Solar System - 4th Grade

Space Travel

Exploring Our Moon

Earth, our home!

The moon is Earth's closest neighbor in space. It's a rocky ball that travels around our planet. It's much smaller than Earth, and it doesn't have an atmosphere like we do, so there's no air to breathe. The moon's surface is covered in craters, mountains, and plains. People have even walked on the moon during special missions. The moon is also what causes tides on Earth because its gravity pulls on our oceans. It's always there, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night, and it's one of the brightest things we can see in the night sky.

Space travel is a thrilling adventure that began a long time ago. It all started when people built their first airplanes to fly in the sky. But in 1961, a brave astronaut named Yuri Gagarin from Russia became the first person to journey into space. Soon after, in 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took an amazing trip to the moon. They were the first humans to set foot on another world! Since then, many astronauts from around the world have been on space missions to study our solar system and the universe. It's like exploring new frontiers, and scientists are always learning new things about space. In the future, people hope to visit other planets and maybe even set up space colonies. Space travel is an exciting journey that continues to inspire us all!

The Planets

Earth is the only planet we know of with life. It's our home!

After the Sun, the largest objects in the solar system are the planets. In order from closest to the Sun, these planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Most of them orbit the Sun in paths shaped like circles. Most of the planets have at least one moon. However, they vary widely in size, temperature, and makeup.

Solar System Song

Fun Fact!

(To the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Way up high in the sky so blue,

Planets spin and stars do too.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars,

Jupiter and Saturn, see the stars!

Oh, the solar system, so much to know,

With the sun that helps our garden grow.

Neptune and Uranus, far away,

Pluto's a dwarf, but it's okay!

Uranus and Neptune, cold and blue,

Pluto's small, but it's special too.

With the moon and stars that gleam,

The solar system is like a dream.

Oh, the solar system, so much to know,

With the sun that helps our garden grow.

Neptune and Uranus, far away,

Pluto's a dwarf, but it's okay!

The Sun

Launching Into Space

• The sun is like a giant, fiery ball of gas that gives us light and warmth.
• Even though it looks close, the sun is very far away. It's about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth!
• The sun is super important because it gives us light, heat, and energy. Without the sun, life on Earth as we know it wouldn't be possible!

Scientists used to call Pluto the ninth planet. But in 2006 scientists decided that several objects in the solar system, including Pluto, should be called dwarf planets.

Cool Space Facts

The solar system consists of the Sun and everything that orbits, or travels around, the Sun. This includes the eight planets and their moons, dwarf planets, and countless asteroids, comets, and other small, icy objects. However, even with all these things, most of the solar system is empty space.

Thank You For Going On This Adventure With Me!!

• Space is Silent: In space, there is no air, so there's no medium to carry sound waves. That's why space is completely silent.
• The Moon's Gravity: The moon's gravity is only about 1/6th of Earth's, which is why astronauts can jump so high on the lunar surface.
• The Great Red Spot: Jupiter has a massive storm known as the Great Red Spot, which has been raging for over 350 years. It's a hurricane-like storm that's larger than Earth.
• The Largest Volcano: Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. It's nearly 13.6 miles (22 kilometers) high, making it almost three times the height of Mount Everest.

Solar System Adventure

Christhena Amaro

Q&A

Join us for a cosmic adventure!!