Lesson 3 of 10 · Space
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🚀 StarbaseThe Sun's Activity Cycle
The Sun's Activity Cycle.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Gravity is invisible — but it shapes everything.
Mind = Blown
🌟 The light from the closest star (after the sun) takes 4 years to reach you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you check: which is closer?
What You'll Learn
The sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity. During solar maximum, more sunspots and solar flares occur, which can affect satellites and power grids on Earth.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- ball (Earth)
- small ball (moon)
Safety First
- Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Build a scale model of the inner solar system using different-sized balls. Research the relative sizes and distances of the planets.
Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.
Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is a solar eclipse?
Where you see this in real life
Every sunrise and every shadow is this idea in action.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Look at the moon tonight. Notice its shape. Look again in 3 days.
For the dinner table
“If you could visit any planet, which would you pick and why?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
The Sun's Activity Cycle
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
Full screen — no distractions
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