In order to study the structure of planets and plunge headlong into the mysterious world of astronomy, you don’t have to go to a planetarium. It is not at all difficult to make a model of a solar system at home. To do this, you just need to be patient and everyone necessary materials. It will take the minimum of time and costs to complete the work.
DIY solar system model for school: what materials can be used
Making a model of the solar system yourself is not at all difficult.. This craft may seem incredibly complicated only at first glance. In fact, everything is incredibly simple. You just need to decide what materials will be used in the work. Most often, work is performed using the following materials:
- plasticine;
- Styrofoam;
- cotton wool;
- newspapers;
- cardboard;
- colored paper;
- CDs.
This list can be continued for a long time. After all, there is no limit to creative imagination. You just need to imagine exactly what the craft should look like in the end and it will immediately become clear what materials will be required.
DIY solar system model (video)
How to make a model of the solar system from plasticine
In order to make your own solar system, the easiest way is to use plasticine. The result is a completely realistic three-dimensional model, the production of which will take no more than an hour.
In order to make your own solar system, the easiest way is to use plasticine
Progress:
- Make a ball from orange plasticine - you get the Sun.
- Mix together the brown and orange flowers and roll a ball of smaller diameter - you get Mercury.
- Perform the same manipulations with the third ball, only add a little more brown plasticine. It turns out Venus.
- To form the soil, roll a blue ball and wrap it in a sausage made from green material. Spread it a little over the entire workpiece.
- Roll Mars by mixing black and red plasticine.
- To make Jupiter, roll up a brown ball and wrap a couple of lighter-colored sausages around it.
- To make Saturn, form a ring around the planet.
- Make Uranus from the blue-gray mass.
- Using blue material to make Neptune.
String all the planets on matches and attach them to the Sun.
Gallery: do-it-yourself model of the solar system (25 photos)
Model of the solar system made of plasticine on cardboard
To create volumetric model, which clearly demonstrates the structure of the solar system, you just need to arm yourself with plasticine, cardboard and felt-tip pens. When everything you need is at hand, you can begin the creative process.
Plasticine work can also be done on cardboard.
Progress:
- Roll plasticine balls, choosing the appropriate colors for all the planets.
- Attach rays to the sun by cutting small pieces from the tube.
- Draw orbits on a cardboard sheet with a felt-tip pen and label the places where all the balls will be placed in the future.
- Place each planet in its place.
DIY universe model for children
You can also assemble a visual layout from foam balls. This process, although painstaking, is simple and exciting. This type of work can also be done with children. Thanks to this, they will probably remember what each of the planets looks like.
What is necessary:
- foam balls of different diameters;
- foam sheet;
- paints;
- wood rod;
- thread or fishing line;
- glue;
- hook;
- scissors;
- a couple of cans;
- tea spoon;
- wooden sticks;
- plastic cups;
- brush.
Progress:
- Insert a wooden stick into each foam ball.
- Cut out the rings of Saturn from a sheet of foam.
- Use a teaspoon to smooth the edges of the cut out ring.
- Holding the balls by the stick, paint each of them the desired color.
- Wait until the paint dries and then begin assembling the model.
- Assemble Saturn and coat its rings with glue.
- Cut the threads into pieces different lengths and attach them to each ball.
- The sticks from the planets now need to be removed.
- Tie the second end of each thread to the rod.
Fix a hook in the wall and hang the model on it.
How to make a Sun
To make a model of the sun you will need some unusual materials. It will be made using papier-mâché technique. The craft is voluminous and incredibly beautiful. For those who have already performed work in this technique, creating the Sun will be an incredibly easy task.
What is necessary:
- Balloon;
- old newspapers;
- cardboard;
- paper;
- water;
- starch;
- paints;
- primer;
- brush;
- sponge;
- scissors;
Progress:
- Inflate a balloon.
- Mix water with starch to prepare a paste.
- Cut newspapers into strips of arbitrary length and width.
- Dip each strip into paste and glue to balloon. There should be at least three layers of newspaper in total.
- The holes near the tail of the ball must be left open.
- After forming each layer, give the workpiece some time to dry.
- After the paste has already set well and the workpiece itself has dried, the ball must be carefully pierced with a needle near the tail.
- Slowly deflate the air from the balloon, and immediately seal the hole that has formed with paper.
- Cover the future Sun with a primer so that the surface is absolutely flat.
- Give the material time to dry.
- Apply paint to the resulting ball. There should be several layers.
- Add the desired texture using a sponge.
