solar system assignment middle school

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Solar system.

The solar system is an amazing and complex network of planets, stars, moons, asteroids, and even mysterious black holes. It doesn't matter if you're ten or fifty, just thinking about the stars and the possibilities fills the mind with wonder.

The solar system proves an abundance of learning opportunities. You can teach about astronomy, physics, or biology. It provides a huge opportunity for hands-on learning activities and science experiments. Watch their young eyes fill with wonder as they contemplate the moon and how the earth was created.

Solar System Teaching Resources

The right classroom resources help you teach about the solar system. Imagine what a few gorgeous clip art pieces or printables can do to engage your young students. TeacherPlanet.com offers a wealth of teaching resources dedicated to the solar system. Browse the site and you'll find lesson plans, worksheets and activities along with an abundance of resources and fun clip art.

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5 Engaging Formation of the Solar System Activities

If you teach about the formation of the solar system, you probably know that finding age-appropriate activities can be a huge challenge! Teaching the solar system’s formation (or nebular theory) can seem really intimidating to sixth-grade teachers! That’s why I’ve put together these five activities for teaching about solar system formation .

This post contains affiliate links.

Activities that Teach Solar System Formation

Over the years, I’ve found some fun and engaging activities to help students learn about (and understand) the steps in the formation of the solar system.

1. Card Sorting Games

A card sort is a great activity to hook and engage students in the formation of the solar system and assess prior knowledge . I like to use simple pictures for my students to observe and sort before they learn anything about the solar system’s formation.

After they have placed their cards in order, I have students write down their predicted order of the solar system’s formation so they can refer to it and make changes as the lesson continues. You can find an easy to use card sort included in the formation of the solar system lesson .

2. Formation of of the Solar System Presentation and Notes

I love to use visuals as I teach, so I like to use a quick presentation to talk about the important steps and big ideas in the formation of the solar system. This is a good opportunity to discuss what actually happens as students record the information with notes. You can find my presentation in my Formation of the Solar System Complete Lesson & Activity (shown below).

These notes are a helpful tool that your students can refer to with the following activities.

3. Solar System Videos

Here is an easy to understand formation of the solar system video that I use with my sixth graders. It’s from NASA Space Place and their website includes a free downloadable poster of the animation.

Students also often have a hard time grasping the concept that the shape of an object spinning really fast can flatten. Spinning a water balloon on an electric drill really captures their attention and helps kids to understand this difficult concept!

Wondering how to make this demo? I created a detailed tutorial explaining the setup in my Instagram story highlights under “Lab Fun.”

4. Solar System Formation Activity (Cut and Paste)

Card sorts can be fun and engaging activities to identify and explain the steps of solar system formation. This can be easily differentiated for different abilities by having students only sort the pictures, or limit the choices to pictures and titles.

Sorts can take many forms, including paper and digital.

Sorts can take many forms including paper and digital.

After students complete their solar system sort, they write a paragraph to explain how the solar system formed in their own words.

5. Formation of the Solar System Mazes

My students are hooked on these interactive mazes ! I love them for extra practice because they are NO prep and quick to assess (just follow the pattern to check the maze!).

Two formation of the solar system mazes are included in this activity (print and digital).

• extra practice
• exit tickets
• quick assessments
• review and remediation

Learn more about the maze activity here!

Printable Lesson & Activities on Solar System Formation

Save hours of planning time with these no-prep formation of the solar system activities.

Print and go with this complete Formation of the Solar System Resource ! It includes:

• Card sort engagement / Pre-assessment activity
• PowerPoint describing the 10 stages of solar system formation
• Formation of the solar system activity (can be used as worksheets, comic strip, booklet foldable, etc.) and answer key
• Interactive Google Slide activity that is differentiated and perfect for distance learning

What Buyers are Saying!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a great resource to teach a difficult topic. The materials were easy to use and the directions were clear and concise. I was very happy with this product! -David

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My students enjoyed it. Great idea for visual learners. Students  used the pictures and the captions to write their paragraph about the formation of the solar system. Thank you! -Florina

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I used this with my 8th grade class. It was helpful that there was a digital version for students who were placed in quarantine. I loved the simplicity of the formation of the solar system, and it has options on how to make a graphic organizer out of it! -Erica

Students won’t even realize they are learning with these ready to use solar system formation maze activities.

This activity includes print & digital options, as well as two formats for differentiated instruction.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Students love to see if they can complete the maze, all the while not realizing that they are reviewing as they go along. Great option as opposed to the traditional worksheet. Love that there is both print and digital options. -Talissa

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Props and Classroom Decor

If you are looking to add themed items to your classroom while teaching this topic, consider some of these to help engage students and stimulate discussion!

• James Webb telescope Tarantula Nebula Canvas Printed Poster
• 4M Solar System Planetarium

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1. Learn about sizes and distances in our solar system

2. decide what kind of model you want to build, 3. choose where your model solar system will go, 4. calculate scale distances, 5. calculate scale planet sizes, 6. calculate combined scale distance and planet size, 7. create and display your model, 8. make a solar system on a string (scale distance model), 9. solar system on the sidewalk (scale distance and/or size model), 10. solar system in the yard (scale distance model).

