Our Solar System (Part 5)

What You'll Learn

The solar system has eight planets orbiting the sun. The four inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are rocky, and the four outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are gaseous.

Key Words

rotation
revolution

Materials Needed

small ball (moon)
dark room
paper plate
markers
string
tape

Safety First

Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.
Adult supervision recommended.
Do not taste any materials.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read and learn: The solar system has eight planets orbiting the sun. The four inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are rocky, and the four outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are gaseous.

Step 2 — Do

Build your model using the materials provided.

Step 3 — Observe

Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.

Step 4 — Record

Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

How many planets are in our solar system?