Pluto decision rocks students' universe
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Rocky and icy, with an elliptical orbit, Pluto has been known as the ninth planet from the sun since it was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930.
That is until the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet nearly a month ago.
"It's still the same Pluto" in West Middle School science teacher Matt Allner's classroom, where his sixth-graders have joined in the discussion.
They may not be scientists attempting to classify celestial bodies in space, but DeQuan Burnside, 11, and Sam Bauer, 11, got a taste of the debate Tuesday that has rocked the scientific community in recent weeks. DeQuan and Sam each was given a bag of LEGOs of different sizes, shapes and colors.
Along with a partner, they each separated their LEGOs into groups based on their colors, shapes, sizes and number of notches and recorded their descriptions on a sheet of paper. When it came time for DeQuan and Sam to exchange papers and LEGOs, they had difficulty coming up with the same classification. The lesson: classification can be difficult because everyone has a different opinion.
Although the two disagreed while grouping LEGOs, both said Pluto shouldn't have been bumped.
"I think it should be a planet," Sam said.
DeQuan added, "It's been one for many years, why change it now."
While dividing his LEGOs into groups with partner Elise Gerhart, David Meis said he thinks Pluto should be classified as half planet and half comet. But he said he doesn't think scientists will ever come to a conclusion.
"I think it will change in three to five years," he said. "I don't think they'll ever decide."
Continuing controversy
The IAU is recognized by astronomers as the official authority responsible for naming stars, planets and asteroids. The IAU created the first official definition of a planet, which ousted pluto. In order to be given planet status, a celestial body must orbit the sun, have "sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome ridged body forces" and "clear the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto failed to pass the test because its elliptical orbit overlaps with its neighbor, Neptune.
Allner, a graduate student, who presented research in China this summer with an assistant professor in the Space Studies Department at the University of North Dakota, said the controversy brewing over Pluto is nothing new.
"It didn't blow up," he said. "It didn't all of a sudden fire a rocket and take off into the solar system, but something happened. There's been a debate going on for quite some time, longer than most average citizens and people around the world are even aware of."
Allner said Pluto will have a shot at redemption when the IAU meets in three years.
"I think it could change in the future," he said. "Whether or not it will, I don't know. People are not going to put the debate down; they're going to keep arguing. It's going to push science to advance itself. It's going to force scientists who lost Pluto as a planet to do better research, become better debaters or find better technology."
Out of date
Mnemonic devices such as "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas," used to remember the names and order of the planets, aren't the only things that have been affected by Pluto's demise.
Andre Torres, owner of Thinker Toys in Sioux City, said she thinks mobiles, motorized models and solar system images commonly mounted on bedroom walls, will be changed.
"I would imagine they would have to," she said. "It's just like maps. The world is constantly changing. If they change maps, I would assume they would change the solar system too."
Torres said items relating to the solar system have always been popular with children.
"We carry quite a few items for the solar system and quite honestly it's always done well," she said. "Kids have always had an interest in the stars."
David Hakensen, vice president of communication for Pearson Education, the world's largest education publisher, said his company is already updating textbooks for the 2007-2008 school year. Whether some school districts will receive textbooks with the updated information on Pluto, Hakensen said will depend on a school district's adoption cycle.
"If there's a state somewhere in the country that's buying those textbooks and have ordered them, we're in the process of updating that content now," he said. "Pluto is interesting in that it's gotten a lot of attention, but there are obviously changes that go into the book every year that we do a revision."
Tom Stanton, director of communications for McGraw-Hill Education, said updated information about the planets will be available to teachers and students nationwide on the Web soon.
Superintendent Larry Williams said the Sioux City School District is not dependent on textbooks and that teaching materials are updated when necessary. He said they use science kits at the elementary and middle school levels instead of textbooks.
"Our curriculum is never 100 percent dependent on what's in a textbook," he said. "We lay out the curriculum and the bench mark and the standard, so we can update that information at a moment's notice. If there's something that needs to be supplemented in a moment's notice, we do it. We can infuse information on Pluto and eight as opposed to nine planets anytime."
That is until the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet nearly a month ago.
