between distance from Sun and
orbital period; use large numbers appropriate to these; make
comparisons between the Sun and other stars

Key stage 3 schemes of work

Prior learning Resources
It is helpful if pupils: Resources include:
• know that the Sun, Earth and Moon are approximately spherical • secondary sources, eg internet, CD-ROMs, photographs, video clips,
• recall how the position of the Sun appears to change during the day reference books, showing the phases of the Moon, Earth from Moon,
and how shadows change as this happens solar eclipses, discussing the possibility of life on other planets, the
• recall how day and night are related to the spin of the Earth apparent movement of stars across the night sky
• recall that the Earth orbits the Sun once each year, and that the Moon • secondary sources giving seasonal data, eg temperature, day length,
takes approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth 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
Health and safety • datalogger with light sensor and heat sensor
Risk assessments are required for any potentially hazardous activity. In
this unit pupils:
• study the Sun Out-of-school learning
Model risk assessments used by most employers for normal science Pupils could:
activities can be found in the publications listed in the Teacher’s guide. • read more about the planets in the solar system and space travel,
Teachers need to follow these as indicated in the guidance notes for the including science fiction
activities, and consider what modifications are needed for individual • visit museums, planetarium or virtual observatory through the
classroom situations. internet, eg www.jb.man.ac.uk/
• watch TV programmes and use the internet to find out about current
exploration of the solar system
Language for learning • make and keep records of nightly observations of the Moon and stars
Through the activities pupils will be able to understand, use and spell and find out about the constellations
correctly: • contact local astronomy societies
• words relating to the solar system, eg planets, asteroid, satellite, orbit,
eclipse
• words with similar but distinct meanings, eg orbit, rotate
Through the activities pupils could:
• introduce, develop and conclude pieces of writing appropriately
• identify the main points in each paragraph, distinguishing key points
from supporting material
• use skimming, scanning, highlighting and note making as appropriate
to different texts

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 7L

1

What is the cause of a year, a month, a day?

• to explain phenomena such as • Pose these questions about time so pupils can review their knowledge and • represent the Sun, Earth and • At key stage 2 pupils will have
day and night, and the apparent understanding of the relationship between Sun, Earth and Moon. Ask them to Moon by spheres and identify considered evidence for the Sun, Earth
movement of the Sun represent the system as a model made up from, eg a light source, football and them in a model or diagram and Moon being spherical and used
• to represent the system as a tennis ball, and to use the model to explain the phenomena. Ensure that they can representing the system models showing their relative positions
model and as a diagram correctly identify the Sun, Earth and Moon in this model. Show pupils • use the model to explain how and sizes.
photographs, video clips, CD-ROMs and simulations to reinforce their knowledge. day and night occur, involving • Extension: pupils could find out about
• Challenge pupils to answer questions, eg the Earth’s rotation the work of Harrison in developing a
– Which way is ‘down’ in Australia? • use the model to explain the chronometer accurate enough to
– How do we know the Earth is a sphere and not flat? passing of a month and of a year determine longitude precisely.
– Why are there time zones? • use the model to explain why
the Sun appears to move across
the sky during a day

How do we see the Sun and Moon?

• that there are luminous and • Ask pupils to recall the difference between light sources and reflective surfaces. • distinguish between luminous • Some pupils think that very reflective
non-luminous objects Discuss evidence that the Sun emits light (as a star) and that the Moon does not. and non-luminous objects surfaces are sources of light.
• that the Sun is a light source, but Ask them whether or not the Moon and the Earth are light sources like the Sun. Safety – warn against looking directly
the Moon and Earth are seen by Discuss their evidence. at the Sun
reflected light

• how the view from the Earth of • Provide pupils with images showing how the Moon changes shape over a 28-day • sequence the phases of the • Newspaper reports of the phases of the
the Moon causes the phases in a period. Ask them to sequence these and help them to explain this in terms of the Moon over a 28-day period Moon, sunrise and sunset times could be
regular sequence Sun as a light source. Encourage pupils to use models and images to improve their • explain how the view from the used in this work.
• to use information from explanation, eg half-black polystyrene sphere on a stick moved around at head Earth of the Moon causes the • Use other secondary sources, eg video
secondary sources height. phases in a regular sequence clips and animations from CD-ROMs, to
• Show an image of the Earth taken from the Moon. Ask pupils if a Moon dweller help develop mental links between
would see the apparent ‘phases of the Earth’. models, diagrams and perception.
• Extension: pupils could make
observations of the Moon at night and
during the day, and record its changing
phase and position in the sky.