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Make a Scale Solar System

Have you ever wondered about the sizes of planets in the solar system or the distances between them? In this project, you will create your own scale model of the solar system by learning how to calculate scale distances, the relative sizes of planets, or both. Then, use beads and string , sidewalk chalk , or your own creative choice of materials to build a model you can explore – or maybe even wear!

Materials of your choice for building your model (e.g., beads and string; chalk; distance markers, such as cones, ground stakes or popsicle sticks). See steps for more info.

Ruler with centimeter markings OR measuring tape

(Optional) Spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets)

(Optional) Calculator

Distances in the solar system can be huge! The distance from the Sun to Neptune is nearly three billion miles (four billion kilometers). Because the distances between planets are so great, astronomers sometimes describe distances in terms of astronomical units (AU). One AU is equal to the average distance between the Sun and Earth, about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). This allows scientists to describe and calculate distances more efficiently. For example, instead of saying, "Mars is 130 million miles from the Sun," scientists can say, "Mars is 1.5 AU from the Sun."

It's not just the distances between planets that are large. There are also huge differences in the size of each planet. Because of this, it can be difficult or even impossible to display both planet size and distance accurately, especially in smaller scale models like an image.

Watch this video about the size of planets and the distances between them to see how far they are from each other, how they differ in size, and how difficult it is to display both their size and distance accurately.

Watch en Español: Seleccione subtítulos en Español bajo el ícono de configuración. | Watch on YouTube

More solar system size and scale resources:

• Solar System Sizes and Distances reference guide – download PDF
• Solar System Trading Cards

Decide if you want your model to show scale planet sizes or the scale distances between planets. You can combine a planet-size model of one scale with a distance model of another scale. But if you want size and distance to be the same scale, you’ll need to spread your model across at least half a mile! See Step 6 for instructions on building a combined size-and-distance model.

Pick a place to set up your solar system model. This could be across a bedroom wall, along the floor of a hallway or large room, outside in a yard, or down a sidewalk.

Keep your choice in mind as you calculate the size of planets and distances between them in the next steps. You'll need to have enough materials, and your model will have to fit within the place you choose.

Instructions for building a model out of beads and string , sidewalk chalk , or yard markers are included below, but you can use any materials or any space you like!

If you're making a scale-distance model, keep reading for two different methods of calculating scale distances. For a scale-size model, skip to Step 5.

Calculate manually:

• Download the distance calculation chart ( DOCX ).
• Multiply the scale factor on the chart by the distance to each planet in astronomical units (AU). Note: When using the suggested 10 centimeters per 1 AU, you’ll need about 10 feet between the Sun and Neptune. If you want your model to span a longer or shorter distance, you can change the scale value accordingly.

Calculate using a spreadsheet:

• Download the Scale Distance spreadsheet ( XLSX or CSV ).
• Create a formula in your spreadsheet that will calculate the distance from the Sun to each planet (in centimeters) in your model. The formula should multiply the AU value by the number of centimeters you want each AU to represent, your scale value.
• A spreadsheet multiplication formula follows this format: =B3*10, where B3 is the cell with a planet’s AU distance and 10 is the scale value. B refers to the cell column and 3 refers to the cell row.

Try different scale values to make your scale model span a shorter or longer distance, depending on where you want to place it.

Once you've done your calculations, go to Steps 8-10 for a few different ideas for creating and displaying your model. You can also come up with your own creative display using your choice of materials. 

If you're making a scale-size model, keep reading for two different methods of calculating the scale sizes of the planets. For a scale-distance model, see Step 4 above.

• Download the size calculation chart ( DOCX ).
• Choose the size (diameter) you want Earth to be in your model (for example 1 cm).
• For each planet, multiply the size you chose for Earth by the multiplier value on the chart. The multiplier is a planet’s size compared with Earth. This will give you the scale size of each planet.
• Download the Scale Size Calculator spreadsheet ( XLSX or CSV ).
• Choose the size (diameter) you want Earth to be in your model (for example 10 cm).
• Create a formula in your spreadsheet that will calculate the diameter of (distance across) each planet in centimeters. The formula should multiply the size you chose for Earth by the multiplier value for each planet. The multiplier is a planet’s size compared with Earth.
• A spreadsheet multiplication formula follows this format: =B3*10, where B3 is the cell with a planet’s multiplier (its size compared to Earth) and 10 is the size you chose for Earth. B refers to the cell column and 3 refers to the cell row.

Try different values for Earth to make your scale planets larger or smaller depending on the materials you have available to represent the size of each planet.

Once you've done your calculations, go to Step 9 to find out how to make a sidewalk chalk scale model. You can also come up with your own creative display using your choice of materials.

If you are interested in a more accurate way to represent the solar system and have a lot of space (at least half a mile!) to work with, try making a model of the solar system that displays distance and planet size at the same scale. Otherwise, skip this step.

• Download the Scale Size and Distance Spreadsheet ( XLSX  or  CSV ) or the Solar System Sizes and Distances reference guide if calculating manually.