After the paint has dried, the product is additionally coated with varnish. Thanks to this, it will acquire an attractive glossy appearance.
DIY Planet Mars
Such a layout can not only decorate a child’s room, but also take pride of place at a school exhibition. Its manufacture, although simple, nevertheless has its own characteristics. Only if all the rules are followed will it be possible to create such an unusual design.
What is necessary:
- glue;
- globe;
- putty;
- paper;
- paints;
- tassels.
Only if all the rules are followed will it be possible to create such an unusual design.
Progress:
- Remove the globe from the stand and remove the map glued to it.
- Prepare paper pulp. To do this, tear sheets of paper, soak them in water and then mix the scraps with glue and putty.
- Apply the prepared paper pulp to the entire surface of the former globe.
- Do not touch the workpiece for 24 hours so that it dries completely.
- Form craters.
- Apply to the workpiece base layer paints.
- After the paint has dried, apply another layer to the product.
- Select the craters again.
- Cover Mars with at least two layers of varnish.
Model of the solar system: craft for kindergarten (video)
Creating a model of the solar system is one of the most exciting and educational creative processes. There are many variations of such crafts, but you should not immediately stop at the simplest ones. After all, if you devote a little more time and effort to your work, then the result of your work will be much better. And you will get maximum pleasure from the process of creating this design. It’s impossible to even imagine what could be more interesting than creating your own universe.
Do you want to have a real planetarium at home? Then let's create a solar system from plasticine. The theme of space always attracts children as something grandiose and unknown. Tell them how the Universe works, what the Solar System is, what objects are included in it. Perhaps you will arouse great interest in astronomy among future researchers.
In order to create a craft, you need to remember how many planets are in the solar system, how they are located, what their sizes are and consider appearance on photos. The central object is the Sun, which coordinates all the planets around it. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are the 9 well-known planets of the solar system.
1. Take a sheet of dark blue cardboard or gray, as well as colored blocks of plasticine to create a composition.
2. Start sculpting the central object - the Sun - by creating a material that matches the color. Mix orange, yellow and white, but don't go for a single color.
3. Attach the resulting mass to the center of the sheet and spread it in a circle with your fingers.
4. To create planetary orbits, take white or beige plasticine and stretch the soft pieces into thin threads.
5. Create 9 rings around the Sun from threads.
6. Start sculpting Mercury - the smallest planet in the solar system from small pieces of brown, gray and white flowers. Roll all the ingredients into a ball. Then use a nail to make craters.
7. Make Venus about three times bigger size, than Mercury, of brown, gray and black colors. Set the relief with thin wire.
9. Create militant Mars from black and orange plasticine mixed to a beautiful marble effect.
10. The huge Jupiter looks striped from a distance; to sculpt it you will need brown, beige and orange stripes.
11. Saturn is somewhat similar to Jupiter color scheme and size, also don’t forget about the famous ring that surrounds Saturn.
12. Blue shades are suitable for sculpting Uranus.
13. Imitation of Neptune - an ordinary ball of blue plasticine.
14. Pluto is another dwarf that requires gray and white colors to sculpt.
15. When all the planets are ready, lay them out in order.
16. Attach space objects to your orbits.
The final look of the craft.
This is such a wonderful composition made from plasticine. If a child has this visual material done with your own hands, you don’t even need an astronomy textbook.
Maybe you love Space and want to have your own solar system? Or are you a parent who has children and has been given creative task for school? Whoever you are, if you have a desire to create a model of a three-dimensional and very similar solar system, read our article on DIY work.
The space theme is very attractive for children and adults. After all, she is so mysterious and enigmatic. With the help of a large and voluminous model of our solar system created by yourself, you can tell children about the structure of the Universe, show space objects and planets.
Of course, before you start working on a model of the Solar System, it will not be superfluous to remember all the details of its structure. Read astronomical literature and remember the main principle of the structure of the Universe: the Sun is in the center, and all the other planets revolve around it.
Master class on creating a do-it-yourself model of the solar system from plasticine
We are offering to you detailed master class on sculpting a solar system from plasticine with your own hands. Prepare all the materials necessary for work:
- Multi-colored plasticine
- Thick cardboard in gray or dark blue (your future outer space)
- Wire
- Small carnation
All materials have been prepared, now you can get to work. Start sculpting the main central element of the system - the Sun. In order to achieve desired color, mix several types of plasticine: yellow, white and orange. However, do not knead everything into a monochromatic mass, leave a little heterogeneity. Then attach this plasticine mass in the center of your thick cardboard, press and smear it with your fingers. There should be rays of the sun.
