Our Solar System: Explore, Create, and Discover!

Class Description

Age: 9-13 years old 1 hour, 5 meetings What makes our solar system so amazing? From the fiery Sun at its center to the distant dwarf planets at its edges, there is so much to explore! In this hands-on science and art class, learners will discover the fascinating objects that make up our solar system through fun facts, group discussions, and creative projects. Over five weeks, we'll journey through the solar system, learning about the Sun, the eight planets, asteroid belts, comets, meteors, and dwarf planets. We'll explore what makes each part of our solar system unique, investigate interesting space facts, and share our ideas as we learn together. Each week combines science and creativity with a hands-on project inspired by our topic. Learners will build a colorful model of the Sun and its eight layers, paint the inner and outer planets, create an artistic representation of the asteroid belt, and sculpt dwarf planets from clay. These projects offer opportunities to explore new concepts, experiment with different art materials, and create something uniquely their own! Our weekly topics include: Week 1: The Sun — Discover fascinating facts about the Sun and explore its eight layers and features. Create a model of the eight layers of the Sun. Week 2: The Inner Planets — Travel to Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars to learn what makes each planet special. Paint the inner planets. Week 3: The Asteroid Belt — Investigate the asteroid belts in our solar system and learn the differences between asteroids, comets, and meteors. Create an asteroid belt with paint and chalk. Week 4: The Outer Planets — Journey to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune! Paint the outer planets. Week 5: Dwarf Planets — Explore the five officially recognized dwarf planets: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. Sculpt the dwarf planets using colored clay. Multi-week classes meet live online once a week, giving learners a consistent and engaging space to explore a topic, build skills, and learn through hands-on activities and discussion. All sessions are held via Pencil Spaces, making it easy for families to join from anywhere. Lesson materials, activity details, helpful resources, and any optional assignments will be posted there as well. Pencil Spaces is also used for communication between learners, families, and the teacher, helping everyone stay connected and supported throughout the class.