Scale Diameter / Scale Distance = Actual Diameter / Actual Distance | + Expand image

Scale Diameter (Actual Distance) / Actual Diameter = Scale Distance | + Expand image

In this example, the spreadsheet function divides the product of Earth’s scale diameter (B5) and actual distance from the Sun (E5) by Earth’s actual diameter (D5) using =(B5*E5)/D5 to find the scale distance from Earth to the sun. | + Expand image

Scale Planet Diameter / Scale Earth Diameter = Actual Planet Diameter / Actual Earth Diameter | + Expand image

In this example, the product of the scale diameter of Earth (B5) and the actual diameter of Mars (D6) is divided by the actual diameter of Earth (D5) using =(B5*D6)/D5 to find the scale diameter of Mars. | + Expand image

Scale Planet Distance / Scale Earth Diameter = Actual Planet Distance / Actual Earth Diameter | + Expand image

In this example, the spreadsheet function calculates the product of the scale diameter of Earth (B5) and the actual distance to Mars (E6) divided by the actual diameter of Earth (D5) using =(B5*E6)/D5. | + Expand image

• Repeat the previous steps for the remaining planets.
• Use a ruler, compass, string, protractor, or another tool to draw circles of appropriate sizes for each planet. You can color the circles to resemble the planets’ appearances.
• Using online mapping software, such as Google or Bing maps, right-click on the location that represents the Sun (e.g., your home) and click “measure distance” to identify where the scale planets should go. Depending on the calculated size of the scale model, you may want to check with neighbors and friends to see if they can host the more distant planets in your scale model.

Now it's time to create your model! There are lots of ways you can create and display your scale solar system. With your measurements calculated, choose one of the options below, or come up with your own.

Tie colored beads onto a string to make a scale model of the distances between planets in the solar system. You can wear your model or even display it on a wall.

• String (enough to span the distance to Neptune, plus an extra 30 cm)
• Beads, washers, or some other object to mark the distance to each planet on the string
• Calculated distances from Step 4
• Measure and cut a piece of string about 30 cm longer than the distance you calculated from the Sun to Neptune.
• Tie a bead representing the Sun to one end of the string using a double knot. If you don’t have beads, you can tie metal washers to the string, attach planet cutouts or trading cards, or simply use tape to mark the location of the Sun.
• Using the distances (in centimeters) that you calculated, measure the distance from the Sun on the string to each planet and tie a colored bead in place using a double knot. If you can, choose beads that are the colors of the planets and the Sun.
• Once you have attached all your beads or marked your planets on the string in some way, straighten out the string to see your scale solar system!

Use chalk to make a walkable scale model of the distances between planets and/or the sizes of planets in the solar system. Invite your family and friends to take a walk through your scale model.

• Sidewalk chalk
• Calculated distances from Step 4 or distances and sizes from Step 6
• Use sidewalk chalk to draw the Sun on the ground.
• Measure the distance you calculated to each planet and draw them at their scale distances.
• If you calculated the planet sizes compared with each other, measure those sizes as you draw them, giving your planets the correct diameter.
• You can draw your planets all along a single straight line from the Sun, but if you have enough space, consider drawing them at their correct distance in different spots in orbit around the Sun.

Use distance markers like cones or popsicle sticks in your yard or an open area to create a scale model of the distances between planets in the solar system.

• Popsicle sticks, cones, or other objects to mark distances
• Use distance markers like cones, ground stakes, or popsicle sticks to mark the locations of the planets at the distances you calculated.
• Attach drawings or cutouts of the planets to their markers.

• Grades 6-12
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100 Last-Day-of-School Activities Your Students Will Love!

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41 Galactic Solar System Projects for Kids

Inspire your budding astronomers!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a kid who isn’t drawn to space exploration. The solar system is filled with endless wonders and mysteries that help grow children’s interest in science. We have, however, come a long way since the days of hanging mobile solar system models (not that there’s anything wrong with that). From edible solar systems to large-scale chalk outlines, we found plenty of creative solar system projects to inspire budding astronomers.

1. Create an edible solar system

We love solar system projects that are equally effective as a lesson on healthy eating and science! Grab a variety of fruits, veggies, and meats, then have students get to work creating their solar system snack.

Get tutorial: Edible Solar System

2. Make play dough planets

First, make some DIY play dough or, if you’re in a pinch, buy some in a variety of colors. Then, show your students different photos and renderings of the planets so they can mold them. Finally, draw rings with white chalk on a sheet of black construction paper to represent the solar system.

Get tutorial: Play Dough Planets

3. Create a solar system on a paint stick

Solar system projects that are simple and require minimal preparation and supplies are some of our favorites! This one fits the bill since all you will need are paint sticks, painting supplies, clothespins, and some markers.

Get tutorial: Paint Stick Solar System

4. Build a space snow globe

Surely every adult remembers making a homemade snow globe at some point in their childhood. Re-create these memories with your children or students while also learning about the planets and solar system.

Get tutorial: Space Snow Globes

5. Learn about constellations with free printable cards

First, download the free PDF of these constellation flash cards. Then, print them and cut them out. Then have your students test their knowledge of the various constellations found in the sky. If they have access to a telescope at home, they can use them to identify what they are looking at.

