Interactive Video Script
Lesson
Objective
Course
Semester
Unit
Lesson
Science 7
A
2
5
Students will compare and contrast the features of the inner planets,
including Earth.
CLIP A (Introduction)
Visual
<image>
Audio
Now we’re going to take a closer look at
the four inner planets in our Solar System.
These are the four planets closest to the
Sun.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ter
restrial_planet_size_comparisons_right_to
_left.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs_rocks.jpg
These planets are called terrestrial
planets, because they have solid, rocky
surfaces. As we look at each of these
planets we will compare them to each
other and with Earth.
<image>
We will be looking at all four of the inner
planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.
While their surfaces are similar, each has
many unique features.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ter
restial_Planets_internal_en.jpg
<image>
You may think that those differences are
based on where they are in the Solar
System, but as you will see, there are
many more identifying elements.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sol
ar_sys.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs_and_Syrtis_Major_-_GPN-2000000923.jpg
As alien as these planets seem to us, they
all have traits in common with Earth and
with each other.
Question A
Stem: What is the term for planets like Earth?
Answer Choices:
A. Jovian
B. Gas giants
C. Terrestrial
D. Solid
Correct Response (C)
(Video progresses to clip B)
Incorrect Response (A, B, D)
(Video progresses to clip E)
CLIP B (DOK1)
Visual
<image>
Audio
Let’s start by taking a look at the planet
that is closest to the Sun: Mercury. First of
all, Mercury is the smallest of the inner
planets. In fact, it’s the smallest of all of
the planets.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Col
ors_of_the_Innermost_Planet.jpg
<image>
Mercury has the thinnest atmosphere of
the inner planets. It leaves the surface
vulnerable to impacts from countless
objects, which cause many craters.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spi
der_crater_on_planet_mercury.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex
otic_World_Blisters_Under_the_Sun01.jpg
Also as a result of this thin atmosphere,
the temperatures on Mercury swing wildly.
During the day it’s very hot, and at night
it’s bitter cold.
<image>
While Earth and Mercury have the same
type of solid surface, they don’t have
much else in common.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Per
manently_Shadowed_Polar_Craters.jpg
Question B
Stem: How are Earth and Mercury similar?
Answer Choices:
A. Both have a rocky surface.
B. Both have a thick atmosphere.
C. They are the same size.
D. Both have similar temperatures in day and night.
Correct Response (A)
(Video progresses to clip C)
Incorrect Response (B, C, D)
(Video progresses to clip F)
CLIP C (Increased DOK2)
Visual
<image>
Audio
It’s time to move further away from the
Sun and find our next stop on this journey
through the inner planets. Venus, the
second planet from the Sun, is often called
Earth’s twin because they are so close in
size.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ve
nus_globe.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
at_Mons_on_Venus.jpg
Unlike Mercury, Venus has a very thick
atmosphere, thicker than Earth’s, made
mostly of carbon dioxide. Comets almost
never hit Venus because of the thick, toxic
atmosphere.
<image>
This thick atmosphere also traps much of
the Sun’s heat and causes the surface of
Venus to be very hot all the time, day or
night.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mg
n_p39146.png
<image>
http://pixabay.com/en/venus-planet-ballround-stellar-151142/
Like Mercury (and unlike Earth) Venus has
no natural satellites. In other words, it has
no moons. Venus is probably similar to
Earth in that it has a crust, a mantle, and a
core.
Question C
Stem: How are Earth and Venus similar?
Answer Choices:
A. Both have a super thick atmosphere.
B. Both are about the same size.
C. Both have no active volcanoes.
D. Both have one moon.
Correct Response (B)
(Video progresses to clip D)
Incorrect Response (A, C, D)
(Video progresses to clip G)
CLIP D (Increased DOK3)
Visual
<image>
Audio
The next planet we reach on our trip away
from the Sun is Earth. We won’t stop here
long, but it’s important to note that many of
the comparisons are to this home of ours.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ear
th_Eastern_Hemisphere.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MA
RS-Viking.jpg
Let’s move on to Mars. Mars is the second
smallest terrestrial planet. Mars has a thin
atmosphere, so it has craters like Mercury.
<image>
Mars has landforms like Earth, such as
volcanoes and mountains. It also has
polar ice regions. They change size
depending on the season, but they are
always there.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs_NPArea-PIA00161_modest.jpg
<Place images side by side.>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ph
obos_colour_2008.jpg
<image>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars#mediavie
wer/File:Deimos-MRO.jpg
Unlike the other terrestrial planets, Mars
has two moons: Phobos and Deimos.
Question D
Stem: How are Earth and Mars similar?
