Solar System Teaching Resources
Rocket your students into your next space lesson with solar system projects and diagrams, activities designed around the planets and moon phases, and hundreds more teaching resources created by teachers for your classroom!
Aligned with NGSS curriculum standards, each solar system-focused teacher resource has undergone the Teach Starter teacher team's thorough review process to ensure it's ready to use in your classroom.
This collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources makes teaching about the planets, sun, moon, and the rest of the galaxy easy with editable templates that can be easily adapted to differentiate instruction for your individual students.
New to this part of the science curriculum or just looking for fresh ideas to inspire kids about space? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a definition of solar system to share with students and a look at the difference between this space concept and galaxies.
What Is the Solar System? A Kid-Friendly Definition
To start you off, our teacher team has created a definition you can use in the classroom to introduce the solar system to your students.
The solar system is made up of a single star with planets rotating around it.
The solar system that we call home has the sun at the center — yes, the sun is a star! — and it includes planet Earth, plus other planets, moons, asteroids, comets and other outer space objects.
The sun, which is seen at left, is the only star in our solar system.
Solar System vs. Galaxy — What's the Difference?
If a solar system is comprised of the sun and the planets, what's a galaxy?
The easiest way to explain the difference between these two is to tell your class that a galaxy is a gigantic group of solar systems, all gathered together.
Kids can think of the galaxy as a big, extended family of solar systems.
Earth is located in the Milky Way galaxy, which includes a huge number of different solar systems — more than 3,000!
How Many Planets Are in Our Solar System?
The solar system that we call home as residents of Earth is made up of eight planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — plus one dwarf planet, Pluto!
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If I Could Create My Own Planet Craft Template
Explore planets and let your students get creative by developing their own planet.
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Free Planet Coloring Pages
Use these black and white planet templates as coloring pages for your students.
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Phases of the Moon – Comprehension Worksheet
Analyze different moon phases and how their visual appearances change over time with this reading comprehension worksheet.
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Planet Research Templates
Explore the planets with these printable planet research templates to use with your students.
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Design a Planet Project
Explore the different planets during this design your own planet project for kids.
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Mindfulness Planet Coloring Pages
Get mindful with this set of planet-themed mindful coloring sheets.
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Planets Flipbook
Discover each of the planets of the solar system with this engaging flip book template.
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Inner vs. Outer Planets – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Sort inner and outer planets with this cut-and-paste science worksheet.
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Our Solar System - Interactive and Printable Cloze Reading Activity
Practice and review concepts associated with the solar system using a cloze passage.
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Which Planet Am I? Interactive Activity
Explore the planets of the solar system with this fun and engaging interactive activity.
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Earth and Space Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of 18 mini-posters in your classroom when learning about Earth and space vocabulary.
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The Moon – Reading Passage and Response Sheet
Engage your students with a high-interest reading passage about the moon with this informative article and accompanying response sheet.
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Planet Project Template
Practice research skills by exploring each planet and creating a visual display of information.
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What Causes the Seasons? Informative Text Writing Task
Use this scaffolded writing task to have students write about how seasons change.
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The Seasons Around the World Posters and Worksheet
A diagram showing the Earth's rotation around the sun and the corresponding seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
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Planets Collaborative Coloring Display
Combine coloring with awareness of the planets and the solar system with this collaborative coloring sheet.
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Sun Facts Writing Template
Research, write, and display information about the sun with this printable sun template.
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Objects in the Sky – Exit Tickets
Assess understanding of different objects in the sky with this set of 24 exit tickets.
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The Solar System - Planets in Order
Show the planets in order with this beautifully designed printable science poster.
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Planets of the Solar System Factbook - Worksheet
Engage your students with a worksheet that can be compiled into a factbook containing information about the planets in the solar system.
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Moon Phases – Cut and Paste Activity
Create a diagram showing the different moon phases and their names with this cut-and-paste activity sheet.
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Cause of the Seasons – Word Wall Cards
Reinforce science vocabulary in your classroom with this set of word wall cards that focus on what causes the change of seasons.
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3D Astronaut Template
Create astronauts with this 3D net.
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Planets of Our Solar System – Teaching Presentation
Practice identifying the planets in Earth's solar system and their position in relation to the Sun with this 21-slide presentation.
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The Solar System in Our Space – Mathematics Investigation
A mathematics investigation about number and the scale of the solar system, embedded in a real-world context.
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Planet Bookmark
Help students remember the order of the planets with these personalized planet bookmarks.
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Orbital Period of Planets Poster and Worksheet
Learn about the time it takes each planet to orbit the sun with this poster and cut-and-paste worksheet for your students.
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Phases of the Moon – Journal Project
Observe, describe, and record patterns of the lunar cycle with this moon tracking project.
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All About Stars – Mini-Book
Learn about the stars in the night sky with this printable mini-book designed for kindergarten and first-grade students.
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What Causes the Seasons to Change? – Instructional Slide Deck
Explore what causes the seasons to change and learn about solstices and equinoxes with this instructional slide deck.
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Day and Night – Worksheet
Encourage your students to illustrate the day and night cycle with this free worksheet.
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Formation of Earth – Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Use this reading comprehension activity that helps develop literacy skills and outlines the events and processes that led to the formation of our home planet.