Solar System: Planets

Books: look by SUBJECT in the Library Catalog (@school only)

Encyclopedias:

• Look up your planet in Grolier's online encyclopedia (@ school)
  
  • first time users @ home to register
• Seattle Public Library's encyclopedias (need library card #)
  • including New Book of Popular Science

Online web sites for basic information

• Astronomy for kids: the planets - click on the picture of each one
• Exploring the planets National Air and Space Museum - facts on each, views, comparisons
• The Planets- Enchanted Learning - click on the picture of each one
• The Planets - StarChild/NASA - level 1 (grades 1-3) (grades 4-6)
• SpaceToday with exploration news of each planet - but also facts
• Windows to the Universe: Our Solar System - click on
  • Planetary Systems - beginners
  • Planetary System - intermediate
  • Planetary System - advanced

More

• Astronomy Section-Solar System - Astronomy Today - click on each, higher reading level
• Mars - an online video from BrainPop
• NASAKids - links to information on each of the planets
• The nine planets (now 10)- great information on each, plus information about their moons
• Solar System Simulator (NASA)
• Solar System Theme Page - list of sites on each planet (scroll down) - Gander Academy (last updated 2001)
• Views of the solar system with information on each planet

Planet names - see also Mythology from St. Joe's page

• Celestial Deities Pagan Astronomy.net - explanation of names of planets
• Gazateer of planetary nomenclature - set categories for naming features on planets and satellites (US Geological Society)
  • alphabetical list
• How the planets got their names Fact Monster
• Mythology of the Solar System - story of each god
• Name that planet - why they have the god's name
• Nine Planets an overview of the history, mythology and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and their moons in our solar system
• The Solar System names of the Roman gods and their connection to the names of the planets

International Astronomical Union official group that names planet

General Astronomy and Space sites

• AstronomyNow.com online journal from Britain
• Bad Astronomy (actually correcting misinformation)
• Space current space related science news - Discovery Channel
• Space.com
• Space Reference (ultimate online resource)
• SpaceFlightNow.com online journal from Britain.
• SpaceWeather.com: science news about sun-earth environment
• Surfing the Solar System - a treasure hunt game and puzle (Astronomical Society of the Pacific)

Lesson Plans

• Astronomy page (list of links from a 4th grade teacher)
• Build a Solar System San Francisco's Exploratorium Museum of Science interactive Web site plus links:
  • Solar System Scale Model meta page
• Exploring the planets in the classroom more than 25 hands-on science activities ready for classroom use for teaching geology, earth, planetary, and space sciences
• Solar System web sites, lesson plans by grade, books from TeachersCorner.net
• Solar System/Space research sites, lesson plans, online activities
• Solar System Theme Page (grade 5-Gander Academy)
• Solar System Trading cards
• Surfin’ Through the Solar System activities to explore the solar system -3rd grade-Adobe Acrobat pdf file