Naming the Planets
Name the planets in our solar system in order from the Sun and use vocabulary for space — planet, star, sun, moon, satellite, orbit, solar system, galaxy, universe, asteroid, comet — applying these correctly when describing the structure of the solar system and objects we see in the sky
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name the eight planets in order from the Sun without prompting
- Use 'orbit' correctly to describe the movement of planets around the Sun and moons around planets
- Distinguish between a planet, a moon, a star, and an asteroid using the correct vocabulary
The lesson
The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system. Eight planets orbit it. Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
A planet orbits a star. Earth's Moon orbits Earth. That circling path is called an orbit.
Zoe sees three bright dots in the night sky. One twinkles, so it is a star. Two do not twinkle, so they are planets.
Stars twinkle in the night sky. Planets do not twinkle as much. That is one way to tell them apart.
The Sun is a star. Eight planets orbit it in order, from Mercury to Neptune.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
Nothing; this is a starting point.
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.