A New Home

  This is a six week unit for middle school students (grades 6-8). During the course of this unit they will be studying subjects in astronomy, meteorology, and biology. They will be learning about the other seven planets in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) and the weather conditions on those planets. Learning about these weather conditions will help them learn about the atmospheres and environments of those planets. They will also do a section on the Earth’s atmosphere, and the weather conditions that stem from it (most notably: the greenhouse effect). They will learn why the greenhouse effect is one of the reasons that life exists on Earth. They will also be dealing with biology when they do the sections on the ecosystem and the basic needs of life. They will learn about how ecosystems work together, from producers to primary and secondary consumers. They will learn about predators and prey, and decide if it is possible for something to be both. The differences between biotic and abiotic life: how an ecosystem requires non-living things like an appropriate temperature, atmospheric gases, soil, etc. They will learn how plants are necessary for animal survival and how animals necessary for plants survival (the cycle of oxygen and carbon dioxide). They will also learn about our basic needs: things like food, water, breathable air, shelter, and warmth. And the basic needs of plant life: water, light, and nutrients.

There are several websites that you can visit in order to help you prepare for teaching this diverse unit:

1. About Planets: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/
2. About Planetary Weather:

   All Planets

   http://www.wilders.force9.co.uk/BeyondEarth/planets.htm

   http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_system_weather_010306-1.html

   Mercury and Venus

   http://sci.esa.int/content/doc/a0/2208_.htm

   http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/leaflets/solar_system/section3.5.html

   http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_system_weather_010306-2.html

   Earth and Mars

   http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planetstorm/report/report.html

   http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_system_weather_010306-3.html

   http://explorezone.com/weather/pressure.htm

   http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html

   Jupiter and Saturn

   http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/jupiter_weather_000209.html

   http://www.wilders.force9.co.uk/BeyondEarth/planets.htm

   http://www.hawastsoc.org/solar/eng/jupiter.htm

   Uranus and Neptune

   http://www.wilders.force9.co.uk/BeyondEarth/planets.htm

   http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_system_weather_010306-5.html

3. About Earth’s Atmosphere:
1. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/greenhouse.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_atmosphere
4. About Ecosystems: http://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/nwepecosystems.htm
5. About our Basic Needs: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/jamestown-needs-fs.html