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Grade 5 (age 10-11)

Solar System and Stars

Solar System and Stars

The solar system centers on the Sun, a star that shines on its own. Eight planets orbit it in order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Giant Jupiter is about eleven times as wide as Earth, and the night-sky stars are faraway suns. Zoom in to watch them orbit, then pick a planet to compare its size.

Meet the Solar System!
50
☀ What is the Solar System?
①Sun: center, a star that shines
②8 planets orbit (revolve) around it
③Order from Sun: Mercury-Venus-Earth-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune
④Pluto became a dwarf planet in 2006
Comparing Planet Sizes
2
🪐 Types of Planets
①Rocky (terrestrial): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
②Gas giants: Jupiter, Saturn
③Ice giants: Uranus, Neptune
④Jupiter biggest, Mercury smallest
What is a Star?
Star vs. Planet
Star = shines on its own / Planet = reflects light
Night-sky stars are far-away suns
⭐ About Stars
①Stars give off their own light and heat (Sun is one!)
②Stars in the night sky are very distant suns
③Constellations: shapes drawn from stars (Big Dipper, Orion)
④The North Star always points north
Summary
Solar System Order
Me-V-E-Ma-J-S-U-N
Memorize the order from Sun outward!
🎯 Key Points
①Solar system = Sun + 8 planets + asteroids/comets
②Order: Mercury-Venus-Earth-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune
③Terrestrial vs gas/ice giants
④Stars shine; planets reflect
⑤Constellations and the North Star give direction
Examples and Unit Test
Example 1
List the first four of the eight planets in order from closest to the Sun.
1
In order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
2
The first four are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
▸ Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Order from the Sun: Mercury-Venus-Earth-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune.
Example 2
What is the biggest difference between a star like the Sun and a planet like Earth?
1
A star makes its own light (and heat) by itself.
2
A planet does not make light; it only reflects a star's light.
▸ A star shines on its own; a planet reflects starlight
The Sun is a star (shines on its own); Earth is a planet (reflects light).
Unit-test style
Which statement about the solar system and stars is correct?
①All planets give off their own light
②The closest planet to the Sun is Mercury
③The Sun is a planet
④Jupiter is the smallest planet in the solar system
⑤Stars are always closer to Earth than planets
▸ ② The closest planet to the Sun is Mercury
1
In order from the Sun, Mercury comes first, so it is the closest planet.
2
Planets reflect light rather than make it (①), the Sun is a star (③), Jupiter is the largest planet (④), and stars are very far away (⑤).
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Earth and Moon Motion