Now take white plasticine and twist thin sausages. These are preparations for future planetary orbits. Make nine rings around the Sun from these thin sausage threads.
Make the smallest planet in the system - Mercury. Make it from gray, brown and white plasticine. Using a small nail, make small holes across the surface of the entire planet - craters.
Make Venus three times larger than Mercury. Use grey, black and brown colors. Using wire, create the relief of the planet.
Now make planet Earth. Use green, blue and yellow plasticine.
To sculpt Mars you will need black and orange plasticine. Blend them to a marble effect.
Large Jupiter looks striped from a distance; to sculpt it you will need brown, beige and orange stripes.
Saturn is very similar to Jupiter in its color scheme and size, and don’t forget about the famous ring that surrounds Saturn.
Uranus mold from blue shades plasticine. Imitation of Neptune - an ordinary ball of blue plasticine.
Pluto is another dwarf planet that requires gray and white colors to sculpt.
When all the planets are ready, lay them out in order (as shown in the photo) and attach them to the solar orbits.
You have created such a wonderful composition from plasticine. If a child has such a visual aid, completed with my own hands, then you don’t even need an astronomy textbook.
Create a 3D model quickly and easily with your child
To sculpt such a model of the Solar System, you will only need matches and plasticine.
Start sculpting round balls - planets. Make an orange plasticine ball - this will be the Sun. Then mix orange and brown colors of plasticine and roll into a smaller ball. This will be Mercury. Do similar manipulations with the third ball, but Brown mix in more and you blind Venus. Now our Earth: wrap a blue ball with a green sausage and spread it across the planet. By mixing red and a little black plasticine, you get the planet Mars. Make a larger ball from the brown plasticine mass and twist a couple of light brown sausages. Wrap the sausages around the planet and flatten. Jupiter is ready. Make a circumplanetary ring for Saturn. Mixing gray and blue colors, make a small Uranus. Make Neptune from blue plasticine. You have finished sculpting the planets, start assembling the model.
To do this, take matches and string ready-made plasticine planets onto them. Place the sun in the center, and stick the planets on matches into it. Ready! Enjoy your 3D model of the Solar System.
Video on the topic of the article
At the end of our article, we invite you, dear readers, to watch several educational videos on creating a layout. We hope you find them useful. Enjoy watching.
How interesting it is for children to explore the topic of unknown space. During astronomy lessons or visiting a planetarium, children become familiar with the structure of the solar system. At home, you can also continue such activities and even simulate a small model of a given piece of the Universe. In this lesson, we will fantasize about sculpting solar system objects. First, we should remember what the solar system is. This is the central object - the Sun, which orients eight planets around it. So, let's start listing them in order and sculpting them.
To sculpt the Sun and planets we will need:
- plasticine set;
- matches.
1. Take a set of high-quality plasticine to work with. It’s impossible to immediately figure out what specific colors of plasticine we will need. While working, you can look at a drawing of the solar system and create.
3. Mercury is closest to the Sun - a small planet of the same fiery color. To create a ball, mix orange playdough with a small amount brown.
4. To sculpt aggressive Venus, you will also need a mixture of orange and brown, but in this case there should be more of the second color.
6. Place the cake on the blue ball and roll out (smooth) the surface of the plasticine.
7. Make a small but militant Mars from a red and black mixture.
8. Prepare a large brown ball and beige hairs to create Jupiter.
9. This planet is the largest due to its unusual gas atmosphere. Apply beige stripes and draw rings in stacks to create a characteristic appearance.
10. Brown Saturn should have a skirt-shaped dust ring.
11. Uranium can be made from a blue-gray mass.
12. Neptune should be blue.
13. All planets of the solar system are ready. Now all that remains is to study space. And to assemble a single model, attach all the planets to the Sun with matches.
Here's an interesting astronomical modeling lesson we taught.
It’s no secret that all sorts of crafts that are assigned to our children at home in kindergartens and schools are actually assigned not to children at all, but to their parents :) And it often happens that either the child said about homework late, or we ourselves stretch out the “pleasure” - we delay with the creativity that suddenly fell on our shoulders until the last moment. And now tomorrow we need to take the craft to the garden/school (underline as necessary), but we have nothing ready yet. Well, it’s okay - let’s try to make a model of the solar system in one evening - quite common homework, especially for schoolchildren.
