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Hands-on Science Lesson: A Scale Model of Distance in the Solar System

1. Grades: 4-5
2. Time allotted for lesson: Block period - 90 minutes
3. Specific Objective(s): Students will be able to create a distance model of the solar system by
using metric measurement.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.2
Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid
volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple fractions or
decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in terms of
a smaller unit. Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number line
diagrams that feature a measurement scale.
NYC Science Scope and Sequence Objective: Solar System
Classication of celestial objects: stars including the sun; planets; comets;
moons; and asteroids. PS 1.1a-c,j
4. Materials needed:
Cash Register Tape (cut into 15 m long pieces for each small group)
rulers for each group
markers for each group
pencils for each group
science notebooks
5. Technology needed: Computers for each group of students. Students will access the following
websites: http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ and
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/
6. Do Now: Students draw a diagram of what a scale model of the Solar System will look like.
Aim: What does a scale model of the Solar System look like?
7. Group work: Students will be in small heterogeneous groups of 6. One of the students will be
the group leader and verify that all measurements are being taken, that all students are paying
attention, and then help the students to come up with an explanation for their thinking.
8. Procedure/Lesson Chronology:
Procedure: Students will be working in small groups. They will collect information from the
internet using the resources included with their graphic organizer. They will create a scale Solar
System, with the data from their graphic organizer. The Sun will be on one end of the ticker
tape. The students will note the measurements of the planets orbits on the ticker tape,

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

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measuring the distance from the Sun using their rulers. They will first mark the ticker tape where
each of the planets is located (in this scale model) using a pencil. The students will indicate the
scale distance (in meters) and the planet name. Then they will draw pictures of each of the
bodies in the Solar System and label the planets using markers. Students will use their graphic
organizer to check that their measurements are accurate.

What do the students do?

2 or 3 students share their

responses.

What does the teacher do?

Timing

Ask: If we were to create a scale model of

the solar system in this class, what would
it look like? Quickly draw out your
prediction of what the Solar System will
look like.

5 minutes

Ask students how they decided what their

scale model would look like.

2 minutes

Teacher lets students know that they are

going to create a scale model of the Solar
System. Students will consider the
distance each planet is at its furthest
point away from the Sun. They will create
a scale model thinking about distance.
Teacher introduces vocabulary: radius,
diameter (if you have a globe use a
measuring tape to measure the diameter
of the Globe), orbit. Teacher provides
explicit definitions on the board, and in a
handout for students. (See Appendix)
Students get computers for each
group.

3 minutes

2 minutes
Ask each group to visit the website

5 minutes

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_
system/
Let students explore the feature about
creating scale distances from the Sun.
After a few minutes time, tell students that
they will be creating their own model of
the scale distance in the Solar System
using ticker tape. Help students to
understand that in order for the model to
fit on their ticker tape, they have to adjust
the size of the Sun. Model filling in the
measurement of the Suns diameter with

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

1000 mm. Show students that using that

scale, Neptune would be 3,232 meters
away.
Ask: Would that fit on their 7 meter long
ticker tape?
What about making our Suns scale
diameter smaller, about the size of a
penny? 19mm? That will still be too large.
Model filling that in in the online chart.
Distribute graphic organizers and
resource documents. Draw students
attention to the columns of the chart and
how they relate to their graphic organizer.
Students will complete graphic
organizer using information found
on websites. They will need to
determine the scale diameter of the
Sun.

Teacher reads instructions to students.

Teacher scaffolds struggling students by
helping them to understand that they will
use the information already in the graphic
organizer to gather more information
about the planets orbits.

15 minutes

Teacher draws students attention to the

measurements the graphic organizer
uses and the location of those columns
on the Exploratorium website.
Teacher instructs students on
expectations: They will create a scale
Solar System, with the data from their
graphic organizer. The Sun will be on one
end of the ticker tape. The students will
note the measurements of the planets
orbits on the ticker tape, measuring the
distance from the Sun using their rulers.
They will first mark the ticker tape where
each of the planets is located (in this
scale model) using a pencil. The students
will indicate the scale distance (in meters)
and the planet name. Then they will draw
pictures of each of the bodies in the Solar
System and label the planets using
markers. Students will use their graphic
organizer to check that their
measurements are accurate.

3 minutes

Teacher and students clear the desks so

students can have as much floor work

5 minutes

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

space in the center of the room as

possible.
Students complete the procedure of
building the scale model.

Teacher scaffolds the learning process by

walking around and asking students
about why they think the bigger, gaseous
planets are so far away from the Sun.

40 minutes

What do you notice about the distance

between the planets? Why do you think
the planets are that far apart?
How are the planets that are closest to
the Sun different from the planets that are
further away? Why is that the case?
Students will draw pictures of the
planets at each of the scale
distances on the ticker tape.
Students will use this website for
images about the Solar System:
http://science.nationalgeographic.co
m/science/space/solar-system/
Students place their scale models
of the Solar System on the floor and
tape down portions of it along the
way. Students take a walk along
their ticker tape Solar Systems and
observe. Students note differences
between their Solar System and
their peers Solar Systems.
Conclusion: Students share their
thinking.

Teacher asks: What do you observe

about your own work? What do you
observe about each others work?

10 minutes

What do you notice about where the

planets are located? Look back at your
predictions. Were they correct?
Why do you think the gas giants are
further away from the Sun, and the
terrestrial planets are closer?
Other questions to extend their thinking:
What can you tell me about Mercury
since it is so close to the Sun?
What about Jupiter?
What about Mars?

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

Exit Ticket:

In our scale model, how big was the Sun?

Does the size of the Sun affect what your
scale model will look like? Why?
Teacher displays each of the groups
work samples on the walls of the room.

10. Conclusions: What do you observe about your own work? Take a minute to look at the other
groups work, what do you observe about each others work?
What do you notice about where the planets are located? Look back at your predictions. Were
they correct?
Why do you think the gas giants are further away from the Sun, and the terrestrial planets are
closer?
Other questions to extend their thinking: What can you tell me about Mercury since it is so close
to the Sun?
What about Jupiter?
What about Mars?
11. Exit Ticket: On an index card students will answer: In a scale model, does the size of the
Sun affect what the scale model will look like? Why?

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

Create Your Own Solar System Distance Scale Model

NAMES: __________________________________________

Date: _____________

Complete the information in this graphic organizer by using this website:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/
1. Use a guess and check strategy to find the scale diameter of the Sun (in mm) based on the
information you see in the Scaled Orbit Radius columns of the graphic organizer.
2. Then, complete the rest of the graphic organizer with information from the exploratorium
website.
3. Once you have all your measurements recorded, measure your register tape and mark where
the planets should go in your scale model. Dont forget to draw the planets.

Suns Scaled Diameter:

____ mm.

Planetary Body

Actual Orbit Radius

(km)

Scaled Orbit Radius

(m)

Sun

Mercury

57,950,000

0.187

Venus

0.349

Earth
Mars

227,840,000

Jupiter
Saturn

1,427,000,000

Uranus

2,870,300,000

Neptune

4,499,900,000

4.613

14.548

Appendix

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard

Vocabulary
Diameter: the width of any spherical object. Earth has a diameter of about 8,000 miles, or
13,000 kilometers.
Orbit: the curved path in which a planet, satellite, or spacecraft revolves about another body.
Earth's orbit around the sun is elliptical.
Radius: a straight line segment extending from the center to the circumference of a circle.

Scale Model of the Solar System - Grades 4-5

Tom Blanchard