Solar System Round-Up

Students use play dough to make scale models of planets (Worlds in Comparison portion of program).

NPS photo

Level: 4th-8th grade
Group Size: Min 10 students, max 1 class (@30)
Program Length: 2 hours (or choose a partial program)

Program Requirements: It would be ideal for each student to have at least a 3' wide space to make the play dough models, such as a lunch room or classroom with 6’ tables instead of desks.

Key Concepts: Matter, models, scale, proportion, planets of our solar system

Solar System Round Up request

Program Description
Explore our solar system through the use of scale models! Solar System Round Up ideally takes 2 full hours and includes both of the activities listed below. The program can be paused for recess and lunch breaks. If you cannot devote the full 2 hours, you may request a partial program by choosing only one of the components below. If this is the case, we recommend choosing Worlds in Comparison.

• “Worlds in Comparison” explores the relative sizes (volumes) of the planets in the solar system through small group work using play dough and step-by-step instructions to make planet models. 75 minutes. (Activity sourced from Astronomy from the Ground Up)
• “Pocket Solar System” explores the distances between objects in our solar system as students make a scale model of the solar system. 45 minutes. (Activity sourced from Astronomy from the Ground Up)

 

Students make a scale model of distances between planets in our solar system (Pocket Solar System portion of program)

NPS photo

Potential follow-up activities:

• Space is limitless, and NASA’s For Educators website feels that way, too! It has a ton of resources like student readings and activities, including this activity on the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet.
• Want more engineering and robotics in your classroom? NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has its own JPL For Educators website with even more resources, like designing rubber-band-powered rovers.
• Note: For high school, this program is best used as an introduction to your astronomy unit, especially for students with little to no background in astronomy.

 

Artist drawing of the solar system.

NASA/JPL photo

Education Standards Supported by this Program

Fourth Grade Common Core

RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually and orally

W.4.8: Recall relevant information from experiences

Fifth Grade Next Generation Science Standards

Disciplinary Core Ideas

ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System (introductory; Constellation Connections classroom program focuses more on this point)

Crosscutting Concepts

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Natural objects exist from the very small to the immensely large.

Fifth Grade Common Core

MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

MP.4 Model with mathematics.

Middle School (6th-8th Grade) Next Generation Science Standards

Performance Expectations

MS-ESS1 Earth’s Place in the Universe

• MS-ESS1-3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Science and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

• Use a model to describe phenomena.

Analyzing and Interpreting Models

• Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System

• The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun by its gravitational pull on them.

Crosscutting Concepts

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.

Systems and System Models

• Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions.

Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems

• Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.

Middle School (6th-8th Grade) Common Core

MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

MP.4 Model with mathematics.

6.RP.A.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.