April 25-May 1, 2013, Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event:
Scientists have discovered a hurricane on Saturn that is 20 times as large as the average hurricane on Earth. NASA‘s Cassini spacecraft provided scientists with the first close-up views of an enormous storm swirling around Saturn’s north pole. The eye of the hurricane is about 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) wide. The clouds circling around the outer edge of the storm are moving at 330 miles (530 kilometers) per hour. By contrast, the strongest hurricanes on Earth have winds of up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) per hour. Also, unlike hurricanes on Earth, which generally move, Saturn’s hurricane is locked onto the planet’s north pole. Scientists believe it has been churning for years. Scientists suggest that learning how these Saturnian storms use water vapor could improve their understanding of how hurricanes on Earth are generated and sustained.
Objective:
Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system and the sixth from the Sun. Saturn can be seen from Earth with the unaided eye and was the farthest planet from Earth known to ancient observers. Astronomers believe that the planet is a giant ball of hydrogen and helium with no solid surface. Saturn’s most famous feature is its gleaming rings. Saturn’s rings consist of ice particles that travel around the planet. It has seven main rings, which vary greatly in width. Saturn’s rings cannot be seen from Earth with the unaided eye. In addition to the rings, Saturn has several large moons and dozens of smaller satellites. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has an atmosphere thicker than that of Earth. Enceladus, another moon, has erupting geysers that spew water ice and organic (carbon-bearing) molecules into space. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore Saturn and other astronomical topics.
Words to know:
- Astronomy
- Cassini
- Enceladus
- Hurricane
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Planet
- Saturn
- Solar system
- Titan
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students if they can name the seven planets, besides Saturn, of the solar system. (The other planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune.)
2. Ask your students what they know about Saturn. (Students might say that it is the second-largest planet in the solar system; it is the sixth planet from the Sun; it has rings; Titan is the planet’s largest moon.)
3. Ask your students to debate, “It is important for scientists to learn about other planets.”
4. Ask your students to debate, “Should the space program emphasize piloted or unpiloted missions?”
5. Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of the history of discoveries about Saturn. (Students may wish to use the “History of study” section of World Book’s Saturn article for help.)