• Cut out your 8 cover sheet pages.• Cut out your 8 fact sheet pages.• Staple the two pages together.• Cut out your first planet. Glue it to your

cover page and write the planet’s name at the top.

Vocabulary

Solar System: sun and objects that orbit around the sun

Planet: large body of rock or gas that orbits the sun

Moon: a round body that orbits around planet

Star: hot ball of glowing gases

Asteroid: Chunk of rock or metal that orbits the sun

Solar System up close

Vocabulary Revolution: movement of one object

around another

Rotation: spinning of an object on its axis

Orbit: path an object takes around another planet

Axis: imaginary line that goes through the North Pole and South Pole

Sun

The Sun is a star and is the center of our Solar System. The Sun is the closest star to our planet. It is also the largest, hottest, and brightest object in the Solar System. The Sun also has more mass than any other object in the Solar System. Due to the Sun’s mass it exerts a powerful gravitational pull, which holds all the planets in orbit around it.

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/sun.html

Sun Facts:

The Sun is about 5-billion-years-old.

All of the planets and moons (satellites) of the solar system could fit inside of the Sun.

The Sun is much larger than the Earth, but looks smaller because it is so far away (93 million miles or 150 million kilometers away).

All the planets revolve around the sun.

The Sun revolves around the center of the Milk Way Galaxy.

The Sun mainly contains hydrogen gas.

Sun’s core may reach up to 27 million degrees Fahrenheit and the surface is about 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hydrogen atoms constantly crash into each other forming another gas called helium. When this occurs, it releases energy and this energy warms the Sun and causes it to shine.

The Sun provides sunlight, which helps plants make food for us to eat and oxygen for us to breathe.

93 m

illion

miles

apart

Planet Order MercuryVenus EarthMars

JupiterSaturnUranus

Neptune

Hint to Remember: My Very Energetic Mother Just Sent

Us Nachos

Inner Planets • Mercury

• Venus• Earth • Mars • Rocky surfaces • Closest to the Sun• Warmer because they

are closer to the Sun • None of the planets

have more than 2 moons• Inner planets are a

smaller than the outer planets

Mercury

First planet from the Sun or the first planet in the Solar System

About 58 million kilometers from the Sun (36 million miles)

A year on Mercury is only 88 Earth-days long.

One day is 59 Earth-days long.

Mercury is a small, rocky planet with a dusty surface filed with craters (round holes).

Mercury doesn’t have an atmosphere, so that means there is no air on this planet.

Resembles the Earth’s moon (satellites)

Add facts and color the planet Mercury in your planet book.

Known as the Planet Closest to the Sun and named for the fast-footed

Roman messenger of the gods

Venus

The second planet in the order from the Sun

It is about 108 million kilometers from the Sun (67 million miles)

One year on Venus is 225 Earth-days long

One day is 243 Earth-days long

Venus is a dry, hot planet with tall mountains, deep valleys, and is

covered in thick, yellow clouds.

Has no moons (satellites) and is almost the same size as Earth

Add facts and color the planet Venus in your planet book.

Named for the Roman God of Love and Beauty and known as

the Earth’s twin

Earth Third planet from the Sun with one satellite (Moon)

It is about 149 million kilometers from the Sun (93 million miles)

A year on Earth is 365 days long.

Every four years we have a leap year – making 366 days per year.

One day is 24 hours long.

Earth is the only planet that can sustain life as it has water, air, and food.

This planet is not too hot or too cold. It is also the only planet that has plants and animals.

Earth looks like a ball covered with white clouds, brown land, and areas of

blue oceans.

One moon (satellite) and is mostly covered by craters.

Add facts and color the planet Earth in your planet book.

Known as the “Water Planet”

Moon

A satellite is a body in the sky that orbits a larger body. Earth is a satellite of the sun. The moon is a satellite of Earth. The moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.

It takes the moon (satellite) about 27 1/3 days to complete one revolution around Earth.

The moon is about 240,000 miles from Earth.

We can only see one side of the moon (satellite).

We see the moon (satellite) because the sun shines on it. Sunlight hits the moon and is reflected back to Earth. The moon does not make light of its own.

There is no air or water on the moon (satellite).

The surface of the moon is covered with rocks, dust, and craters. The craters are bowl-shaped like holes.

Craters were formed more than 4.5 billion years ago. They were made by meteors crashing into the moon (satellite).

• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/moon.html

Mars

Is the fourth planet from the Sun

141 million miles (227 million kilometers) from the sun

A year on Mars is 687 Earth-days long.

One day is 24 ½ Earth-hours long.

Is known as the Red Planet

Mars is about half the size of Earth. It is a desert except for the ice caps at

the north and south poles. It has tall mountains and deep canyons. The soil is full of rust-colored iron dust. This makes Mars look red. Strong winds blow up big storms of the red dust. It is very cold on Mars. It doesn’t have an atmosphere.

Mars has 2 moons (or satellites)

Add facts and color the planet Mars in your planet book.

