This week, Year 5 took their learning about the solar system to the next level—quite literally! To help us understand just how vast space is, we created a large-scale model of the solar system in our playground.
Using metre sticks and chalk, we carefully mapped out the distances between the planets, scaling down the actual distances in space to fit within our playground. This involved some fantastic mathematical thinking as we converted the real distances, measured in millions of kilometres, into a manageable scale using metres.
Through this hands-on activity, the children saw first-hand just how spread out the planets are—especially the gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, which ended up much further from the “Sun” than many expected! They were amazed at the huge gaps between the outer planets and the inner planets clustered closer to the Sun.
It was a brilliant way to combine our science and maths skills, bringing learning to life in a way that was both engaging and memorable. 🚀🌍✨
