Earth and Space · Spring Term

The Solar System: Planets and Orbits

Describing the Sun, Earth, and Moon as approximately spherical bodies and their orbital paths around the Sun.

About This Topic

The Movement of the Planets introduces students to the structure of our solar system, focusing on the Sun, Earth, and Moon as approximately spherical bodies. Students explore the concept of orbits and the relative sizes and distances of the planets. This topic is a key part of the KS2 Earth and Space curriculum, requiring students to describe the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the Sun.

This unit is fundamental for developing a sense of scale and our place in the universe. It challenges students to think in three dimensions and understand forces like gravity on a celestial scale. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the solar system, using their own bodies or objects to represent the vast distances and orbital paths of the planets.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Human Solar System

In a large outdoor space, students are assigned roles as the Sun and different planets. Using scaled distances, they 'orbit' the Sun at different speeds, helping them visualize the relative distance of each planet and why some take much longer to complete a 'year' than others.

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

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Inquiry Circle: Spherical Proof

Groups are given historical 'clues' used to prove the Earth is a sphere (e.g., ships disappearing over the horizon, shadows during an eclipse). They must use models and torches to demonstrate how each clue works and present their 'proof' to the rest of the class.

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

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Think-Pair-Share: Life on Another Planet

Students choose a planet and think about how its distance from the Sun would affect its temperature and length of a year. They pair up to discuss what 'daily life' might look like there, then share their ideas, focusing on the scientific constraints of each environment.

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The planets are all close together in space.

What to Teach Instead

Most diagrams in books show planets clustered together for clarity. By creating a scale model on the playground, students can see that if the Earth were the size of a pea, the outer planets would be hundreds of metres away, correcting their sense of scale through physical experience.

Common Misconception

The Earth is a perfect circle.

What to Teach Instead

Students often think of Earth as a flat circle or a perfect ball. Using the term 'approximately spherical' and discussing how the Earth bulges slightly at the equator helps them understand the more complex reality of planetary shapes, which can be modeled using soft clay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun?

Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit. The Sun's massive gravity pulls on the planets, while their own forward motion (momentum) tries to keep them moving in a straight line. The balance between these two forces results in a curved, circular path called an orbit.

Why do we call the planets 'approximately spherical'?

While planets look like perfect balls from a distance, they are not perfect spheres. For example, the Earth's rotation causes it to bulge slightly at the equator and flatten at the poles. Scientists use the term 'oblate spheroid' to be more precise, but 'approximately spherical' is the standard for Year 5.

How can active learning help students understand planetary movement?

Space is too big to see all at once. Active learning, like physical modeling or simulations, allows students to bring the solar system down to a human scale. By 'walking' an orbit or using torches to simulate light, students build a mental map of the solar system that is much more robust than just looking at a 2D diagram.

What is the order of the planets from the Sun?

The order from the Sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. A common mnemonic to help students remember this is 'My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming.' Note that Pluto is now classified as a 'dwarf planet' and is not part of the main eight.

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