James Madison University
John C. wells Planetarium
Sponsored by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
"The Solar System" will take place at the John C. Wells Planetarium at James Madison University. This program will include a tour of the solar system and finding the planets in the night sky, inside the planetarium. It will also cover the scale models of the solar system, the geology of the moon, small bodies of the solar system (meteorites, asteroids, comets) and the current and future exploration of the solar system. Professors Ed Murphy (UVA) and Geary Albright (JMU) will specifically address the following standards of learning to help teachers incorporate the content into preparing students for the SOLs.
6.8 - The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system and the interactions among the various bodies that comprise it. Key concepts include
a) the sun, moon, Earth, other planets and their moons, dwarf planets, meteors, asteroids, and comets;
b) relative size of and distance between planets;
c) the role of gravity;
f) the unique properties of Earth as a planet;
i) the history and technology of space exploration.
ES.3 The student will investigate and understand the characteristics of Earth and the solar system. Key concepts include
a) position of Earth in the solar system;
c) characteristics of the sun, planets and their moons, comets, meteors, and asteroids; and
d) the history and contributions of space exploration.