Get printable: Constellation Flashcards

6. Simplify the solar system

This solar system project demonstrates how close each planet is to the sun. A yellow button makes for the perfect sun while paper dots work great as the planets.

Get tutorial: Solar System Button Model

7. Use plastic lids as planets

This project puts the concept of upcycling to good use. Have your students save all their various bottle caps and lids before you plan to do this project. Paint them as necessary and lay them out on some black paper to represent the various planets in the solar system.

Get tutorial: Plastic Lid Planets

8. Build a solar system out of LEGO

Kids love LEGO and they love anything space-related, so this project is a win-win in our book. Ask friends and family to donate LEGO bricks that their kids have outgrown so you have plenty of blocks for your students to work with.

Get tutorial: LEGO Solar System

9. Wear a solar system

Have students paint different-size wooden beads to look like the various planets. Once the paint is dry, seal them with a clear coat. Then have students string them onto a chain or string.

Get tutorial: Solar System Necklace

10. Use balloons and rice to build planets

Watch these adorable twins explain how to build models of the planets using rice and balloons. Once the models are complete, display them on plastic cups that are labeled with each planet’s name.

Get tutorial: Balloon Planets

11. Create a solar system using mixed-media art

You will need several days to complete this project, but the end result is just so cool! First, use a pipette and liquid watercolors to paint cotton rounds to resemble the planets. Then, use dark fabric to fill an embroidery hoop. Supply your students with acrylic paints so they can paint the fabric. Students should be encouraged to add sequins or glitter to the wet paint since they will make for a more realistic-looking night sky. Finally, have them glue their planets wherever they want.

Get tutorial: Mixed-Media Solar System

12. Paint rocks to resemble planets

Since rock painting is always fun, why not try painting rocks to resemble the planets and the sun? Once done, you can lay them out on a piece of black card stock. Be sure to use fine-tip permanent paint pens so you can really capture the details, and even leave them outside for friends to find.

Get tutorial: Rock Planets

13. Play solar system bingo

Print the free bingo cards, then gather some glass gems or buttons to use to cover the spaces. This game would make for the perfect reward for good behavior since it is so fun!

Get printable: Solar System Bingo

14. Map out the solar system on the floor

Some solar system projects require considerable preparation but are totally worth it. We especially love that this one is interactive.

Get tutorial: Solar System Map

15. To Pluto or not to Pluto

Begin by having students read two articles: one about why Pluto should be reinstated as a planet and one about why it should not. Then have them pick the best fact from each article and make their own personal decision on the issue. Once they make their decision, they’ll create a poster stating their opinion and the reason for it. Finally, have them create an astronaut of themselves to show how they voted.

16. Use stickers to create a space scene

Use a splatter technique to create the backdrop for your solar system scene. Purchase planet stickers like these in bulk so kids can easily build their solar systems.

Get tutorial: Solar System Sticker Craft

17. Craft a solar system garland

While not a free printable, we think this affordable solar system coloring page is perfect for creating a garland you can display around your classroom or home. Have plenty of colored pencils and markers on hand so students can engage in some stress-reducing coloring!

Watch video: Planet Garland

18. Read books on the solar system

There really is no substitute for a good book when teaching students about a topic like the solar system. Stock up on some popular titles, then display them in your classroom library so students can read up on the planets and stars.

Learn more: Our Favorite Books About Space

19. Make pipe cleaner planets

If you’re a pre-k or elementary school teacher, odds are you already have a drawer or box full of a variety of pipe cleaners. Put them to good use by having your students make these adorable pipe cleaner planets.

Watch video: Pipe Cleaner Planets

20. Create and wear a solar system hat

It’s probably best to pre-cut the black strips before doing this project with your students. Once the strips have been cut, have your students splatter paint on them. While the bands are drying, have your students cut and color the planets using a free printable . Then glue the sun, planets, and labels onto the hat.

Get tutorial: Solar System Hat

21. Map out the solar system outside

This project incorporates math as well science since you will need to measure the planets for an accurate comparison. All you need is chalk and some space for this easy project.

Get tutorial: Chalk Solar System

22. Play with a solar system spinner

Print this free game board, then place the fidget spinner in the middle. Have your students play and see how quickly they can recognize the various features of the solar system.

Get printable: Solar System Spinner

23. Make a Styrofoam planet model

You can’t have a list of solar system projects without the good old-fashioned Styrofoam ball model. Grab some Styrofoam, paint, and skewers and get to work!

Get tutorial: Styrofoam Planet Model

24. Make solar system bookmarks and fact cards

Print out solar system fact cards to have kids quiz each other or as writing prompts for research projects. The bookmarks are a great way to reinforce what they learned while reading.

25. Fashion planets from yarn and papier-mâché

This project is going to take a lot of time and you will need a few days to complete it, but these yarn planets will be totally worth it. You can even get some command strips and string and hang them from your classroom’s ceiling once done.

Get tutorial: Papier-Mâché Planets

26. Line up the planets

This simple project demonstrates to students how far each individual planet is from the sun. All you will need is construction paper, glue, and markers.

