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Teacher’s Notes:Learning Goals:

Students will learn about the Solar System

This unit includes many interactive activities and learning opportunities for

students including:Informational ArticlesMeet Neil Armstrong

Meet Sally RideThe Sun

The MoonPhases of the Moon

All the PlanetsPluto & Everything ElseRotation vs. Revolution

The ConstellationsWhich Planet is it?Writing Prompts (2)

Venn Diagrams8 Planet Info Posters

Solar System CRQVocabulary Posters

Vocabulary Flip Flaps9-Page Solar System Flip-

Up Booklet

There are 3 main activities:Vocabulary:Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use as a center activity. These posters are excellent for a bulletin board display too.

Informational Articles:Have students read the informational articles all about the Solar System with comprehension questions and scenes for students to connect and color. You could have students work with a partner or in small groups or even as a center or learning station activity.

Students Activities:Have students complete the Solar System Flip-Up booklet and build it page by page. The Flip-Up is built so the planets go in order of their relation to the Sun. Each page of the Flip-Up booklet includes a graphic organizer that has students answer questions about that specific planet such as:How long does it take to turn on its axis? How long does it take to orbit the Sun? Where is it in relation to the Sun? and more. All the answers are found in the related articles. I usually have them do one page at each center or learning station. They can use the articles as a reference source to help them complete the pages of the booklet. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the booklet. Flip-Up books can be glued or stapled inside their interactive notebooks, file folder, or a 12x18 piece of construction paper folded like a book cover. There’s also a Which Planet is it? Activity, Solar System CRQ, and Venn Diagrams to compare the planets. Plus, there are 8 colorful Planet Posters with lots of diagrams, info, and facts to use as part of a learning station, research project, or for an awesome bulletin board display.


How do we know so much about the Moon? Many years ago, Commander Neil Armstrong and his crew boarded Apollo 11, a spacecraft, headed to the Moon.

President John F. Kennedy wanted America to be the first country to land on the Moon. Congress agreed and several months later, Apollo 11 was on its way. Their mission was to collect soil and rocks samples, and take pictures of the Moon’s surface before heading back to Earth.

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. A camera attached to the spacecraft, let Americans watch live on T.V. as Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. As he took his first steps, with more than 500 million people watching, he stated , “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Since the Moon’s gravity is much less than on Earth, the crew could easily jump very high. Therefore, Neil Armstrong’s first step was actually a four foot high jump onto the lunar surface. The crew did some experiments, photographed the terrain, and collected soil and rock samples to bring back home. They spent a total of 2 ½ hours on the surface of the Moon.

Before heading back to Earth, they raised an American Flag as a reminder of this great accomplishment.

Meet Neil Armstrong


When Sally was young, she loved math, science, but most of all, she loved playing tennis.

One day while she was in college, she saw a newspaper ad that changed her life forever. It was an ad to become an astronaut for NASA. She applied and so did more than 8,000 other people too. Luckily, Sally was one of the 25 people selected for the program. The training was very difficult. It included parachute jumping, scuba diving, treading water while wearing heavy equipment, and weightlessness training. She also attended classes about space and operating a space shuttle. Sally worked hard and never gave up!

A few years later, Sally Ride made history. On June 18, 1983, Dr. Sally Ride boarded the Space Shuttle Challenger and became the first American woman in space. While at NASA, Sally had worked on a robotic arm that was used to send satellites into space. On the mission, she became the first woman to use the robotic arm in space. In 1984, she went into space for a second time.

After that, Sally became a Physics Professor, wrote several children’s books about space, and received several awards for her dedication and service.

Meet sally ride


How do we know so much about the Moon? Many years ago, Commander Neil Armstrong and his crew boarded Apollo 11, a spacecraft, headed to the Moon. Their mission was to collect soil and rocks samples, and take pictures of the Moon’s surface before heading back to Earth.

