Learning Map Where we’re up to

The solar system (age 11+)

Your child can describe the solar system in detail. They know a planet, a moon, an asteroid, and a comet apart. Planets nearer the Sun take less time to go round it.

In curriculum terms

Describe the detailed structure of the solar system, including moons, asteroids, and comets, compare orbital periods and distances of the planets, and distinguish between planets, dwarf planets, and other bodies

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

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Try this together

If your child was making a model of the solar system, could they describe the difference between a planet, a moon, an asteroid, and a comet — and explain why planets closest to the Sun take less time to complete an orbit?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Naming the Planetsages 5–8Describing the detailed solar system structure including moons, asteroids, and comets requires all this vocabulary
The solar systemages 9–10Detailed solar system structure (moons, asteroids, comets, orbital periods) extends KS2 overview of planets orbiting the Sun
The solar system (age 11+)this skill · ages 11–12
Unlocks
Universal Gravitationages 12–13Explaining orbital motion as gravity-driven centripetal force requires knowing what is in orbit (planets, moons) from the solar system topic
Finding Exoplanetsages 11–13Exoplanet detection depends on understanding the detailed structure of the solar system
Why We Have Seasonsages 11–12Knowing the solar system's structure and Earth's orbital path provides context for understanding axial tilt and seasons

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 ACARA · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9S6U02low confidenceYear 6 · Science understanding

describe the movement of Earth and other planets relative to the sun and model how Earth’s tilt, rotation on its axis and revolution around the sun relate to cyclic observable phenomena, including variable day and night length

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S6U07low confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science Understanding strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

All Space Systems & Earth's History skills →