ESParent Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Page 24
Chapter 1: Page 25
Shallow pan Marble

One bag of flour Cereal boxes
Container of cocoa Flashlight
Measuring tape Scissors
You and your child(ren) will be covering the

following Science Standards this week:
All objects in the universe have properties, locations, and movements that
can be observed and described.
The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the
moon, the sun, seven other planets and their moons, and smaller objects,
such as asteroids and comets. The sun, an average star, is the central and
largest body in the solar system.
Chapter 1: Page 26
Astronomers scientists who study the universe

a word we use to describe everything that
Universe
exists...everywhere
Telescope tool used to make faraway objects appear closer
a large group of gas, dust and many stars. There are
Galaxies
billions of galaxies in the universe.
huge balls of hot gas that give off a large amount of
Stars
energy (like heat and light)
Milky way
the name of the galaxy that we live in
galaxy
Sun our nearest star
a chunk of ice, gases and dust that spins around a sun; a
Comet
“dirty snowball”
Orbit the movement of an object around a sun
Asteroids large chunks of rock that are floating in space
smaller chunks of rock (less than 20 feet long) that
Meteoroids
float around in space
“shooting stars” or “falling stars”; falling meteoroids
Meteor moving so quickly through the air they get very hot and
burn up, leaving a glowing trail behind them in the air
the name given to a meteor that does not entirely burn
Meteorite
up in the air and smashes into the ground
Planets large round bodies of rock or gas that orbit stars
Earth our home planet, the third planet from the sun
All of the planets, asteroids, meteoroids and comets
Solar system
that orbit a star
Chapter 1: Page 27
Sample Questions to ask after your child

finishes their reading for Day One:
Place in order of greatest size to smallest size: Planet, star, universe
and solar system
Universe, solar system, star, planet
What is earth’s closest star?

The sun.
What is the difference between a comet and an asteroid?

A comet moves in orbit around a star while an asteroid may simply float in space.
What is the difference between a meteor and a meteoroid?

A meteor is a meteoroid that is falling through our atmosphere.
Chapter 1: Page 28
Answers to Worksheet Questions for Day One:

Page One:
3-meteor 13-Milky way galaxy
9-earth 12-telescope
10-Solar system 15-comet
5-Meteoroids 8-Asteroids
6-Planets 4-sun
7-Meteorite 14-Galaxies
2-Orbit 16-Universe
1-stars 11-astronomers
Page Two:
Comparisons between stars and planets:
 both have a round shape
 both are found within a solar system
 both may be made of gas
Differences between stars and planets:

 stars give off much more energy than planets
 planets orbit stars
 stars are not made up of rock
Page Three:
1. universe 5. comet
2. galaxy 6. meteoroid
3. solar system 7. meteorite
4. stars
Chapter 1: Page 29
1) Review Day One with the information found below.

2) Run this week's activity, “Crashing into Earth”
The following list will give you the most important

items to review for your activity today!
Asteroids "ast-ur-oids" are large chunks of rock that are floating in space.
Meteoroids "meet-ee-or-oids" are smaller chunks of rock (less than 20 feet

long) that float around in space. Millions of meteoroids float towards us
everyday. When this happens, the meteoroid is called a meteor "meet-ee-
or". You may have heard of meteors as “shooting stars” or “falling stars”!
These small chunks of rock are moving very quickly and heat up quite a lot!
In fact, they get so hot that pieces of them burn off and leave a trail
behind them!
Most meteors burn up before they reach the ground, but not all of them! If
a meteor smashes into the ground, it can cause a lot of damage! when this
happens, astronomers call the meteor a meteorite "meet-ee-or-ite"!
Chapter 1: Page 30
ESP Activity: Crashing into Earth

Students will create craters on their simulated moon.
Materials:
Shallow pan Container of cocoa Marble
One bag of flour Measuring tape
Activity:
1) Fill the shallow pan with about 1/4 inch of flour and sprinkle cocoa over
the surface.
2) Drop the marble from a known height onto the surface of the pan.
3) Measure the diameter of the impact crater in the flour.
4) Mix the contents of the pan together and sprinkle more cocoa onto the
surface.
5) For experimentation, increase or decrease the height of the marble.
Explanation:
As particles or rocks are traveling through space, they are known as
meteoroids. When they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they light up brightly
as friction vaporizes the surface of the meteoroid. At this time, a
meteoroid is known as a meteor. If this object does not entirely burn up in
the atmosphere and it strikes the Earth, it is known as a meteorite. The
marble creates a crater within the surface of the flour in similar fashion to
meteorites which strike the Earth.
Independent variable: Height of the marble

Dependent variable: Diameter of the crater
Hypothesis:
If the HEIGHT OF THE MARBLE is (increased/decreased), then the
DIAMETER OF THE CRATER will (increase/decrease).
Chapter 1: Page 31
1) Review Day One with the information found below.

2) Run this week's activity, “Portable Planetariums”
The following will give you the most important

items to review for your activity today!
Stars are huge balls of hot gas that give off a

large amount of energy (like heat and light).
Our sun is our closet star.
Groups of stars we see in the night sky are

called constellations
Chapter 1: Page 32
Portable planetariums
Children will use a cereal box and a flashlight to construct their own
planetarium.
Materials:
cereal boxes scissors constellation map
flashlight (attached)
Activity:
1) Remove the cereal from the box.
2) Place the constellation map onto the surface of the box.
3) Punch holes through the side of the box in the right positions for the
given constellation.
4) Cut a round opening in the side of the box for the flashlight.
5) Insert the flashlight and turn on your planetarium in a darkened room.
You should see the constellation shining through the holes of the box.
6) Take your portable planetarium on a stargazing trip to help you find
constellation in the sky.
Explanation:
A planetarium consists of half a hollow sphere on the inside of which have
been placed the various stars in their relative positions. The half sphere
spins slowly to give the appearance of the stars moving through the night
sky. Making a portable planetarium is a good way to familiarize yourself with
the grouping of stars (known as constellations) before you to stargazing to
look for.
Chapter 1: Page 33
Place the constellation map onto the surface of the box.
Punch holes through the side of the box in the right positions for the given
constellation.

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Chapter 1: Page 24

Shallow pan Marble

You and your child(ren) will be covering the

Astronomers scientists who study the universe

Sample Questions to ask after your child

What is earth’s closest star?

What is the difference between a comet and an asteroid?

What is the difference between a meteor and a meteoroid?

Answers to Worksheet Questions for Day One:

Differences between stars and planets:

1) Review Day One with the information found below.

The following list will give you the most important

Meteoroids "meet-ee-or-oids" are smaller chunks of rock (less than 20 feet

ESP Activity: Crashing into Earth

Independent variable: Height of the marble

1) Review Day One with the information found below.

The following will give you the most important

Stars are huge balls of hot gas that give off a

Our sun is our closet star.

Groups of stars we see in the night sky are

Place the constellation map onto the surface of the box.

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