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. A camera attached to the spacecraft, let Americans watch live on T.V. as Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. As he took his first steps, with more than 500 million people watching, he stated , “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Since the Moon’s gravity is much less than on Earth, the crew could easily jump very high. Therefore, Neil Armstrong’s first step was actually a four foot high jump onto the lunar surface. The crew did some experiments, photographed the terrain, and collected soil and rock samples to bring back home. They spent a total of 2 ½ hours on the surface of the Moon. Before heading back to Earth, they raised an American Flag as a reminder of this great accomplishment.

Meet Two Astronauts


One day while Sally was in college, she saw a newspaper ad that changed her life forever. It was an ad to become an astronaut for NASA. She applied and so did more than 8,000 other people too. Luckily, Sally was one of the 25 people selected for the program. The training was very difficult. It included parachute jumping, scuba diving, treading water while wearing heavy equipment, and weightlessness training. She also attended classes about space and operating a space shuttle. Sally worked hard and never gave up!

A few years later, Sally Ride made history. On June 18, 1983, Dr. Sally Ride boarded the Space Shuttle Challenger and became the first American woman in space. While at NASA, Sally had worked on a robotic arm that was used to send satellites into space. On the mission, she became the first woman to use the robot arm in space. In 1984, she went into space for a second time.

After that, Sally became a Physics Professor, wrote several children’s books about space, and received several awards for her dedication and service.

The Sun is a star that is in the center of the universe. The Sun is gigantic about 1 million times bigger than Earth. The Sun was created about 5 billion years ago from a cloud of gas and dust. Gravity pulled the gas and dust together, tighter and tighter, forming clusters. As the gas and dust clumps rubbed together, heat and pressure built up, until nuclear fusion reactions began in the core. Over time, these reactions caused the star to ignite and burn bright. After this, the Sun began making its own light, heat, and energy. The Sun is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium.

The Sun gives off heat and light that we need to survive. That’s because the surface of the Sun, called the photosphere, is over 6,000 degrees Celsius. Even hotter, is the core of the Sun which is over 14 million degrees Celsius.

The Sun is the key to life on Earth! The Sun’s energy makes plants grow through the process of photosynthesis. Humans (and other animals) eat the plants which pass on that energy. The Sun controls our weather, seasons, and the water cycle. The tilt of the Earth allows Sunlight to hit it at different angles which causes the change of seasons.

Scientist believe that most stars burn out around 10 billion years. That’s means the Sun is half-way through its life.

The Sun is a Star!


List all the ways the Sun helps us live:

Sometimes when we look up at the Moon, it looks like there is a face staring back at us. That’s because the surface of the Moon is covered with craters, or indentations, from falling asteroids and comets.

The Moon is 238,857 miles away from Earth. Although the Moon seems to be very bright, it doesn’t make any light of its own. The light we see is actually the light from the Sun reflecting off of the Moon. The Moon is more than 4 ½ billion years old. The Moon is very hot during the day and very cold at night.

The Moon is a huge igneous rock! Its core is made up of iron and sulfur. The Moon plays an important part in life on Earth. It controls the currents, or tides, of the oceans. The Moon’s gravity is only about 17% compared to the Earth so you would be very light there. You could easily jump several feet into the air, almost like jumping on a trampoline. There is no atmosphere on the Moon to trap sound, so it’s absolutely silent there!

How did the Moon come to be? There are many theories suggesting that the Moon used to be a part of the Earth and broke off from it. Some scientists believe that it was just floating by and got trapped by the Earth’s gravitational pull.

The Moon


Long ago, people used the phases of the Moon to help them keep track of time. The Moon goes through a cycle of different shapes, called phases, that takes about a month. The phases of the Moon change as the Moon changes it position in relation to the Sun and Earth. Sometimes, we only see a small portion of the Moon and other times we see the full side, or a full Moon.

Sunlight hits the Moon at different angles as it travels around the Earth. The way the Moon looks depends on how much of it is illuminated, or lit up. During the Moon (Lunar) Phases, the Moon waxes, or grows and wanes, or shrinks, over time.

Lunar Phases:

A Lunar Month takes 29 ½ days from one full Moon to the next full Moon.

