We’ve been learning about the Solar system this year and I have been meaning for Hamish and me to make a Solar system model in order for him to be able to visualize the planets and compare their sizes, amounts of moons, etc
I found this Creative Talent solar system kit at PNA last week and bought it.
Inside the kit
The kit comes with:
- a really awesome solar system chart,
- 9 polyester balls,
- a sun,
- ring for Saturn,
- pipe cleaners,
- wire,
- modge podge
- paints
- Paint brush
- And a large wooden tray.
How we built our solar system model
We started yesterday. Out came all the polystyrene balls and Hamish first played an interesting game of marbles with them before arranging them in size from smallest to biggest and eventually matching each one up to its assigned planet.
When he was ready to start painting we matched each one to our assigned planet and Hamish painted them to match ( give or take a little creative license)
We had mounted the smaller ones onto pipe cleaners in order to paint them without getting paint everywhere but soon discovered that this was just going to be one of those messy activities.
With enough paint to paint a beach ball on our hands, all the planets were finally painted and ready to dry.
We left them to dry and that was when I discovered this kit actually does not have any instructions on how to construct the solar system into a display.
So, as they say, a boer maak n plan.
We used the long piece of wire to string our planets along in order from the sun.
I think it came out really great.
How to teach your child to remember the planet names
Long before Pluto wasn’t a planet, a geography teacher I once had taught us this rhyme to remember the names of the planets, and I have taught Hamish.
My – MercuryVery- VenusEager- EarthMonkey- MarsJumped- JupiterSwiftly- SaturnUnder- UranusNine- NeptunePlanets- Pluto
Resources
Some helpful resources with great information for kids about the Solar system can be found at NASA solar system exploration
I think it came out amazing
Even if Hamish may have been a little more creative with the planet’s colouring.
