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How to Make a 3D Model of the Solar System for the Eighth Grade

A 3D model of the solar system helps students grasp the layout of the planets in relation to each other. Students gain a simple visual understanding of the solar system's order by building and viewing this model. Additionally, the final model serves as a fine classroom decoration. It may be tricky to incorporate all students of the class in this building project. However, assigning teams or groups of students to different steps of the process helps solve this problem.

Things You'll Need

  • 3 feet by 3 feet foam board
  • Utility knife
  • Marking pens
  • Hole puncher
  • Different sized foam balls
  • Acrylic paints
  • Brushes
  • Colored paper
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Glue
  • String
  • Stapler
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a circle of foam board 3 feet in diameter.

    • 2

      Use the marking pens to draw nine concentric circles or eight depending on whether you decide to include Pluto, to represent the orbit paths for each planet on the foam board.

    • 3

      Use the hole puncher to punch holes in the center of the foam board circle and on all the marked orbit lines in order to hang the planets.

    • 4

      Paint the foam balls to look like the planets they are meant to represent. Though this model is certainly not to scale use larger foam balls to represent the larger planets and smaller foam balls to represent the smaller planets. Remember to make one big yellow one to represent the sun. Use the scissors to cut the colored paper into rings. Tape or glue paper rings onto Saturn and Neptune.

    • 5

      Cut strings about 1 1/2-feett in length and tape or staple one to each planet.

    • 6

      Suspend the planets from their proper orbits and tie or tape them to the foam board by inserting the strings through the punched holes. Suspend the sun from the middle.

    • 7

      Cut two pieces of string 4-feet long and fold them in half. Tie the folded end so it forms a loop. Tape or staple the four stray ends in a square configuration on the top of the foam board. Hang the solar system model by the loop formed at the top.

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