English

Oral Activity

What do you think the universe is made up of? Name and briefly explain the different types of planets.

10.1 Describing the solar system

Activity 1

1. Arrange the words below in alphabetical order.

astronomer            astronomy               satellites                galaxy                          asteroid              comet planet
astronaut                  revolve              solar           distance         rotation                diameter                   orbit 

2. Use a dictionary or the internet to find out the meaning of each of the words.
3. Use at least five words from the words above to write correct sentences.

Activity 2

Discuss the following questions and write down your answers. Present your answers to the rest of the class.
a) Find out the eight planets that make up the solar system.
b) What planet is closest to the sun?
c) Which planets have rings?
d) Which is the biggest planet?
e) Which small planet was recently removed from the list of planets?

Activity 3

Read the text below.

            Dwarf planets

Have you ever heard of dwarf planets? Dwarf planets are planets that are smaller than the moon.
There are five dwarf planets that have now been identified.

These are Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Ceres and Pluto.

Pluto was recently demoted to a dwarf planet after astronomers confirmed that it was smaller than Eris.

Of all the dwarf planets, Eris is the largest.
Scientists also believe that there are many other dwarf planets that are yet to be discovered.

Task

Choose one of the dwarf planets and do research about it. Write short notes about it. Present your groups findings to the class.

Exercise 1

Read the text below and answer the questions that follow.

                              The solar system

The sun and the planets and other space bodies that move around it make up the solar system. One complete rotation around the sun is known as an orbit. There are 8 planets in the solar system. These planets are grouped into two groups.

The first group is known as the Inner Solar System. It is made up of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. These four planets are the ones that are closest to the sun. Another name for these planets is terrestrial planets because their surfaces are made up of rocks.

The second group is known as the Outer Solar System and it is made up of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The other name for these planets is gas giants. The inner and outer planets are separated by the asteroid belt. An asteroid is simply a piece of rock. The asteroid belt is filled with rocks. In addition to the planets and the asteroid belt, the solar system is also made up of moons, comets, dust, gas and dwarf or minor planets.

Questions

a) What is an orbit according to the passage?

b) State the elements that make up the inner solar system.

c) What separates the inner planets from the outer planets?

d) Explain the meaning of asteroid.

e) Draw the solar system in your exercise books.

10.2 Describing distances in space

Activity 1
Study the information in the table below and answer the questions that follow. Present your work to the class.

Questions

a) Which planet is furthest from the sun?
b) Which planet is closest to the sun?
c) How far away is Uranus from the sun?
d) What is the distance between the sun and the earth?

Activity 2

You will need balls or objects to represent the different planets, a metre rule, measuring tape and a pair of scissors.

a) Rearrange the different objects in an imaginary orbit bearing in mind their distances from the sun (which is the middle object).
b) Take measurements and convert them using the scale chosen.
    At this level, we shall not get into the real measurement and calculations of space distances between the different elements in space as space scientists do. However, you are required to do some model measurement using scales that are representative to certain distances say 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) =10cm or 4m.
c) Demonstrate the distance between your objects outside the class. You will be amazed at how far the tape can go if converted.
d) Record your measurements and explain to the class how you arrived at the answers.

10.3 Describing planets

Activity 1

Use the table from the previous page. Also carry out your own research and answer the questions that follow.
a) How many planets do we have?
b) Which is the largest planet?
c) Which planet has the highest number of satellites?
d) Which planet has a ring?

Activity 2

Get into groups and let each group pick one planet and talk about it. Construct sentences that compare the planet you have picked with another planet being discussed by another group.

For example

One group can say Mercury is smaller than the Earth.

Activity 3

1. Name all the planets from A to H.

2. Complete the table below to make five correct sentences that compare the diameters of the different planets.

Activity 4

Read the poem below, and answer the questions that follow.

