THE GEOGRAPHERS

Lesson 1 Reflection

1

• I learned about the planets in the solar system and how they move around the Sun.
• Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and it is the only one known to support life.
• All planets move in oval-shaped paths (ellipses) because of the Sun’s gravity.
• The Earth spins on its axis, and this causes day and night.
• The Earth also goes around the Sun, and this causes the seasons.
• We studied Johannes Kepler’s three laws of planetary movement.
• His first law says planets move in oval orbits, not perfect circles.
• His second law says planets move faster when they are closer to the Sun.
• His third law shows the link between how far a planet is from the Sun and how long it takes to orbit it.

2
I enjoyed learning about Kepler’s laws the most because they clearly explain why planets move the way they do, and it made the solar system more understandable.

3 I found it most difficult to fully understand how Kepler’s third law works mathematically, because it involves ratios and orbital periods.