Earth Day

Objective:
The students will create a representation of the solar system.

Materials

• A large open area allowing for movement

Procedure

1. Discuss the solar system and Earth's place within it. 
2. Assign students to be specific planets with the remaining students clustering together to be the sun.  Have the students create a human model of the solar system.  Use the following link for reference Discover The Planets.
3. Have the students rotate (spin) as well as revolve (orbit) around "the sun".  Explain the difference between rotating and revolving.
4. For younger students, have them all be the earth.  Set up an object in the middle of the room to be the sun.  Have all the students rotate as well as revolve around the sun.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Draw the continents (simply a sketchy rendition) in chalk on a large outside surface.  Play a game where the students move from continent to continent by following teacher directions.  A large class may need to be split into small groups.  For example, "Group A, hop from Europe to North America!", "Group B, skip from South America to Africa", "Group C, waddle from Asia to Antarctica."