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by Jessica Ellis
Topics: Model Design and Building, Third Grade, Science
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Inevitably the day will come when your child must do her “solar system project” for school. You can head to the craft store for the traditional foam balls and dowels, or you can usher her through an activity that increases her understanding of what is really out there. One of the most awesome realizations about outer space is how much space there is. This project will get your child’s mind (and body!) moving.

What You Need:

Compass

Ruler

Yard or meter stick

Cardboard or paper
 
Marker

Bamboo Skewer or chopstick

A playing field of at least 100 yards long

Video camera or digital camera

A length of rope at least five feet long.

What You Do:

1) First, cut out circles from paper or cardboard to represent each of the planets (see diameters listed below). Make a label for each planet with the planet’s actual diameter. Tape each planet and its label to a bamboo skewer or chopstick.

2) Find a playing field (at least 100 yards long) near your home that you can use for your solar system. Bring a digital camera or video camera, the set of planets on skewers, a length of rope at least five feet long, and a yard or meter stick.

3) Lay the rope in a large circle to mark the sun at one end of the playing field. Then measure out the following distances, placing the planets on sticks in their proper order.

  • Sun = 85 inches (bring a length of rope to mark out this size of circle on the ground)
  • Mercury = .3 inches (18 mm), placed at 1 yard (.9 m)
  • Venus = .7 inches (19 mm), placed at 1.9 yards (1.7 m)
  • Earth = .8 inches (20 mm), placed at 2.5 yards (2.3 m)
  • Mars = .4 inches (10 mm), placed at 3.8 yards (3.5 m)
  • Jupiter = 8.5 inches (216 mm), placed at 13.1 yards (12 m)
  • Saturn = 7.1 inches (180 mm), placed at 24.2 yards (22.1 m)
  • Uranus = 2.9 inches (73 mm), placed at 48.4 yards (44.4 m)
  • Neptune = 2.8 inches (70 mm), placed at 76.1 yards (69.6 m)
  • Pluto = .2 inches (5 mm), placed at 100 yards (91.4 m) (Sure it’s not really a “planet” anymore, but it is very cool to see just how far out there this dwarf planet is.)

When the planets are set, take a tour of the solar system. If you have a video camera, consider recording the tour with your child’s narration. Or, she may prefer to take still pictures of the model and then present the information in a short book or on a bulletin board for all to see. Regardless of how she shares her experience, the process of creating this scale model will stick with her... into infinity!