Topic: Space Physics
6.1.1 The Earth
Lesson 1: Earth’s Rotation and Day-Night Cycle
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | – Understand that the Earth rotates on its tilted axis once every 24 hours.– Explain the apparent daily motion of the Sun and the cycle of day and night. |
| Activities | Starter (5 mins): Ask students why we have day and night, and show a spinning globe under a light source (e.g., lamp) to represent the Sun.Main (25 mins): 1. Explain the Earth’s rotation on its axis and how this leads to day and night.2. Use diagrams to show how the tilt affects daylight hours at different times of the year.3. Discuss the periodic motion of the Sun across the sky.Plenary (10 mins): Students summarize how Earth’s rotation causes day and night. |
| Resources | Globe, light source (lamp), diagrams of Earth’s rotation. |
| Time | 40 minutes |
| Homework | Draw and label a diagram showing Earth’s rotation and explain how it causes day and night. |
| Assessment | Students explain the relationship between Earth’s rotation and the day-night cycle. |
| Past Paper Practice | IGCSE Physics 0625/22/M/J/20 Q6(a). |
Lesson 2: Earth’s Orbit and Seasons
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | – Understand that the Earth orbits the Sun once every 365 days.– Explain the periodic nature of seasons due to Earth’s tilt and orbit. |
| Activities | Starter (5 mins): Show an animation of Earth’s orbit around the Sun and ask students why seasons occur.Main (25 mins): 1. Explain Earth’s orbit and the role of its axial tilt in causing seasons.2. Use diagrams to show how different parts of Earth receive varying sunlight during its orbit.3. Discuss how the duration of daylight changes with seasons.Plenary (10 mins): Students explain the connection between Earth’s orbit, tilt, and seasons. |
| Resources | Animation of Earth’s orbit, diagrams showing Earth’s tilt and sunlight distribution. |
| Time | 40 minutes |
| Homework | Write a paragraph explaining why it is summer in one hemisphere while it is winter in the other. |
| Assessment | Students explain how Earth’s orbit and tilt cause seasonal changes. |
| Past Paper Practice | IGCSE Physics 0625/31/M/J/20 Q5(b). |
6.1.2 The Solar System
Lesson 3: Structure of the Solar System
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | – Describe the Solar System as containing the Sun, eight planets, moons, and smaller bodies such as asteroids and comets.– Understand the difference between rocky and gaseous planets and the accretion model of formation. |
| Activities | Starter (5 mins): Ask students to name the planets in the Solar System and their order from the Sun.Main (25 mins): 1. Describe the components of the Solar System (Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets).2. Compare rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) and gaseous planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) using diagrams.3. Introduce the accretion model and discuss the role of gravity in Solar System formation.Plenary (10 mins): Students complete a table comparing rocky and gaseous planets. |
| Resources | Solar System model, diagrams showing planetary features, whiteboard for notes. |
| Time | 40 minutes |
| Homework | Create a labeled diagram of the Solar System showing the planets in order and their key features. |
| Assessment | Students explain the differences between rocky and gaseous planets and describe the components of the Solar System. |
| Past Paper Practice | IGCSE Physics 0625/22/O/N/20 Q4(a). |
Lesson 4: Orbits and Gravitational Forces
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | – Understand that planets and other bodies follow elliptical orbits around the Sun.– Explain the role of gravity in maintaining orbits and how orbital speed varies with distance from the Sun. |
| Activities | Starter (5 mins): Ask students why planets do not fall into the Sun despite the Sun’s gravitational pull.Main (25 mins): 1. Explain elliptical orbits and how the Sun is not at the center of most orbits.2. Discuss how gravitational force keeps planets and other bodies in orbit.3. Use the formula v=2πrTv = \frac{2 \pi r}{T} to calculate orbital speed.4. Explain why objects closer to the Sun travel faster using conservation of energy.Plenary (10 mins): Students calculate orbital speed for a given example. |
| Resources | Diagrams of elliptical orbits, worksheets for orbital speed calculations. |
| Time | 40 minutes |
| Homework | Solve problems involving the orbital speed formula v=2πrTv = \frac{2 \pi r}{T}. |
| Assessment | Students calculate orbital speed and explain how gravity influences planetary motion. |
| Past Paper Practice | IGCSE Physics 0625/32/M/J/20 Q6(c). |
Lesson 5: Gravitational Field Strength and Light Travel
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Objective | – Understand how gravitational field strength varies with planetary mass and distance.– Calculate the time it takes light to travel between objects in the Solar System. |
| Activities | Starter (5 mins): Ask students why objects weigh less on the Moon than on Earth.Main (25 mins): 1. Explain the relationship between gravitational field strength, planetary mass, and distance.2. Use examples of planetary data to compare gravitational field strengths.3. Introduce the speed of light (c=3.0×108 m/sc = 3.0 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s}) and calculate the time it takes for light to travel between objects (e.g., Earth and Sun).Plenary (10 mins): Students solve light travel time problems. |
| Resources | Planetary data charts, speed of light calculation examples, worksheets. |
| Time | 40 minutes |
| Homework | Solve light travel time problems for distances in the Solar System. |
| Assessment | Students calculate gravitational field strength and light travel time accurately. |
| Past Paper Practice | IGCSE Physics 0625/42/M/J/20 Q4(b). |
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