Worlds in Comparison | Great Basin Observatory

Description:

How small is Earth compared to Jupiter or Saturn? How much bigger are the gas giants to the terrestrial planets? Have students use Play-Doh to find out in this perfectly scaled and perfectly fun activity!

Time:

30 min. prep time, 30 min. class time

Grade Level:

3-5, 6

Next Generation Science Standards:

5-ESS1-1

Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.

MS-ESS1-3

Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Utah Core Standards:

6.1.3

Students will understand the relationship and attributes of objects in the solar system.

6.1.3

Use computational thinking to analyze data and determine the scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Materials

Worlds in Comparison Play-Doh Recipe / Instruction Sheet for teacher
Play-Doh – enough for each student or group
Worlds in Comparison Planet Boxes print out, 1 for each student or group
Plastic knife for each student or group
Ruler for each student or group

Directions

Follow the Worlds in Comparison instruction sheet to have your students create the Solar System’s planets to scale.

You may want to end your activity and discussion with Got balls – planet size comparison video (find on the video tab above)
Note: This video is in German. Erde is Earth, Mond is Moon, Merkur is Mercury, and Sonne is the Sun.

Attachment	Size
GBO printable version	303.3 KB
Planet Boxes	323.36 KB

GBO lesson introduction

The next three videos teach about the Solar System's formation

Here are some other great videos

Note: On planet sizes. This video is in German so Erde is Earth, Mond is Moon, Merkur is Mercury, and Sonne is the Sun.

This video is a good introduction to our Solar System

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