Apr 11, 2017 using this document you can create a scale model of the solar system you will also need a way to measure out the distances up to 45m. Scale model of the solar system scale of the universe. In this activity, youll make a scale model of the solar system. The sizes of the planets themselves are not exactly to scale they would be smaller compared to the sun, but the sun and the distance of the planets from the sun are to scale. Scientists us astronomical units au when measuring distances in the solar system, simply because distances measured in kilometers can get very large. Nov 30, 2015 a stunning scale model of our solar system, drawn in the desert. Calculate distances to objects in the solar system in astronomical units au, light years, and parsecs. To create a model demonstrating the scale distances of the solar system using. Each has been made to a different scale or amount smaller than a real car. The earth is 8000 miles in diameter and the sun is 800,000 miles in diameter. The first version involves using a roll of toilet paper to create the model.
Artists conception of earths solar system not to scale. To scale free solar system printables coloring pages plus resource list approved by high school aspiring astrophysicist. Net solar system planets cut and paste activity by craftionary. We need to scale the solar system down much farther than that. A scale model solar system lesson plan for 9th 12th. Little childrens space activity book at usborne childrens books. Decide on the scale for your model toilet paper sheets are going to represent the distances of planets from the sun in this model. Solar system scale student guide the objective of this activity is to build a scale model of the planetary distances in the solar system. To scale free solar system printables coloring sheet. Solar system stickers dover little activity books stickers. Planet distance chart calculate the scale value for each solar system object using a scale factor of 10 centimeters per astronomical unit au. Use the data in table 1to make a scale model of the solar system. Constellation learning activity by kids activities blog.
Informational nonfiction 1,766 words, level s grade 3, lexile 920l. Use small print and do not use circles to represent objects. Although we could print the planet sizes to scale, the paper would need to be way too large to show the scaled distances. Thats the point hammered in by this huge to scale map of the solar system, if the moon were only 1 pixel, created by the interactive designer josh worth.
Pencil directions 1 place the piece of paper on your desk in front of you vertically so that it is tall instead of fat. Vertical looks like this write sun on top edge on the bottom edge of the same strip write. Engineering students will learn about the scale and distances of all of the planets from the sun through modeling during this handson, 5e activity. Write your scaleddown distances in your notebook, in meters.
Kids then can understand the size and scale of earth compared to other planets. Help students understand the solar system, including the universe, gravity and inertia, and the planets, using these six science activities and their realworld examples. Create a solar system scale model with spreadsheets. Our solar systems largest planet is an average distance of 778,000,000 km 484,000,000 miles from the sun. Kab telescope constellation craft learning by kids activity blog. A scale model is a representation or copy of something that is larger or smaller than the actual object but maintains the relative proportions. Using this document you can create a scale model of the solar system you will also need a way to measure out the distances up to 45m. Students predict the size of earth and jupiter and find foods like cereal, gum balls, etc. The size and scale of the solar system you will need. Look at the following table to get an idea of the vast size of our solar system. Our solar system is an informational book that compares and contrasts the planets and describes comets, asteroids, and other space features.
They will calculate the appropriate diameter of the scale model planets and their distances from the sun. Modified version of a typical solar system scale model activity often called solar system on a string in order to emphasize one of the ways that scientists use models. Our solar system s largest planet is an average distance of 778,000,000 km 484,000,000 miles from the sun. The students will understand the distances between the sun, planets, and small objects in the solar system. Images of the objects in the solar system the pocket solar system activity scales the planets orbits use this powerpoint to explore the solar system.
Solar system activities with free printables craftionary. Feb 24, 2016 to help us visualize the distances between the objects of our solar system, lets build a scale model in a virtual city so we can get a better sense of the scales and distances between the planets. Solar system scale activity 6th grade science place a piece of paper on your desk in front of you vertically. Students learn the distances between the planets in our solar system. In this activity students learn about the size of the solar system, beginning with the earth and moon, and expanding out to encompass all the planets. The solar system, to scale, for a school yard julian d. So big that if you try to picture the distances between the planets.