"It's still the same Pluto" in West Middle School science teacher Matt Allner's classroom, where his sixth-graders have joined in the discussion.
They may not be scientists attempting to classify celestial bodies in space, but DeQuan Burnside, 11, and Sam Bauer, 11, got a taste of the debate Tuesday that has rocked the scientific community in recent weeks. DeQuan and Sam each was given a bag of LEGOs of different sizes, shapes and colors.
Along with a partner, they each separated their LEGOs into groups based on their colors, shapes, sizes and number of notches and recorded their descriptions on a sheet of paper. When it came time for DeQuan and Sam to exchange papers and LEGOs, they had difficulty coming up with the same classification. The lesson: classification can be difficult because everyone has a different opinion.
Although the two disagreed while grouping LEGOs, both said Pluto shouldn't have been bumped.
"I think it should be a planet," Sam said.
DeQuan added, "It's been one for many years, why change it now."
While dividing his LEGOs into groups with partner Elise Gerhart, David Meis said he thinks Pluto should be classified as half planet and half comet. But he said he doesn't think scientists will ever come to a conclusion.
"I think it will change in three to five years," he said. "I don't think they'll ever decide."
Continuing controversy
The IAU is recognized by astronomers as the official authority responsible for naming stars, planets and asteroids. The IAU created the first official definition of a planet, which ousted pluto. In order to be given planet status, a celestial body must orbit the sun, have "sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome ridged body forces" and "clear the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto failed to pass the test because its elliptical orbit overlaps with its neighbor, Neptune.
Allner, a graduate student, who presented research in China this summer with an assistant professor in the Space Studies Department at the University of North Dakota, said the controversy brewing over Pluto is nothing new.
"It didn't blow up," he said. "It didn't all of a sudden fire a rocket and take off into the solar system, but something happened. There's been a debate going on for quite some time, longer than most average citizens and people around the world are even aware of."
Allner said Pluto will have a shot at redemption when the IAU meets in three years.
"I think it could change in the future," he said. "Whether or not it will, I don't know. People are not going to put the debate down; they're going to keep arguing. It's going to push science to advance itself. It's going to force scientists who lost Pluto as a planet to do better research, become better debaters or find better technology."
Out of date
Mnemonic devices such as "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas," used to remember the names and order of the planets, aren't the only things that have been affected by Pluto's demise.
Andre Torres, owner of Thinker Toys in Sioux City, said she thinks mobiles, motorized models and solar system images commonly mounted on bedroom walls, will be changed.
"I would imagine they would have to," she said. "It's just like maps. The world is constantly changing. If they change maps, I would assume they would change the solar system too."
Torres said items relating to the solar system have always been popular with children.
"We carry quite a few items for the solar system and quite honestly it's always done well," she said. "Kids have always had an interest in the stars."
David Hakensen, vice president of communication for Pearson Education, the world's largest education publisher, said his company is already updating textbooks for the 2007-2008 school year. Whether some school districts will receive textbooks with the updated information on Pluto, Hakensen said will depend on a school district's adoption cycle.
"If there's a state somewhere in the country that's buying those textbooks and have ordered them, we're in the process of updating that content now," he said. "Pluto is interesting in that it's gotten a lot of attention, but there are obviously changes that go into the book every year that we do a revision."
Tom Stanton, director of communications for McGraw-Hill Education, said updated information about the planets will be available to teachers and students nationwide on the Web soon.
Superintendent Larry Williams said the Sioux City School District is not dependent on textbooks and that teaching materials are updated when necessary. He said they use science kits at the elementary and middle school levels instead of textbooks.
"Our curriculum is never 100 percent dependent on what's in a textbook," he said. "We lay out the curriculum and the bench mark and the standard, so we can update that information at a moment's notice. If there's something that needs to be supplemented in a moment's notice, we do it. We can infuse information on Pluto and eight as opposed to nine planets anytime."
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billy wyman wrote on Jun 25, 2008 12:23 PM:
NicoleTemple wrote on Sep 27, 2006 2:14 PM:
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student of TMS wrote on Sep 21, 2006 5:39 PM:
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