Solar System Scaled Model

We are continuing our study of the solar system, and today we did a scaled model art project. I wanted to illustrate the differences in sizes between the planets accurately, and I found this chart here that gave the dimensions in a workable size (the largest is just over 7.6 inches).

I have seen a number of versions of this project, but we liked the tissue paper sun over at Ohdeedoh, so that is the what we did.

First we taped our black paper together and glued our tissue paper onto the sun.


Then we drew the orbits for our planets (these are NOT to scale)


Then we cut our planets out to the correct diameter and glued our planets on, including 3D rings for Saturn.


We needed to use larger sheets of paper than we did, because Jupiter and Saturn didn't really fit too well. Finally, we added crumpled up coffee filters to make the asteroid belt.


I LOVE how it turned out!


Tomorrow we have a project outside (it takes over 50 feet) to do a scale version of the planets' distances from the sun.