This is the second sponge to be used when teaching "Our place in the Solar System". slide show found at

1. SOLAR SYSTEM Student name___________________
Sponge 2 Teacher _______________________
Our place in the Universe
1. Scientists study a great big space that includes EVERYTHING. That space is
called:
a. our country c.. our Universe
b. our continent d. our Solar System
2. We live on Earth which is a
a. a planet c.. a galaxy
b. a star d. a universe
3. Earth is part of
a. the Solar System
b. the Universe
c. both the Solar System and the Universe
4. Classify the following as Matter or Energy. Remember matter is the stuff the
Universe is made of and energy is what makes things (matter) move or change.
Planets Air Electricity
Animals Plants Wood
Heat Water Iron
Rocks Plastic Rubber
Light
MATTER
ENERGY
1. 6. 1.
2. 7. 2.
3. 8. 3.
4. 9.
5. 10.

2. Sponge 3
Characteristics of the Sun
1. A star is an object in space that
a. is made of rock c. is made of gases
b. gives off its own light and heat d. both b and c
2... Even though the Earth is just a medium sized star, about how many
Earth’s could fit inside the Sun
a. 10 b. 1,000,000 c. 50 d. 25
3.. To us, the Sun looks brighter and bigger than other stars in the sky because
a. it has more hydrogen than the other stars
b. it is closer to Earth than other stars
c. it is the biggest star in the Universe
d. it is hotter that other stars
4. What two kinds of energy does Earth get from the Sun?
and
5. Write T or F about each of the following statements about the Sun.
______1. The core of the Sun is its coolest part of the Sun.
______2. The sunspots or dark areas on the Sun’s surface are the cooler
parts of the Sun’s surface.
______3. The Sun is mainly made up of two gases called hydrogen and helium.
______4. The core of the Sun is the hottest part of the Sun.
______5. The corona is the name of the center of the Sun.
______6. The core is the name of the center of the Sun.
______7 The corona is a layer of hot gases on the surface of the Sun that
extend out in space.
______8. Solar flares are dark cooler spots on the Sun.
______9. Solar flares are violent eruptions of hot gases that flare out from the
surface of the Sun.
_____10. Solar flares are made of liquid hydrogen found deep inside the Sun.
_____11. Life on Earth could exist without the Sun.
_____12. The Milky Way is the center of our Solar System.
_____13. The Sun is the center of our Solar system.

3. Sponge 4 A. Mercury
Planets, order and size
B. Venus
C. Earth
H G D. Mars
F
E E. Jupiter
F. Saturn
D
G. Uranus
C
H. Neptune
B
A
1. Put a T in the blank if the statement describes something that is correct about
the model shown above and an F if the statement something that is incorrect
about the model shown above.
_______a. all the main planets in the Solar System are shown (Pluto is
considered a dwarf planet, not a main planet)
_______b. the size of the Sun relative to the planets should be smaller.
_______c. the planets are shown in the correct order
_______d. the planets in their orbits are usually lined up as shown
_______e. the asteroid belt is shown between Mars and Jupiter

4. 2. Improve this model of the solar system by placing the word “should” or
“should not” in the blank beside each of the following statements
_____a. the planets should/should not be different sizes like they are shown
here.
_____b. the planets should/should not all be lined up in a straight line
coming out from the sun
_____c. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus should/should not be shown
as larger than the inner planets.
_____d. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars should/should not be shown as
larger than the outer planets.
_____e. There should/should not be a ring or wide band of asteroids
(space rocks) separating the inner and outer planets.
Sponge 5
Distance between the Sun and the planets
1. This model does not
accurately represent the relative G
H F
distance between the Sun and
the planets. E
True/False D
C
2. If this model accurately represented B
the relative distance between planets, which
two planets would be farthest apart? A
a. Mercury and Venus
b. Mars and Jupiter
c. Jupiter and Saturn
d Uranus and Neptune

5. Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter
3. Which statement about the relative distances between the planets is true. Remember we are
speaking relative distance
a. Move Mars and Earth much closer together.
b. Mercury and Venus should be twice as far apart.
c. Make Jupiter and Mars closer together than the Earth and Mars.
d. Jupiter is at least that far from Mars.
Sponge 6
Rotation and revolution
Circle the letter of the
correct answer
1. Rotating means to 2. Another name for revolving is
a. move in a circular path around a. rotating
another object b. orbiting
b. move up and down c. moving in a straight line
c. spin around and around d. gyrating
d. moving in a straight line
3.. Revolving means to 4. This picture shows Earth
a. move in a circular path around a. rotating
another object b. revolving
b. move up and down c. orbiting
c. spin around and around d. stopping
d. moving in a straight line
5. Based on this picture, write T or F
beside each of the following statements.
____a. The Earth orbiting the Moon.
Earth
____b. Earth revolving around the Sun
Moon
Sun ____c. The Sun revolving around the Earth
____d. The Moon orbiting the Earth.
____e. The Moon revolving around the Earth.
____f. The Earth orbiting the Sun.