Answer Choices:
A. Both have one moon.
B. Both have ice at the poles.
C. Both are about the same size.
D. Both have an atmosphere comprised mostly of nitrogen.
Correct Response (B)
(Video progresses to Success Alert)
Incorrect Response (A, C, D)
(Video progresses to clip H)
CLIP E (Remedial 1)
Visual
<image>
Audio
The planets in our Solar System have lots
of similarities and differences. The size,
atmospheres, distances from the Sun, and
the make-up of the planets vary widely.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sol
ar_system_scale-2.jpg
<image>
The first four planets do have something in
common though: they all have rocky
surfaces. Because of this, they are
grouped together as the terrestrial planets.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5_
Terrestrial_planets_size_comparison.png
<image>
Terrestrial simply means, “of land” and in
this case we are talking about the makeup and surface of Earth. They are all solid
and rocky on their surfaces.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ter
restial_Planets_internal_en.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs_rocks.jpg
So just remember, when we say
terrestrial, we are talking about a solid,
rocky surface. Also remember that we’re
talking about the first four planets from the
Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Question E
Stem: What do all terrestrial planets have in common?
Answer Choices:
A. Thick atmospheres.
B. Oceans with water.
C. Rocky surfaces.
D. Their sizes.
Correct Response (C)
(Video progresses to clip B)
Incorrect Response (A, B, D)
(Video progresses to clip F)
CLIP F (Remedial 2)
Visual
<image>
<Have an arrow point to the far left
planet.>
Audio
Mercury is different from the other
terrestrial planets in a number of ways. It
is the closest to the Sun and is the
smallest planet.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:4_
Terrestrial_Planets_Size_Comp_True_Col
or.png
<image>
It has a much thinner atmosphere than the
other terrestrial planets, allowing rocks
from space to impact it and create craters.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Me
rcury_as_Never_Seen_Before.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ter
restial_Planets_internal_en.jpg
It also has a large, solid core, which
makes it the second densest terrestrial
planet, right behind our friend Earth. So
these extreme swings in temperature . . .
<image>
. . . and its very cratered surface are both
results of that very thin atmosphere. That’s
much different from Earth that has the
second thickest atmosphere of the
terrestrial planets.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ME
SSENGER_north_polar_region_EN01088
30513M.jpg
Question F
Stem: How are Earth and Mercury different?
Answer Choices:
A. Mercury has a thinner atmosphere than Earth.
B. Mercury has a rocky surface and Earth does not.
C. Mercury is much more dense than Earth.
D. Mercury has ridges and mountains and Earth does not.
Correct Response (A)
(Video progresses to clip C)
Incorrect Response (B, C, D)
(Video progresses to Intervention Alert,
bringing students back to clip B)
CLIP G (Remedial 3)
Visual
<image>
Audio
Venus is sometimes called Earth’s “sister
planet,” because the two are very similar
in size. They also both have active
volcanoes on their surfaces.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ve
nus_Earth_Comparison_Horizontal.jpg
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ve
nus_dome_3D.jpg
But Venus has a much thicker atmosphere
than Earth. That has led to some
interesting differences. For one, Venus is
much hotter than Earth.
<image>
While there are craters on Venus,
scientists believe they formed long ago
and objects have not been hitting the
surface for quite some time, due to the
thick, dense atmosphere.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
at_Mons_on_Venus.jpg
<image>
<Remove red and blue orbits in image.>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ast
eroids-PHA-and-NEA-Orbits.jpg
It also takes Venus less time to orbit the
Sun than Earth. In fact the only terrestrial
planet that orbits the Sun faster is
Mercury.
Question G
Stem: How are Earth and Venus different?
Answer Choices:
A. Earth has a much thicker atmosphere than Venus.
B. Venus has a much thicker atmosphere than Earth.
C. Earth is much larger than Venus.
D. Venus is much larger than Earth.
Correct Response (B)
(Video progresses to clip D)
Incorrect Response (A, C, D)
(Video progresses to clip F)
CLIP H (Remedial 4)
Visual
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs-Schiaparelli.jpg
Audio
The fourth terrestrial planet is Mars. It’s
smaller than Earth and Venus (but bigger
than Mercury) and its atmosphere is
somewhat thin.
<image>
Mars’ atmosphere is thicker than
Mercury’s but much thinner than Venus’ or
Earth’s. This results in more impacts on its
surface, almost like our Moon.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma
rs_atmosphere.jpg
<Place images side by side.>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ph
obos_colour_2008.jpg
<image>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars#mediavie
wer/File:Deimos-MRO.jpg
And speaking of moons, Mars is the only
terrestrial planet with more than one. It
has two more than Mercury and Venus
(both of which have no moons) and one
more than Earth.
The U.S. sent rovers to Mars’ rocky
surface. The rovers sent back data, but we
hope to land people on Mars one day to
gather that data directly. Maybe you will
be the first person to walk on that ground!
<image>
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ast
ronauts_approach_Viking_2.jpg
Question H
Stem: How are Earth and Mars different?
Answer Choices:
A. Mars is much smaller than Earth.
B. Earth is much smaller than Mars.
C. Mars has ice at its poles and Earth does not.
D. Earth has ice at its poles and Mars does not.
Correct Response (A)
(Video progresses to Success Alert)
Incorrect Response (B, C, D)
(Video progresses to clip G)