1. A New Moon is when the Moon is directly between the Earth and the Sun so we don’t see the Moon at all.

2. A First Quarter Moon occurs about 7 days after the New Moon. When the Moon has moved a quarter, or ¼, of the way through its cycle, we see half of the Moon.

3. A Full Moon happens about 14 days after a New Moon. After the Moon becomes more than half full, we call it a Gibbous Moon, as it grows into a Full Moon.

4. A Third Quarter Moon happens when the Moon has moved three-quarters, or ¾, a way through its cycle. It takes about a week after the Full Moon. The Moon starts to become thinner as it passes through the crescent-shaped phases. Then we are back to where we began, and the Lunar Month, or cycle, starts all over again.

The Phases of the Moon


New Moon 1st Quarter Moon Full Moon 3rd Quarter Moon

Direction: Draw a picture of the Moon in each phase of the Lunar Month.

A constellation is a pattern of visible stars linked together to look like characters, animals, or objects. Astronomers, or scientists who study the planets, stars, and moons have identified 88 different constellations. Today, constellations are used to organize the night sky to help people learn more about the universe. People long ago used them to figure out the seasons for farming or for measuring time. In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans had many myths, or stories, about the stars and constellations. That’s why many of the constellations look like characters or imaginary creatures.

A star’s pattern depends on our perspective, or viewpoint. When we look at the stars they seem to have the same pattern every night, but if we were on the Moon or another planet, the constellations wouldn’t look the same as they do on Earth. The Earth’s rotation keeps the constellations rising and setting, just like the Sun does everyday. Throughout the year, different constellations become visible to us as the Earth completes its orbit around the Sun.

The North Star has been used for hundreds of years as a compass, to help people figure out which way is north. Sailors, explorers, and other travelers used it to help them find their way and navigate their ships.

Stars and Constellations


Rotating is when something turns over and over again . . .think of a wheel on a car or a ceiling fan that is always spinning or rotating. The Earth rotates, or spins, once on its axis every 24 hours. The spinning of the Earth causes day to turn to night! The side of the Earth that faces the Sun has daytime while the side that is turned away from the Sun has night-time. The axis is an imaginary line on which a planet rotates. The axis runs vertically through both poles (North Pole and South Pole) of the Earth.

In comparison, revolution is when a planet moves around another planet in a circular motion. The Earth takes 365 ¼ days to complete a revolution, or to orbit, the Sun. The Earth orbiting the Sun causes summer to become winter, or the change of seasons.

Why is important that the planets revolve around the Sun instead of the Sun revolving around the planets in our solar system?

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___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Rotation vs. Revolution


Rotation of the Earth on its axis

Revolution of the Earth around the Sun

1. Why is the Sun important to life on Earth?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

2. Which planet is called the “Red Planet”?

3. Which planet is the closest to the Sun?

4. The imaginary line on which the Earth rotates is called?

5. The curved path on which the Earth revolves around the Sun is called its?

6. How long does it take for the Earth to orbit the Sun?

7. Explain why we have seasons on Earth?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

8. Explain the difference between rotation and revolution:

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9. Which planet is the farthest from the Sun?

Name: ____________________________________ Solar System


1. Why is the Sun important to life on Earth?

It give us warmth,, light, and energy needed for survival on Earth.

2. Which planet is called the “Red Planet”?

3. Which planet is the closest to the Sun?

4. The imaginary line on which the Earth rotates is called?

5. The curved path on which the Earth revolves around the Sun is called its?

6. How long does it take for the Earth to orbit the Sun?

7. Explain why we have seasons on Earth?

The Earth orbiting the Sun causes summer to become winter, or the change of seasons.

8. Explain the difference between rotation and revolution:

Rotating is when something turns over and over again. The Earth rotates, or

spins, once on its axis every 24 hours. The spinning of the Earth causes day to

turn to night! In comparison, revolution is when a planet moves around another

planet in a circular motion. The Earth orbiting the Sun causes the change of

seasons.

