Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Solar System Scale Model

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Teach the concept of scale models and the size of the solar system through this extensive lesson plan. Students will learn about scale models, estimate which objects to use to create a scale model of Earth and Sun, and figure out how far...
Activity
Science Struck

Science Struck: Simple Ideas for Your Kid's Solar System Project

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Provides detailed instructions for how to help a student make a solar system model, and additional suggestions for making a constellation poster, making a model showing phases of the moon, and creating a solar system model to scale.
Interactive
Other

Sunaeon: Solar System Scope

For Students 9th - 10th
Experience the solar system as you've never seen it before; up close and personal. Visit each planet by clicking on it, then selecting the play button to track its rotations through the calendar year. Watch the constellations move...
PPT
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Scaled Images of the Solar System

For Students 6th - 8th
Use the following lithographs to envision the scale of our solar system. View different models of planets at different scales, an infographic about the relative sizes of the planets and distance from the sun, and images of the largest...
Activity
Science Struck

Science Struck: 5 Creative Solar System Project Ideas Kids Can Try

For Students 3rd - 5th
Detailed descriptions of five solar system science projects for students.
Lesson Plan
South Carolina Educational Television

Know It All: Solar System Simulation

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders will begin to understand the solar system by using and creating models to demonstrate the layout of the solar System.
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: The Solar System

For Students 6th - 8th
A podcast explaining a model of the solar system which students can visualize, or even try to recreate. [1:38]
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Build a Solar System

For Students 9th - 10th
Make a scale model of the Solar System and learn the REAL definition of "space." You tell it how large to make the sun (in inches or millimeters) and the page will do all of the calculations for your scale model solar system and provide...
Activity
TOPS Learning Systems

Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Scale Solar System [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Practice drawing the solar system to scale.
Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Center Stage: Models of the Solar System

For Students 7th - 9th
An explanation of two very different perspectives of the solar system.
Lesson Plan
The Wonder of Science

The Wonder of Science: Ms Ess1 3: Scale Properties in the Solar System

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Work samples, phenomena, assessment templates, and videos that directly address standard MS-ESS1-3: scale properties in the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Paper Mache Solar System

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
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...
Unit Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Build Your Own Solar System

For Students 9th - 10th
This Java applet creates a model of a solar system with user-defined data. Users can create a solar system with up to four planets, choosing the star type at the center of the solar system, planet name, size, eccentricity of orbit and...
Website
NASA

Nasa: Solar System Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
A website with various activities for different grade levels covering the subject of space exploration. Activities include building your own solar system, coloring pages, making models, and even a solar system cookbook.
Lesson Plan
Other

Making a Scale Model of the Solar System

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this lesson plan site, middle schoolers are asked to construct a scale model of the planets to help visualize the relative size of planets and their relative distance from the Sun. Links are provided to the Sun and the planets which...
Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Superior Ptolemaic Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A simulation illustrating Ptolemy's geometrical system of explaining the varying speeds and directions of the planets, sun, and moon.
Graphic
Other

All (Known) Bodies in Our Solar System Larger Than 200 Miles in Diameter

For Students 9th - 10th
How big is the Earth compared to the Sun? Is Mars bigger than the Moon? Seeing all bodies in the solar system larger than 200 miles in diameter side by side provides an excellent comparison and an interesting perspective.
Website
University of Maryland

University of Maryland: The Astronomy Workshop

For Students 9th - 10th
Find tools to calculate astronomical distances and sizes, to view various Solar System models, to compare gravity's affect on weight, and more. A good place to find interesting facts, simple animations, and astronomy links to physics and...
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Planets Made Real: Creating Size and Distance Scale of Planets

For Teachers 6th - 8th
An activity where students build a scale model of the solar system based on a marble they pick from a bowl. After choosing a marble that represents Earth, students must calculate the size of the other planets and the sun. Site includes...
Website
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: A Guide to Astronomy Resources

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Unit Plan
BBC

Bbc: Space Race

For Students 9th - 10th
There are galaxies far, far away, but just how big is our own solar system? Scroll through this interactive to quickly observe just how much we know and have learned about our solar system.
Website
Fourmilab Switzerland

John Walker: Solar System Live

For Students 9th - 10th
This planetarium program allows you to create an accurate model of the solar system with icons or pictures of each planet. You can specify a date in the past or the future, change the viewpoint to any latitude/longitude, and even view in...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Creating the Solar System

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This two-part lesson begins with a lecture which describes the complex process of creation from molecular cloud to planetesimals to planets to organized solar system. The lecture is followed up with a draw/write activity in which the...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Models of the Hydrogen Atom

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students will explore several different models of the hydrogen atom and compare and contrast them using an online java applet.

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