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Earth and Space Science

Solar System Activities

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Amy Carter Amy Carter 870 Points

Hi, everyone! As a beginning third grade teacher, I am looking for additional activities for my students. We just finished our Solar System / Planets Unit. In reflecting and planning for next school year, I'd like to get ideas on how to make the unit more exciting for the students. The Solar System is very exciting to learn about and I believe there is an abundance of enjoyable activities that could go along with what we currently use. I am particularly interested in adding in some virtual field trips and STEM activites. Does anyone have ideas they would like to share that I could add to the Solar System / Planets Unit?  

Thank you,

Amy Carter
Michael Aprill Michael Aprill 885 Points

Amy, I'm a Earth/Space Science teacher. I currently teach high schoool, but have done a smilar activity to the one attached with elementary students. It involves a 5 pound ball of play-dough or other dough. Students separate the dough into equal proportions (so you can also integrate in math), then they recombine the balls into the proper proportions to get a to scale model of Earth and the Moon. 


I'm attaching the first page only which focuses on that.  I have extensions and have versions involving all of the planets (and Dwarf planet Pluto) AND another one with Earth-Mars-Moon. 

Hope this helps, 

Dr. Michael Aprill, NBCT

Attachments
Elizabeth Nieto Elizabeth Nieto 490 Points

Hi Amy, I think the best thing you could do to make the solar system more fun is a song. Music and dance are always fun ideas. This gets the students engaged and ready to learn all your fun ideas! 

Check out these videos that can help you!!:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fifw3r4ZqYA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sv-CXY2soo
Maria Lomas Maria Lomas 650 Points

Hi Amy, one idea is to use a solar system or planet projector in a classroom where students can draw or write down their observations. This can be done in a small tent or your classroom with the lights dim. You also don't have to go out of your way to buy a fancy projector. One of my colleagues used her son's solar system night light. You can find some online for as little as 5 dollars. Hope this helps!
Andrew Fraknoi Andrew Fraknoi 750 Points

Amy and Everyone:

Perhaps the most extensive collection of astronomy activities for the classroom is 'The Universe at Your Fingertips', available from the nonprofit catalog of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific: https://myasp.astrosociety.org/product/DV122/the-universe-at-your-fingertips-20-dvd-rom

Some years back, Disney Publishing worked with me to develop a scientifically authoritative, illustrated book for kids all about astronomy and the solar system, with Disney characters and lots of illustrations, called Disney's Wonderful World of Space.  It's out of print, but you can find used copies on Amazon and elsewhere. (There is another book with that name, so it's best to include my name 'Fraknoi' in the search. 

Nest school year, there will be two eclipses of the Sun to help your students appreciate the grandeur of astronomy.  NSTA will have lots of materials abou this, but my guide to good classroom activities on eclipse, the Sun, and the Moon, can be found free at: http://bit.ly/teach eclipse 
Carolyn Sanders Carolyn Sanders 755 Points

Thank you for sharing. I am finishing my Earth, Sun, and Moon Systems, but I will keep this for next year.
Megan Lucas Megan Lucas 600 Points

Have the students skim through different picture books to get a beginning knowledge and then have them start to come up with questions to see what else they would like to learn.  Make a diarama of the solar system.   
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