Daire,
if the introduction has
Explain that there is an order to the planets in relation to which one is nearest the sun. Use rhymes and songs to help remember the order.
what additional research will the children do about this?
Research: Have students research more about the solar system. They can explore how many planets there are and what is the order of the planets, which one is nearest to the sun, which comes next and so on
Inquiry learning is more than asking questions – using the framework for inquiry that is outlined in this module, children can pose their own questions that reference their science understanding and have investigative activities to check their understanding.
So, for planets, children might expect that the planets that are nearer the Sun (as established in the intro) would be warmer than planets further away from the Sun. Books/videos or charts with that information could be shared and children could check if they are correct. If not (and it is a not), then they might ask why a planet that is closer to the Sun – Mercury – isn’t as hot as the next planet – Venus. This could then lead to a practical query on how Venus’s atmosphere acts like a blanket to keep it warm.