Solar system

• All pupils can recall the locations of the major features of the the solar system.

The Sun

• All pupils understand that our Sun is the result of a giant nuclear fusion reaction.
• All pupils understand that the heat and light of the Sun is the source of all life on Earth.
• All pupils understand the role our Sun plays in creating the seasons.
• Most pupils understand that the Earth orbits around the Sun due to the Sun's strong gravitational pull.
• Some pupils may understand that the Sun emits a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation including high-energy UV light that causes tanning.

Inner (Terrestrial) Planets

• All pupils will understand that the inner terrestrial planets have solid surfaces and are significantly smaller that the larger gas planets.

Mercury

• All pupils understand that Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
• All pupils recall that is a very small planet which is very hot on one side and very cold on the other side.
• Some pupils may understand why Mercury's surface temperature varies so wildly.

Venus

• All pupils understand that Venus' surface is 97% carbon dioxide.
• All pupils recall that Venus is the brightest object in the night sky and is therefore responsible for many UFO claims.

Earth

• Mostly harmless

Earth's Moon

• All pupils understand the role the Moon plays in creating the tides.
• Some pupils may understand how our Moon was formed.

Mars

• All pupils understand that unfortunately we have not yet found Martians; however we have (read "NASA's Phoenix mission has") found frozen water on (just under) the surface.
• Most pupils realise that Mars is not at all a "red" planet, it is in fact more like butterscotch.

Ceres

• I am deadly Ceres.
• All pupils recall that Ceres is a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt.

Asteroid Belt

• Not load-bearing.

Outer Planets (Gas Giants)

• All pupils understand that the gas giants are, as their name suggets, giant planets made of gas.

Jupiter

• All pupils recall that Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.
• Most pupils may recall that Jupiter has a large storm on it's surface - the "red spot".
• Some pupils will understand that Jupiter has two and half times the mass of all the other planets in the solar system combined.

Jupiter's moons

• Some pupils may recall that Jupiter has 63 moons.

Saturn

• All pupils recall that Saturn has rings.

Saturn's rings

• Most pupils recall that Saturn's rings are made of ice, dust and rocks.

Uranus

• All pupils can pronounce Uranus correctly as "yure-an-uss"
• Some pupils recall that Uranus is tilted through 98° (c.f. other planets).

Neptune

• All pupils realise that there's nothing particularly interesting about Neptune. It's a lovely blue colour though.
• Some pupils recall that Neptune has a series of rings similar to Saturn's, though much less well defined.

Comets

• Shooty

Outer Planets

• All pupils understand that being very far from the Sun means these planets are very cold.
• Most pupils recall that the outer planets are made of rock.

Pluto

• ALL pupils understand that Pluto IS a planet.

Eris

• Some pupils recall that Eris is the largest dwarf planet, more massive than Pluto.

Pupils should also be aware of how orbital period varies with distance from the Sun and that Pluto is not always the furthest planet from the Sun due to its odd orbit.