Once In A Blue Moon
Number Systems and Number Theory
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Objective
Students will use number theory skills to investigate when certain planets are
aligned.
Overview of the Lesson
In 1988, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus were all in alignment. This happens
“once in a blue moon.” Students review the order of the planets from the sun and
use this data to create a human solar system. They are assigned the name of a
planet, and physically demonstrate the orbits and the time it takes for each of the
planets to revolve around the sun. These times range from the 88 days it takes
Mercury to revolve around the sun to 247 years it takes Pluto. The investigative
question is, “When, if ever, will these four planets be in alignment again?” Student
groups devise plans for finding answers to this question. The lesson concludes as
students share their reasoning and methods for arriving at a solution. Students
engage in a self assessment of their performance in solving this problem.
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