Curated OER
Making Models of the Solar System
Students make several models of the solar system to learn the positions of the planets in the solar system as well as relative distances and sizes. Creation of these models will help them identify the planets by size, shape, color,...
Las Cumbres Observatory
How Big is the Solar System?
Find out if it's possible to travel to the edge of the solar system. Learners use a piece of string to model the distance between planets in the solar system. They then use the distances to calculate how long it would take to travel to...
Curated OER
Our Solar System - Comparing Planetary Travel Distances
NASA presents a mini-unit on distances in our solar system. It incorporates scientific concepts of gravity, mass, density, and payload while your aspiring astronauts also employ mathematics skills. They calculate speed, they determine...
Voyage Solar System
Round and Round We Go — Exploring Orbits in the Solar System
Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson...
Curated OER
Scale Model of the Solar System
Young scientists gain a better understanding of space, the solar system and its vastness by creating a scale model. Students first need to calculate the distance between each of the nine planets according to the size of their scale. This...
Curated OER
Planets Beyond
Students recognize basic geometric shapes. They research the positions of planets in our solar system and find information on early theories about the location of planets and the sun. Students visualize planets as they might appear in an...
CK-12 Foundation
Venn Diagrams: Planets and Dwarf Planets of the Solar System
Yes, Venn diagrams are helpful in science, too. Learners use an interactive to classify celestial bodies as having moons, as dwarf plants, as both, or as neither. They answer a set of challenge questions based on the Venn diagrams they...
Curated OER
A Model Solar System
If Earth is modeled by a grapefruit, what planet could be represented by a golf ball? This activity uses everyday and not-so-everyday objects to create a model of the Solar System.
Curated OER
Planet Magic Number
This is a terrific worksheet! Wow! Lots of great learning going on here. Not only do your pupils have to do a bunch of research in order to fill in the planetary table, they have to do some math as well, which will tell them if...
Curated OER
You Are Here
Students determine the relative size and distance of the planets in the solar system. They use ratios in their mathematical calculations to make models of the planets after discussing the relative sizes of the planets. They keep a...
Curated OER
Not Your Average Planet
Fourth graders explore median, mode, mean, and range using information about the planets and our solar system.
Curated OER
Space: Our Star, the Sun, and Its Friends, the Planets
Students examine the solar system. For this space lesson, students identify the order of the planets and their relative size to the sun. Students create a scale model of our solar system using a variety of household objects.
Curated OER
Exploring Scale And Ratio
Learners measure the actual size and distance of the solar system using scale and ratio. They watch and discuss a video, create a distance-scale solar system model, and compare the scale sizes of planets to their actual sizes.
Curated OER
Email From Another Planet
In this article about emails and plants worksheet, students read short descriptions about 8 planets in the solar system and then imagine they are visiting one of the planets and send an email to a family member describing their...
Curated OER
Planet Fractions and Scales
In this planets and fractions worksheet, students solve nine problems about the sizes and scales of planets compared to each other using fractions.
California Academy of Science
Moons in Comparison
Just how big is Earth's moon? With a hands-on simulation, scholars use Play-Doh to model the sizes of the planets Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and their moons. They make predictions as a class, work together to make their models, and discuss...
Curated OER
The Mathematical Fingerprint of Our Solar System
Pupils study the beautiful mathematical model unique to our solar system.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Scaling Down the Solar System
Learners work collaboratively to gain a better understanding of the vastness of space by scaling down the solar system. They measure by inches, gain an understanding of space, and model the distances of the planets from the sun.
Curated OER
Scale Activities
How do you put something as large as the universe in perspective? Use a series of scale experiments. Classmates collaborate around four experiments to examine the scale of the earth-moon system, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy,...
Curated OER
On Jupiter
Middle schoolers tour Jupiter. In this scenario based lesson, students examine the size of Jupiter and make models of the other planets in the solar system to show how large Jupiter is compared to the other planets.
Curated OER
Ordinal Numbers Are Out of This World
First graders identify and write ordinal numbers by following the sequence the school bus followed during a field trip to the nine planets in the solar system. This is based on the book The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System.
Curated OER
A Tour of the Solar System
Students construct a spacecraft out of Lego blocks and other materials. They work on their models in small groups while building. They become familar with the planets while working cooperatively.
Curated OER
Exploring The Neighborhood of the Solar System
Students explain why exploring the universe for life on other planets is an important field of study. They use mathematical formulas to calculate the temperatures of planets as it relates to their distance from the sun. Students use...
Curated OER
Simple Searches
In this space worksheet, students load a copy of ViewPoint and open the Solar System datafile. There they look through database sheets, using the Preview Sheet and Next Sheet buttons and respond to 8 questions. Then students do some...