Science Lesson Plan: Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets

Name: Karen Sanchez

Date: April 1, 2015
Grade Level: 5th
Time: 30 mins.
Arizona State Standards: Concept 3: Earth in the Solar System: Understand the
relationships of the Earth and other objects in the solar system.

PO 3. Describe various objects in the sky (e.g., asteroids, comets, stars,

meteors/shooting stars).

Common Core Standards: Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
Content Area Objectives:
I can create a simple scale model showing the size and composition of asteroids,
meteors, and comets.
Language Objectives:

Students will discuss in small groups.

Students will share ideas with the whole class.

Vocabulary: asteroids, meteors (meteorite, meteoroid), comet, composition

Materials: Unlined paper, ruler, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers, pencil, science
notebooks

Anticipatory Set: Students will discuss in pairs one similarity and one difference between
asteroids, meteors, and comets. They will share these similarities and differences with the class.

Teacher Actions:

Engages students in the anticipatory set.

Asks for volunteers to share either a similarity or a difference between asteroids,
meteors, and comets.
Gives each student a set of procedures and discusses procedures as a class
(procedures worksheet).

Provides materials for students to measure and draw their asteroid, comet, and meteor.
Provides direction, guidance, and assistance for students who need further help with
procedures.
Provides Follow-up worksheet
Discusses Follow-up worksheet as a class.

Student Actions:

Discuss in pairs a similarity and a difference between asteroids, meteors, and comets.
Volunteers will give an example of a similarity or a difference.
Discuss procedures as a class.
Independently students will follow directions on procedures worksheet: cut out
measurements and decorate/draw an asteroid, meteor, comet.
Fill out Follow-up worksheet.
Discuss closure as a class.

Variations:

Students could discuss craters and how scientists might know which small body
created the crater. Students could use this information to build onto a lesson about
the moon and its craters.

Modifications:

Teacher may need to provide more guidance for students who are having difficulty
following the procedures page.

Closure:
Students will discuss questions on Follow-up worksheet as a class.
Assessment:

Observation of students.
Final art project of meteors, asteroids, comets.
Follow up worksheet and closure.

Procedures
1. Turn your plain sheet of

white paper sideways.

2. Fold the paper in half

diagram.

hotdog style twice. See

3. Cut out the four strips.

4. Select one of the paper strips; starting at one end of the strip, use a
ruler to measure 0.5 cm along length of strip.
5. Draw a line on the strip at 0.5 cm and cut off the 0.5 cm section;
glue this in your notebook.
6. Starting at the end of the strip where the cut was made, repeat the
process, but this time measure 2 cm; again, draw a line at 2 cm and cut
off the 2 cm section; glue this in your notebook.
7. Repeat the process, except this time measure a line that is 100 cm in
length (you will need to measure more than one strip and add
distances together)!
8. When done, cut at 100 cm; attach strips together by barely
overlapping end of one strip to end of next and gluing overlapped ends
together in your notebook.
9. Label each strip as either an asteroid, a comet, or a meteor (use
your notes to help you).
10. On each white strip, sketch the small body it represents (use your
notes to help you); you may extend the comets two tails beyond the
strip if you want, but be sure that you only draw on the top strip for
the asteroid).
11. Now, illustrate the composition of each (use your notes to help you)
decide which colors would be good examples of the material (for
example, a comet has an icy center; coloring it a light color to look like
ice would be good to use for your comet drawing).
12. Answer Follow-Up questions 1-3.

Name:_______________________

Date:_______________

FOLLOW-UP
1. Based on your scale model, which two small bodies are most
similar in size?

2. Name two ways the composition of asteroids, comets, and

meteors are alike.
a.

b.

3. Throughout history, Earths surface has

been hit by asteroids, comets, and
meteors. When that happens, craters are
often formed. Some, like the Sudbury
Crater in Ontario, Canada (image at right),
are very large; others are not. Suggest how
a scientist might be able to tell if the
crater was caused by an asteroid, a comet,
or a meteor.