Astronomy is a fabulous theme for multiple ages. And it's perfect at any time of year.
At Living Montessori Now, I have a long list of free solar system printables. The free printables include my latest subscriber freebie (a Montessori-inspired solar system pack).
Here, I'm sharing ideas for using free solar system printables to create Montessori-inspired activities for preschoolers through first graders. You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities.
At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Montessori Shelves with Solar System Themed Activities
You’ll find Montessori-inspired solar system themed numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
I always have related books available throughout a unit. I often have at least one encyclopedic type of book available for each theme. The open book on the far right of the top shelf is a National Geographic book, Little Kids First Big Book of Space. It’s a beautiful book and perfect for any astronomy study for ages 4-8. This is a book you might want to get from the library rather than buying, though. I saw a number of reviewers saying the pages started to fall out. Our book just started to have that happen, too, even though it’s been carefully handled.
A book that I really like is the DK Smithsonian Picturepedia as a reference for many unit studies. I don't have it on the shelf, but it has a nice section on the solar system. It’s for ages 8-12, but the pictures are wonderful for any age.
Planets is a National Geographic reader. Like their other readers, the book is wonderful for beginning readers as well as younger preschoolers.
Free Printable: Planets Mini Book from 123 Homeschool 4 Me (Other good options are Solar System Little Book from The Helpful Garden or Solar System Mini Book - Portrait or Solar System Mini Book - Landscape by Pat Holland at Teachers Pay Teachers)
My 4½-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, loves little books, so I often like to have little books available. This was extremely easy to assemble! There's also a black and white version for coloring, which I might print out later in the month.
You could mix your solar-system-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special solar system-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.
Solar System and Meteor Books and Meteorite Observation and Division Tray
Free Printables: Solar System Numbers and Division Equation Symbols (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
Meteors is a fascinating National Geographic reader with the usual gorgeous photographs. The Solar System is from a set of 6 science vocabulary readers with easy-to-understand scientific concepts.
I have a number of other space and solar system books in book baskets.
I prepared this tray because of Zoey's recent fascination with "shooting stars." She has always loved rocks as well, so I wanted to include at least one real meteorite in our solar system study. A lot of the meteorites cost more than I wanted to spend, but I like this set of 6 small meteorites that were found in Argentina. I added a magnet from our magnet unit to the tray, since the pieces of meteorite are magnetic!
Hands-on Division Using Stuffed Animals and the Meteorite Observation and Division Tray
For homeschools, I think it's fun to use stuffed animals as "classmates" when needed. (As homeschoolers, my now-adult kids even loved getting valentines from their stuffed animals!) I knew Zoey would view the meteorites as treasures, which she did, so they were perfect as objects for hands-on division. (Note: We use Montessori Services rugs for floor layouts.) |
| Dividing 6 Pieces of Meteorite Among 6 Stuffed Animals |
First, Zoey did the problem for 6 divided by 6. She divided the meteorite pieces among 6 stuffed animals, saying, "One for you," "one for you," "one for you" and so on until the meteorites were all passed out. Then she completed the equation using the solar system number and symbol cards.
Next, I had Zoey put away 3 stuffed animals and divide the meteorites among the 3 stuffed animals.
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| Dividing 6 Pieces of Meteorite Among 6 Stuffed Animals |
Then Zoey put away another stuffed animal and divided the meteorites between the 2 stuffed animals, ending up with the equation 6÷2=3
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| Dividing 6 Pieces of Meteorite by 1 Stuffed Animal |
Last, Zoey completed the equation 6÷1=6.
Zoey loved this work, both because of the meteorites and the hands-on division with stuffed animals.
Order of Planets Activity with Number Cards and Labels for Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers
Free Printables: Solar System Numbers and Numeral and Word Labels for Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
I used the Safari Ltd Safariology Solar System sun and planets. Mine were from the Montessori By Mom Space Explorer Toolbox, although the Safari Ltd. planets are available on Amazon as well. I placed everything on a Multicraft tray.
I use Montessori Services rugs for floor layouts. I have a possible layout shown here, using all the number cards and labels for cardinal and ordinal numbers 1-8. The words are for readers.