Learn more: Planet Lineup

27. Make planets from coffee filters

Place paper plates under a coffee filter to contain any mess, then have students color the filters with markers. Once colored, spray water over them to get the final watercolor-like effect. Finally, cut them to size and display them around your room.

Get tutorial: Coffee Filter Planets

28. Explore NASA’s website

NASA has an excellent website that includes so, so many resources to explore all about space and the solar system.

Learn more: NASA Solar System Exploration

29. Do some stargazing

This is a project that can either be done at home or during an evening outing. The Museum of Natural History’s website has an entire section full of tips for kids on stargazing.

Learn more: Astronomy Guide

30. Make marshmallow constellations

Get some books and other resources on constellations, then challenge your students to create constellations with marshmallows and toothpicks. (Be sure to have plenty of extra marshmallows since you know little stargazers love to snack!)

Get tutorial: Marshmallow Constellations

31. Make some solar system slime

Kids love slime, but be prepared for a day filled with mess! Solar system slime and clay planets are a fun (and messy) way to explore space.

Get tutorial: Solar System Slime

32. Turn planets into peg dolls

This is one of the more unique solar system projects we’ve seen. Grab yourself some peg dolls at your local craft store or Amazon in varying sizes and shapes. Then give kids some paint and let them design them to look like the sun and planets.

Learn more: Lovely Lottys Homework

33. Spin the planets on a penny

This is another planet spinner, but this time using a penny instead of a fidget spinner. Show the kids a diagram of the solar system, have them draw it on a white coaster-sized circle, and then cut a slit in the middle. Make sure the adult cuts the hole. Then place a penny in the middle to stand in as the sun. Once they’re made, kids will have a blast seeing how fast they can spin their solar system.

Learn more: Solar System Penny Spinners

34. Print a moon with pom-poms

This is the perfect solar system project for toddlers or preschoolers. Simply turn a paper plate upside down, put some gray paint on a palette, and then let kids dab pom-poms in the paint and apply them to the plate. You can talk to the kids about the surface of the moon and craters while they craft.

Get tutorial: Pom-Pom Printed Moon Craft

35. Take a tour of the ISS

Ever wonder what it’s like to spend time in the International Space Station? Wonder no more because you can take a tour with this informative video!

36. Create a solar system bracelet

While we already had a solar system necklace on our list, this bracelet was too pretty not to include. Plus we think it would make a great gift idea too!

37. Use magnets to make a solar system

Solar system magnets plus a white board are a great way to let kids explore the planets, sun, and other aspects of the solar system. It’s also an easy, store-bought solution if you are short on time.

Buy it: Magdum Solar System Magnets

38. Run a gravity experiment

This is a really cool experiment that will teach kids about gravity and centripetal force in a hands-on way. The experiment involves dropping plastic eggs filled with marbles from varying heights and then recording the speed with which they fall to the ground.

Get tutorial: Gravity And Centripetal Force in Our Solar System

39. Test your aim

Kids learn best when having fun, so why not add this solar system dartboard to your indoor recess repertoire?

Buy it: BooTaa Large Dart Board for Kids

40. Take a field trip to a football field

Show your students this video so they really understand the size and scope of the solar system. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could take them out to the football field to have them reenact the video to really drive the point home.

41. Roll out some toilet paper

Use a roll of toilet paper and some printable planets to demonstrate the scale of the solar system and how far apart the planets are from one another and the sun. This is a great activity to do outside on a nice day.

Learn more: Space Unit for Kids

Can’t get enough space? Check out these  Out of This World Space-Themed Classroom Ideas .

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38 Space Activities for Kids That Are Out of This World

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Details and Share

Solar system.

This lesson is designed to help students understand that “the orbits of Earth around the sun and of the moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns.

Grade Level: K - 2nd

Length of time: about 45 minutes, sponsored school(s), objectives & outcomes.

Students will be able to spell and recite the eight planets of our solar system, list the main components of our solar system, and demonstrate the movement of these components in our solar system.

Materials Needed

• poster paper
• white board
• dry erase markers
• The Magic School Bus: Lost In The Solar System by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen

Opening to Lesson

Students give ideas and participate accordingly, as I fill out the blank K-W-L organizer as a whole class, using large chart paper.

Body of Lesson

Direct teaching.

Move to the reading area of the room (floorrugspecific corner, etc) Read aloud to the class. The Magic School Bus: Lost In The Solar System by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen

(CFU: Ask questions throughout or after reading the book, in order to keep their attention and assess what they understand)

Guided Practice 1

Model the rotation and revolution of the planets around the sun. (Use a large sheet of paper or poster board that can hang around the students necks… label each with the name, a picture, and a fact or two so that students can know the spelling as well as visualize the planets.

Have one student spin in the middle (sun) as other students (planets) spin as they go around the sun. Have students rotate and revolve at different speeds to show there are differences in the planets’ orbits and rotations.

(CFU: Use students to represent the sun and planets… so to know students understand.)

Guided Practice 2

Teach students a mnemonic device about the solar system to help them learn the names of the planets. Have students make a mnemonic flip sheet: Lift the flap to view the Planet name. “My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Nachos.”

