Stonerock 1
Planets in the Solar System
Teacher: Lauren Stonerock
Date: December 2, 2015
Strand
Topic
Primary SOL
Related SOL
Background
Information
Science
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change: The Solar System
4.7- The student will investigate and understand the organization of the
solar system. Key concepts include
a) the planets in the solar system;
b) the order of the planets in the solar system; and
c) the relative sizes of the planets.
4.1- The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning,
logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in
which
l) models are constructed to clarify explanations, demonstrate
relationships, and solve needs
This lesson will be incorporated within a larger unit on the solar system for
a fourth grade class of 23 students.
The Solar System is made up of eight currently recognized planets:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Pluto
was previously recognized as a planet, but now is referred to as a dwarf
planet. Each planet has its own characteristics, including number of moons,
size, color, place in the solar system, etc. There are also many other objects
within the solar system, but this lesson will only focus on the eight planets.
It is important to note that all of the planets orbit around the Sun, as the Sun
is the center of the Solar System. These planets orbit because of the
gravitational pull of the Sun. A planet’s orbit is the circular path that it
follows as it moves around the Sun, and each planet has a different orbit size
that corresponds with its location in the solar system. The further the planet
is from the sun, the larger the orbit, meaning that Neptune has the largest
orbital distance of the eight main planets.
Before the lesson, students will have been introduced to the idea of what the
solar system is, but will not yet have explored the planet as a fourth grade
class.
Students will need to be able to list the eight planets in the solar system in
the correct order of their locations with respect to the sun. Students will
also begin working on understanding the relative size of the planets, though
that may be continued in another day’s instruction depending on how much
planetary knowledge students bring to the lesson.
Hook/Engage
Count backwards from 10, and then say “We have lift-off!” Ask students
where they have heard that before and allow them to discuss ideas until they
bring up the idea of outer space. Ask students what they know about space
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already and what they might see if they were traveling in a space ship out
there. Have students share responses with their table groups.
Vocabulary
Materials
Student/Teach
er Actions
(delivery)
Bring up the solar system, and all of the planets, and explain that students
will be exploring the planets today and how they come together to create
one solar system.
Define: solar system, planet, atmosphere, orbit
Plan A
Plan B
 Computer with internet
 Images of the 8 planets
connection
 Cut-outs of labeled pictures
of the 8 planets and the sun
 Kid Astrology website that
animates the orbiting planets
created as necklaces
and contains information on
 Library books and printed
each planet
passages on each planet
http://www.kidsastronomy.c
 Document Camera
om/solar_system.htm
 Virtual Orbit Simulator
http://lasp.colorado.edu/educ
ation/outerplanets/orbit_sim
ulator/
 SMART board
 Laptops
 Images of the 8 planets

1. Using the SMART board, the
1. The teacher will use the
teacher will project the animation of Document Camera to project the
the planets orbiting in the solar
pictures of each of the planets in the
system and ask students what they
solar system, as well as a picture of
notice and wonder about the solar
the entire solar system as a whole.
system.
Ask students what they notice and
wonder about the image of the solar
2. Have students share answers
system.
about what they notice and wonder
to create an anchor chart to
2. Have students share answers
reference throughout the lesson.
about what they notice and wonder to
create an anchor chart to reference
3. Introduce the concept of orbiting, throughout the lesson.
and explain how each planet follows
its own path as it moves around the 3. Put students into groups of 3 and
sun. Ask students if all planets look assign each group a specific planet to
the same. Are they the same size?
research, using various books and
Same distance from the sun? Where printed passages. Provide each group
is Earth?
with an image of their assigned
planet.
4. Put students into groups of 3 and
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assign each group a specific planet
to research, using the Kid Astrology
website. Write questions on the
board for students to answer about
their planet: where does it fall in the
planetary order? Is it larger or
smaller than Earth? What does it
look like? Does it have any moons?
Explain that they can also compile
any other information that they find
important and interesting about their
planet.
5. Ask students to find a good
image of their planet to project on
the SMART board as each group
presents their findings on their
planet.
6. Instruct students to visit the
virtual orbit simulator at:
http://lasp.colorado.edu/education/o
uterplanets/orbit_simulator/ to give
them an opportunity to manipulate
the orbiting planets and analyze the
speed and relationship between
planets.
7. Using all of this information, the
class will place the 8 images of the
planets in the correct order.
Assessment
Extensions
and
Connections
4. Write questions on the board for
students to answer about their planet:
where does it fall in the planetary
order? Is it larger or smaller than
Earth? What does it look like? Does
it have any moons? Explain that they
can also compile any other
information that they find important
and interesting about their planet.
5. Bring the students outside to
introduce the concept of orbiting.
Assign planetary roles to different
students in the class, and give them
the planet necklace to wear for
clarity. Model what orbiting is by
walking a circular path around the
student designated as the sun. Then,
have the students use their research
knowledge to determine the correct
order of planets. Once students are
lined up properly, instruct them to
begin orbiting by walking in
differently sized circles around the
sun.
6. Bring students back inside to
allow the class to place the 8 planet
images in the correct order on the
blackboard.
Students will share their group research with the class. Did they answer all
the questions presented? Did they provide detailed descriptions of the
planets? Did each group member participate in the lesson? Ask students to
discuss the specific differences between the planets.

As an extension, students will incorporate writing by choosing one
specific planet to focus on. After selecting a planet, they will
complete one of two writing tasks. Students can either write a
descriptive narrative about the planet itself or they can imagine what
life might be like on that planet in creating a fictional text as if they
were astronauts that explored the planet. In creating final drafts of
their stories, the students would be allowed to use StoryBird if they
want.
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Strategies for
Differentiation




Assign students specific roles as necessary within their learning
groups to provide additional scaffolding and structure
Group students carefully for maximum learning and support
Within the technology plan A, have books and physical printouts in
case students would prefer to use the physical materials as opposed
to the online information
Read all instructions aloud to the class throughout the lesson to be
clear and meet student IEP needs
Anecdotal Record – Used to record specific observations of individual student behaviors,
skills, attitudes as they relate to the outcomes of the lesson.
1. I imagine that the students will be interested in the content, as many of them show
interest in planets and the possibility of space travel. I know one of my students had a
grandfather who was an astronaut, so he may bring some interesting perspectives to the
table. Before teaching this lesson, I imagine that students will enter our study of the
solar system with a varying levels of knowledge on the topic, so instruction must be
differentiated to meet all student needs.
Works Cited
http://www.kidsastronomy.com
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/lessons/1759