Kids get dreamy when it comes to learning about space. You can almost visualize the daydreams above their heads as they take on adventures with astronauts and aliens. Here’s some fun solar system projects for kids that your students will love!
- A Solar System Scavenger Hunt
- Create a Scale Model of the Solar System
- Planet Mini-Books
- Size Up the Planets
- Create Your Own Planet
1. A Solar System Scavenger Hunt
A great way to get your students up and moving is with a scavenger hunt. So why not take a scavenger hunt and visit every planet in the solar system in the process! These Solar System Posters are the perfect place to start. After you print the posters, hide them around your classroom, school or even your house. Students can use a clipboard and paper to write down facts about each planet they visit.
If you keep a science notebook, have students take that with them on their scavenger hunt. Then at each planet, also provide the black and white planet cards for the corresponding planet. These are small versions of the poster and perfect for adding to a science notebook.
You can include a few glue sticks and the crayons or colored pencils needed to color that planet. At each planet station, students will read about the planet and then add that planet to their notebook. By the time they are done with the scavenger hunt they will have added every planet to their notebook!
This packet of Solar System Posters comes with lots of options for printing. Each poster comes in 4 different printing options {full color, ink saving color option, black and white, and reduced size for student notebooks}. There are so many different ways to use them – a scavenger hunt is just one option! They make a fabulous bulletin board or a full-size student book too!
2. Create a Scale Model of the Solar System
Let’s face it – there is no easy way to help our students grasp the vast amount space in space. Depending on the age of the students, it’s hard enough just to get them to understand how long a mile is, much less miles that involve scientific notation. A great way to help them understand is to create a scale model of the solar system. There are so many fun ways to do this! Here’s a few different ideas – complete with instructions!
- Solar System Predictions – NASA has a great activity that involves students making their predictions about where the planets are located and then labeling them more accurately. This project uses a roll of accounting paper for a calculator and would be great to fold and add to a science notebook.
- Toilet Paper Solar System – Start With a Book has a super fun activity that needs a lot of space! This one is best done outdoors or down a main school hallway. Using toilet paper, students will create a scale model of the solar system where each square of toilet paper is equaled to 10 million miles.
3. Planet Mini-Books
Your students will LOVE making these mini-books for every planet. There’s something about putting an activity into a different form that increases engagement. You could provide students with a fill in the blank worksheet or you could have them make mini-books. Trust me – they love the mini-books!
Not only is this a great science activity, but it is also a great reading activity too! Students start with a fact sheet that provides facts about each of the planets. Then using the fact sheet, they work to fill in the missing information in each book. A great introductory research activity that will get students digging into each planet.
Each book only needs one sheet of paper and from it students create a small 8 page book. All the instructions for constructing the books are included.
4. Size Up the Planets
It’s so easy for our students to think of all the planets as relatively the same size floating in space around the sun. But that is far from the truth. There are many different ways to help students visualize and understand the size differences. Here’s a few ideas:
- Planet Size Comparison – Using everyday items that your probably already have at home create scale model of the solar system to show how the size of the planets relate to each other and the sun. Size Matters Science provides all the details.
- Edible Planets – This tasty visual activity from Blossoms and Bookworms allows students to connect the size of the planets to some of their favorite fruits and vegetables. After the activity why not let everyone eat part of Jupiter!
5. Create Your Own Planet
A really great way to end your space unit is with this Create Your Own Planet project based learning activity. After students have learned about each of the planets, they will be well equipped to create their own planet.
This project based learning packet includes everything you need to get your students thinking like astronomers.
They will take all the vocabulary and facts they learned about the solar system and apply their knowledge as they create a new planet. Your students will love trying to figure out the characteristics of their planet, its ideal location, its size and naming the planet. Let’s not forget about describing any life found on their planet!
You can easily connect science with language arts in this project. Students will be writing all about their planet. With a mix of realism and creativity students really take ownership of their planet as part of this project.
At the end, invite students to take their classmates on a journey to their planet as they share the planet’s name, interesting facts and a picture or model of the planet.
One of my favorite activities of the year, I really love to see my students creativity shine through in this Create A Planet PBL project.
Solar System Fun!
There are so many fun solar system projects for kids that it makes science come to life. Since a field trip to space is out of the question, these 5 fun activities are the next best thing. In addition to the activities, I have also put together some close reading and multiplication activities with a space theme. These are a great way to connect your science learning with reading and math. You can find all of my solar system activities in one bundle!
Don’t Forget These Out of This World Activities!
Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so that you can find these fun solar system projects for kids when you are ready to use them!