6. ____f. The Earth orbiting the Sun.
Sponge 7
More rotation and
revolution
1. The Earth’s axis is an imaginary line running through the center of the earth
from the north to the south pole. Which picture shows correct orientation of the
Earth in relation to the Sun as it revolves around the Sun. Circle the correct letter.
C
A. B
n
2 Day and night is caused by
a. the Earth revolving around the Sun
b. the Earth rotating on its axis
c. the moon revolving around the Earth
d, the Sun becoming hotter and cooler
3. What is the invisible path the
Earth takes around the Sun Earth
called?
a. an equator Sun
b. an axis
c. a rotation
d. an orbit
4.. The teacher was modeling why the planets stay in orbit around the Sun.
The washer represented the planet; the stick that the string was attached
represented the Sun. What does the string in this model represent?
stick = Sun
washer = planet
a. electromagnetic force c. gravity
b. the moon d. friction

7. 5. This drawing is a model of the earth rotating on its
axis. How long does it take for one complete turn?
a. 365 days b. 24 hours
c. one day d. both b and c
6. Place a T (true) or F (false) by each of these
statements regarding the picture on the left.
Earth _________ It takes to Moon one
Moon day to orbit the earth.
Sun _________it takes the Earth one
day to orbit the sun.
_________ It takes the Earth 365
days to orbit the sun.
_________ It takes the Moon 29
days to orbit the Earth.
Sponge 8
The Seasons
North
Pole
SUNLIGHT
South
Pole
Answer questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 using the diagram of the Earth shown above.
1. Which season of the year would it be at the North Pole?
a. summer b. fall c. winter d. spring
2. Which season of the year would it be at the South Pole?
a. summer b. fall c. winter d. spring
3. Which area would get the most hours of sunlight?
a. North Pole b. South Pole c. the Equator
4. Which are would have the longest nights and shortest days?
a. North Pole b. South Pole c. the Equator

8. Sponge 9
More of The Seasons
North
Pole
SUNLIGHT
South
Pole
Answer questions 4, 5, and 6 using the diagram of the Earth shown above.
1.. Which season of the year would it be at the North Pole?
a. summer b. fall c. winter d. spring
2.. Which season of the year would it be at the South Pole?
a. summer b. fall c. winter d. spring
3.. Which area would get the most hours of sunlight?
a. North Pole b. South Pole c. the Equator
4.. Which are would have the shortest days and longest nights?
a. North Pole b. South Pole c. the Equator
5.. We have summer in Texas because
a. the Moon orbits the Earth
b. the Earth’s orbit is closer to the Sun at that time of year
c. the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun at that time of the year
d. the Sun has fewer sunspots and is hotter at that time of the year
Sponge 10
Phases of the Moon The diagram below shows the Moon revolving
or orbiting around Earth as viewed from space.
1. The moon orbiting the Earth causes
a, day and night
b. moon phases
c. a change in the day of the week Sunlight
d. seasons

9. 2. For the moon to orbit the Earth one time it takes:
_______ 29 days
_______one day Place a T (true) or F
_______about one month (false) by each of these
_______24 hours statements.
_______one year
_______365 days
3. Which phase of the moon would a person on Earth see when the Moon and
Earth are in the locations shown below?
Earth
Moon
Sunlight
a. b. c. d.
Sponge 11
Phases of the Moon
1 Which phase of the moon would a person on Earth see when the Moon and
Earth are in the locations shown below?
Moon Earth
Sunlight
a b. c. d.
..
Which moon phase is missing in each of these sequences?
2. 3,
a b a b c d
c d ..
.. .. .. .. ..
.. ..

10. 4.. Starting with the new moon, number 1, number the other moon phases 2-8
in the correct order.
1. 2
.
Sponge 12
Tides
1. Tides are changes in the water level at the shore line of an ocean. Tides are caused by:
a. strong southerly winds b. gravity of the Moon pulling on the water.
c. strong undercurrents d. large pod of whales swimming near the shore
2. Two of these drawings are correct models and two are not. Write the words “right” or “wrong” by
each drawing.
a. __________
b.. __________
Low
Tide Low
Moon Tide
High High High
High
Tide tide tide
Tide
Low Low
Tide Tide
c. __________ Moon
High Moon
tide d.. __________
Low Moon High
Low
Tide Tide tide
Low Low
High Tide
Tide Tide
High
Tide
3. At any special place, high and low tides occur about how often?
a. Once a day b. Once a month
b. Two times each day d. Every other day.

11. Sponge 13
Comets, Asteroids and Meteoroids
1. A asteroid and a meteoroid are both:
a. pieces of rocks that orbit the Sun.
.b. frozen ice particles outside our Solar system
c. objects in space that give off their own light.
d. large planets made out of gases and liquids.
2. This is a picture of the Halebopp Comet. A comet is:
a. A large rock that orbits the sun.
b. another star in the Milky Way
c. a chunk of ice and dust that orbits the Sun.
d. A distant planet beyond Pluto that orbits the Sun.
3. When a comet ‘s orbit brings it close to the Sun,
a. it always burns up
b. it develops a “tail” of gas and dust that glows.
c. it falls into orbit around Mercury.
d. it falls out of its orbit.
4. When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere
:
a. it b ounces back into space
b. it changes into a liquid
c. it becomes very hot, and starts to burn and glow.
d. it often hits airplanes and birds