(CFU: Walk around the class as students create their flip sheet and recite the mnemonic device aloud to their partner while their partner says the corresponding planet.)

Independent Practice

Make a model of the solar system: Have students dip their paintbrush in the paint and then quickly run their index finger along the bottom of the bristles to splatter the paint onto the paper. This creates a background that looks like stars. While these are drying, have students color and cut out the sun and planets from the solar system template and glue

Cut a piece of black cardstock into two 4x12 inch strips. Glue or tape the two strips together end-to-end to create a long piece. Mix white (or glow in the dark) paint with a small amount of water to thin the mixture.

(CFU: Display the finished models or staple the two ends together to form a fun circular hat for students to wear)

Pair share with their table partner, then a few select groups (or all!) can present to the class as a whole.

Assessment & Evaluation

Through guided questions, close monitoring and informal observation; the teacher will be able to assess student’s ability and understanding of the subject being introduced. Through individually assessing during independent practice and reviewing during guided practice the teacher will be able to evaluate students.

Modification & Differentiation

Students may work in groups or individually in order to complete their solar system assignment. In order to accommodate for all students, allow extra time to review for lower students and extra worksheets to occupy the time of advanced students.

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This lesson will allow students to demonstrate knowledge use of scale.

Yarn Painting

This lesson will allow students to practice creating art using a unique medium, yarn.

Window Garden

Students will plan, experiment, and observe as seeds grow in a window garden. Students will explore why this is important to the sustainability of our environment.

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Solar System: Planets, Moons, Comets, Meteors

Information

Other Resources

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Solar System!

Unit Solar System!

Engineering Connection

Engineers apply their understanding of science (laws of motion, energy transfer, solar energy, water cycle, moon phases, gravity, spectroscopy, materials science, human body, chemical analysis) and math (geometry, data collection, velocity calculations, navigation, satellite tracking, fuel efficiency, calculating spacecraft maneuvers) to creating the spacecraft vehicles, equipment, tools and methods to explore our solar system.

If students are interested in astronauts, space walks, rockets, rockets and images of the distant universe, they might want to pursue their dreams and become engineers. More than just aerospace engineers work in the space industry. Biomedical, chemical, mechanical, electrical and computer (and other) engineers work together to make spacesuits, design life support systems, create new materials for spacecraft, and design control systems, cameras, communications, etc. The space industry provides endless opportunities—requiring a wide range and depth of study and expertise. Teams of engineers follow the steps of the engineering design process to create telescopes, deep space antennas, spacecraft, planetary rovers and even how to eat in microgravity, as well as conduct research and cultivate international cooperation.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

See individual lessons and activities for standards alignment.

Unit Schedule

The following schedule provides a suggested order of the lessons and activities. However, you may choose to only teach some of the activities – as your time and priorities permit.

• Destination Outer Space lesson
• Rocket Power activity
• Blazing Gas lesson
• Our Sun and Heat Transfer Basics: Heat It Up! activity
• Mercury and Venus lesson
• Spacecraft Design: Beat the Heat activity
• Our Big Blue Marble lesson
• The Great Gravity Escape activity
• What Happened to the Water? Designing Ways to Get and Clean Water  activity
• Moon Walk lesson
• Lunar Lollipops activity
• Mars and Jupiter lesson
• A Roundabout Way to Mars activity
• Are We Alone? activity
• Edible Rovers activity
• The Outer Planets lesson
• Slingshot to the Outer Planets activity
• Life in Space: The International Space Station lesson
• Lunch in Outer Space! activity
• Muscles, Muscles Everywhere activity
• Beyond the Milky Way lesson
• Building a Fancy Spectrograph activity
• The North (Wall) Star activity

Worksheets and Attachments

More curriculum like this.

Students learn how engineers navigate satellites in orbit around the Earth and on their way to other planets in the solar system. In accompanying activities, they explore how ground-based tracking and onboard measurements are performed.

Students are introduced to the International Space Station (ISS) with information about its structure, operation and key experiments.

Students acquire a basic understanding of the science and engineering of space travel as well as a brief history of space exploration. They learn about the scientists and engineers who made space travel possible and briefly examine some famous space missions.

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

This digital library content was developed under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the NSF, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 29, 2022

Education Standards

Virginia science standards of learning 2018.

Learning Domain: Grade 6

Standard: The student will investigate and understand that the solar system is organized and the various bodies in the solar system interact. Key ideas include matter is distributed throughout the solar system.

Standard: The student will investigate and understand that the solar system is organized and the various bodies in the solar system interact. Key ideas include planets have different sizes and orbit at different distances from the sun.

Standard: The student will investigate and understand that the solar system is organized and the various bodies in the solar system interact. Key ideas include the understanding of the solar system has developed over time.

Standard: The student will investigate and understand that there is a relationship between the sun, Earth, and the moon. Key ideas include Earth has unique properties.

Original lesson plan Google Doc

Solar system - 5e lesson.

This lesson includes activites at all stages of the 5E model.  When possible multiple options were provided at each stage.

