TEACHER RESOURCES · UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
Take your class on a Solar System journey
Solar Atlas combines an immersive 3D experience with written and printable resources. It aims to spark questions, then give students the scientific knowledge to answer them.
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE · 45 MINUTES
A ready-to-use lesson
Use the following plan as it stands or adapt it for a longer lesson. It alternates observation, discussion, comparison and formative assessment.
Observe and suggest explanations
Open the artistic view without narration. Ask students to identify the planet order, types of worlds and asteroid belt.
OPEN THE 3D VIEW →Compare sizes and distances
Switch between Size and Distance modes. Help students distinguish an easy-to-read illustration from a representation with correct proportions.
READ THE METHOD →Check and explain
Finish with a quiz suited to the learners. Every answer includes an explanation and a link to the relevant scientific fact sheet.
START THE QUIZ →LEARNING OBJECTIVES
What students should be able to explain
- The Sun is a star at the centre of the Solar System.
- Eight planets orbit the Sun in a particular order.
- Rocky planets and giant planets differ in both composition and size.
- A representation may alter sizes and distances to remain readable.
- Pluto is a dwarf planet, and the main asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.