   The sun and the moon

Both the sun and the moon are kings,
They are kings of the sky.
The moon and the sun are-for ever on war,
The moon never faces the sun,
The sun is always chasing the moon.
When day time comes,
The moon hides its face.
In darkness, the moon, stronger,
That’s why the sun hides from darkness.
And why all this?
Two kings never on one throne.

Questions

a) Where do the sun and moon live?
b) Write a paragraph explaining why the sun and the moon are for ever on war.
c) Write your own short poem explaining the relationship between any two planets.

10.4 Describing moons

Activity 1

Some planets have moons. Others do not have moons. Work in groups to identify the planets that have moons.
a) Write down the planets that have moons. State the number of moons for each planet.
b) Make a list of those planets without moons.
c) Make a poster of your findings and hang it in class for others to see.

Activity 2

Read and role-play the dialogue below.

Jane:           Look, there comes a funnily dressed person!
Peter:          The person looks like an astronaut.
Astronaut:   Good afternoon, pupils.
Pupils:         Good afternoon, sir.
Astronaut:   My Name is Neil, I am an astronaut. Do you know who an astronaut is?
Philip:           Yes, sir. An astronaut is a person who travels to space.
Astronaut:    Very well, young man. And how do astronauts travel to space?
Mary:             They use a rocket, sir.
Astronaut:    True. Space is very far away from earth. One has to use a special vessel called a rocket to 

                       travel to space.
Jane:              Sir, have you ever been to the moon?
Astronaut:     Yes, Jane. I was the first man to walk on the moon. It was the best day of my life!
Peter:             That must have been a funny experience. Sir, does every planet have a moon like the one 

                        we see at night?
Astronaut:      Not all of them, there are two planets that do not have a moon. There are others that have 

                        one or two. There are also others that have very many moons.
Mary:              Wow, the planets with very many moons must be hot !

Astronaut:      No, Mary. Moons do not have any heat. In fact the planets that have the highest number of 

                         moons are the coldest.
Philip:              But why does the moon shine if it does not have heat?
Astronaut:       What we see is a reflection from the light from the sun. It is just light. There is no heat.
Pupils:            Thank you very much, sir. We have learnt a lot.

Questions

a) Which vessel is used when travelling to space?
b) What is the name of the astronaut?
c) How many planets do not have moons?
d) Why are the planets that have the highest number of moons the coldest?

Activity 3

Study the table below .

Questions

a) Which planet has more light at night? Why?
b) Which planet has the highest number of moons?
c) Which planets have no moons?

10.5 Recounting past events

Activity 1

Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

Activity 2

Copy the puzzle and identify five (5) words related to space science.

Activity 3

Discuss in groups and complete the passage by selecting the right word from the list for each blank space. Write your answers in your exercise books. Choose one pupil from the group to read in class.

failed                  left                astronauts                 started                      set off

The first country to launch a space mission was the former Soviet Union (USSR).Their first attempt to land man on the moon--------------------- In 1961, in the USA, President John F. Kennedy------------------- a plan to send humans to the moon and bring them back to earth safely.
Apollo 11--------------------- on 16th July, 1969 with a team of----------------------- on board. They were Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins.
The first man to step on the moon was Neil Armstrong. The astronauts left a USA flag and a sign on the moon before safely returning to earth. These days, there are so many countries conducting space studies such as the USA, Russia, the United Kingdom, Iran, North Korea, Japan, India, Ukraine and China.

Activity 4

Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.

Space mission

Five, four, three, two, one...
He commands the crew
Seated in a cylindrical amazing invention,
That suddenly bursts into a huge flame of fire.
Upwards it goes leaving spectators in a cloud of dust.
Discoveries will never end.

Questions

a) What is the poem talking about?
b) What is the counting; “five, four, three, two, one ... ” meant for?
c) Give one word for “cylindrical amazing invention.”
d) Explain what you understand by the words crew and spectators.
e) Write a similar poem about going to space and read it to the class.

