The solar system is dominated by the Sun, our local star. It is circled by nine planets and their moons, together with countless asreroids and comets. The four planets closest to the Sun - Mercury Venus, Earth and Mars are small rocky worlds. The next four planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune - are gas giants. Finally, there is little Pluto, which is more like a moon than a major planet.
The aim of the of this site is to assist students and teachers in their understanding of the formation of the Solar System, the planets, the Sun and Earth's Moon. Links to other sites and details of other reference material is provided to assist the teacher in accessing additional information if it is required.
This site is designed for stage three primary school students who are studying the Solar System in the Science and Technology key learning area.
Using a website as a mode for the transfer of information to a learner is appropriate for students who are studying this topic. The NSW Science and Technology syllabus states that students should gain experience, understanding and appreciation of technological resources available. By accessing relevant information from the Internet students can gain experience in using this technology and can develop an understanding of the benefits that technolgy can provide.
The information in this site is taken from a number of different resources. Here is a list of these resouces if you would like to find more information on the above topics:
Websites:
http://kids.infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/sciA0845837.html
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/homepage.htm
http:// www.ssv.jpl.nasa.gov/ssv/
http://www.lna.br/galeria/comet/comet_e.html
Books:
Seymour. S. (1992) Our Solar System. New York: William Morrrow and Company
McNab. D. & Younger. J. (1999). The Planets. Boston: Yale University Press
Raeburn. P. (1998). Mars: Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet. National Geographic Society
Greenley. R. (1996). The NASA Atlas of the Solar System. London: Cambridge University Press