Objects in the Solar System Complete Science Lesson - New TEKS 7.9A

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach unit on the objects in our solar system is included in this resource! Students will explore the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, moons, meteors, asteroids, comets, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud. With editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, this multiday lesson is comprehensive while requiring minimal prep.

Through differentiated, student-led activities, your middle schoolers will stay engaged while you focus on their success.

Essential Questions

• What are the physical properties of objects in our solar system?

• Where can objects in our solar system be found, and how do they move?

Aligned with 2021 TEKS Standard 7.9A

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials to support students who need extra help

• Multimodal activities to engage all learners

• Maximum flexibility—printable and digital resources included

• Editable PowerPoints so you can customize to your classroom needs

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, passages, and interactive notebook pages

This lesson is built around the research-based 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), providing both structure and flexibility.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Lesson objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with discussion prompts, class activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations help students explore how objects in our solar system are unique in their size, mass, composition, and motion:

Input Stations (absorb content)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated reading passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension checks

• Research It! – Website-based activity with guided questions

• Watch It! – Short video with student reflection prompts

Output Stations (show understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

• Write It! – Open-ended written responses

• Illustrate It! – Student-created sketches or diagrams

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context writing

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Fun extension tasks for early finishers such as crosswords, games, and mini-projects

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard & interactive versions)

• Interactive notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Note-taking templates to guide learning

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects on identifying, categorizing, and modeling objects in the solar system

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–style assessments (standard & modified versions)

• Review worksheet for homework, practice, or discussion

Flexible for Any Classroom

This lesson works seamlessly for both in-person and virtual learning. Station labs, interactive notebooks, and PowerPoints are fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.