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The Solar System

Fifth graders take a tour of the solar system, from the Sun at its center to the rocky inner planets, the giant outer planets, and the moons and asteroids held in orbit by gravity.

Grade 5The Solar System40 minutes1 class period5E ModelExplicit teaching4 StandardsNGSS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name the parts of the solar system.
  • ✓Compare inner & outer planets.
  • ✓Explain how gravity holds orbits.
  • ✓Order the planets.
Essential Question

Eight planets, dozens of moons, and countless asteroids all circle one ordinary star. What is in our solar system, and what keeps it all moving together?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Explore the Solar System

Project this and open each card to explore the parts of the solar system, from the Sun to the asteroid belt and the gravity that holds it together.

🪐 Explore the parts of the solar systemTry it

The Lesson · 5E Instructional Model (Engage · Explore · Explain · Elaborate · Evaluate)

40 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — What's Out There?

5 min

On a clear night you see stars and planets. What holds them all together?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a night-sky image.
  • Ask what orbits the Sun.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Explore the System

12 min

Students explore each part of the solar system.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Explore the Solar System.
  • Open each card.
  • Note inner vs outer.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explore.
  • Read.
  • Note it.
3

Modify — Order the Planets

13 min

Students put the eight planets in order.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List the planets from the Sun.
  • Group rocky vs gas giant.
  • Note relative sizes.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List.
  • Group.
  • Note.
4

Create — Model the System

15 min

Students build a scale sketch.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Place the Sun.
  • Add eight planets in order.
  • Label inner and outer.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Place.
  • Add.
  • Label.
5

Reflect — Held by Gravity

5 min

Students reflect on what keeps planets in orbit.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • What keeps planets orbiting?
  • How do inner and outer planets differ?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 5 / Elementary Science).

NGSS
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.

NGSS
5-ESS1-2

Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes and the seasonal appearance of some stars.

NGSS
MS-ESS1-3

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

CCSS
RI.5.7

Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources to answer a question.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Picture cards of Sun and planets.
  • Sentence frame: “The ___ orbits the Sun.”
  • Match one body at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with the Sun and Earth.
  • Use a planet-order mnemonic.
  • Add one planet at a time.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Compare planet sizes and day lengths.
  • Research dwarf planets like Pluto.
  • Build a scale model with distances.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🪐Planet cards / globe
  • 💻Explore the Solar System
  • ⚽Scale-model balls
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

solar systemthe Sun and everything that orbits itstara huge ball of hot gas that gives off light and heat, like the Sunplaneta large body that orbits the Sun and has cleared its pathinner planetsthe four small, rocky planets closest to the Sunouter planetsthe four large gas and ice planets far from the Sunmoona natural body that orbits a planetorbitthe curved path one object takes around anothergravitythe force that pulls objects toward each other and holds orbits
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What keeps the planets orbiting the Sun?
The Sun's gravity pulls on them, keeping each planet in a curved path, or orbit, instead of flying off.
QUESTION 2
How are the inner planets different from the outer planets?
The inner planets are small and rocky; the outer planets are large and made mostly of gas and ice.
QUESTION 3
Name the eight planets in order from the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Create: model the solar system.

Have students place the Sun, add the eight planets in order, and label which are inner (rocky) and which are outer (gas giant). A printable solar-system worksheet is in the Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 The Solar SystemFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 The Solar SystemQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ The Solar SystemPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: gravity, inner planets, moon, orbit, outer planets, planet, solar system, star
  1. the four small, rocky planets closest to the Sun
  2. the four large gas and ice planets far from the Sun
  3. the curved path one object takes around another
  4. the force that pulls objects toward each other and holds orbits
  5. a large body that orbits the Sun and has cleared its path
  6. a natural body that orbits a planet
  7. the Sun and everything that orbits it
  8. a huge ball of hot gas that gives off light and heat, like the Sun

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What keeps the planets orbiting the Sun?
  2. How are the inner planets different from the outer planets?
  3. Name the eight planets in order from the Sun.
Answer key — Part A: 1) inner planets · 2) outer planets · 3) orbit · 4) gravity · 5) planet · 6) moon · 7) solar system · 8) star
Part B: 1) The Sun's gravity pulls on them, keeping each planet in a curved path, or orbit, instead of flying off. 2) The inner planets are small and rocky; the outer planets are large and made mostly of gas and ice. 3) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.