Solar System and the Planets
This collection contains resources relating to the Solar System and Planets. There are a range of activities, images, video and information from sources such as the European Space Agency and NASA. There are a range of materials which can be used with primary or secondary students.
HEALTH and SAFETY
Any use of a resource that includes a practical activity must include a risk assessment.
Please note that collections may contain ARCHIVE resources, which were developed at a much earlier date.
Since that time there have been significant changes in the rules and guidance affecting laboratory practical work.
Further information is provided in our Health and Safety guidance.
Astronomy and Football
A 100 metres football field could serve as a venue to compare distances in our Solar System. Hopefully, this exercise from ESA will add perspective to the vastness of our part of the Universe and to the learning of astronomy.
Big Bang Evidence
Produced by Twig, this animated video looks at evidence for the Big Bang Theory.This includes descriptions of: • Hubble's observation of a red shift, which is evidence for an expanding universe. • The distribution of cosmic microwave background radiation, which was discovered in 1965 and is consistent with radiation…
4/5- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Video
Big Bang Theory
Produced by Twig, this animated video is an engaging and accessible introduction to the Big Bang and subsequent formation of the Universe. It describes how, 13.7 billion years ago, the Big Bang produced an expanding Universe. Early on in its expansion, elements of hydrogen and helium were formed as the early Universe started…
- 4/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Video
Birth of the Solar System
Produced by Twig, this animated video is a clear and accessible explanation of how the Solar System fromed. The video describes how: • the solar system grew from a ball of gas which formed the Sun • gravity caused heavy material to cluster together and eventually form planets • the inner planets, including the…
- 4/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Video
Crater Impact
The Science upd8 resource anticipates the Deep Impact spacecraft which fired a probe into comet Tempel One in 2005. Analysing the event could shed light on the origin of the planets and the solar system.
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Interactive resource
Dwarf Planets as a New Way of Thinking about an Old Solar System
From NASA, this resource looks at how bodies in the solar system are classified. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined the terms "planet" and "dwarf planet". The IAU's decision created an opportunity for students to understand the solar system better by considering the definitions of…
Earth 2
This Science upd8 resource is set in the context of astronomy. Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System. Through analysing data students justify whether or not they believe the 'new' planet to be Earth-like.
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Activity sheet
Explore Saturn and Titan
On 14 January 2005, the European probe Huygens entered the atmosphere of Titan - one of Saturn's moons. Based on this major event in space exploration, ESA offers a cartoon-style teaching aid with fact sheets for teachers to use in the classroom. The factsheets are available for use with different aged students - the materials…
Exploring Saturn
A Catalyst article following the journey of the space probes Huygens and Cassini, sent to explore Titan, a moon of Saturn. After a seven year journey Huygens was set to fall through the atmosphere transmitting data back to Earth via Cassini so more can be learnt about this distant moon. The article describes the environment the probes…
Gravity and Light Traffic Lights
A quick revision activity, from the ASE SYCD: Science Year Primary CD-ROM, for the whole class on gravity and space. This resource enables the teacher to assess the effectiveness of the teaching and level of knowledge and understanding in the class in an interesting and exciting context. Apart from printing out one set of questions…
Impact Earth
A Catalyst article about giant asteroids. Astronomers say that, one day, a giant rock from space will collide with the Earth and cause mass devastation. This could lead to the extinction of many species, including humans. The article looks at what can be done to prepare for such an impact and what happened when a giant asteroid collided…
Is There Anyone Out There?
This resource was funded by the UK Space Agency and developed by ESERO-UK and CIEC Promoting Science. It is based upon the quest to discover more about the solar system through space projects such as the European Space Agency’s Aurora programme, and NASA’s Curiosity mission seeking to gather evidence of life on the planet…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Activity sheet
Journey to the Moon
The Ginn Science Year Two information book Journey to the Moon was written for Year Two (Primary Three) students aged six to seven years and published in 1991. It relates to the content strand ‘Earth and space’, explains how the Moon travels in relation to the Earth and describes the journey of the first astronauts to…
LAMP Topic Brief 8: Space and Space Travel
This topic brief was published as part of the ASE’s LAMP Project. This topic was written for students aged 13 to 15, following a Mode 3 CSE course based on Nuffield Secondary Science. The approach was trialled in a variety of schools in the London area with both CSE examination classes and groups following non-examination courses.…
Life on Mars?
In this activity from Science upd8 students study information about environmental conditions on Mars and then create an imaginary Martian life form. What will its features be? How does its features help it to survive?
Moonsaics
This collection of five Moonsaics have been created by the National Schools' Observatory, they consist of five different images of the Moon, separated into multiple picture panels per image, much like a "giant jigsaw puzzle". Students are challenged to assemble the completed images, offering them the opportunity to…
Nuffield Co-ordinated Sciences: Teachers’ Guide for Earth and Space
Guidance on the teaching of three earth and space topics was given in the second edition of the Nuffield Co-ordinated Sciences Teachers’ Guide. As in the first edition, the earth and space topics were closely linked to the teaching of the chemistry and physics. The activities were described in chemistry worksheets and physics…
One of Our Scientists Is Missing
This Science upd8 activity offers an opportunity to test students' understanding of the solar system, and their skills as independent enquirers, problem solvers and effective communicators. Students are part of an earth-bound team set the task of interpreting a range of data relating to the solar system/universe. This team includes…
Pluto: a Planet No More
In this Science upd8 resource students study data on planets, dwarf planets and moons before devising their own criteria for classifying a solar system body. They examine the reasons for the relegation of Pluto.
SATIS 8-14: Blue Box Book 9
Box 3, the blue box of ASE’s SATIS 8-14 project, contained ten booklets with resources suggesting activities for teaching science and technology in Key Stage Three. Book 9 contained four units. Contents Unit 1: Satellites and dishes Unit 2: Here comes the Sun Unit 3: Voyage to Venus Unit 4: Medicines from the rain…
Spacelink
The Spacelink Learning Foundation is a UK Registered Charity dedicated to the use of space to improve education in secondary schools. The Foundation’s Education Policy is to encourage the maximum number of schools and other groups throughout the world to gain experience of, and benefit from, the use of space-related materials…
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