Handout
Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System: Mars

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover interesting information about the planet Mars through a vast archive of photographs and scientific facts.
Handout
Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System: Uranus

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the planet Uranus through this site that includes vivid multimedia resources. Learn Uranus statistics and view numerous images.
Handout
Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System: Jupiter

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the planet Jupiter through this site that includes vivid multimedia resources. Learn Jupiter statistics and view numerous images.
Handout
Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System: Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the planet Earth through this site that includes vivid multimedia resources. Learn Earth statistics and view numerous images.
Handout
Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System: Venus

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover interesting information about the planet Venus through a vast archive of photographs and scientific facts.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Big Are the Planets in Our Solar System?

For Students 3rd - 5th
This activity explores the relative size of the eight planets that circle around the Sun.
Activity
Harvard University

Harvard University: The Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
These hands-on activities are a great way for students to gain perspective on the relative sizes and distances of each planet, the relationship between the sun and Earth, and much more.
Activity
National Geographic

National Geographic: Extreme Weather on Other Planets

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Examine the variety of weather found on all of the planets in the solar system with this classroom exercise. Students will see a video and observe differences and similarities among the planets.
Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: Solar System Exploration: Planets

For Students 9th - 10th
This impressive compilation of ideas is a great source for space science. Loaded with extra links for further information on the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Other

Simple Science: Planetary Gallery

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The innovative resource examines images of the Sun, Moon, Pluto, and all eight planets in the Solar System. Learners calculate the diameter of each object and rank the objects in order of size. The activity has an interactive online...
Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: All Planet Sizes

For Students 9th - 10th
This illustration from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory shows the approximate sizes of the planets relative to each other. Note that the planets are not shown at appropriate distances from the Sun.
Graphic
NASA

Nasa: Solar System Exploration: Planets: Venus

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive look at the planet Venus, with many useful facts, figures, photos, and related links. Provides an account of how Venus got it's name and a timeline of significant dates.
Article
Other

Planetary Science Institute: Building Planets at Psi

For Students 9th - 10th
An article about the Planetary Science Institutes's advanced computer software, which it uses to model the way the solar system may have formed. Includes some insights into the results already obtained.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Planet Quest: Exoplanet Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
Constellation of articles, images, diagrams, posters, videos, and more on the subject of the search for planets, particularly Earth-like planets, outside our solar system.
Handout
Nine Planets

The Nine Planets: The Moon

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the mythology, structure, observational history, gravitational force, and orbit of Earth's Moon.
Activity
NASA

Nasa: Planets in a Bottle

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
In this simple lesson, students grow yeast to learn how the climates on each of the nine planets would affect life.
Graphic
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Sun and Planets

For Students 6th - 8th
Observe the sun and the rotation of the planets in this moving image from NASA. Observe the axial tilts and directional rotation of planets and how they differ for each planet. Be sure to read the background information on how planets...
Activity
Other

Lunar and Planetary Institute: Explore! Ice Worlds

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Features a collection of hands-on activities, investigations, and explorations designed to engage students in learning about ice, both in the solar system and on planet Earth.
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Looking for Life on Mars and Beyond

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn some of the characteristics of Mars. These characteristics lead some people to believe that life forms may be found on the fourth planet from the Sun.
Website
Other

Celestia

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a free space simulation that lets you explore the universe in three dimensions. There is a forum for teachers and lesson plans that help enhance student use of the simulation. A program must be downloaded in order to...
Article
NASA

Nasa: Huge Springtime Storms Hit the Planet Uranus

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes in detail the devastating storms that occur on Uranus.Also includes an .mpeg movie showing the rings of Uranus up close. (Mar. 29, 1999)
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Neptune

For Students K - 1st
Learn fun facts and details about the atmosphere, composition, and discovery of Neptune, the last planet in our solar system.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Space Science: Astronomy for Kids

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about astronomy, the study of outer space including the stars, planets, comets, black holes, and the Solar System. History and astronomers in this astronomy for teachers and kids section.
Article
University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: Comets

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover interesting facts about comets, an icy time capsule left over from the birth of planets.