DESTINATIONS

Planetarium Lesson Plan

Please note, this lesson plan was created by FieldTripDirectory.com as a general guide and is not specific to any particular venue listed on our site.

FUN FACTS

Earth has more exposed water than land.  Three quarters of the Earth is covered by water! The earth has one moon.

Venus is the brightest planet in our sky and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye if you know where to look.  It is the solar system’s brightest planet — yellow clouds of sulfuric acid reflect the sun’s light.

Jupiter is so big that you could fit all the other planets in the solar system inside it.

Pluto is no longer considered a planet — instead, astronomers call it a dwarf planet or planetoid.

OVERVIEW

Students will learn about outer space, astronomical objects, and more. Planetariums are theaters that present educational and entertaining shows about outer space. Some planetariums even have shows that focus on history in relation to earth science.

BEFORE YOU GO

– Discuss what a planetarium is. Why is it an important place to visit?

– Activate students’ prior knowledge about outer space and the night sky. What are the planets of the solar system? Do they know any galaxy names? What about important figures in astronomy (i.e. Galileo)? Talk about what you are currently learning in earth science class to get an idea of what students already know and what they’d like to learn.

 
KEY VOCABULARY/CONCEPTS

Constellation      Eclipse       Lunar Year      Gravity     Big Bang Theory      Full Moon     Ellipse       Nebula

 

WHAT TO WONDER

Describe the theater. Why is the ceiling shaped like a dome?

Opinion: Choose one aspect of the show to expand on. What did you learn about it? What questions do you have about it?

Compare drawings of the solar system to what students saw in the planetarium show. What would they change about the depictions they’ve seen of outer space and the night sky?

FOLLOW-UP

Discuss the show. What did you like/dislike about it?

Project: Make crafts of your favorite planets.

Research the history of the planets, galaxies, and constellations you like the most.