Name: ____________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________ Score: __________

School: ___________________________________ Teacher: ___________________ Subject: Science

LAS Writer: EVELYN G. JACINTO Content Editor: BLESSY MAE MADRES
Lesson Topic: Model of the Solar System Quarter 4 Wk. 8 LAS 1
Learning Target: Construct a model of the Solar System showing the relative sizes of the planets and
their relative distances from the Sun MELC S6ES- IVi- j-7
References: Timbol, M. A., 2015, Breaking Through Science 6, Enhanced Teacher’s Manual, Quezon City,
C&E Publishing, Inc., pp. 202-205
Ottewel, G. 1989, The Thousand-Yard Model /subtitle Earth as a Peppercorn”
Fraser, K. 2014, The Solar System: Modeling the relative sizes of the planets [online]
perkinselearning.org. Available at: https://www.perkinselearning.org/accessible-
science/activities/solar-system-modeling-relative-sizes-planets (Accessed 13 April 2021)

Content
Scale Model of Distances from the Sun

A scale model uses the same measurement ratios as the real object does. The first model will
compare the distance of the planets from the sun in astronomical units.
Astronomical units is a unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometers, the mean distance from
the center of the earth to the center of the sun.

Example
Model A: Scale Model of Distances from Sun
Materials:
 Meter stick (this project is much easier if you use the metric system—besides, scientists always use
this system!)
 Big outdoor space, at least 33 meters long. Do your experiment on a day that is not windy.
 Paper
 Pencil
 Large glass or small bowl
 Scissors
 Black marker
 Optional: Eight friends to hold your planets or you can set the planets down on the ground after you
measure the distance from the Sun.
 Optional: Camera to make a permanent record of your model.

Procedure: Scale Model of Distances from Sun

1. Trace 9 circles using the bowl as a guide. Because the distance scale model only is concerned
about distances between the planets, you can make all the planets the same size.

2. Label the circles Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

3. Cut the circles out.

4. Position yourself as the Sun.

5. Give each of your friends a cut-out planet to hold.

6. Have your friends position themselves the following distances from you. (Note that some of the
measurements are in centimeters rather than meters. A centimeter is 1/100 of a meter).
 Planet Distance AU Model Distance from “Sun”

Mercury .38 38 centimeters

Venus .72 72 centimeters

Earth 1.0 1.0 meter

Mars 1.5 1.5 meters

Jupiter 5.2 5.2 meters

Saturn 9.5 9.5 meters

Uranus 19.2 19.2 meters

Neptune 30.1 30.1 meters

Activity
Based on the models you have observed answer the following questions:
1. How did you find the activity?
_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

2. What are your observations in the distances of the planets from the Sun?
_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________