The solar system
Describe the sun, Earth, and moon as approximately spherical bodies, and describe the movement of the Earth and other planets orbiting the sun in the solar system
Typical age: 9–10 years
“Can your child describe the solar system — how Earth and the other planets orbit the sun, and how the moon orbits Earth, and that they're all roughly ball-shaped?”
0 / 3 mastered
Explore graph
Needs first
Unlocks next
- The solar system (age 11+)REQUIRED
Detailed solar system structure (moons, asteroids, comets, orbital periods) extends KS2 overview of planets orbiting the Sun
- Phases of the MoonREQUIRED
Explaining Moon phases requires understanding the Sun–Earth–Moon geometry established in KS2
- Earth's rotation and day/nightREQUIRED
Must understand Earth orbits the sun before explaining rotation causes day/night
- Gravity Pulls Things Down
Curriculum spherical bodies/orbits topic underpins exploratory gravity understanding
- Star Brightness & DistanceREQUIRED
Must know the sun is a star and planets orbit it before arguing about star brightness and distance