Cover Image:  "solar system"  by  Philippe Put  is licensed under  CC BY 2.0

Essential Questions

How does a planet's characteristics differ depending on its distance from the sun?

What distinguishes solar bodies such as dwarf planets, meteors, asteroids and comets from one another?

What impact does the sun’s gravity have on the solar system?

How have the discoveries of space using technology and mathematics changed our understanding of the solar system?

How does Earth support biodiversity of life?

The goal of this phase is to capture students’ attention and interest for the purpose of preparing them for learning content and/or practices.

Provide one or choices of the Engage options to students:

Solar System Jigsaw - Teachers guide

Galactic Explorer on Merge Cube - Teacher guide

Scale Model of the Solar System ( video) or  EdPuzzle video   - Teacher guide

Additional Notes

Merge Cube activity requires a handheld device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android)

Merge Cube template can be downloaded and cut out: MergeCube.com/paper-pdf   (or you can purchase)

Print using cardstock for best performance

MERGE Explorer App is free with in-app purchases for Windows , Mac , and Android

Skip the free trial when opening the app

Galactic Explorer is a free activity without an account

Scale Model video - check your school filters to ensure students can watch this video housed on Vimeo

The exploration phase provides concrete experiences where students investigate phenomena, observe patterns, and/or encounter discrepant events that build upon knowledge and practices from the Engage Phase.

Provide one or choices  of the Explore options to students:

Solar System Webquest - Teachers guide

Advancements in Exploration Timeline - Teacher guide  

Consider allowing partners to work together on the webquest.

The numbers of objects explored can be reduced for different students.

Advancements in Exploration Timeline should be a multi-day or long term group project.

The essential knowledge and practices with which students engaged and explored, are now made clear and comprehensible.  This is also an opportunity for students to explain their understanding of the concept or practices.

Provide one or choices of the Explain options to students:

Lesson (same content - different delivery)

• Google Presentation - Teachers guide
• Nearpod - Teachers guide
• Moon to Mars Bingo ​​​​​​​

Additional notes:

Moon to Mars Bingo requires preparation: provide vocabulary list in advance to study, cut vocabulary strips, print/cut/laminate boards - or print blank boards for students to add words.  If conducted as a station - students can take turns pulling the words for everyone to mark on their card, or one person can be the word puller

Elaborate/Extend

The intention is to facilitate the transfer of concepts and abilities to related, but new situations.

Provide one or choices of the Extend options to students:

Two-Voice Poetry - Teacher Guide

Create a model of the Solar System

Class Project- Teacher Guide

Individual Project - Teacher Guide

​​​​​​​ Additional Notes

Two-Voice Poetry can be assigned as individual or partner work.

Some students may choose to work alone, others may need a partner to complete the assignment

The intention is for students to reflect on their new learning.

Formative assessment is provided throughout the learning options presented in this lesson.

• Formative assessment is located in these activities:
• Solar System Webquest  
• Advancements in Exploration Timeline  
• Two-Voice Poetry
• Creating digital versions of a scale model is located in the "Create a model of the Solar System" activities - both the  Class Project and Individual Project  

Solar System and the Universe - ASTR 1304 - Assignment 6

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Busing's legacy in Boston, 50 years later

How boston's eliot school desegregated — and resegregated, copy the code below to embed the wbur audio player on your site.

<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/news/2024/06/18/eliot-school-boston-desegregated-resegregated-busing"></iframe>

By many measures, the Eliot K-8 Innovation School is a notable bright spot for Boston Public Schools. Its students routinely — often dramatically  — beat the state average on MCAS scores. Scattered across three buildings in the city's North End, kids at the school have access to hands-on learning, enrichment programs, art, music and theater offerings, even classes in Italian.

The Eliot’s newest building, the Upper School for grades 5 to 8, opened in fall 2019 following a two-year, $20 million construction project. It sits on the mouth of the Charles River, with a view of Charlestown and the USS Constitution. It’s flanked by new playgrounds and ballfields, where — after school in April — dozens of students and their families gathered on the lawn to gaze at the partial solar eclipse.

Many wore eclipse glasses provided by the Friends of The Eliot School, a parent-run nonprofit with nearly $1 million in assets as of 2022.

Parent Dan Ryan, a Democratic state representative for Suffolk County whose district includes nearby Charlestown, was there with his daughter, Audrey, and her two friends, Maddix and Peyton, before the girls’ soccer game. As they looked up at the sky, the girls gushed about the Eliot, including the quality of education, the technology and community.

“The teachers are very helpful,” Audrey said. “Whenever we’re in need of help, they’re always there.”

Even for Boston, the Eliot has a long history — it proudly counts Paul Revere and Samuel Adams among its alumni .

But its past few decades have been complicated: the school nearly closed before its revival, moving from desegregation to resegregation, pushed on by parent preference, district policy and Boston’s deepening inequality.

One of the city’s best-resourced and sought-after schools, the Eliot is also disproportionately made up of white students. Across all 119 Boston public schools, the Eliot has the second-highest percentage of white students, at 63%, and the lowest percentage of Black and Latino students, of 6% and 14%, respectively, according to state enrollment data .

