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 primary teachers for your classroom!
Aligned with Australian science 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!
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 orbiting 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 made up 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 3000!
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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Sun Observation Project
Use observations of the sun to describe patterns that can be predicted with this journal project.
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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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Day and Night Booklet
Learn about the differences between night and day with this printable Day and Night Booklet.
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Moon Phases – Poster Set
Learn about the lunar cycle with this this set of posters showing the different phases of the moon.
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Phases of the Moon Worksheet for Year 2
Challenge year 2 students to label the phases of the moon as they appear in the southern hemisphere with this printable science worksheet.
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Celestial Bodies – Earth, Sun and Moon – Teaching Presentation
Learn information about the Earth, sun and moon while comparing the physical characteristics of each with this 22-slide teaching presentation.
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Formation of Earth - Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Combine reading and science content with a reading comprehension worksheet that focuses on the formation of Earth.
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Oreo® Moon Phases Worksheet
Explore moon phases with Oreos® in this tasty worksheet.
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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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Order of the Planets Banner
Display this banner visually showing the order of the planets for students when they are learning about the solar system.
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Objects in the Sky – Vocabulary Cards and Writing Templates
Create a vocabulary and writing center with a word wall and writing templates that cover objects in the sky.
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Earth's Rotation and Revolution PowerPoint
Explore the difference between rotation and revolution while learning about the day and night cycle, what causes the seasons to change and more with this teaching presentation.
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Printable Space Book - Leveled Reader
Read and learn about outer space with a printable space book for kids.
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Objects in the Sky – Mini Workbook
Observe, describe and illustrate different objects in the sky with this printable mini-workbook.
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Earth, Sun and Moon – Comprehension Worksheet
Read about and compare physical characteristics of the Eath, sun and moon with this reading comprehension sheet.
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Snapshots of the Moon – Moon Tracking Booklet
Obverse the moon over the course of the month and chart observations with this moon phases mini-book.
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Individual Planet Posters
Use this set of posters with your space unit to teach about the individual planets.
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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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Inner vs. Outer Planets – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Sort inner and outer solar system planets with this cut-and-paste science worksheet.
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Rotation vs. Revolution – Cut and Paste Worksheet (Stage 2)
Demonstrate an understanding of rotation vs. revolution with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Rotation vs. Revolution Poster Set
Display information in your classroom about the differences between rotation and revolution with this poster set.
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Planet Facts Fan Booklet
Practise knowledge of the planets by creating this fun fan-style activity booklet.
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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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Moon Facts Writing Template
Describe and illustrate information about the moon with a printable writing template.
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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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Day and Night – Worksheet
Encourage your students to illustrate the day and night cycle with this free worksheet.
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Moon Phases – Vocabulary Cards
Reinforce science vocabulary with a set of 15 vocabulary cards covering the different phases of the moon and related terms.
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The Relative Distance From the Sun to Earth
Scaled images of the sun and Earth to use when exploring relative size and distance.
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The Seasons Around the World Posters and Worksheet
Teach about the Earth's rotation around the sun and the corresponding seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres with this 2-page worksheet.
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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 Research Templates
Explore the planets with these printable planet research templates to use with your students.
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Order the Planets Worksheet
Help students remember the order of the planets with this cut-and-paste style worksheet.