Solar System Models
Although this model will not be to scale, it will give children
an idea of the color of the different planets and their order
in the universe.
Materials:
Yellow & orange construction paper
2
1 inch Styrofoam balls to represent
3
2 inch Styrofoam balls to represent
Mars
2
3 inch Styrofoam balls to represent
Neptune
2
4 inch Styrofoam balls to represent
wire
scissors
glue
paint in various colors
wire hanger
hole punch
Mercury and Pluto
Earth, Venus and
Uranus and
Jupiter and Saturn
Directions:
1. Cut a large circle of yellow construction paper. Cut a
larger circle of orange construction paper and trim
edges to look like flames. Punch a hole I the Sun and
tread a wire through the hole.
2. Paint Styrofoam balls as planets and allow to dry.
3. Thread varying lengths of wire into each ball. (Help
wire stay in place by fashioning a small hook in end
before pushing into a ball.
4. Attach Sun and planets in order by twisting wire around
hanger to secure.
VARIATIONS:
1. Use clay or salt and flour dough to form the planets.
2. Make one classroom model by assigning various jobs
to students.
3. Make the planets out of paper-mache and hang them
from a wire stretched across the classroom.