The Eight Planets

Science · Space Exploration · ages 7-9

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which planet is farthest from the Sun?
- Saturn
- Neptune
- Mars
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
Pluto is one of the eight planets.
Circle one: True False
Which group of planets are gas giants?
- Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
- Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter
Which group of planets are small and rocky?
- Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
- Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
Look at the order of planets. Which planet comes right after Mars?
- Earth
- Jupiter
- Saturn
How many rocky inner planets are there?
Answer: ______________
Ana says, 'Earth is a gas giant like Jupiter.' What is wrong with her statement?
- Earth is actually farther from the Sun than Jupiter
- Earth does not orbit the Sun
- Earth is actually a rocky planet, not a gas giant

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Neptune · Neptune is the last and farthest planet in the order from the Sun.
Mercury · Mercury orbits closest to the Sun, so it comes first in the order.
False · Pluto has been called a dwarf planet since 2006, so it is not one of the eight.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune · Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the four outer planets, and they are huge balls of gas.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars · The four planets closest to the Sun are small and made of rock.
Jupiter · After Mars comes Jupiter, the first and biggest of the gas giants.
4 · Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars make up the four rocky inner planets.
Earth is actually a rocky planet, not a gas giant · Earth is one of the four rocky inner planets. Only the four outer planets are gas giants.