The Earth-Moon Distance

The first stop on their cosmic journey was understanding the distance between the Earth and the Moon. The children learned that this distance is approximately 385,000 kilometres. 

 

The Height of the ISS

Next, the children turned their attention to the International Space Station (ISS). Orbiting at an average altitude of 250 miles (roughly from Ellesmere Port to Edinburgh) above the Earth, they found out that the ISS is much closer to us than the Moon. In fact, it’s so close that with the right equipment, you can see it pass overhead!

A Pocket-Sized Solar System

Having explored these vast distances, the children then took on an exciting project: creating a pocket-sized solar system. They drew the planets onto strips to represent the proportional distances to show just how vast the space between the planets really is. This hands-on activity not only helped them understand the scale of our solar system but also sparked their imagination about the wonders of the universe.

 

year 5 space and scale