Back to Icy Worlds: Planetary Geology

Icy Worlds – U2, Lesson 1: Planetary Structure

In this lesson: Students will begin by engaging with diagrams that show the internal structure of various planetary bodies, leading to questions about why and how layers form. Then, they will explore the density of solids and liquids, including how temperature and salinity affect the density of water. At the end of the lesson, students will revisit the initial diagrams to apply their new experiences and uncover new understandings.

Lesson Level Question: What Causes the similarities and differences in the shape and structure of planetary bodies?

15 minutes

Engage

Students will notice and wonder about diagrams of layered and non-layered bodies and speculate on how these layers are formed and maintained.

15 minutes

75 minutes

Explore

First, students will explore rock samples and measure mass and volume to calculate density. Then, they will explore the density of various liquids.

75 minutes

20 minutes

Explain

Students predict what will happen when they shake a bottle containing items with different densities, then observe and explain their observations based on their understanding of density.  Then, students apply their thinking to the “Engage” images.

20 minutes

60 minutes

Elaborate

Students explore the impact of both temperature and salinity on the density of water.

60 minutes

20 minutes

Evaluate

Students will use their new learning from this lesson to annotate the images from “Engage.”

20 minutes

Extend (optional)

Students can extend experiments from the Explain and Evaluate sections.