Our science topic this term has involved learning sets of facts and data.
In an effort to help us remember facts about the planets in our solar system, “M” and “A” were set fact-finding activities as part of their personal project work.
We then explored different ways of recording information in ways which might help us to remember the facts and data involved.
For example, when learning the order of the planets in our solar system, “M” and “A” created fun sentences from the initial letters of the planet names:
“A” wrote: “My Very Excitable Monkey Jumped over the S U N“
“M” added: “Many Vikings Eat Many Jumping S U N s “
The children also produced cartoon versions of their sentences, a nice visual way of remembering an idea or fact.
Next, we collected information about the different planets in our solar system. We then worked together as a team, incorporating a series of facts into a poem. We found that the process of thinking over the known facts and playing with the words in our efforts to create rhyming sentences helped us to remember the information and enabled us to create a visual memory of those facts that we had researched.
Here’s the poem (hope that you enjoy it!):
On Mercury there’s no change of season
and now I’m going to tell you the reason:
Mercury’s axis has no tilt – this really is no game
So as it travels round the sun, daytime stays the same.
With a scorching day and a frozen night
Covered in craters – its really quite a sight
Mercury’s a rock with an iron core
But now onto Venus to learn some more.
You might think Mercury’s the hottest of the hot
But actually, Mercury is really, really not.
Venus is the hottest; it has an atmosphere
The CO2 traps in the heat – its very hot, I fear.
A day on Venus is so very long
If you thought a year was longer, then I’m afraid you’re wrong.
Venus has no seasons, its volcanos create heat
So if you want to feel the sun, Venus is hard to beat.
Earth is our home planet
Home of our joys and strife.
Its water, land and atmosphere
Are just perfect for life.
Our tilting planet orbits the sun
Giving us seasons – now you know how it’s done.
We have our own satellite, we call the moon
We’ve walked there before but won’t again soon.
Mars orbits the sun an elliptical path
So you see, its climate does range
From winters so cold to a summer so mild
But that’s not the only change.
Sometimes Jupiter’s gravity causes a pull
Which tilts Mars over some more
This causes a change in the temperature range
Round the poles – Poor Mars! What a chore!
Phobos and Deimas are Mars’ moons
But now onwards and outwards we race
Through the asteroid belt to the gas giants we go
On this, our journey through space.
Galileo spotted four of Jupiter’s moons
More than sixty are now known to reside
Its huge bands of gas (mainly hydrogen)
Would fit 1300 Earth’s inside!
Saturn is the least dense of planets
It could float on a sea, don’t you know.
Hydrogen, Helium (liquid and gas)
With a liquid metal core down below.
With its cold clouds of gas and thunderstorms
Saturn is icy and cold.
But its rings – first seen by Galileo
Are the best in the system, I’m told.
Methane ice clouds which absorb red light
Make Uranus seem blue.
And the planet is tipped on its side, so its rings
and its moons go top to bottom – it’s true!
Made mostly from water and methane
With a helping of ammonia ice
Uranus has Shakespearean moons
Titania, Puck, Oberon – how nice!
And , finally, Neptune – the blue one!
An ice ball you’d not want to bite on
Made of water, ammonia and methane
With faint rings, 13 moons – main one Triton.
A hundred and sixty-five Earth years
Sees Neptune only older by one
Neptune’s strong winds and storm clouds
Appear for a while, then they’re gone.
We hope you enjoyed your journey
Travelling with us into space
We wish that we could stay longer
But realise that we’re in a race.
There’s so much to learn and so much to do
Things to puzzle – the where-for and why
But we can’t go with no mention of Pluto
It’s a planetoid now – but don’t cry!
We hope that this Dragontree poem
Shows you just some of the wealth
That space has to offer – so off you go now
And go and learn more for yourself.
For us it has helped us remember
Some facts that we needed to learn
If it inspires you, then great, we’re delighted
Now it’s over to you – it’s your turn!
