Examine an innovative approach to a large-scale model. Pupils across the state of Maine teamed up to create a model of the solar system that spans 40 miles. Put thinking skills to work within your classes as they make the calculations to predict the diameter and distance from the sun in the scale models. 

Concepts

diameter, distance, ratios, scale factors, scale

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• As a class, create a scale model of the solar system down a long hall in the school with the scale of the hall modified similar to a map
• Calculate the diameter of all the planet scale models and verify answers at the website

Classroom Considerations

• Requires an understanding of similarity and scale

Pros

• Uses a project students create as the inspiration for the task
• Provides access to all necessary information and answers

Cons

• None

Common Core

6.RP.A.3.a 7.G.A.1 8.G.A.3 MP4