Components of the Solar System:
Scale, Motion, and Gravity
This page was developed as part of the NASA-funded Sustainable Trainer Engagement Program by LPI
Return to Earth & Space Science Classroom Activities and Resources
Participating as Students:
Definitions/ word wall discussion: solar system, galaxy, universe
Scale activities
- Cosmic Survey
- Our Neighborhood in our Universe
- Paper Strip Model
- Human Scale Model
- Size of the Sun
- Venus Transit Info on Measuring Distances
- 2 inch universe
- Worlds in Comparison
This activity allows students to develop an understanding of the relative volume of the planets in our solar system, by dividing up a big ball of playdough.
Powerpoint Resources
Orbiting information and activities
Definitions: rotation and revolution
- Use various balls as a scale pre-assessment
- Bead bracelets to model motions
- Modeling the Night Sky
Gravity Activities
Definition: Mass
