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Planet Creation

Activity

Create Your Own Planet

Create your own planet and be sure to give it a name! What features will it have? What kind of life exists there? Start with a ball of some kind and decorate with various materials, creating physical features to match your description.
a man and child making a model of the solar system with painted Styrofoam spheres
A child standing next to a parts from a model of the solar system
Artwork of the solar system with planets orbiting the sun

Science Seed

The sun is a star. There are many stars in the universe, and some have planets orbiting around them. Our solar system is made up of 8 planets orbiting around the sun. Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun and is the only planet that is inhabited by living things. We have one moon. Other planets have several moons and some have rings around them. 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, almost all of which is salty ocean water. Earth’s surface also has mountains, valleys, glaciers made of ice, lakes, rocks, and rivers. Earth is surrounded by a protective layer of atmosphere that allows life to exist. Some things to consider when designing your own imaginary planet: How large is your planet? Is it small and rocky like Mars, or a large ball of gas like like Jupiter? Is the atmosphere breathable with oxygen like Earth, or does it have toxic sulfuric acid clouds like Venus? How far is it from its star (sun)? Is it very hot or cold? How many moons or rings does it have? What kind of geologic features does it have? Does it have oceans, mountains or continents like Earth? What is the climate like? Are there intelligent beings on your planet? What do they look like?
botany jar illustration

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.
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