The school stands as an illustration of how — 50 years after Boston was ordered to desegregate its schools by busing students across town — the vestiges of race, class and geography still weigh on the city. It also reflects other factors that play into the persistent stratification, including parent fundraising, residential segregation and the district’s school choice policy — known as the home-based assignment policy — enacted in 2013 to offer families access to good schools close to home.

The resegregating trend is driven in part by a perception that only a handful of BPS schools are safe, effective and high-quality, according to Edith Bazile, a longtime advocate for Black families and educators.

"And many parents unfortunately assess whether a school is high-achieving based upon the demographics of race,” she said.

Barely 15 years ago, the Eliot was a small, one-building school nestled in the heart of the North End. In a legacy of the busing era, many students came from Dorchester, Hyde Park and Mattapan, Bazile said.

A former classroom teacher, Bazile led professional development for special education teachers in Boston Public Schools, including at the Eliot, from 2000 to 2010.

In 2008, two-thirds of Eliot’s students were Black and Latino. Seventy percent of its students came from low-income households.

At the same time, the school wasn't producing the results anyone wanted. Eighty percent of its third graders were failing the English section of the MCAS.

After years of poor performance, district officials seriously considered closing the school .

It fell to staff to implement a rapid turnaround, according to Bazile.

“The challenge was, how do we improve the literacy rate of students, particularly students who are immigrants, who speak a second language, how do we support them?” she said.

According to Bazile, Eliot’s staff took important steps to bring in new programs, many of which have endured today: a renewed focus on early literacy, a move to include students with disabilities in general classrooms, stepped-up offerings in the arts.

Between 2007 and 2011, under the leadership of principal Traci Walker Griffith, three times as many Eliot students passed the MCAS. By 2012, the school boasted a waiting list nearly as long as its 300-seat enrollment, according to the local news blog North End Waterfront .

And all of this success came as the school largely maintained its diverse student body.

But that was about to change.

Busing and desegregating the Eliot

When Judge W. Arthur Garrity issued his desegregation order on June 21, 1974, he said it was meant to address “distinct racial clusters” within Boston’s schools. Relative to the overall composition of the district, many schools like the Eliot were disproportionately white, while others were disproportionately Black.

Garrity said that the effect was deliberate: the district’s educational zones were drawn to produce, in his words, “nearly the maximum possible amount of racial isolation” citywide and in a band from Roxbury to South Boston.

His desegregation order was meant to address the disproportionate population of Black and white kids in schools. On his order, buses mobilized across the city, some of them taking Black and Latino students to the Eliot in the white, Italian stronghold of the North End.

That order would hold until 1988.

By 1989, a new “controlled choice” assignment plan began. The city was divided into three zones, and the schools in each had to reflect the “racial balance” of the zone. Students were assigned to schools using a lottery system.

Ten years later, the Boston school committee voted that the city was no longer required to maintain racial balance at the school level.

Despite those changes, the Eliot remained a diverse learning environment, and fought its way back from the verge of closure to become one of the top schools in the city.

School choice and a loss of diversity

In 2013, under former mayor Thomas Menino, Boston enacted a new school choice system that sought to offer families access to good schools closer to their homes.

It was part of Menino’s effort to attract middle- and upper-class families back into the Boston Public School system. After decades of white flight into the suburbs or private schools preceding and during the busing era, Boston's schools went from majority white in 1973 to a district with just 13% white students by 2013 (indeed, even today white students comprise less than 15% of the district's student population).

"Many parents unfortunately assess whether a school is high-achieving based upon the demographics of race." Edith Bazile

As the North End and Charlestown began to gentrify, Menino hoped new arrivals would choose the Eliot for their children. Under his tenure, the city invested millions in building repairs. They held open houses, where parents came to see the school as a diamond in the rough. Over the next 20-plus years, white families returned to the school and now dominate its student body.

The Eliot has become one of the most in-demand K to 8 schools: with about 800 seats today, it has fewer than one space open for every five interested families for the upcoming school year. Given the use of home address in the school choice algorithm, its students tend to come from the neighborhoods around the school. Census data show that in Charlestown, the Back Bay, South Boston and the North End itself the median household income has doubled, to as high as $186,000, since 2000.

Under the home-based assignment policy pushed by Menino, families in the southern parts of the city, such as Hyde Park or Mattapan, are unlikely to be placed in the Eliot.

“If you live in Mattapan, you have about a 5% chance of going to a high-achieving school," Bazile said. "If you live in the Fenway, you have almost a hundred percent chance.”

Griffith, the Eliot principal, and members of its governing board declined to comment for this article. WBUR requested several times to pay a visit to the Eliot, but district officials did not respond.

Without a doubt, the Eliot is a warm, welcoming and high-achieving school today. But Bazile and others wonder if Boston can give more kids the Eliot experience closer to home.

This segment aired on June 18, 2024.

• 'We were fighting for our life': Former Boston Public Schools student, teacher reflect on busing, 50 years later
• Timeline: Major events shaping Boston’s school busing era
• The complicated history of school choice in Boston

Max Larkin Reporter, Education Max Larkin was an education reporter for WBUR.

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