Solar System Tour

Montréal Portable Planetarium Show

Fly your students through our Solar System.

Students will learn about the Sun and each planet that orbits around it. We'll see moons, comets, and maybe even a few spacecraft...

Show Outline

This show is designed to last 25 minutes, and can be adapted for grade levels.

  • students enter the dome
  • we see the Earth from above, then zoom out to see the Moon
  • we zoom out further to show the Sun and the orbiting planets
  • we zoom inwards and look at our Sun
  • we then fly around each successive planet, noting their size, colour, and if they have any special features like moons or rings
  • after visiting all the planets, we zoom out further and see where our Solar System is located in the Milky Way
  • we return home to Earth
  • students exit the dome

Curriculum Connections

Mathematics

Geometry

A. Space

  • 1. Gets his/her bearings and locates objects in space (spatial relationships)
  • 2. Locates objects in a plane
  • 3. Locates objects on an axis (based on the types of numbers studied)

Measurement

A. Lengths

  • 1. Compares lengths
  • 2. Constructs rulers
  • 4. Estimates and measures the dimensions of an object using conventional units
    • a. metre, decimetre and centimetre

G. Time

  • 1. Estimates and measures time using conventional units
  • 2. Establishes relationships between units of measure

Science and Technology

Earth and Space

D. Systems and interaction

  • 2. System involving the sun, the Earth and the moon
    • Associates the sun with the idea of a star, the Earth with the idea of a planet and the moon with the idea a natural satellite
  • 4. Seasons
    • a. Describes the changes to the environment throughout the seasons (temperature, amount of daylight, type of precipitation)
    • Explains the sensations experienced (hot, cold, comfortable) with regard to temperature measurements

Mathematics

Arithmetic

B. Fractions (using objects or drawings)

  • 3. Matches a fraction to part of a whole (congruent or equivalent parts) or part of a group of objects, and vice versa
  • 4. Identifies the different meanings of fractions (sharing, division, ratio)
  • 5. Distinguishes a numerator from a denominator
  • 6. Reads and writes a fraction
  • 7. Compares a fraction to 0, 1⁄2 or 1
  • 8. Verifies whether two fractions are equivalent

Science and Technology

Material World

E. Techniques and instrumentation

  • 1. Use of simple measuring instruments
    • Appropriately uses simple measuring instruments (rulers, dropper, graduated cylinder, balance, thermometer, chronometer)

Earth and Space

B. Energy

  • 1. Sources of energy
    • a. Explains that the sun is the main source of energy on Earth

E. Techniques and instrumentation

  • 2. Use of simple measuring instruments
    • a. Appropriately uses simple measuring instruments (e.g. rulers, dropper, graduated cylinder, balance, thermometer, wind vane, barometer, anemometer, hygrometer)

Mathematics

Arithmetic

B. Fractions (using objects or drawings)

  • 4. Identifies the different meanings of fractions (sharing, division, ratio)
  • 7. Compares a fraction to 0, 1⁄2 or 1
  • 8. Verifies whether two fractions are equivalent
  • 9. Matches a decimal or percentage to a fraction
  • 10. Orders fractions with the same denominator
  • 11. Orders fractions where one denominator is a multiple of the other(s)

C. Fractions

  • 1. Uses objects, diagrams or equations to represent a situation and conversely, describes a situation represented by objects, diagrams or equations (use of different meanings of addition, subtraction and multiplication by a natural number)

Science and Technology

Material World

C. Forces and motion

  • 3. Gravitational attraction on an object
    • a. Describes the effect of gravitational attraction on an object (e.g. freefall)

E. Techniques and instrumentation

  • 1. Use of simple measuring instruments
    • Appropriately uses simple measuring instruments (rulers, dropper, graduated cylinder, balance, thermometer, chronometer)

Earth and Space

B. Energy

  • 2. Transmission of energy
    • a. Describes methods for transmitting thermal energy (e.g. radiation, convection, conduction)

D. Systems and interaction

  • 3. Solar system
    • a. Recognizes the main components of the solar system (sun, planets, natural satellites)
    • b. Describes the characteristics of the main components of the solar system (e.g. composition, size, orbit, temperature)

Science and Technology

The Earth and Space

C. Astronomical phenomena

  • 1. Concepts related to astronomy
    • a. Universal Gravitation
      • i. Defines gravitation as a force of mutual attraction between bodies
  • 2. Solar system
    • a. Characteristics of the solar system
      • i. Compares some of the characteristics of the planets in our solar system (e.g. distances, relative size, composition)

Science and Technology

The Earth and Space

C. Astronomical phenomena

  • 3. Space
    • a. Scale of the universe
      • i. Astronomical unit
        • Defines an astronomical unit as the unit of length corresponding to the average distance between the Earth and the Sun
      • ii. Light year
        • Defines light year as a unit of length corresponding to the distance travelled by light in one Earth year
      • iii. Location of the Earth in the universe
        • Compares the relative distance between different celestial bodies (e.g. stars, nebulae, galaxies)
    • b. Conditions conducive to the development of life
      • i. Describes conditions conducive to the development or maintenance of life (e.g. presence of a gaseous atmosphere, water, energy source)

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