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 7L

2

• how eclipses of the Sun occur • Remind pupils of the solar eclipse of 1999. Ask them to explain what caused this • sequence a series of images • Many pupils will have been aware of the
• how eclipses of the Moon occur using diagrams and models, eg involving a light source, football, tennis ball, and showing stages of an eclipse widely publicised solar eclipse in 1999.
• about the evidence eclipses ICT simulations. Challenge pupils to think about this, and to suggest answers. • explain, using a model and Internet sites and CD-ROMs are available
provide about the solar system Clarify the importance of the slight angle of the Moon’s orbit relative to that of the diagrams, how eclipses of the which provide animated sequences
and how scientists use it Earth, and use this to explain the rarity of total eclipses. Help pupils to adapt their Sun and Moon occur explaining eclipses. Pupils sometimes
own diagrams of these phenomena to the scientific model. • describe the evidence eclipses confuse the phases of the Moon with an
• Extend to lunar eclipses. Provide pupils with an explanation of what these involve. provide about the solar system, eclipse of the Moon.
Ask them to use their models to represent the process. eg relative sizes and distances of • There are websites which operate as
• Review this work by providing a set of diagrams showing stages of an eclipse, and the Moon and the Sun, and projects, so pupils can ‘tune in’ to
ask pupils to put them in the correct sequence. other phenomena, eg roosting scientists at work, eg the eclipse lab on
• Ask pupils to find out about some of the research projects based around the 1999 of birds the Science Museum website:
(or other) solar eclipse. www.nmsi.ac.uk/eclipse/eclipselab/

• to write about a physical • Use a video to show a solar eclipse and ask pupils to write about what it would be • describe the experience of a
phenomenon from a personal like to experience this event, describing the stages of the eclipse with solar eclipse
point of view accompanying pictures, eg in the style of a news report. Alternatively, ask pupils to
• to develop ideas into continuous find out or imagine how people in the past have interpreted the events of an
text eclipse.

What causes the seasons on Earth?

• to use a model to show that the • Ask pupils about any work carried out at key stage 2 on seasonal variation, eg • describe that the axis of spin of • Work relating to the Earth’s orbit will
axis of spin of the Earth is at an changing hours of daylight throughout the year. Ask them for an explanation of the Earth is at an angle to the have been done in key stage 2. However,
angle to its orbit round the Sun this. Help pupils model the idea of the tilt of the Earth. Ask pupils to suggest ways Sun pupils will not have related this to the
in which the seasons differ from each other, eg position of Sun in the sky, climate. • identify on a diagram or model seasons. This provides the opportunity to
parts of the Earth which are refine their use of the Sun, Earth and
experiencing different seasons, Moon model. Many pupils experience
due to their relative position to difficulty in thinking about the Earth’s
the Sun spin and its orbit round the Sun at the
same time. The use of video animation
may help.

• to collect data about • Help pupils to use a datalogger to test the validity of the ‘tilted Earth’ explanation • interpret graphical data • An alternative arrangement is to use two
temperature and day length, of the seasons, eg by placing a tilted globe at a distance from a source of light/ produced by a datalogger and or three trays of sand exposed to the
using ICT heat and using a heat sensor to monitor the change in temperature as it is moved relate this to knowledge about same light source, but inclined at
• to interpret first-hand and from the north to the south pole along a line of longitude. Record and display the variations in day length and different angles and to record
secondary data about data as a graph for analysis and interpretation by pupils. climate in different seasons temperature changes.
temperature and day length • Position the globe with Britain in a summer position relative to the light-source
• to follow the sequence of ‘Sun’. Place a light sensor on one point and slowly rotate the globe. Collect data
actions and processes being illustrating the differing hours of day length in summer and winter positions, and
developed how this is dependent on the orientation of part of the globe to the ‘Sun’.
• Provide pupils with secondary data about seasonal changes, eg temperature, day
length. Ask pupils to use both sources of data to relate seasonal changes to the
model of the Sun, Earth and Moon system that they have developed.

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 7L

3

Checking progress

• to relate ideas about the Sun, • Ask pupils to imagine that they are visitors to Earth from a planet in another part of • describe how differences in orbit
Earth and Moon to familiar the universe, which orbits and spins more slowly. How would their world be and rotation time affect
phenomena different from Earth? Ask them to write a scientific report to their home planet phenomena, eg day length, year
• to introduce, develop and describing some of the new phenomena observed on their mission, eg day length, length
conclude pieces of writing year length, seasons, phases of the Moon and eclipses . • write an organised, continuous
appropriately • This could be extended by telling pupils that this other planet is not tilted and that explanatory text of about 250
• to group sentences into its moon is much further from the planet. Help pupils to model the system and words
paragraphs extend their account to seasons, eclipse and phases of the Moon.
• to develop ideas into continuous
text

What does the solar system consist of?