Younger children could just match the main number cards to sandpaper numbers or match the number cards to the ordinal numbers.
Your child can look at the order of the planets in the number card images as reference. I'll be publishing a post that includes songs about the order of the planets, too!
Letter "y" Font Card with Sandpaper Letter and Movable Alphabets
Free Printables: Y font card with cursive y (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
I used the y sandpaper letter simply as a way of focusing on the difference between the manuscript and cursive y. There are so many different ways to reinforce letter sounds and letter formation. If you look at my previous themes, you'll find lots of different ideas for language activities, depending on your child's age and skill level.
If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.
For the movable alphabet work, I used a traditional small wooden movable alphabet. You can just use the solar system movable alphabet for word building, or you can match letters from the two sets. You can't see the letters in the Montessori Services basket from this angle, but those are the solar system movable alphabet letters from my subscriber pack.
Year "ear" Phonogram Card and Booklet
Free Printables: “ear” year font cards (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Free Printable: "ear" Sound with Letters from MontessoriSoul This is so easy to prepare, yet it isolates the “ear” phonogram very well. I have a post and video on how to introduce words starting with phonograms, even with very young children.
Space Book with Glow-in-the-Dark Planets and Solar System Cards
Free Printable: Solar System Cards from Research Parent
The Usborne Look Inside Space book (book depository or Amazon) has over 60 flaps and is a fun way to explore space facts.
I have two sets of glow-in-the-dark planets - larger planets and smaller ones. They're the same except for the size. These aren't high-quality materials, but Zoey loves them because they glow in the dark well.
We actually had the larger set from her toilet learning time as a toddler. I have a bathroom without windows off my kitchen. Zoey found the bathroom much more interesting when we were looking at glow-in-the-dark planets and dinosaurs while in there!
The two sizes of planets work especially well for matching and planet order. A string comes with the planets. I added it to the smaller set so a child can string the planets in order.
The solar system cards have lots of interesting solar system facts. They can be used for a variety of levels, including basic matching.
Note: For an elementary-age child, I think a solar system model kit would make a wonderful project. It would make a great family project, too!
Planets Sort, Inner Planets Sort, and Outer Planets Sort
Free Printable: Solar System Activity: Planets Sort from Raise the Bar Reading at Teachers Pay Teachers (You could add some pages from Order of the Planets Bundle by Adaptive Tasks and More at Teachers Pay Teachers if you want added work with the order of the planets)
Zoey knows the order of the planets from chanting and songs. You can use the second link above for an older child who would like a mnemonic device to help remember the order of planets.
Readers could complete this work independently. Non-readers could complete it with an adult or older child reading the fact cards. This is especially good after reading a number of solar system books. This can be used as a cut-and-paste activity or reusable activity.
More Free Solar System Printables
Go to my post at Living Montessori Now for links to free solar system printables from around the blogosphere: Free Solar System Printables and Montessori-Inspired Solar System Activities. And be sure to subscribe to my email list if you'd like to get an exclusive free printable each month (plus two more awesome freebies right away): Free Printables.More Astronomy Activities and Resources
- Astronaut Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Astronomy Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Star and Constellation Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Moon Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Solar System Activities and World Space Week Blog Hop
- Montessori-Inspired Astronomy Units
- Montessori-Inspired Moon Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Montessori-Inspired Phases-of-the-Moon Playdough Tray
- Free Moon Printables and Montessori-Inspired Moon Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Moon Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
- Free Moon Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Moon Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- The Best Moon Books for Kids
- Free Star and Constellation Printables and Montessori-Inspired Constellation Activities
- Fun Montessori Hundred Board Extension – Count 100 Glow-in-the-Dark Stars
- The Ultimate Star and Constellation Unit
- The Best Star and Constellation Books for Kids
- Free Constellations Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Create a Glow-in-the-Dark Constellation with Dictation or Writing Tray
- Free Constellation Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Astronomy Cards from KHT Montessori
- Astronomy Unit Study Pinterest Board
I hope you're having a wonderful autumn!
Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 43 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.
