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!
- Free Plan
Free Planet Coloring Pages
Use these black and white planet templates as coloring pages for your students.
- Free Plan
If I Could Create My Own Planet Craft Template
Explore planets and let your students get creative by developing their own planet.
- Free Plan
Phases of the Moon – Worksheet
Label the phases of the moon as they appear in the northern hemisphere with this printable science worksheet.
- Plus Plan
The Solar System – Cut and Paste Activity
Use this cut-and-paste activity to make a mini solar system book.
- Free Plan
Moon Phases – Cut and Paste Activity
Create a diagram showing the different moon phases and their names with this cut-and-paste activity sheet.
- Free Plan
Phases of the Moon – Comprehension Worksheet
Analyze different moon phases and how their visual appearances change over time with this reading comprehension worksheet.
- Free Plan
The Solar System - Planets in Order
Show the planets in order with this beautifully designed printable science poster.
- Plus Plan
Solar System Mobile – Craft Activity
Use this printable solar system craft when learning about the planets and their position in relation to the Sun.
- Plus Plan
Space Adventure Board Game
Review the order of the planets with a fun space adventure board game.
- Plus Plan
Mars vs. Earth - Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Learn about the planets with differentiated compare and contrast passages, activities, and writing opportunities.
- Plus Plan
Planets Fact Sheets and Comprehension Worksheets
Learn the facts of each of the planets in our solar system with these fact files and matching comprehension worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Order of the Planets Display Banner
Display this banner visually showing the order of the planets for students when they learning about the solar system.
- Plus Plan
Planets Flipbook
Discover each of the planets of the solar system with this engaging flip book template.
- Plus Plan
Earth's Rotation – Flipbook
Model and explain how Earth’s rotation causes the sun to move across the sky with this interactive flipbook.
- Plus Plan
Earth, Sun, and Moon – Vocabulary Cards and Puzzles
Reinforce science vocabulary with this set of word wall cards and vocabulary puzzles covering the Earth, sun, and moon.
- Plus Plan
Earth and Space Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of 18 mini-posters in your classroom when learning about Earth and space vocabulary.
- Free Plan
Space - Word Wall Vocabulary
Use these space vocabulary words and space terms to unlock the solar system for your elementary students as they learn about space, the solar system, and the world far beyond your school.
- Plus Plan
Earth, Sun, and Moon – Comprehension Worksheet
Read about and compare physical characteristics of the Eath, sun, and moon with this reading comprehension sheet.
- Plus Plan
The Solar System to Scale – Poster
Display information about the order, scale, and the diameter of the planets with this colorful science poster.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
What Causes the Seasons? Mini-Book
Explore what causes the seasons on Earth to change with this printable mini-book.
- Plus Plan
All About the Sun – Comprehension Worksheet
Integrate science and reading while learning about the Sun with this comprehension worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Space Mini-Book
Engage your students and inspire them to read and learn about space with a printable book for 1st grade and 2nd grade.
- Plus Plan
Our Solar System - Interactive and Printable Cloze Reading Activity
Practice and review concepts associated with the solar system using a cloze passage.
- Plus Plan
Planets of Our Solar System – Worksheet
Use this worksheet to review planet order, features, and classifications.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
What Causes the Seasons? Informative Text Writing Task
Use this scaffolded writing task to have students write about how seasons change.
- Plus Plan
Planets of the Solar System Posters
Use this set of visually striking and informative posters about the planets of our solar system in your classroom.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Movement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon Model
Demonstrate the interplay and movements of the sun, Earth and moon with this hands-on activity.
- Plus Plan
What About Me? Other Regions and Objects of the Solar System
A worksheet that explores other features in the solar system besides the sun and the planets.