List of Supplies
Piece of cardboard(30.5 cm)
Plenty of multi-colored construction paper
Scissors
Tape
String
Pencils, crayons, markers
Compass for nice round circles
Step 1
Find the center of the cardboard. Draw a line from top to bottom and another from side to side. Where they meet is the center and where the Sun goes.
Step 2
Use the compass to draw nine(we are including Pluto despite its demotion to dwarf planet status) circles for the orbits of the planets. The first four planets are close in to the Sun, then there is a gap for the asteroid belt. The last five planets orbit farther out from the Sun.
Step 3
Use the sharp point of the scissors to punch a hole for the Sun. After that punch one hole on each of the orbits that you have drawn. Space them around the cardboard so that each planet can hang nicely.
Step 4
Each planet should be a different color for contrast(Earth appears blue and Mars is reddish). Exact size is difficult to produce in scale, so just make Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune a little smaller than the Sun. The other planets are much smaller than the rest. Have your child write the names of each planet on one side of the construction paper. Your child could draw rings on Saturn.
Step 5
Cut 10 pieces of string about 15 cm in length. Thread one piece of the string into the center hole and tape it into place on the back of the cardboard. Tape the Sun to the other end. Do the same thing for each of the planets. Remember that Mercury is the first planet; then, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. While you are placing the planets, you could teach your child the old mnemonic ” My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” to help them remember the order of the planets.
Step 6
This is the last step. You just need a way to hang the solar system model from the ceiling in your child’s room. Punch three more hole on the very edge of the model. Tie a string to each. Tie those three to another string that will be taped to the ceiling of your child’s room.
Here on Universe Today we have a couple of great articles for you: one is about the solar system and is geared towards children and the other is a list of resources about the solar system. Astronomy Cast offers a good episode about the movements and positions in the solar system.
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