9. Which planet is the farthest from the Sun?

Name: ______ANSWER KEY____________ Solar System


MARS

AXISS

ORBIT

MERCURY

365 ¼ DAYS

NEPTUNEE

The Solar SystemA solar system is like a community where the planets, Moon, and stars all live together. Our solar system is made up of the Sun and everything that orbits around it including planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. In our solar system, there are eight planets: Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus.

Scientists believe that our solar system started out as a huge cloud of gas and dust about 5 billion years ago. For millions of years, gravity pulled the bits of this giant dust cloud, tighter and tighter, together. Gravity and pressure caused several nuclear reactions and explosions, creating the Sun. The other planets that make up our solar system were formed during these explosions too.

The Sun is in the center of our solar system. The Sun is a star that all the other planets orbit around. The Sun’s gravity is very powerful and tries to pull the planets toward it. The four inner planets are called terrestrial planets because they are rocky, warm, and have craters. The four outer planets are called gas giants because they are made up mostly of gases like hydrogen and helium.

What is a solar system?

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________________________________________________________________


MercuryMercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Mercury is one of the planets that can be seen without a telescope. Because it’s close to the Sun, most people can see it at dawn and dusk right before the Sun rises and sets. It only takes 88 Earth days for Mercury to fully orbit the Sun. However, Mercury rotates very slowly, taking more than 58 days to do a single rotation on its axis. That means the days and nights are very long on Mercury.

Since it’s close to the Sun, it has one very hot side and one very cold side. Although its the smallest planet in our solar system, it has a huge range in temperatures from -180 degrees Celsius on the dark side to a over 400 degrees Celsius on the sunny side. Mercury’s surface is covered in craters, or indentions, from falling asteroids. Its iron core gives it a magnetic field just like Earth.

Mercury’s orbit is unique because it rotates from being very close to the Sun to being very far away. Mercury is a little bit bigger than size of the Earth’s Moon. Satellite pictures have shown that Mercury looks a lot like our Moon.

Why can you see Mercury before the Sun rises or after the Sun sets?

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I can see

Mercury just

before the Sun

rises.

VenusVenus is the second planet from the Sun right in between Mercury and Earth. Venus orbits the Sun in 225 Earth days, which is much faster than then here on Earth. Venus is the brightest object in the sky, other than the Sun and Moon. Only Venus and Uranus rotate in a counterclockwise direction, which is different from all the other planets. Scientists think it might have hit an asteroid or other object, changing the direction of its path.

It’s similar to the Earth in many ways. It’s almost the same size as Earth and often called, “Earth’s Sister Planet.” Gravity on Venus is just a little less than on Earth. Venus also has a center iron core, like Earth, but it doesn’t have a magnetic field. Venus rotates on its axis very slowly. In fact, one day on Venus equals about 243 Earth days.

Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system. Its dense atmosphere is made up mostly of carbon dioxide which traps the heat on the surface. This creates a greenhouse effect. The average temperature on Venus is more than 400 degrees Celsius.

Why is Venus the hottest planet in our solar system?

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EarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun. The Earth is 93 million miles away from the Sun. More than 75% of the Earth is made up of water and 1/10 of that is ice. Earth is called, “The Blue Planet” because from space all the oceans make it look blue. The Earth’s atmosphere is 21% oxygen and the only planet that we know of that humans can live on. The Earth provides the perfect condition for humans, plants, and animals to exist.

The Earth takes 24 hours to rotate once its axis. The spinning of the Earth causes day to turn to night. The side of the Earth that faces the Sun has daytime while the side of the Earth that is turned away from the Sun has night-time. That means that when it’s daytime in the United States, it’s night-time on the opposite side of the Earth in China.

It takes 365 and ¼ days for the Earth to orbit the Sun. The extra ¼ is added on as an extra day in February, once every four years, called a leap year. The rotation of the Earth around the Sun once a year causes the changing of the seasons.

The inside of the Earth is active. Earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building takes place because of the shifting of the tectonic plates. The Earth is different from all the other planets in our solar system because it has intelligent beings that live on it.

