Our solar system

Our solar system

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
This task is about the moon, the sun, Earth and Mars. 
Here is a picture of the moon. 
 

Question 2Change answer

a)  What is the moon?
     Write all that you know about the moon.

Question 2Change answer

b)  Imagine you have arrived on the moon.
     What would you notice that is different from being on planet Earth

Question 2Change answer

c)  How is it that we can see the moon with our eyes?

Question 2Change answer

d)  Why do you think that the moon appears to change its shape?
Here is a picture of planet Earth and a picture of planet Mars.
Scientists tell us that people like us cannot live on Mars but we know that we can live on planet Earth.
 the Earth  Mars  

Question 2Change answer

e)  Why can't people live on planet Mars? Write as many reasons as you can think of.

Question 2Change answer

f)  Why are we able to live on planet Earth? Write as many reasons as you can think of.
Here is a picture of the sun.
     the sun

Question 2Change answer

g)  The Sun is not a planet. What is the Sun?

Question 2Change answer

h)  How is the Sun different from planet Earth?
Task administration: 

This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.

  • This NEMP task was carried out using a one-to-one approach.
  • The assessor carried out the assessment by recording the answers from the student.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Planet Earth
Keywords: 
nemp, astronomical systems, space, solar system, Moon, Sun, Earth, Mars
Description of task: 
In this NEMP task students look at photos to describe similar and different environmental features of the moon, the Earth, Mars and the sun. Assessment focus: The solar system. In the original NEMP task the assessor gave oral instructions, read the questions and wrote the answers for each student.
Answers/responses: 
 
Y4

2003 (1999)
Y8

2003 (1999)

a)
  • satellite of the Earth (travels round the earth
  • smaller than Earth
  • made of rocky materials
  • about 400,000kms from Earth
  • reflects sun onto Earth (provides light at night)
  • has lots of craters
  • has no atmosphere/oxygen/air/ozone/clouds, etc.
  • any other valid scientific response (not myths or historical events)

12%  (8%)
2%    (3%)
17%  (11%)
0%    (0%)
12%  (8%)
35%  (36%)
9%    (21%)
9%    (10%)

33%  (26%)
8%    (5%)
18%  (17%)
0%    (0%)
22%  (16%)
42%  (42%)
17%  (21%)
10%  (6%)
b)
  • no atmosphere/oxygen/air
  • black sky all the time
  • you can see the Earth from there
  • less gravity than on Earth
  • [no gravity]
  • no vegetation/animals/people
  • rocky/dusty/barren landscape
  • no water

31%  (30%)
10%  (8%)
1%    (0%)
6%    (4%)
[25% (21%)]
34%  (33%)
27%  (30%)
16%  (11%)

45%  (45%)
10%  (7%)
3%    (3%)
16%  (11%)
[37% (29%)]
44%  (40%)
45%  (34%)
18%  (18%)

c)

 light of sun reflected from moon

23%  (25%)

42%  (46%)
d)
  • part seen (as bright) depends on relative positions of sun, moon and Earth
  • has idea, but not well explained

6%    (5%)

16%  (29%)

18%  (17%)

29%  (33%)
e) Temperature: (very hot during day, cold at night

  • both
  • just one
  • atmosphere issues
  • lack of water
  • lack of food


3%    (0%)
52%  (56%)
51%  (47%)
34%  (25%)
24%  (19%)


5%    (7%)
59%  (51%)
73%  (71%)
50%  (46%)
22%  (13%)
f)
  • temperature suits our bodies
  • air/oxygen/atmosphere
  • water
  • food sources

21%  (24%)
52%  (59%)
57%  (46%)
37%  (32%)

30%  (26%)
78%  (72%)
72%  (67%)
41%  (29%)
g)
  • star
  • ball of fire/gases

41%  (34%)
29%  (27%)

57%  (28%)
26%  (47%)
h)
  • much bigger
  • extremely hot/ball of fire
  • no life or life requirements (e.g., water/oxygen)
  • no well defined surface (outer layers gas/plasma rather than solid/liquid)

13%  (8%)
84%  (82%)
22%  (16%)
6%    (4%)

24%  (15%)
91%  (85%)
37%  (28%)
15%  (3%)
 

Total:
20-33
16-19
12-15
8-11
4-7
0-3


1%    (0%)
5%    (4%)
21%  (17%)
33%  (36%)
28%  (29%)
12%  (14%)


7%    (0%)
20%  (14%)
29%  (29%)
25%  (28%)
16%  (24%)
3%    (5%)
Diagnostic and formative information: 
Commentary
Between 1999 and 2003, there has been very little change in performance for year 4 students, but a small increase for year 8 students.