12A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JUNE 7, 2017
© 2017 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 33, No. 26
This activity from
NASA explains how
to use beads and string
to make a model that
shows the relative
distances between the
sun and planets in our
solar system. For the
full directions go to:
jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
activity/solar-system-
bead-activity/
You don’t have to leave town to explore space this summer. You can
blast off for fun all summer long as Kid Scoop takes readers on a trip
through the Solar System with our mascot, Woodword!
Mercury
Pluto
Sun
Earth
Moon
Uranus
Neptune
Mars
Venus
Jupiter
Saturn
One way to remember the order of the planets in our solar system
is to make up a sentence with each word starting with the first
letter of a planet, starting with the one closest to the sun. This
example worked when Pluto was still considered a planet:
Our Solar System formed in
the Milky Way galaxy about
4.6 billion years ago.
The sun is at the center
of the solar system. Eight
planets and their natural
satellites which include
Earth’s moon, dwarf planets,
asteroids, comets and meteoroids orbit or revolve
around the sun because of its gravitational pull.
Can you make up a new sentence without a word starting with P?
Start your scale model
by cutting a 5.0 meter
piece of string and
tying the largest “sun”
bead to one end using
a double knot.
Using the distances in
centimeters, measure
the distance from the
sun on the string to
each planet.
Tie a colored bead in
place for each planet
using a double knot.
Note: The bead
colors are rough
approximations of the
colors of the planets
and the sun. However,
you can use whatever
color of beads you
have handy.
Sun
0 cm
Yellow
There are billions of other solar systems in our galaxy
and there are billions of galaxies in the Universe.
Space junk is a major problem. Some of it is very large, such as burnt-out rocket stages,
dead spacecraft, and a few tools lost during spacewalks. Working satellites can crash into
the space junk, creating more space junk. Sometimes space junk falls back to the Earth.
Mercury
4 cm
Solid Red
Venus
7 cm
Cream
Earth
10 cm
Clear Blue
Our solar system has 8 planets. (Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet.)
Scientists continue to study our fellow planets, even though they are far, far away.
Do the math to find out how long it would take to get from Earth to each
planet in our solar system.
Mars
15 cm
Clear Red
Number Game
Each player needs a page from
the sports section. In one
minute, each player circles as
many numbers as they can.
Who can circle the most? Who
can circle the most over 50?
Whose numbers add up to the
largest sum? Whose numbers
add up to the lowest sum?
NOTE: This is not an easy question
to answer. The length of time depends
upon many different factors, including
the spacecraft used and the location
of each planet in its orbit. The time
periods here are approximated and
refer to the previous spacecraft that
flew to or near each planet.
Standards Link: Language Arts: Follow simple
written directions.
If you wanted to approximate the size differences of the planets in
our solar system, you could use these foods to do it. Unscramble
the letters below each food to reveal which planet is which.
lemon
grape
pumpkin
pea
CURRYEM
SUNRUA
SEVUN
cantaloupe
cherry
PITRUJE
THERA
NURATS
blueberry
plum
SRMA
PETENUN
Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.
Jupiter
52 cm
Orange
Saturn
96 cm
Clear Gold
Uranus
192 cm
Dark Blue
Neptune
300 cm
Light Blue
SPACECRAFT
MERCURY
NEPTUNE
SYSTEM
URANUS
SATURN
PLANET
VENUS
EARTH
ORBIT
SPACE
PLUTO
SOLAR
JUNK
MARS
A R K U V O E S O Y
A A E N R N R G E O
This week’s word:
F L C D U A I B S C
P O A T M J N O I O
L S P V V E N U S T
A E S N R U T A S U
N H T R A E E S R L
E Y M E R C U R Y P
T F A R C E C A P S
APPROXIMATE
The verb approximate means
to come close to something in
quality, size or nature.
The astronaut had to
approximate the distance
to the planet.
Try to use the word
approximate in a sentence
today when talking with
your friends and family.
Package from Earth
Pretend you are sending a package into
space that, if life on other planets exists,
will tell about life on Earth. Find newspaper
pictures and articles that you would put into
the package. Tell why you selected each.
Tell other kids about a book
you think they should read
this summer. Have fun
describing the details but
don’t give away the ending!
Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.
The Summer Reading Program kicks off June 21st.
Brought to you by the Cottage Grove Sentinel,
and the Cottage Grove Public Library
C ottage G rove S entinel