NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration: Planets: Venus
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.
Other
Space Science Institute: Alien Earths: Star and Planet Formation
Learn about the lives of stars, and how stars and planets form. The Interactive activity, 'Planet Families' requires Adobe Flash and cannot be launched.
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: History & People
Biographies of people throughout history who looked at the sky and wondered what was there. Links to a detailed description of the planets and interactive activities.
A&E Television
History.com: The Space Race: Interactive Universe
A virtual journey through space offers photos and facts about Earth and its neighboring planets, comets, other celestial bodies of the Solar System, and the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: A Guide to Astronomy Resources
A portal to resources on the sun, the Earth's neighboring planets, and the weather in space. Find out why Saturn is the "jewel of the Solar System" and explore what happens when Venus and Mercury make their rare transits across the sun.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Ology: Cosmic Cookies
Roll your mouse over the planets in our solar system to read a vignette about each. Then, link to the recipe for directions to create miniature planet cookies that look like the real thing.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Our Solar System: The Universe
A video and a short multiple-choice quiz on the Universe and what it is made up of.
University of California
Uc Berkeley: At Home Astronomy: The Size and Distance of Planets
In this activity, "You will investigate the concepts of relative size and distance by creating a basic model of our solar system." Planet printouts are provided and this site contains related links.
NASA
Nasa: Space Place: Messenger: Planet Mass Comparison
Compare the masses of planets in this interactive animation. Simply pile a number of Earths on one side of the scale, to balance with the mass of one Jupiter. Then try this with all the planets.
National Geographic
National Geographic: Planetary Size and Distance Comparison
Students review the sizes of planets and their order relative to the Sun. They then learn about astronomical uses and create a model of the solar system that reflects planetary distances. Includes handouts and worksheets as well as a...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Solar System Quiz
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is an assessment flipchart that explores the location of planets in our solar system.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Paper Mache Solar System
This site from the Illinois Institute of Technology provides a set of directions for the creation of a solar system model out of paper mache. Includes orbital distances and planet diameters for the nine planets. Great idea for a student...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Astronomy
Eight hands-on lessons module in which students explore the characteristics of planet Earth, its moons, the sun, the solar system, planets, and the difference between science fact and science fiction.
NASA
Nasa: Neptune: Overview: The Windiest Planet
Prepared by NASA, this site provides a detailed look at the planet Neptune. The menu tabs are divided into overview, moons, rings, photo gallery, and facts and figures. Just click to access specific information on any of these topics.
Other
Planetary Science Institute: Building Planets at Psi
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.
ABCya
Ab Cya: Orbital Order
Launch into space with Orbital Order! Amplify your knowledge of the Sun and the planets of our Solar System in this astronomical activity. Do you have what it takes to put the planets back in order?
Fourmilab Switzerland
John Walker: Earth and Moon Viewer and Solar System Explorer
This website provides numerous images of the Earth and moon, shown from various vantage points.
Other
The Telson Spur: The Solar System
This is a list of links to online resources related to the study of the planets. It has a literary theme associated with the Lewis Carrol poem "The Hunting of the Snark" with many quotes from literature and science. Navigation tools...
NASA
Nasa: Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Planet Quest: Exoplanet Exploration
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.
Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum: Exploring the Planets: Ancient Times & the Greeks
In ancient times only five planets were known: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Learn about Greek astronomer Ptolemy's theory for the solar system that was to survive for fourteen centuries.
NASA
Nasa's the Space Place: King of the Ice Dwarfs
An information page all about Pluto! Learn about Pluto's size, path around the sun, temperature, location, and traveling partner Charon.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Planets
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart presents an extensive lesson on the planets of our solar system.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Know Your Neighbors: Researching the Planets
Students will study planets and moons in our solar system by working online and other resources. This lesson plan has students working together to generate a spreadsheet of data found. Students will use this information to describe why...
NASA
Nasa: What Is a Planet?
This lesson teaches students about the characteristics of planets, comets, asteroids, and trans-Neptunian objects. After learning about these different things, students then are to debate about a new object that is found in space.