Earth and the planets
Pupil resources for this lesson. Use these sheets alongside the matching slideshow.
GROW Science Autumn1 W6A Earth And Planets Pupil
PUPIL WORKSHEET
Earth and the planets
Autumn 1 · Week 6 · Lesson A
Describe Earth and the other planets orbiting the Sun: order eight planets, group rocky/giant planets, and explain the Sun's inward gravitational pull.
Monday ·40 minutes. Name:________________ Date:________________. Order the planets, classify examples and explain the orbit. Keep this sheet for Tuesday.
1. Arrival: order from the Sun
Choose your route. Supported: order the first four names with an adult. Standard: write those four. Stretch: try all eight. Word bank: Neptune, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Earth, Uranus, Venus, Saturn.
PUPIL TASK / Autumn 1 · Week 6 · Lesson A
2. Watch and explain the orbit model
Write, draw, point or dictate as agreed with your teacher.
Draw a Sun and Earth. Add a gravity arrow pointing towards the Sun and a separate motion arrow along the path. Label what each arrow means. Move Earth to a second position and reset both arrows. Use words or direct an adult if preferred.
PUPIL TASK / Autumn 1 · Week 6 · Lesson A
3. Rocky or giant?
Write, draw, point or dictate as agreed with your teacher.
Classify each planet as rocky, gas giant or ice giant. Then compare the year values below.
| Planet | Rocky / gas giant / ice giant |
| Mercury | |
| Mars | |
| Jupiter | |
| Neptune |
4. Compare one year
Earth takes about 365 Earth days for one orbit; Mars takes about 687. Which has the longer year? Use the numbers as evidence.
PUPIL TASK / Autumn 1 · Week 6 · Lesson A
5. Sort and repair
Write, draw, point or dictate as agreed with your teacher.
Mark each original claim true or false. Choose one false claim and explain its correction.
| Original claim | True / false |
| Planets orbit the Sun. | |
| The Sun orbits Earth. | |
| Gravity keeps planets in orbit. | |
| There is no gravity in space. | |
| Further-out planets have longer years. |
6. Build the explanation
Complete in speech, arrows or writing: The Sun's gravity pulls Earth_____, which continually_____. Keep your work and choose one idea to check on Tuesday.
CHOOSE A RESPONSE ROUTE
Ways to show your understanding
Choose the route agreed with your teacher. You do not need to complete every route.
Supported
Order name cards with an adult, identify Earth, point to the Sunward gravity arrow and compare 365 with 687.
Standard
Order all eight, classify the four examples, label both arrows and explain the Sun's gravitational pull.
Stretch
Explain why the motion arrow is not another force and predict the straight-on tangent if gravity were absent.
Source: Science_Teesside/Teaching_Packs/GROW/lessons/W6A/GROW_Science_Autumn1_W6A_Earth_And_Planets_Pupil.docx