Hey there! Have you ever wondered about the amazing things in space, like stars and planets? Wouldn’t it be cool to have a mini solar system right in your room? Well, today, we’re going to make a model of the solar system that you can hang on your wall!
To get started, you’ll need some scissors, construction paper, and glue. It’s a good idea to ask a grown-up for help, too!
The biggest thing in our solar system is the sun. Did you know that more than a million Earths could fit inside the sun? So, when we make our model, the sun should be the biggest piece.
There are eight planets in our solar system. The four closest to the sun are called rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These planets are dense, and if you could land on them, you could touch the ground.
Farther from the sun are the gas giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets are much bigger and are mostly made of gases.
Let’s arrange the planets from closest to the sun to farthest away. First, we have Mercury, then Venus, Earth, and Mars. These are the rocky planets. Next, we have the gas giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
In our model, the sun is the biggest. But what’s the biggest planet? It’s Jupiter! Jupiter is more than ten times bigger across than Earth. After Jupiter, the next biggest is Saturn, then Uranus, and Neptune. Earth is the biggest of the rocky planets, followed by Venus, Mars, and the smallest, Mercury.
Choose different colors of construction paper for your planets. Draw the sun as the largest circle, then make eight more circles, each one a bit smaller than the last. Cut them out with scissors. You can decorate your planets with paints, markers, or glitter to make them unique!
Take a big piece of paper to stick your sun and planets on. Start with the sun. The rocky planets are closest to the sun, so place Mercury first. It’s the smallest planet, so use your smallest circle. Next is Venus, then Earth, and Mars.
For the gas giants, start with Jupiter, the biggest planet, so use your largest circle. Then place Saturn, and don’t forget to draw its famous rings! Next is Uranus, which also has rings, and finally, Neptune, the smallest gas giant.
Now you have your own little solar system to hang up and show your friends! We’d love to see your model. Ask a grown-up to help you send us a picture at [email protected] or leave a comment below. Thanks for joining us, and see you next time!
Planet Observation Walk: Take a walk outside and look for objects that remind you of the planets in our solar system. Can you find something small like Mercury or something big like Jupiter? Maybe a round stone for Earth or a big balloon for Saturn? Draw or take pictures of the objects you find and share them with your friends or family.
Planet Size Comparison: Use different fruits to represent the planets and compare their sizes. For example, use a grape for Mercury, a cherry for Venus, an apple for Earth, and a watermelon for Jupiter. Arrange them in order from the smallest to the largest. Discuss with a friend or family member why some planets are bigger than others and what they are made of.
Space Story Time: Imagine you are an astronaut visiting each planet. Write a short story or draw a comic strip about your journey. What would you see on each planet? What would it feel like to stand on a rocky planet or float near a gas giant? Share your story with your class or family and talk about what makes each planet unique.