What makes the Earth unique from all the other planets?

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____________________________________________________________________


MarsHave you seen Mars before? Sometimes you can see it without a telescope. Mars looks like a red dot and that’s why it’s called, “The Red Planet.” Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. Mars rotates on its axis in 24 ½ hours. It is a terrestrial planet, meaning its made up of rocks and minerals. Mars has many landforms, including mountains, canyons, and valleys, just like we do here on Earth. In fact, the tallest mountain in the solar system is on Mars. Mars is tilted much like Earth so it has four different seasons but it takes almost twice as long, 687 Earth days, to orbit the Sun.

There are terrible dust storms on Mars that sometimes cover the whole planet and constantly change its surface. Mars has a thin atmosphere so it isn’t able to absorb the Sun’s heat, making it very cold there. The average temperature is -81 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars has two tiny moons that orbit it.

In the 1990’s, scientists sent remote-controlled robots, called rovers, to Mars to investigate the surface. Water was discovered on Mars but since it’s so cold there, it’s in the form of ice. No evidence was found that life exists on Mars but some scientists think that many years ago, Mars used to be more like Earth with flowing oceans and rivers.

Why is it so cold on Mars?

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JupiterJupiter is the fifth from the Sun. Because it’s so far away from the Sun, it’s very cold there! Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system with 64 Moons that orbit it. Jupiter’s gravity so strong that you would weigh twice as much there as you do on Earth. It takes Jupiter 4,332 Earth days, or almost 12 years, to orbit the Sun!

Jupiter spins very quickly, taking only 10 hours to rotate once on its axis. This fast spinning makes Jupiter have violent storms that can change its appearance quickly. Jupiter has a permanent storm called, “The Great Red Spot.” This storm spot is more than five times the size of Earth.

Jupiter is the largest of the “gas giants”. Other gas giants include Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Jupiter is made up mostly of gases like hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane. These gases form colorful clouds that surround it. Jupiter gives off more energy than it receives from the Sun because of its massive magnetic field.

On August 5, 2011, NASA sent a solar-powered spacecraft, called Juno, on a mission to learn more about Jupiter. Juno is carrying a color camera to give the public a close-up look at Jupiter. It will take Juno about five years for it to reach Jupiter.

Why do you think Jupiter is called a “gas giant”?

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____________________________________________________________________


SaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn is sometimes called, “The Jewel of the Solar System” because of its beautiful rings. It’s best known for its colorful rings that were discovered in 1610 by Galileo.

Saturn is gigantic, 100 times bigger than the Earth, with more than 50 moons orbiting it. Saturn has 30 sets of rings around it made up of billions of tiny chunks of ice, dust, and rocks. Its moons are important in keeping the rings in place.

Saturn has the second shortest day, after Jupiter, in our solar system. Saturn turns on its axis once every 10 ½ hours. However, it takes a long time, 29 ½ Earth years, for it orbit the Sun completely.

Similar to Jupiter, Saturn is a gas giant. Its atmosphere is made up mostly of hydrogen. Did you know you can actually see Saturn with binoculars or a small telescope? That’s because it’s the fifth brightest object in the solar system.

Tell 3 ways that Jupiter and Saturn alike?

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______________________________________________________________

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UranusUranus is seventh in line from the Sun. Uranus is the third largest planet in our solar system. Uranus is sometimes called, “The Ice Giant” because it’s the coldest planet in our solar system. Temperatures can drop down to -224 degrees Celsius. Just like Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus is a gas giant. Uranus is full of large amounts of methane gas which gives it a blue color.

It has a set of small rings and over 25 moons in its orbit. Uranus often looks like it’s tipped over on its side because of the way it’s tilted. Scientists think a massive object must have collided with Uranus, almost knocking the planet over on its side.

Uranus rotates on its axis once every 17 hours. Like Venus, it turns in a counterclockwise direction, different from all the other planets in our solar system. It takes 84 Earth years for Uranus to circle the Sun one time! Uranus’s tilt allows only one side of the planet to have daylight for 42 years while the other side has complete darkness for 42 years.

