LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Science — Grade 6

Goal 5: The learner will build understanding of the Solar System.

Objective 5.02. Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of:

  • Size.
  • Composition.
  • Relative distance from the sun.
  • Ability to support life.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

Resources on the web

Planet Size Comparison
Find out how Earth "sizes up" to Jupiter or any other planet using this animation. Gain a better appreciation for the sizes of the nine planets, plus the sun and the earth's moon. See the dimensions for each planet as well as how they compare in size. (Learn more)
Format: website/general
Provided by: Science NetLinks

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

A walk through the solar system
A practice in scientific notation, measurement, and scale distances, this lesson plan integrates mathematics into the science curriculum.
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 8 Mathematics and Science)
By RhondaS Dausman.
Tour of the solar system
Students, in groups, will research, design, and create a PowerPoint presentation on the planets. The class will then take a “tour of the solar system.”
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)
By Jennifer Mott.
Planets' relative gravity spreadsheet
The students use online resources to find information about the eight planets in our solar system. Then, using the relative gravity of each planet, they will create a spreadsheet to calculate what the weight of an average man and woman (possibly their own weight or the weight of other objects) would be on each of the planets.
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Mathematics and Science)
By Susan Blevins.

Resources on the web

Sizing up the solar system
The purpose of this Science NetLinks lesson is to use the internet to investigate and design various models of size and distance related to the solar system. This investigation focuses on the part of the universe that is most familiar to students: the solar... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Mathematics and Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Mercury
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the planet Mercury and help them develop an understanding of the planet’s composition, geology, and other important characteristics. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Martian real estate: A good investment?
Students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and explore why the two planets are so different. They will conclude by writing letters convincing fictitious family friends that it is probably not a good idea to invest in Martian real estate. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic
Mapping mars
This lesson, from Xpeditions, introduces students to some common map projections and representations (e.g. globes or close-ups) and asks them to consider the ways that each representation can be used to show specific features of Mars. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic
Exploring the solar system
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to earth's moon and the eight other planets in our solar system. Students will learn about the geology, composition and orbits of other planets by planning a trip to another planet. Students likely know... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science