Grammar point

We often use as…as/than/more to talk about two things. When there are more than two things, a superlative form is required. This may involve adding _est, _st or most depending on the adjective.

For example

Beautiful as an adjective takes most in the superlative.

Planet earth is not as hot as Venus.Venus is hotter than planet earth.

Activity 5

Discuss and complete the sentences below by using the correct form of the words in brackets. You will read your answers in class.

1. Mercury is the ----------------------- planet to the sun. (close)
2. Saturn is the ------------------------- planet in the solar system. (beautiful)
3. Venus is --------------------------- ---than Neptune. (hot)
4. Jupiter is the ------------------------- planet in the solar system. (big)
5. Mercury is ----------------------------- than earth. (small)

Exercise 2

Identify and underline the verbs that show past tense in the following sentences.

1. Armstrong stepped on the moon in 1969.

2. Last year, the USA launched another rocket for a space mission.

3. Different countries competed in space missions after the 1969 success.

4. America trained hundreds of space scientists.

5. An eclipse occurred in northern Uganda three years ago.

Sounds and spelling

Activity 1

Listen carefully as your teacher dictates some sentences. Write them down in your exercise book.

Activity 2

Complete the planet spelling by inserting the correct letters in the blank spaces.

a) N_pt_n _             b) M_r_ury              c) Ve_ _s
d) E_ _th                 e) M_rs                    f) Ju_ _ter
g) S_t_rn                  h) Ur_ _us

Activity 3

Carry out your own research on planets. Get information about the planets from atlases and other useful books in the library. The internet will help you too.

a) Make a poster of the solar system. Label all the major planets.
b) Your teacher will provide you with the necessary materials. Using a card board box or clay, design a space craft and display your work for the class in the Activity Corner.

Riddle

I am a big mass in the shape of a ball. I hang up high in the sky and I have other masses shaped like balls rotating around me. My friend visits the earth at night and, I replace him during the day. I make every human being busy because they like me. What am I?

Debate

Space science has saved our planet from a number of problems. Do you agree or disagree?

                                                  Unit 10 Assessment

1. Discuss and share the meaning of universe.

2. List all the planets of the universe in ascending order from the one nearest to the sun to the farthest one.

3. Discuss in groups and state which planet is:

   a) Closest to the sun

   b) Farthest from the sun

   c) Smallest in size

   d) Largest in size e) Hottest

4. Compare the following planets in terms of distance from the sun, temperature and diameter.

   a) Earth and Neptune

   b) Jupiter and Uranus

   c) Mars and Venus

   d) Mercury and Saturn

5. Describe what each of the planets is made up of.

6. In pairs, use atlases to find out the number of moons in:

   a) Earth b) Jupiter

   c) Uranus

  d) Neptune

  e) Saturn

f) Mars

7. Discuss why Earth supports human life and the other planets do not.

8. Get in pairs and role-play a teacher and a student asking each other the following question.

   a) ------------------------ c) ------------------------

   b) -------------------------d) ------------------------

9. Write a composition with the title “My planet earth”.

Follow the guidelines below.

  a) Describe what earth is, its position, and unique features like lakes, rivers, mountains, etc.

  b) What makes you comfortable on earth?

                                                        Glossary

Abusive:          insulting or rude
Addiction:        unable to do without
Affinity:            a close likeness or agreement
Aggression:     feeling of anger, violent behaviour, readiness to attack
Anxiety:           worry about what may happen
Arrogant:         having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities
Artificial:          made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of 

                          something natural
Artist:               a person who creates paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby
Asteroid:          a small rocky body orbiting the sun Large numbers of these, ranging enormously in size, 

                         are  found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, though some have more eccentric orbits
Astronauts:     a person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft
Astronomy:     the branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as

                         a whole
Attachment:    the extra part or extension that is or may be attached to something to perform a particular  

