Curated OER
Modeling the Solar System
Students build a scaled model of the solar system. For this space science lesson, students arrange them according to their distances from the sun. They analyze each planet's unique features such as density and relative gravity.
Curated OER
The Physics of the Planets: How 16th and 17th Century Physicist Helped Us Understand Our Solar System
Eighth graders draw the paths of the planets in the solar system. In this astronomy lesson, 8th graders calculate speed of objects using distance and time information. They research about the work of scientists in the 16th and 17th century.
Curated OER
Our Changing View of the Solar System
Students identify and name the eight planets and the five dwarf planets in our solar system. In this space science lesson, students view a slideshow of the planets and label them on an included Solar System chart.
Journey Through the Universe
The Voyage Scale Model Solar System
Young scientists learn how to select a scale factor for a large scale model. Then they figure the scale for each of the planets and the distance between them. Finally, they construct a giant scale model of the solar system and answer...
Virginia Department of Education
Planet Line-Ups
Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets.
Curated OER
The Solar System
Learners construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is included...
Curated OER
Planets in Our Solar System
Fifth graders are introduced to the various planets, stars and moons in our solar system. Using photographs, they place the planets into the correct order from the sun. In groups, they research one planet, create a fact sheet and make...
Curated OER
Where in Our Solar System Are We?
Second graders research distance between planets and the sun using encyclopedias. They use toilet paper sheets as a unit of measurement (50 million km.) students stand at planet locations using toilet paper to measure distance between.
Curated OER
The Solar System
Students examine effects of the sun on the planets in our solar system.
Curated OER
The Story of the Solar System
There is more to the solar system than the typical study of the sun and planets. Launch a study of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets by watching the video The Story of the Solar System, available for purchase through this...
Curated OER
Exploring the Solar System
Students are introduced to earth's moon and the eight other planets in our solar system. Also, students explore the geology, composition, and orbits of other planets by planning a trip to another planet.
Curated OER
The Toilet Paper Solar System
Explore the solar system with this lesson. Learners create a model of the solar system using toilet paper. With this creative approach, learners create a solar system according to distance and scale parameters, and write down a list of...
Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)
Lost in Space - A Solar System Study
Fourth graders study the planets of our Solar System collecting data on a worksheet. They use online tools to create a puzzle or other digital product using the information from their research.
Curated OER
Solar System Tourist Bureau
Learners, working in teams, role-play as advertising agents creating ad campaigns for a planet in the solar system. They design commercials for video, Hyperstudio, or Web pages. The activity includes research, all the production stages,...
Curated OER
WebQuest Solar System Colonization Project 2000
Sixth graders complete a WebQuest to study the names and locations of the planets in the solar system. They investigate the causes of the seasons and the distance between the planets using astronomical units. They use technology to...
Curated OER
Our Solar System
Third graders describe the composition of our solar system. They recognize the names of the planets in our solar system and compare and contrast the nine planets that orbit the sun.
Curated OER
The Planets in our Solar System
Students learn the order and key characteristics of each planet in our solar system. In this solar system lesson, students work in groups to characterize each planet on an index card. They use their index cards to put the planets in...
Curated OER
The Solar System Walk
A unique lesson on the solar system, and some of the mathematics associated with it, is here for your high schoolers. Pupils are put into groups of four, and each group is assigned one of the planets from our solar system. They must...
Curated OER
Nine Planets
What are characteristics of a planet? With this plan, learners investigate the characteristics of the planets in our solar system. They gather research of the nine planets by using the Internet and other research tools. Then they create...
Curated OER
Ceres and Pluto: Dwarf Planets as a New Way of Thinking about an Old Solar System
Students examine the new categories of planets and how planets were reclassified. In this solar system lesson plan students complete activities using Venn diagrams and images of planets.
Curated OER
Planet PowerPoint Lesson
Looking for a good, technology-based science lesson for your 3rd graders? This lesson is worth a look! They will utilize PowerPoint to create a presentation for the class on a planet of their choice. They also use document cameras, a...
NASA
Dark Matter NASA Conference
Young scholars calculate the escape velocity of planets in our solar system and use that knowledge to calculate the escape velocity for NGC 2300 group. They then suggest reasons for the escape velocity to be higher than possible given...
Curated OER
WebQuest Solar System Colonization Project 2000
Sixth graders investigate the livability of different planets in the universe by researching and organizing information from a number of sources in this unit project. They decide on a location for a space station which they support in an...