Ten games with the flashcards

1. Planet Snap

Shuffle two sets together and deal them out. Players take turns turning a card face up onto a pile; when two cards in a row show the same body, the first to shout its name takes the pile. Print one set with Hide names ticked so players have to match a picture to a name.

Differentiation: Sun and planets only for younger children; the full set of forty-one for a challenge.

2. Human Solar System

Hand out the Sun and planet cards (add the dwarf planets and belts for older children). Without speaking, pupils arrange themselves in order of distance from the Sun along the room. Then give instructions: "Everyone farther out than Jupiter, sit down." "Rocky planets, put a hand up." "Anyone with rings, spin round."

Watch for: pupils placing the asteroid belt after Jupiter, and Pluto among the planets.

3. Who Am I?

One pupil holds a card facing away from themselves so the class can see it, and asks yes-or-no questions to work out what they are: "Am I a planet?" "Am I bigger than Earth?" "Do I have rings?" "Am I farther from the Sun than Mars?" Ten questions to get it. The fact on the card gives the class a final clue if needed.

4. Sort Relay

Label four hoops or table corners: Planets, Dwarf planets, Moons, Everything else (the Sun, belts, regions and the Voyagers). Teams race to sort a shuffled set one card at a time, relay style. A wrong placement sends the card back to the pile.

Differentiation: give lower-attaining teams a set with the type printed (the default) and stronger teams a set printed with Hide type and size.

5. Bigger or Smaller?

Deal the cards face down. Turn the first over. Before turning the next, each player says whether it will be bigger or smaller across than the last card, using the size printed on the card to check. Keep the card if you were right. Most cards wins.

Extension: play "nearer or farther from the Sun" instead, using the poster to check.

6. Speed Names

Print a set with Hide names ticked. Hold up cards one after another; the class shouts the name. Time a run through all the planets and try to beat the class record next week.

7. Solar Bingo

Each pupil draws a 3 by 3 grid and writes nine names in it from the poster. Draw cards and show only the picture (or read only the fact for older children). First full line wins, and must read their nine names back to the class.

8. Moon Match

Lay out the planet and dwarf planet cards face up. Shuffle the moon cards and deal them out. Players take turns placing a moon beside the body it orbits, saying its name. The card's type line says "Moon of Saturn", so play with Hide type and size ticked for the real challenge.

9. Pairs and Facts

Lay twelve cards face down. One pupil reads the fact from a card they hold; the others say which body it is, then turn cards to find it. A correct call keeps the card. Swap the reader each round.

10. Exit Ticket Draw

As pupils leave, each draws a card and tells you one thing about that body that is not printed on it. Note who reaches for the fact on the card and who has their own.