Solar System Science Project

This fun solar system science project lets kids imagine wonderful new beings...

... while they are developing research and time-management skills that allow them to take on bigger projects.

It also lets you integrate the study of life science and astronomy.

• After the students have studied adaptations and habitats, move on to the solar system.
• Each learner can chose an object within the solar system (such as a planet, moon, asteroid or comet), and research that object.
• They can identify at least three (potential) habitats on that object.
• Then, create an imaginary organism that is adapted to live in one of those habitats.
• In a classroom setting, the kids can build models of their organism, along with papers presenting their discovery to the scientific community.
• The same activity can be done while researching stars. In this case, the students would need to create imaginary solar systems around each star, and then imagine what organisms could survive in those solar systems.

Use your imagination

In the upper elementary and middle school years, kids have a combination of maturing skills and “child-like” thinking that creates a magic moment in child development during which the kids can do larger research projects and then present the research in fanciful ways.

Use your imagination to discover new ways to integrate research and imagination.

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