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...
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.
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.
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: The Sun Earth Connection: Sunspots and Climate

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Through graphing data and interpretation, young scholars learn about sunspots and their effect on the climate of our planet.
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...
Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: So Many 'Earths'

For Students 3rd - 8th
Article reports on the recent discovery that many suns in the universe host "Earth-like" planets. Includes a vocabularly list.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: The North (Wall) Star

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects - sun, moon, planets or stars. This activity starts with a...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: The Great Gravity Escape

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use water balloons and a length of string to understand how gravity and the velocity of a spacecraft balance to form an orbit. They see that when the velocity becomes too great for gravity to hold onto an object, the object...
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.
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.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Venus

For Students K - 1st
Learn fun facts and details about the atmosphere, geography, composition, and discovery of Venus, the second closest planet to the sun.
Article
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Sunspots

For Students 9th - 10th
Read all about sunspots, dark, planet-sized regions that appear on the "surface" of the Sun.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Mercury

For Students K - 1st
Learn fun facts and details about the atmosphere, geography, composition, and discovery of Mercury, the closest planet to the sun.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Uranus

For Students K - 1st
Learn fun facts and details about the atmosphere, composition, and discovery of Uranus, the seventh closest planet to the sun.

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