                         function Attitude a settled way of thinking or feeling about something
Bossy:             fond of giving people orders; domineering
Charming:       very pleasant or attractive
Chilly:              uncomfortably or unpleasantly cold
Classical:        representing ancient Greek or Latin literature, art or culture
Claws:             a curved, pointed, horny nail on each digit of the foot in birds, lizards and some mammals
Cold blooded:denoting animals whose body temperature varies with that of environment (e g fish)
Comet:            a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and when near the sun, a ‘tail’ of   

                         gas

                         and dust particles points away from the sun
Compose:        write or create (a work of art, especially music or poetry)
Considerate:    careful not to inconvenience or harm others
Dinosaur:         a fossil reptile of Mesozoic era, often reaching an enormous size
Disciplined:     Showing a controlled form of behaviour
Dishonest:       behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way
Disorganized:  not properly planned and controlled

Enthusiastic:    having or showing intense and eager enjoyment, interest or approval
Excitable:          responding too readily to something new or stimulating; easily excited
Folk:                   people in general or folk music
Forecast:           predict or estimate (a future event or trend)
Fossil:                the remains or impression of a prehistoric plant or animal embedded in rock and  

                            preserved 

                            in petrified from
Fussy:                fastidious about one’s needs or requirements; hard to please
Galaxy:               a system of millions or billions of stars, together with gas and dust, held together by 

                            gravitational attraction
Grumpy:             bad-tempered and sulky
Hardworking:     tending to work with energy and commitment; diligent
Honest:               free of deceit; trustful and sincere
Impolite:             not showing or having good manners; rude
Injure:                 do physical harm or damage to someone
Instruments:      a tool or implement especially one for precision work
Invertebrates:    an animal lacking a backbone such as an arthropod, mollusk, annelid, etc
Jazz:                   a type of music of black American origin which emerged at the beginning of the 20th    

                            century, 

                            characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually regular of forceful rhythm
Large:                 of considerable or relatively great size, extent or capacity
Leisure:              time when one is not working or occupied; free time
Lighting:            equipment in a room, building, or street producing light
Lyrics:               a lyric poem or verse or the words of a particular song
Mammoth:         a large extinct elephant of the Pleistocene epoch, typically hairy with a sloping back and

                           long curved tusks
Manic:               relating to or affected by mania
Melody:             a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying
Memorial site:   is a structure built in order to remind people of a famous person or event
Movie:               a film
Museum:          a building in which objects of historical scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and 

                         exhibited
National:          relating to or characteristic of a nation; common to a whole nation

Natural:           existing in or derived from nature ; not made or caused by mankind
Noisy:              making or given to making a lot of noise
Non- renewable: existing in finite quantity ; not capable of being replenished
Orbit:              the regularly repeated elliptical course of a celestial object or spacecraft about a star or  

                        planet Palaeontologist a person who studies fossils
Palaeontology: the study of fossils to determine the structure and evolution of extinct animals and plants 

                       and the age and conditions of deposition of the rock strata in which they are found
Participate:   be involved; take part
Picky:            fussy and hard to please
Pleasant:       giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment
Popular:        liked or admired by many people or by a particular person or group
Prehistoric:   relating to or denoting the period before written records
Presenter:     a person who introduces and appears in a television or radio program
Protect:         keep safe from harm or injury
Renewable:   not depleted when used
Respect:       a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or 

                      achievements
Satellites:     an artificial body placed in orbit round the earth or another planet in order to collect 

                      information or for communication
Sharp:           having an edge or point that is able to cut or pierce something
Sincere:        free from pretence or deceit; proceeding from genuine feelings
Slimy:           covered by or resembling slime
Stiff:              not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid
Strict:           demanding that rules concerning behaviour are obeyed and observed
Tourist:        a person who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure
Verse:          writing arranged with a metrical rhythm
Vertebrates:an animal of a large group distinguished by the possession of a backbone or spinal column

Volcanoes: a mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, 

                    hot vapour, and gas are or have erupted from the earth’s crust