Why is Uranus the coldest planet in our solar system?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________


NeptuneNeptune wasn’t discovered until 1846! After the discovery of Uranus, astronomers noticed that the planet was being pull out of its normal orbit so they figured out that the gravity from another planet beyond Uranus must be the cause. Using math, scientists were able to figure out exactly where Neptune was located in the solar system.

Neptune is the planet that is the farthest from the Sun so it extremely cold there. Neptune is the smallest of the gas giants with 14 moons orbiting it. However, it’s still 4 times larger than the size of Earth.

Neptune spins on its axis very rapidly, taking only 16 hours to make one rotation, or one Earth day. Like all the other planets in the solar system, Neptune moves in an orbit around the Sun. It takes Neptune 165 Earth years to orbit the Sun!

Neptune’s rocky core is surrounded by layers of hydrogen, helium, and methane. Neptune is covered in thin white clouds that surround the planet.

Neptune has the most powerful storms in the solar system with freezing winds ten times stronger than any hurricane on Earth. Neptune has a dark blue storm spot similar to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter that is constantly changing its surface.

Why do you think Neptune wasn’t discovered earlier?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


Pluto and Everything Else

There is more than just the Sun and eight planets in our solar system. There are tons of asteroids, or pieces of rocks, in all shapes and sizes, that are floating around in space. Most of the asteroids are found in the asteroid belt in between Mars and Jupiter.

Comets are small pieces of ice and dust that when passing close to the Sun, heats up and begins to melt, leaving behind brilliant tails. When a comet begins to shine, they seem to light up our sky!

Pluto was once considered a planet, but in 2006, scientists agreed that it’s really a dwarf, or tiny planet, much smaller than our Moon. They discovered that it was really just a very small, rocky mass. Pluto is in an elliptical orbit, or oval-shaped path, that at times brings it very close to the Sun and other times takes it very far away from the Sun. Pluto has four Moons named Charon, Hydra, Nix, and P4. Pluto isn’t the only dwarf planet, there’s Ceres and Eris too.



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Neptune

Where is it in relation to the Sun?

Describe how it looks:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

One interesting fact is:

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

How is Neptune similar to Jupiter?

Neptune

The Solar System Flip-Up Book Page 9

9.

Name three other objects found in our solar system?

How long does it take to orbit the Sun?

How long does it take to turn on its axis?

Uranus



____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________


_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

How is it similar to Venus?

Uranus


8.

Explain how scientists think Uranus became tilted on its side?



Saturn



____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________


_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

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Why is Saturn called the “Jewel of the Solar System”?

Saturn


7.



Jupiter

What is the Great Red Spot?

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Why is Jupiter called a gas giant?

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________


6.



JupiterTell one interesting fact:

_________________________

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________________________


Mars



_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

One interesting fact:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

How is Mars similar to Earth?

Mars


5.



Venus


Describe it:________________________________________________________________________________

Why is Venus called Earth’s Sister Planet?

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

Venus

Mercury

How is Mercury’s orbit unique?

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

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The Solar System Flip-Up Book Pages 2, 3

3.

2.



Mercury




Name: _____________________________

Earth

Earth

Why is it called the

“Blue Planet”?

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________


One interesting fact:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________


The Solar System Flip-Up Book Pages 1, 4

4.

*****************How long does it take to turn on its axis?

, a file folder, or make a

cover and staple it as a regular book.


Directions for Flip Up Booklet

The Solar System---9 page---flip-up book


You could have students do one page of the flip-up book at each center. They can use the articles as a reference source to help them complete the pages of the booklet. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the booklet. Flip-Up books

can be glued or stapled inside their interactive notebooks, file folder, or a 12 x 18 piece of construction paper folded like a book cover. Students could then

decorate the front cover of the booklet.

completed

Which Planet is it?Name: __________________________________________________________________

Directions: Read the description of the planet and see if you can figure out which planet is it, then draw an illustration of it in the box.

