Lesson 7: Building Planets – Our Solar System

Build a Model of the SOLAR SYSTEM in this planets homeschooling lesson. Watch the full free homeschooling video on Minerva Tutors TV

What you’ll need to build and mount your planets

At least 9 balloons

Paper mache (strips of newspaper and glue/flour and water)

String

A coat hanger

Paint and paint brushes

Instructions building the solar system in your planets homeschooling lesson

• Blow up your balloons – start small!! – and tie the ends
  • Small planets – Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth
  • Medium planets – Neptune, Uranus
  • Large planets – Saturn, Jupiter
• Make your sticky liquid mix
  • If using glue – one part glue to five or six parts water
  • If using flour – one part flour to four parts water
• Dip a strip of newspaper into your sticky liquid mix and wrap it around one of the balloons

• Repeat until the balloon is completely covered with 3 layers of newspaper
• Repeat for all of the other balloons!

• Leave the encased balloons to set for 24-48 hours
• Untie the balloons and pull them out from the centre of paper mache planets!

for more homeschooling lessons visit our free resources page and for homeschooling videos see Minerva Tutors TV

If you do any of these projects, write in to show us at lawrence@minervatutors.com!