Students compare the sizes of the Earth, Sun and Moon, learn that the Earth orbits the Sun in about 365 days and the Moon orbits the Earth in about a month, tell spinning (a day) apart from orbiting (a year), and act out the movements with a simple model.
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Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
Completed: The Earth, Sun and Moon: How They Move
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Year 4 students (typically ages 8–9) working on the solar system & space. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.
About 30 minutes for 15 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
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Success TutoringWorksheetsYear 4 · Science · The Solar System & SpaceName
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Remember: spinning gives a day, the Moon's orbit takes about a month and the Earth's orbit takes a year.
Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.
The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are all shaped like balls (spheres). The Sun is by far the biggest. The Earth is about four times wider than the Moon.
The Earth does two things at once. It spins on its axis once about every 24 hours, which gives us day and night. It also travels in a path around the Sun called an orbit. One orbit takes about 365 days — one year.
The Moon orbits the Earth. One trip around the Earth takes about a month (about 27 days). The Moon does not make its own light; we see it because sunlight bounces off it.
Write True or False.
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
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Worksheet · Year 6 · The Solar System & Space · Level 2 · Standard
Worksheet · Year 6 · The Solar System & Space · Level 2 · Standard
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