Scale of the solar system universe in the classroom. Jupiter is the largest of the planets, spanning nearly 1. Free solar system printable coloring pages to scale. Read more about plutos new status at our sister site, fact monster. Scale model of the solar system science lesson plan. Best kids space books educational gift ideas for children space. Scale model of the solar system scale model of the solar system. Understanding the scale of the solar system is a crucial component in understanding the nature of astronomical objects and the universe in which we live. The scale in units of the radius of betelgeuse as well as a comparison with the solar system is also provided. Solar system bead distance activity adapted for students with special needs goal.
This a scale model solar system lesson plan is suitable for 9th 12th grade. In this activity your class will construct a scale model of the solar system using a basketball to represent the sun. In order to accurately illustrate our place in the universe, one group of friends decided to build the first scale model of the solar system in seven miles of empty desert. Since the sun is 109 times the diameter of earth, a 1. A group of friends discovered there were no proportional models of. If you want to be consistent with your class activity in part 1, youll. Students will use prezi to collaboratively create a scale model of the solar system, provide relevant content about their selected planet, and showcase their understanding of both relative size and distance. The options are endless, but to keep things within budget it is best to print your own. A scale model uses the same measurement ratios as the real object does. How kids can compare planet sizes plus free printable.
Nov 3, 2014 fun ways for kids to learn how to compare planet sizes in our solar system. The first model will compare the distance the planets are from the sun in astronomical units, the other model will compare the size of the planets using diameters in kilometers. So big that if you try to picture the distances between the planets, even the sun will be insignificantly small, as in this diagram. Solar system to scale sun is scaled one meter 39 in diameter actual size of sun. A good book about space can feed a kids obsession or inspire a. How long would it take to reach the edge of the solar system.
Astronomy day from mcdonald observatory solar system scale. Between the time scientists discovered pluto and reclassified it as a dwarf planet, it did not even make one full revolution around the sun. Scale model of the solar system printable 2nd 5th grade. Youll be surprised to see how much bigger some planets are than. Scale model of the solar system students learn the distances between the planets in our solar system. Solar system scale and size back table of contents stem lessons. Scale down the solar system with a scale model made of peas, fruit, and nuts. Jan 15, 2016 every child in the public school system has to make a solar system model at some point in their lives. Mar 02, 2017 in order to accurately illustrate our place in the universe, one group of friends decided to build the first scale model of the solar system in seven miles of empty desert. To create a model demonstrating the scale distances of the solar system using astronomical units that have been converted into a 10. Pencil directions 1 place the piece of paper on your desk in front of you vertically so that it. That is why i made these free solar system printables in a scaledtosize ebook that you can print out and use to your heart. The solar system, a 7minute video that shows the construction of a scalemodel solar system in nevadas black rock desert.
Youll have a better sense of the vast size of the solar system if you try this science project for kids. Explore size and distance relationships among planets students will create a model of the solar system using beads and string, and compare planetary sizes using common types of fruit and seeds. Spacerelated terminology and concepts in the book are supported by interesting photographs and fact boxes. Included are the images of each planet and a comment describing how big they would be on this scale between 2cm and 0. Every child in the public school system has to make a solar system model at some point in their lives. The cars in the image on the right are all scale models that represent real cars. Scale model solar system lesson plan from meteorite. On the highestresolution printer you can, print pages, perhaps twice. Overview students construct and where appropriate, calculate a scale model of the solar system using beads and string. Jupiters diameter is about equal to the thickness of a u. Buy solar system stickers dover little activity books stickers on.
