Discuss that it is hard to tell actual size when objects are far away. Ask students if they think the Moon is smaller than, larger than or the same size as Earth. Inflate a second balloon (preferably gray) to the same size to represent the Moon. Inflate a balloon (preferably blue) to represent Earth.Models make it possible to see unobserved or unobservable things.Models can help develop explanations about phenomena.Discuss building and using models and why they are helpful in science.Ask students if they’re able to compare that distance to anything they know in their everyday life, then ask if they know of ways to make a distance that great more relatable or understandable. When the answer (or a close approximation) is given, or several guesses have been made, share the distance with students (384,400 kilometers or 238,855 miles). Ask students to guess how far away the Moon is from Earth.At freeway speeds, it would take more than five months to drive that same distance.Ĭreating a model of the Earth-Moon system is one way to accurately represent the scale size of Earth and the Moon, as well as the distance between them. To get a sense of the distance between the Moon and Earth, consider this: When astronauts traveled to the Moon and back in the ’60s and ’70s, it took three days in each direction, and their craft reached speeds of nearly 40,000 km/h (25,000 mph)! Since most students will not have a sense of how fast that is, follow that example with a more familiar speed. Often, showing their actual distance means excluding certain details – and sometimes can’t be reasonably done within the size of an image. In reality, the reason they’re often portrayed in such a way is because of the great distance between them. They may appear close together, giving the impression that they are not very far apart. Inflating the balloon to 12 inches gives a Moon distance of 30 feet, which provides an easily accessible way to compare diameter to distance in the Extension section.Įarth and the Moon are an average of 384,400 kilometers (238,855 miles) apart, but when we see them in pictures online or in print, the distance and size may not be to scale. Inflating the balloon representing Earth to 8 inches in diameter gives a Moon distance of 20 feet.Be sure there is enough room and space cleared for walking. Depending on the size of the balls used, the scale models can take up a lot of space.Rulers, meter sticks (2 per pair of students)Įarth-Moon Model Distance Student Data Sheet (1 per student) – Download PDF Management String (1 length per pair of students, up to approximately 750 cm) Modeling clay (1 piece per pair of students) Two round balloons (at least 8-inch size, preferably 12-inch size)įull-size men’s basketball (or a beach ball or other ball about 75 cm in circumference)īalls of assorted sizes (marbles, tennis balls, golf balls, table tennis balls, softballs, plastic toy balls, basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, etc.) (1 per pair of students) › Explore more on the Teachable Moments Blog OverviewUsing an assortment of playground and toy balls, students will measure diameter, calculate distance and scale, and build a model of the Earth-Moon system. See " Get Students Excited About Science With This Month’s Total Solar Eclipse." Consult with your jeweler if the ring you intend to buy is a candidate for resizing though, as some complex rings with many stones may not be.This activity is related to a Teachable Moment from Aug. The average ring size for a woman is size 5 to 7 and size 10 to 11 for men. It's not easy to size up a small ring, so larger is always better if you go this route. Go for a larger size: If you're not sure the person's exact size, you can purchase a larger-than-average one and get it resized later. Or if a friend or family member has similarly sized hands as the person you're shopping for, you might have them try on rings and purchase one of a similar size.
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