I’m the coldest planet in our solar system

so I’m called the “ice giant.”

I’m best known for my beautiful rings

made up of rocks, ice chunks, and dust.

I’m the largest of the gas giants. You would weigh twice as much here as you do on

Earth because of my strong gravity.

I’m a terrestrial planet that can be

seen without a telescope. I look like a red dot in the sky.


Page 1

Which Planet is it?Name: _____________________ANSWER KEY_______________________


I’m the coldest planet in our solar system

so I’m called the “ice giant.”

I’m best known for my beautiful rings

made up of rocks, ice chunks, and dust.

I’m the largest of the gas giants. You would weigh twice as much here as you do on

Earth because of my strong gravity.

I’m a terrestrial planet that can be

seen without a telescope. I look like a red dot in the sky.


Page 1

URANUS

MARS

JUPITER

SATURN

Which Planet is it?Name: __________________________________________________________________


I wasn’t discovered until 1846! I’m the

farthest planet from the Sun.

I take 365 ¼ days to orbit the Sun. I’m unique from all the

other planets because intelligent

lives here.

I’m the closest planet to the Sun. I can be

seen at dusk and dawn without a

telescope.

I orbit the Sun in a counterclockwise direction. I’m the

hottest planet in the solar system.


Page 2

Which Planet is it?Name: __________________________ANSWER KEY__________________________


I wasn’t discovered until 1846! I’m the

farthest planet from the Sun.

I take 365 ¼ days to orbit the Sun. I’m unique from all the

other planets because intelligent

lives here.

I’m the closest planet to the Sun. I can be

seen at dusk and dawn without a

telescope.

I orbit the Sun in a counterclockwise direction. I’m the

hottest planet in the solar system.


Page 2

NEPTUNE

VENUS

MERCURY

EARTH


NASA is choosing 1,000 people to live on Mars. Write a letter explaining why they should chose you

and why you would want to live there.


You have been selected to travel to one planet of your choice for 1 week. Which planet would you go visit and why? Keep a diary of your trip and what

you saw there.


Me

rc

ury


Ve

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Ea

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Ma

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Ju

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Sa

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Ura

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Ne

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Solar System

Rotation

Revolution

Axis

Orbit

Asteroids

Constellations

Comets So

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ab

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Mercury

Venus

Mars

Earth

Jupiter

Uranus

Saturn

Neptune So

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Solar System

A solar system is like a community where the planets, moons, and

stars all live together.


Mercury

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. It’s the smallest planet

in our solar system.


Venus

Venus is the 2nd planet from the Sun. It’s often called “Earth’s

Sister Planet” because they are alike in many ways.


Earth

Earth is the 3rd planet from the Sun. It’s called “The Blue Planet” because from space it looks blue

from our many oceans.


Mars

Mars is the 4th planet from the Sun. It looks like a red dot in the sky and can be seen without a

telescope.


Jupiter

Jupiter is the 5th planet from the Sun and the largest planet in our

solar system.


Saturn

Saturn is the 6th planet from the Sun. It’s known for its beautiful

and colorful rings.


Uranus

Uranus is the 7th planet from the Sun. It’s called “The Ice Giant”

because it’s the coldest planet in our solar system.


Neptune

Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun. Scientists

discovered and located it using math—but not until 1846!


Moon

The Lunar Month takes 29 ½ days. During the Lunar Cycle, the Moon

waxes (grows) and wanes (shrinks) over time.


Sun

The Sun is a star that is in the center of the universe. The Sun was created 5 billion years ago from a cloud of gas and dust.


Orbit

The movement in a curved path of an object, or spacecraft,

around a star, planet, or moon.


Constellations

A pattern of visible stars all linked together to look like

characters, animals, or other objects.


Axis

An imaginary line that goes through the poles (North Pole and South Pole) on which a planet, like Earth, rotates.


Axis

Revolution

When a planet moves around another planet, or object, in a

circular motion.


Rotation

A spinning motion. When something turns over and over

again, such as the Earth rotating on its axis.


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