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?
Engage
Students will notice and wonder about diagrams of layered and non-layered bodies and speculate on how these layers are formed and maintained.
Explore
First, students will explore rock samples and measure mass and volume to calculate density. Then, they will explore the density of various liquids.
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.
Elaborate
Students explore the impact of both temperature and salinity on the density of water.
Evaluate
Students will use their new learning from this lesson to annotate the images from “Engage.”
Extend (optional)
Students can extend experiments from the Explain and Evaluate sections.