Known as the “Red Planet” and named for the Roman God of War

Outer Planets JupiterSaturnUranusNeptune

• They are made mostly

from frozen gases. • They are bigger

than the inner planets.• Jupiter is the

largest planet. • Colder than the

inner planets.• Rings of dust

and ice around them.• Many moons.

Jupiter

Is the fifth planet form the Sun 483 Million miles from the sun One year on Jupiter is 12 Earth-years long

One day on Jupiter is 10 Earth-hours Is the largest of all the planets and is also one of the

brightest. Jupiter is a giant ball of gas with a small rocky center. It is

covered by thick clouds. It is freezing at the top of the clouds. There is a giant storm on Jupiter known as “The Great Red

Spot.” A thin ring of rocks orbits the planet 1,000 Earths could fit inside Jupiter if it were hollow Has at least 63 satellites (or moons)

Add facts and color the planet Jupiter in your planet book.

• Known as the largest planet and named for the Roman King of the gods

Jupiter’s Moons

Io Ganymede

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

Io & Jupiter

Callisto

Saturn

Infrared image of Saturn

Is the sixth planet form the Sun

887 million miles (1 billion, 416 million kilometers) from the sun

A year on Saturn is about 30 Earth-years long

One day is only 10 ½ Earth-hours long.

Second largest planet

Like Jupiter, Saturn is a giant ball of gas with a rocky center.

Saturn is freezing cold at the top of the clouds.

It is very hot at its center. Has at least 34 satellites (Moons) and is known for its many

rings that orbit the planet.

Add facts and color the planet Saturn in your planet book.

Known as the “Ringed Planet” and named for the Roman God of

Agriculture

Saturn’s Moon

Titan

Dione, Tethys, Mimas, Enceladus, Rhea, and Titan

Uranus

Is the seventh planet from the Sun 1 billion, 783 million miles (2 billion, 870 million kilometers)

from the sun

A year on Uranus is 84 Earth-years long.

One day is 17 Earth-hours long.

Uranus rotates in a different way than the other planets. It tilts over on its side.

Uranus, too, is a giant gas ball with a rocky center. Has some rings and the rings are thin and dark. Uranus looks blue-green and has a thick haze that covers the

planet. Uranus is so far from the sun that it is very, very cold. Can sometimes be seen with the naked eye

5 large moons (satellites) and at least 22 small moons (satellites)

Add facts and color the planet Uranus in your planet book.

Known as “Neptune’s Twin”

Neptune

Neptune is the eight planet in order from the Sun.

2 billion, 794 million miles (4 billion, 497 million kilometers) from the sun

A year on Neptune is 165 Earth-years long.

One day is about 16 Earth-hours long.

Neptune has high winds and many storms and sometimes these storms

show up as dark spots.

Neptune is a large blue-green ball of gas with a center rock and iron. The

planet is covered with clouds.

Neptune has faint rings.

Because Neptune is so far from the sun, it is very, very cold.

Has at least 13 moons (satellites)

Add facts and color the planet Neptune in your planet book.

Known as the “Blue Planet” and named for the

Roman God of the Sea

Asteroids Belt

Asteroids are small bodies that orbit the sun, mostly between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid belt is filled with irregularly shaped chunks of debris called asteroids. Objects in this asteroid belt are made of rock and metal, mostly nickel and iron. Scientists believe the asteroids are pieces of a planet that never formed.

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/asteroids.html

The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth

• The sun, the moon, and Earth are part of the solar system.

• The sun, the moon, and Earth all affect one another.

• The Sun is the center of our solar system. The sun is a star. It is the closest star to Earth. It gives off light and heat.

• The Earth is the planet where you live. It is the third planet from the sun. Earth moves around the sun.

• The Moon moves around the Earth. It does not give off its own light or heat. The light from the moon is reflected light from the sun.

• The sun, the moon, and Earth are part of our solar system.

What Makes Day and Night on Earth?

The spin of Earth on its axis makes day and night.

The Earth Rotates

Earth completes one rotation, or spin, around its axis every 24 hours. When it’s daytime on one half of the Earth, it’s nighttime on the other half of the Earth. There are about 365 rotations, or days, in one year.

The Sun Stays in One Place

The sun looks as if it moves across the sky, but it does not move. It is the Earth that is actually moving. So does everything else on Earth, including you.

Remember

• The spinning of Earth on its axis makes day and night.• Earth completes one rotation every 24 hours.

• When it is day over one half of Earth, it is night over the other half.

• The sun stays in one place.

The Planets Go Spinning (Sing to the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home)

The planets revolve around the sun,Hooray, hooray

The planets revolve around the sun,Hooray, hooray

The planets revolve around the sunAnd spin on the axis, everyone

And they all go spinning, Around and around they go!

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and MarsHooray, hooray.

Mercury, Venus, Earth and MarsHooray, hooray

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars,All whirling and twirling around the stars.

And they all go spinning,Around and around they go!

Jupiter and Saturn are next in place,Hooray, hooray!

Jupiter and Saturn are next in place,Hooray, hooray!

Jupiter and Saturn are next in place,Uranus and Neptune when we count make eight.

And they all go spinning, Around and around they go!