Year 5 Earth and Space Worksheet - Intermediate

Year 5 Earth and Space worksheet for Year 5 (Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)). Intermediate level science practice, aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Print-ready with answer key included.

Science•Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)•Earth and Spaceintermediate

27 views

Earth and Space: Our Moving Solar System

Year 5 • Ages 9–10 • Intermediate

Name:

Date:

Score:

Instructions: Explore the planets and how Earth and the Moon move. Read each task carefully, use the information provided, and write your answers in the boxes. Remember that scientific explanations should say what happens and why.

The planets in order

Use the word bank to complete each sentence. The planets are listed in order from the Sun, but the word bank is mixed up. Use each planet name once.

Word bank: Neptune, Earth, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Saturn

1. The closest planet to the Sun is ___.

2. The planet between Venus and Mars is ___.

3. The largest planet in the Solar System is ___.

4. The planet with prominent rings is ___.

5. The furthest planet from the Sun is ___.

Planet facts: choose the best answer

Read each question and circle the correct answer. Think about what makes each planet distinctive.

1. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?

2. Which planet is hottest on average because of its thick atmosphere?

3. Which planet is famous for its large, visible ring system?

4. Which planet is our home?

Earth’s rotation and day and night

Answer each question in a clear sentence or phrase. Use the fact that Earth spins on its axis once roughly every 24 hours.

1. What is the name of the movement Earth makes as it spins on its axis?

2. About how long does Earth take to complete one rotation?

3. Why is it daytime for places on the side of Earth facing the Sun?

4. Why is it night-time for places on the side of Earth facing away from the Sun?

5. If it is daytime in one place, why can it be night-time in another place at the same moment?

The Moon’s movement

Use the information in the table to answer the questions. Remember: the Moon orbits Earth, while Earth also rotates on its axis.

Object	Movement	What it moves around	Approximate time
Earth	Rotates on its axis	Its own axis	24 hours
Moon	Orbits	Earth	About 1 month
Earth	Orbits	The Sun	About 1 year

1. Which object in the table orbits Earth?

2. About how long does one Earth rotation take?

3. What does Earth orbit?

4. Which takes longer: one Earth rotation or one Moon orbit around Earth?

Explain what is happening

Complete each explanation using what you have learnt about movement in space. Include a reason in each answer rather than giving only a one-word response.

1. A pupil says, “The Sun moves around Earth each day.” Explain what is really happening to cause the Sun to appear to move across the sky.

2. The Moon looks different in the sky at different times of the month. What movement of the Moon helps explain its changing position around Earth?

3. Earth is lit by the Sun, but only one half faces the Sun at a time. Explain how this causes day and night as Earth spins.

Put the space movements in order

Write 1, 2 and 3 in the boxes to show a repeating sequence that explains how one place on Earth moves from daytime into night-time and back again. Each event is shown out of order.

___ The place turns to face away from the Sun, so it is night-time.

___ The place turns to face the Sun, so it is daytime.

___ Earth continues rotating, bringing the place around towards the Sun again.

Answer Key

Activity 1: 1. Mercury ; 2. Earth ; 3. Jupiter ; 4. Saturn ; 5. Neptune

Activity 2: 1. Mars ; 2. Venus ; 3. Saturn ; 4. Earth

Activity 3: 1. Rotation ; 2. About 24 hours (one day) ; 3. That side faces the Sun and receives its light ; 4. That side faces away from the Sun and receives little or no direct sunlight ; 5. Earth is a sphere and rotates, so different places face towards or away from the Sun at the same time

Activity 4: 1. The Moon ; 2. About 24 hours ; 3. The Sun ; 4. One Moon orbit around Earth

Activity 5: 1. Earth rotates on its axis, making the Sun appear to move across the sky ; 2. The Moon orbits Earth ; 3. As Earth rotates, a place moves into the side facing the Sun (day) and then the side facing away from it (night)

Activity 6: 1. The place turns to face the Sun, so it is daytime ; 2. The place turns to face away from the Sun, so it is night-time ; 3. Earth continues rotating, bringing the place around towards the Sun again