Top
Wondering how to bring SEL into your classroom?
Click Here for the Answer!

Kristi Harjo

Adventures in ISTEM and Beyond

Reinstate Pluto as a Planet: Science Saturday

by

Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

On July 14, 2015, after launching 9 1/2 years ago, New Horizons finally reached its destination, Pluto.  It is the first time we have gotten a close up view of this beloved Dwarf planet.  Nasa is now gaining more information about this amazing object.  Some of these new discoveries include an Ion tail where the Nitrogen in Pluto’s atmosphere is being blown away by solar winds. There is also a concentration of frozen carbon monoxide in the “Heart of Pluto”.   So what do these new discoveries mean for the fate of Pluto.  Before we look at that let’s look at the reasons Pluto became reclassified as a dwarf planet.

      After over 20 years of searching for a ninth planet, Planet “X”, Pluto was discovered.  It was discovered on February18, 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh after looking at photographs taken in January of that year. In August of 2006, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) came together to create a definition of a planet.  According to the IAU there are now three criteria’s of a planet.

1. It is in orbit around the Sun.
2. It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape).
3. It has “cleared the neighborhood” around its orbit.

Image Credits: NASA.gov

Pluto Meets the first two but does not meet the third one.  To have a “cleared neighborhood” an object needs to be large enough have no other objects similar in size next to it except for its satellites.  Pluto is not large enough to have enough gravity to clear its neighborhood.

     What does the future hold for Pluto?  The new information gained from New Horizons confirms that Pluto meets the first and second criteria however it still does not meet the third criteria.  The IAU will meet in Honolulu this August and at this time there are no requests to put it on the agenda.  For now Pluto remains a dwarf planet.  

What are your thoughts about Pluto? Do you think it should be reinstated as a planet or keep its dwarf planet status?

Teachers are saying...

I've been looking for resources to flip my classroom. This will save me a lot of time planning.

- Tracy C.

Animal and Plant Cells Flipped Lesson
Kristi Harjo
2020-09-29T21:21:06+00:00
I've been looking for resources to flip my classroom. This will save me a lot of time planning. - Tracy C. Animal and Plant Cells Flipped Lesson

These are so fantastic! What a great way to teach and differentiate for students! Thank you, everything is so well put together.

- Chelsea B.

Newton’s First Law Flipped Lesson
Kristi Harjo
2020-09-29T21:29:27+00:00
These are so fantastic! What a great way to teach and differentiate for students! Thank you, everything is so well put together. - Chelsea B. Newton’s First Law Flipped Lesson

This is absolutely one of my favorite resources I have purchased through TPT and I spend more than $400 a year! It has so many interesting aspects. My students really enjoyed learning with these labs.

- Terah R.

Ionic and Covalent Compounds Science Stations
Kristi Harjo
2020-09-29T21:30:45+00:00
This is absolutely one of my favorite resources I have purchased through TPT and I spend more than $400 a year! It has so many interesting aspects. My students really enjoyed learning with these labs. - Terah R. Ionic and Covalent Compounds Science Stations

I bought this lesson with all of my students in mind, but gave special consideration to my students that have IEPs and seem to struggle with staying on task. We're currently in the process of working through the prokaryote and eukaryote cells and I'm finding this to be so convenient for my students. It's something that they'll be able to easily refer back to also. Thank you for creating such a colorful, fun and useful resource!

- Lisa M.

Cell Differences Digital Notebook
Kristi Harjo
2020-09-29T21:31:59+00:00
I bought this lesson with all of my students in mind, but gave special consideration to my students that have IEPs and seem to struggle with staying on task. We're currently in the process of working through the prokaryote and eukaryote cells and I'm finding this to be so convenient for my students. It's something that they'll be able to easily refer back to also. Thank you for creating such a colorful, fun and useful resource! - Lisa M. Cell Differences Digital Notebook
0
0
Kristi Harjo

Oh hey

Looking for something?

Whats Good

As middle school teachers, we only see our students for a short amount of time, however the impact we have can last a lifetime. There is no better feeling than to have a student visit me years later and tell me what a difference I made in their life.

Hello

Join the Newsletter

Get tips & freebies right in your inbox!