Of course, it’s better to have more time and start making the solar system with your own hands slowly. But if you happen to be Cinderella and in the evening you need to go through all the millet, peas, wheat to create, not just anything, but a model of the solar system, and not from banal plasticine, but to be guaranteed to get an “A”, then let’s not grumble, but Let's get down to business quickly. And of course, don’t forget to take a “colleague in misfortune” to help, the same one who will have to take the rap for your joint masterpiece the next day :)
When I faced a similar problem, of course, the first thing I did was go to the Internet to look for a ready-made solution. But none of the options found satisfied me. Everything was either too simple and banal, such as crafts made from plasticine or the Solar System from cut out paper circles-planets, or too time-consuming - the papier-mâché version would have looked pretty decent, but would have taken a lot of time to create. Therefore, it was decided to look for our own way. It occurred to me to use wet newspaper and glue. Surely, this method is not know-how and has its own name, but I am not aware of its existence. The technique has a bit in common with papier-mâché, only much faster. So let's get started.
To make planets we will need:
- Newspaper. The content doesn’t matter :), but there is still a requirement for quality - than worse quality, the better for us.
- Toilet paper or any other well-soaking paper. The quality requirements are the same.
- Glue. I had stationery PVA - it worked perfectly, I didn’t experiment with anything else.
Good news: until 2006, there were 9 planets in the solar system. In 2006, the last planet in the solar system, Pluto, was reclassified as a dwarf planet. For us, this means that we will have to do one less planet.
It also needs to be said that when making a model of the solar system, we will have to deviate from reality more than once. Let's take scale, for example. If you observe the scaling and ratio of the sizes of the planets, then compared to the Sun even Jupiter will be a baby, and even more so Mercury or even the Earth. The same goes for the distance between the planets' orbits and their inclinations. But we are not claiming astronomical accuracy, but only an A in the subject. Therefore, we will consider some deviations acceptable.
To maintain the approximate ratio of the planets, you can use the following scale:
Here you go, preparatory work completed, we proceed directly to production.
We take the newspaper and crumple it into a ball.
The result was a ball, but it was very uneven, with pieces of newspaper sticking out of it.
Now we wet the newspaper wad with water...
... and then squeeze it out, forming a ball at the same time.
It looks more like a planet, but still not enough.
Now wrap the ball in two or three layers toilet paper…
... and again moisten it with water.
Squeeze out the wad of paper again and form a ball.
It looks more like a planet now. The outer layer of paper seems to hold the newspaper lump together, preventing it from unfolding. The uneven surface creates the effect of the relief of the planet.
To finally secure the spherical shape, apply a little glue to your hands and distribute it over the surface of our ball.
The planet is ready, you can send it to drying. Making one planet, with some skill, takes no more than 2-3 minutes. You can dry it with any in an accessible way based on the time you have: a hairdryer, on a radiator, or in general in a natural way. You adjust the size of a particular planet with the amount of newspaper.
While the planets are drying up, let's take on outer space. It is very good to use a piece of plywood for these purposes. But if there is no plywood, you can use thick cardboard. Cut out a circle of suitable size from it. Suitable size in this case, it should be considered one that your child or you are able to drag to school/kindergarten. By the way, when making planets you should also focus on the size “ outer space"so that the planets don't turn out too small or too big.
Color the cut out circle according to your artistic abilities. I don't have any, so I just painted the plywood dark blue color acrylic interior paint on water based. Acrylic paint I didn’t use it on purpose, but simply because I had it.
This paint dries quite quickly, so after about twenty minutes you can apply stars to our celestial disk. The technology is simple: dip in white paint a pointed object (for example, a pencil) and touch it to the disk. You can even draw constellations or star clusters this way.
Hopefully by this point your planets are dry and ready to be painted.
Gouache works well for these purposes. We make rings for Saturn from cardboard.
After coloring, you send the planets to dry again.
After everything has dried, we need to fix the Sun and planets on the disk. If you are making a model of the solar system, so to speak, for home use, you just need to glue the planets. But if you want your work not to be in vain and to be guaranteed to survive transportation, you should use self-tapping screws. Screw the screw from below into the disk...
... and then screw up the planet. The order of the planets from the Sun is as follows: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
It should look something like this.
The solar system model is ready. If you have extra time, you can add additional “goodies” to your model: planetary satellites, comets, asteroids. Your model will only benefit from this.
Good luck with your technical creativity! And don’t forget to involve your children in making these kinds of crafts. After all, this is not only a way to expand their horizons and abilities, but also great option have a good and unusual time with your child.