GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY

Grade levels: 8-12 Time: 45 minutes Standards: Science as Inquiry: Grades 5-12: Abilities and Understandings of Scientific Inquiry Physical Science: Grades 5-12: Motions and Forces Earth and Space Science: Grades 5-8: Earth in the Solar System Science and Technology: Grades 5-12: Understandings about Science and Technology Histoy and Nature of Science Grades 5-8: Nature of Science Grades 9-12: Nature of Scientific Knowledge Science in Personal and Social Perspective Grades 5-8: Science and Technology in Society See this activity as a Word document | PDF (download Acrobat reader).

A SUGGESTED DISCUSSION SEQUENCE TO MAKE USE OF THIS ACTIVITY IN YOUR CLASSROOM

1. Introduction
Explain to class that they will be building a scale model of the Sun and Venus to gain a better understanding of the transit of Venus.

2. Discussion Question
Hold up a paper plate and ask students what the size of Venus would be if the Sun were the size of the paper plate.

3. Demonstration
Using the transparency you've made for this activity, show that the closer Venus is to the observer (on Earth), the more of the Sun it blocks.

4. Discussion Question
How far away should Earth and Venus be from the Sun in this scale model?

5. Activity
Make a Scale Model of the Transit
http://www.exploratorium.edu/venus/teacher-model.html

6. Further Discussion
Point out that Venus actually moves in an orbit 3.5 degrees with respect to Earths orbital plane. This means that the Venus swings 3.3 million miles (or 3.5 inches in the scale model) above and below the orbital plane. Have students demonstrate this phenomenon and verify that Venus is only viewable when it is within Earth’s orbital plane.

7. Reading Assignment
What is a transit of Venus?
http://www.exploratorium.edu/venus/question1.html

8. Check for Understanding
Diagram why we don’t see a transit every time Venus comes between the Earth and the Sun.

Go back to the activity.