Week 7

         

1.  What did you do in lab today? 

In lab this week we learned/discussed just how big our universe is and dealt with some of our misconceptions about that. We watched this really informational video that showed us the scale of our planet, the sun, and some of the biggest stars to scale. It was crazy. Then in table groups we made our own diagrams of the sun and the four inner planets to scale. We used a globe to represent the sun, and made itty bitty playodough balls as the inner planets. Our model stretched all the way from the lab to the TLC room. 

2. What was the big question? 

I think that the big question was "How big is the solar system?". This is such a hard thing to imagine how big it is really, we we focused on that. We all got much better perceptions of the size. 

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion? 

I think that the main thing that we learned about in lecture this week was the moon. We started the class answering some questions about what phase it would be in at certain times, then we moved into some questions about the moon that we answered in lab. I think that the biggest thing that clicked in my mind from lecture this week was the model of how the moon rotates with the earth. I learned that they rotate the same way and time so that we are only ever seeing on face. I also found it interesting to learn about the history of the different ways that people throughout time have thought the moon was originated. 

4. Textbook: 

• What did you learn? 

One thing that I learned from this chapter was that the 4 inner planets are called rocky planets because they are made of solids and the other 4 planets are made of gas. I also learned about how they got their positions: when the sun was made it blew the four gas planets away and the four inner planets stayed because they were solid. 

• What was most helpful? 

I think the most helpful part about this chapter was the video that showed the size and distance of the planets to scale on our campus. It really helped to put things in perspective because I am so used to the distance here. 

• What do you need more information on? 

One thing that I might need information on from this chapter was on how and why Pluto isn't a planet anymore, like what does it mean by "clearing the neighborhood"? that was a little confusing to me. 

5. What questions, comments, and/or concerns do you have? 

I would really like to know more about the different ideas that groups of people had of how the solar system was created, I think that is so interesting.