A stunning scale model of our solar system, drawn in the desert. Identify some strengths and limitations of scale models. Students create their solar system model by positioning the paper cutouts of the planets they made in the activity, make a scale model of the planets, at the correct distances from their model sun. Little children can add sticker planets to the solar system, draw a rocket blasting into space, colour an alien birthday party and lots more. If we are to make a model, these objects need to be able to fit into a classroom. Most of the pictures in my books made the distance between planets seem small and easy to travel. This lab activity includes two possible ways to create scale models of our solar system. All you have to do is specify the size of the sun and the rest is figured out to you. A 24 sentence strip, or a strip of paper 3 wide by 24 long.
Scale model of the solar system teaching resources. This activity includes pluto as a planet, even though it is now classified as a dwarf planet. In this activity, you will make two scale models of the solar system. In two activities, scholars investigate scale models and their properties. See the farthest operating spacecraft, voyagers 1 and 2, still exploring 40 years later. The sun is surrounded by all kinds of planets, meteors, comets, and planetoids. Printouts of images for each planet in our solar system allow you to create your own planets model. Activity 1 the history and scale of the solar system. Also, for younger students, a measured marking grid can be put on a table top so the students can mark their measured distances and then tie off the beads. I recently asked a group of high school seniors how close to the earth the moon was, compared to the sun, and students answered anywhere from a tenth to a hundredth the distance. Solar system scale models lesson 76kb pdf file lesson activities and sequence. Astronomy day from mcdonald observatory solar system.
This lesson allows students to visualize the comparative sizes and distances of solar system bodies by making solar system objects to scale using common objects, walking off the distances between planets and participating in a webbased sun earth scale model activity. Join my newsletter list to be the first to hear our latest news. On a dry lakebed in nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits. To speed up the activity for younger students, the string may be precut and a set of solar system beads may be put into a plastic ziplock bag for each student. This toscale map of the solar system will make you. It also has an asteroid belt, and inside it are the inner planets. In very small letters, write sun on the very top edge of the strip. This image shows the solar system to scale up to the planet earth. A users guide to the solar system by paul murdin isbn. In each activities, students will have to do some math to properly scale the distances of the planets from the sun. Watch this guy build a massive solar system in the. This page shows a scale model of the solar system, shrunken down to the point where the sun, normally more than eight hundred thousand miles across, is the size you see it here. This scale model was built in the black rock desert. Download worlds of the solar system activity pdf, 1.
Here is a side by side comparison of the relative sizes of the planets, their largest moons and other larger bodies in the solar system. Scale of the solar system activity by todd ensign on prezi. The scale of our solar system is difficult to imagine when we are standing on what appears to be a large planet looking at an apparently small sun. Exploring planet sizes this activity looks at the sizes of the planets and takes place in the classroom. Pupils build a scale model and can appreciate how vast our solar system really is. If your school grounds are of a suitable size, take your students out and pace out the scale model of the solar system using the distances on their worksheets.
Make a scale model of the solar system with this javascript enabled page. Free printable i spy game for kids by and next comes l. The solar system is large when compared with the size of the sun and planets. A scale model solar system lesson plan for 9th 12th grade.
The solar system, a 7minute video that shows the construction of a scale model solar system in nevadas black rock desert. To help us visualize the distances between the objects of our solar system, lets build a scale model in a virtual city so we can get a better sense of the scales and distances between the planets. Print pages at 100% some printer drivers default to 96%. This activity is related to a teachable moment from aug. Scale model of the solar system science lesson plan most students dont have any concept of the vast distances and empty spaces of the solar system. Eso diagram of our location in the local supercluster in a series of five star maps that show from left to right our location in the solar system, in the suns neighborhood of stars, in the local area of the milky way galaxy. Thats the point hammered in by this huge toscale map of the solar system, if the moon were only 1 pixel, created by the interactive designer josh worth. A scale model a model with sizes and distances proportionally reduced or enlarged is a great way to correctly display the size of and distance between planets, giving students a better visual representation of the solar system than they could otherwise get from an image in a book or on a computer. To aid students in understanding the scale of the solar system, in both the sizes of objects in the solar system, and the vast distances between the sun and planets. Explain, in your own words, the nebular theory of the formation of the solar system.