Space Jr. » Kids Astronomy

Solar System Projects for Kids

Wendy Piersall — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:39:25 +0000

Pretty soon it is going to be science fair project season! If your kids have any interest at all in our solar system, then creating a solar system model is a fantastic project idea that can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. Below aresome fantastic home project ideas along with solar system model kits you can purchase online.

Be sure to also check out my solar system for kids page with free printables like solar system worksheets and a solar system minibook.

Bonus resource – use this online tool to calculate accurate sizes to build your solar system model to scale!

Solar System Projects and Ideas


Solar System Project for Kids	Solar System Project Idea	Solar System Shadow Box Project

Solar System Paper Craft	Solar System Craft Project	Simple Solar System Project Idea

Solar System Models and Kits


Solar System Kit	The Solar System Poster	3 D Solar System Kit

Solar System Craft Kit	3D Glow In The Dark Solar System	Inflatable Solar System Set

Solar System for Kids

Wendy Piersall — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:58:20 +0000

I loved how my son’s 3rd grade teacher taught her class about the Solar System – she didn’t just teach it in science, but also included it in her Language Arts and vocabulary lessons. So I made these printables to help future teachers do the same!

Be sure to check out our Solar System projects page, too!

Solar System Word Puzzle

Solar System Cryptogram

Solar System Word Search

Printable Solar System Mini Book

This mini book about the planets in our Solar System is geared towards preschoolers, kindergartners and kids in 1st grade.

Solar System Mini Book Page 1	Solar System Mini Book Page 2	Solar System Mini Book Page 3
Solar System Mini Book Page 4	Solar System Mini Book Page 5

Be sure to also check out our space shuttle coloring pages, printable mad libs, and printable mazes for kids, too!

Jupiter Hit by Comet – Leaves Scar the Size of Earth!

Wendy Piersall — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:41:56 +0000

You might have heard the incredibly interesting news that Jupiter was hit by a comet recently. A comet so large, in fact, that it left an impact area on the big planet the size of Earth!

Comet Hits Jupiter

A large comet or asteroid has slammed into the Jupiter, creating an impact site the size of Earth, pictures by an Australian amateur astronomer show.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed the discovery using its large infrared telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, said computer programer Anthony Wesley, 44, who discovered the impact zone while stargazing at home.

It turns out that Anthony Wesley is the one that told NASA and other leading astronomers about it – and he found it on his own amateur telescope! How cool is that?

Read the full story from Reuters ->

Printable Constellation Maps: Virgo and Libra

Wendy Piersall — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:43:56 +0000

Our second set of printable zodiac constellation maps are the Virgo constellation and the Libra constellation! Over the next couple of weeks, we will post all 12 of them: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Ophiuchus, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces. Virgo and Libra are below, and here are the star maps for the Scorpius constellation and the Sagittarius constellation.

These two constellations can be seen in the summer in the northern hemisphere. Virgo is the Latin name for Virgin, and Libra is the Latin name for weighing scales. And we still think this night sky star wheel rocks!

Virgo Constellation Map

Libra Constellation Map

Check out all of our Astonomy for kids content while you are here!

Printable Constellation Maps: Scorpius and Sagittarius

Wendy Piersall — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:42:44 +0000

We are kicking off a series of super-cool space printables – printable zodiac constellation maps! Over the next couple of weeks, we will post all 12 of them: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Ophiuchus, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces – and of course, below are the Scorpius constellation and the Sagittarius constellation.

These two constellations can be seen in the summer in the northern hemisphere. Scorpius is the Latin name for the scorpion, and Sagittarius is the Latin name for the Archer. Another way to find them is with this awesome night sky star wheel, which will help you find all the constellations at once!

Printable Sagittarius Constellation

Printable Scorpius Constellation

Astronomy for Kids

Wendy Piersall — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:48:14 +0000

One of the reasons I started Space Jr. was my son’s love of Star Wars – but secretly, I must admit that I have been a Trekkie for as long as I can remember. My father has such a deep love of space and sci fi that a lot of it rubbed off on me. If I won the lottery I’d send him up on one of those tourist trips in a space shuttle! I think I might name a star after him this Christmas, too.

One of my fondest memories as a kid was going out to the country far suburbs to be able to see the stars at night and find the constellations. So I’ve started creating printable constellation maps as a way to help more children find the zodiac constellations!

Libra Constellation Map

Virgo Constellation Map

Scorpius Constellation Map

Sagittarius Constellation Map

Find more constellation maps as we add them in the future!

Astronomy Websites for Kids

Hubble Telescope Education

Astronomy.com Kids

NASA Kids

KidsAstronomy.com

Read more about kids astronomy, or grab some of our free coloring pages, including space shuttle coloring pages, alien coloring pages, or our Star Wars coloring pages!