Solar System Hall Model
Standards Addressed:
6.3.1 Compare and contrast the size, composition, and surface features of the planets that
comprise the solar system, as well as the objects orbiting them. Explain that the planets,
except Pluto, move around the sun in nearly circular orbits.
6.3.3 Explain that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the sun, and that the moon, as
well as many artificial satellites and debris, orbit around Earth.
Objectives: This lesson will give students an idea of the scale of the solar system and
teach them the characteristics of the planets.
Required Materials: Large sheets of paper, meter sticks, measuring tape, crayons or
markers, yarn or ribbon.
Lesson Introduction: The solar system spans an immense distance which is often
difficult for students to comprehend. In this lesson, students construct a scale model of
the solar system in the school hallway. Students can then see the great relative distances
the planets are from the sun.
Scientists measure distances from the sun using observations from different points
along a planet’s orbit, then calculating the distance using trigonometry. Here is a table of
planetary sizes and distances from the sun:
Planet
Polar Radius
(km)
Mercury 2439
Venus
6052
Earth
6357
Mars
3380
Jupiter
66854
Saturn
54360
Uranus 24973
Neptune 24340
Pluto
1160
Number of Times Distance
from Earth
0.3871
0.7233
1
1.88
11.86
29.46
84.01
164.79
248.54
Distance (millions of
miles)
36
67.2
93
142
483
886
1782
2777
3666
Here is a table of scaled down distances which can be replicated in a school hallway:
PLANET DIAMETER (cm)
Mercury
4
Venus
10
Earth
10
Moon
3
Mars
5
Jupiter
113
Saturn
94
Uranus
41
Neptune
39
Pluto
2
DISTANCE (m)
4.5
8.5
11.7
3cm from Earth
17.9
61
112
226
354
463
All diameters are 60975000 times smaller than the actual size. All distances are
12874752000 times smaller. The diameters and distances are not on the same scale,
because otherwise the model would either be too large or the planets too small for use in
a school hallway. Even at this scale, the sun is too large for a reasonable model. This is
because the sun has a radius of 640064 km, which would make it 1050 cm, which is over
thirty feet wide.
Procedures:
1. Circles of the appropriate sizes, as listed in the table above, should be cut out of
the paper. If desired, students could investigate planet sizes and distances on their
own and come up with the sizes of each planet circle, but it is important that all
planets are on the same scale and that all planets are a reasonable size. A good
website for student research is the National Air and Space Museum solar system
website: http://www.nasm.edu/ceps/etp/ss/solarsystem.html
2. Students should separate into groups for each planet. Have students color the
planets based upon appropriate illustrations from science books, magazines, etc.
Students may make planetary rings using yarn or ribbon. Students should also
make a label for their planet. This label should be readable from the hallway and
should include the planet’s name, size, and distance from the sun. If desired,
additional information may be put on the label. A label should also be made for
the sun. If desired, a large arc may be used to represent part of the sun, since it
will be too large for the hallway.
3. In the hallway, decide on a corner to use as the sun and place the sun label there.
As based on the table above, measure the appropriate distances from the sun for
each planet. Each group should put its own planet and label up, but the entire
class should stay together as the model is assembled, enabling them to better
understand the scope of the solar system.
4. After the model is set up, engage students in a discussion of the solar system. Are
there things they are surprised about? What new insights have they learned?
What new questions arise from the model?
Assessment: Participation points may be awarded for the discussion and for
participating in the model correctly (i.e. the planets should be the correct size, distance,
and color, the labels should be correct). If students are gathering their own information
about the planets, rather than using the information provided, the information may be
included in participation points, or written up as a report. Reports should include the
information gathered about the particular planet the student researched, plus how this
planet compares to the rest in the solar system.