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This A Model Solar System activity also includes:
- Worksheet
- Answer Key
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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.
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Designed
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Instructional Ideas
- Creating a model of the Solar System is a fairly typical Earth Science lab; consider using this activity as a cross-curricular project in conjunction with science teachers
Classroom Considerations
- Calculators should be available
- Some diameters must be found through research, such as for the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball; Internet access would be beneficial
Pros
- Multiple models are posited, taking into consideration both size and distance from the Sun
- More than one solution is possible, depending on scale
Cons
- The answer key gives possible scale models, but it does not provide possible solutions for all questions on the student worksheet