• Gravity and the Solar System (video)


    If gravity makes it so objects with less mass are attracted to objects with larger mass, then why doesn’t the Earth run straight into the sun? This video explains the important role of gravity in our solar system, and how it causes massive objects such as the planets in our solar system to orbit the sun. Students watching will benefit through gaining prior understanding necessary to develop their own models describing the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.


    Birth of the Solar System (video)


    This video breaks down the process of how our solar system came to be – the same process that students will be making flip-books about. Additionally, included in the film is an explanation about the importance of space existing in the 3rd dimension, gravity would not have formed our solar system had space been 2D or 4D.


    How did our solar system come to be? (website)


    This straightforward flowchart depicts the stages that took place in the formation of our solar system. Students will find this concise yet not over-simplified source helpful in creating their flip-books because it gives them a clear visual illustration along with verbal explanations.


    How Animations Can Help Scientists Test a Hypothesis (website)


    This source is great material to center a class discussion on scientific theory around and practice critical thinking with your students. Janet Iwasa’s TED talk focuses on the potential that animations can bring to the field of science as a whole. Iwasa’s lecture uses the example of animating biological processes, but her arguments can be applied to an array of subjects.