Show your fifth grader how to write out an idea web or outline, the process that is most essential to writing any report. Talk about what she is interested in concerning her selected planet. Possible ideas for her paper depend on how much information is required. Good elements to include would be the size, atmosphere and orbit of the planet. Make an idea web by writing the name of the planet in the center of a piece of paper. Draw a circle around it and make lines out from there connected to different facts about the planet, and continue until you have several ideas on what to include in the paper. When you have completed the idea web, it will look similar to a spider web.
Help your fifth grader research the information by taking her to the local library and sitting with her as she researches the planet on the Internet. Print out any pages that she is going to draw information from and help her highlight the specific information she will use. Several other resources will be available at the library, such as books and periodicals, and you may be able to get or find an interview from a person who is an expert on the planet.
Write out a rough draft with your child, showing her how to form an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction should introduce the planet and where it lies in the solar system. The body should cover information about the planet such as atmosphere, size, moons and any information that sets the planet apart from the others. The conclusion should draw the whole paper together. While you may feel the need to rush through and write the paper for your child, it is imperative that you let her write the paper so that she can learn how to write papers for future classes and possibly her career.
Proofread the paper with your child to show her where she needs to improve her language skills. Help your child type up the final copy of the paper according to her teacher's specifications and print it out. While you may be able to do it faster, take this opportunity to help your child improve her typing skills.