• that our solar system includes • Elicit pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the solar system. Ask them to name • label a diagram showing the • A visit to a planetarium could be used to
the Sun, its planets and asteroids the planets they know and the order in which they occur from the Sun. Pupils Sun, planets and asteroid belt support this initial activity on the solar
and the natural satellites of the could devise a mnemonic to memorise the planets in order. Brainstorm other and the natural satellites of the system. The information gathered in this
planets information about the planets. Ask them to label the planets on a diagram, which planets of the solar system activity should be used as a stimulus for
• that the planets orbit the Sun in includes the asteroids and natural satellites of the planets. Ask them what they • explain that the planets orbit the the next activity.
similar ways to the Earth think these other bodies might be made of. Sun in similar ways to the Earth, • A video, CD-ROM or internet site could
• how evidence about the solar • Discuss how astronomers obtain evidence of planets and other bodies in the solar but that their orbits take provide an introduction to this section,
system has been collected and system by use of telescopes and probes. Raise the importance of the size and different times to complete eg www.nasa.gov/
interpreted positioning of the instrument, eg William Herschel, who discovered Uranus, built • describe how information on the • Pupils should be encouraged to write
• to use secondary sources to find the largest mirror of his time in his kitchen. Ask pupils to use secondary sources to planets in our solar system is their report using ICT and to include
out about planets find out about the discoveries of William and his sister Caroline, and how they obtained and used images within it.
• to speculate on the possible changed ideas about the solar system and the universe. • present relevant information
conditions on other planets • Ask pupils what they think it would be like on other planets. Encourage them to about a planet in the solar
• to identify the main points in think about how it would be different from Earth, eg surface, temperature, system in an appropriate form,
each paragraph, distinguishing atmosphere, day length, year length. Ask pupils to search secondary data sources eg for a future visitor
key points from supporting on the planets, eg books, internet and CD-ROMs, and, eg write a travel brochure • read information text with
material for future visitors to the chosen planet, identify 10 things you want to know about understanding
• to use skimming, scanning, a planet and find the answers. • use appropriate reading
highlighting and note making as strategies to find information
appropriate to different texts

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 7L

4

• how to find out about the • Present pupils with information about the planets in the solar system, in the form • frame a relevant question about • To help pupils analyse the data, pre-
relative sizes of the Sun, Earth, of a spreadsheet. Show pupils how to sort the information, eg mass, diameter, which data from secondary prepare the spreadsheet in advance or
Moon and other planets and the distance from Sun, number of moons, length of year, length of planetary day, on sources can be collected allow pupils to enter data which they
relative distances of the planets the spreadsheet and how to use the applications to sort data and draw graphs. Ask • present data on comparisons have collected about a planet.
from the Sun them to draw conclusions from their graphs and explain to other pupils how between characteristics of • Care is needed in choosing scales.
• to frame a question that can be strong they think the evidence is for these conclusions. planets in a suitable way, eg Models showing relative diameters and
investigated table, chart or graph distances are usually made separately,
• to search for patterns from ICT • present evidence of relationships because of scaling problems.
data in data on aspects of planets • Extension: pupils could use these
• to draw conclusions from data, applications to search for patterns within
evaluating the strength of the the planetary information, using the
evidence graphing function, eg Is distance from
the Sun related to planetary year length?
To mass? Is mass related to diameter?
Other pupils could use the data to make
scale models or drawings.

• that within our solar system only • Ask pupils to consider the evidence collected about the solar system in the pr evious • state that within our solar • Pupils could visit a website of an
Earth is known to support any activities and to use it to support a discussion about the possibility of life existing system only Earth is known to organisation that is searching for
life forms on other planets. If necessary prompt with questions, eg support any life forms extraterrestrial intelligence, eg SETI,
• to evaluate the strength of the – What conditions are necessary for life forms to survive? • describe the conditions which includes an interactive game
evidence – Do any planets have these conditions? necessary for life in the solar (www.seti.org/game/)
– What evidence would we look for in searching for life? system • In unit 7C ‘Environment and feeding
– What is so special about Earth that it supports life? • describe how strongly their relationships’ pupils consider how
• Help pupils to record the main points from the discussion and to evaluate how evidence supports or does not organisms are adapted to their
good their evidence is. support the idea of life environment.
elsewhere in the solar system • Work carried out in this section could
form the basis of a classroom display or
presentation.

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 7L

5

What is beyond the solar system?

• that the Sun and other stars are • Remind pupils of earlier work on the Sun as a light source and ask questions to • explain that we can see the Sun • Extension: pupils could be asked to find
light sources elicit pupils’ knowledge about stars. Ensure that they understand how stars are and other stars because they are out about early ideas about what we can
• that the apparent movement of different from planets, and that the Sun is a star. light sources see in the sky and how constellations got
the stars is a result of the Earth’s • Invite pupils to think of questions to answer about the stars, eg • explain that we only see the stars their names.
rotation – Where are the stars? at night because the Sun is much • Unit 9J ‘Gravity and space’ extends the
• that stars are spread throughout – Why do we only see other stars at night? nearer to us and appears work in this section.
the universe – How did sailors and desert travellers use stars to navigate? brighter
• Present evidence, eg from time-lapse photography images, to show how the stars • use the idea of the Earth’s
appear to move across the night sky. Remind pupils of work carried out at key rotation to explain the apparent
stage 2 concerning the apparent movement of the Sun in the sky, and help them movement of the stars in the
to use this idea to explain the apparent movement of stars. Relate the movement night sky
of the Earth round the Sun to the changes in visible stars during the year, eg with a
model planetarium.

Reviewing work

• to identify key ideas about the • Ask pupils to make up questions on topics of this unit for a quiz. They could be • produce relevant questions and • If a classroom display or presentation has
solar system presented in various ways, eg as bingo or in the style of a TV quiz show, and played correct answers to them been made, this could be used in the
according to the agreed rules. review.

Ref: QCA/00/445 © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) 2000 Science unit 7L