Download Moon Match

Moon Match
A Matching Game of Planets and Their Satellites
Topics: Astronomy, Solar
System, Planets & Their
Satellites
Materials List
 Blank playing cards
 Permanent markers
 Optional: 1 planet
& satellite data
table per player
Match the planets to the satellites in this quick-play card game.
Assembly
1. Create a set of cards by writing the name of a planet on 1 card and a
corresponding satellite (moon) on another card. (Note: Larger planets will have
more sets because they have a larger number of satellites.)
2. Make a play deck with 20 – 26 sets of planets and satellites.
Playing the Game (for 2-4 of players)
1. Place all cards face down, so the names of planets and satellites are hidden.
2. Optional: allow students to play the game with access to an information table
while they are learning the planets and satellites and/or to check for correct sets.
3. The first player selects two of the cards by turning them over.
4. If the player turns over a card of a planet name and a matching satellite, the
player collects that set of cards (removing them from play). This player gets
another turn. If the player does not find a set of cards, all players should try to
remember the objects on the cards. The cards are turned face down and the next
player takes a turn.
5. The game is over when players have matched and collected all sets.
6. The winner is the student that has the most matching sets.
The Science Behind the Activity
This activity can be used
to teach:
 Orbiting objects in the
solar system (Next
Generation Science
Standards: High
School, Earth and
Space Science 1-4)
The Solar System contains 1 star (the Sun), 8 planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), 10’s of satellites that orbit the planets, dwarf
planets (Pluto, Ceres, and Eris), 1000’s of asteroids that orbit the Sun, and billions of
comets. For our Solar System the planets orbit a star (the Sun) while satellites
(moons) orbit planets. Larger planets, gas giants like Jupiter, have more orbiting
satellites than the smaller, rocky planets, like Earth; the gas giants also all have rings.
All other objects seen in the night sky (stars; constellations, or groups of stars;
galaxies; nebulae) are outside of the solar system and trillions of miles away. In
August, 2006 the IAU redefined the term "planet" and classified Pluto, Ceres, and
Eris as dwarf planets.
Web Resources (Visit www.raft.net/raft-idea?isid=233 for more resources!)
For more information on the planets and satellites in the Solar System, go to:
 www.jpl.nasa.gov/solar_system/index.cfm
 www.windows.ucar.edu
 www.troynovant.com/Franson/Beatty/Xanthus/Solar-Moons-compare-800x.jpg
 For details about the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet:
solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Pluto&Display=Overview
Developed and written by Coral Clark (RAFT)
Copyright 2015, RAFT
Planet & Satellite List
Moon Match, Page 2
Planet
Satellite
Earth
Mars
Mars
Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn
Uranus
Uranus
Uranus
Uranus
Uranus
Neptune
Neptune
Neptune
Moon
Deimos
Phobos
Amalthea
Callisto
Europa
Ganymede
Io
Mimas
Enceladus
Tethys
Dione
Rhea
Titan
Hyperion
Iapetus
Phoebe
Miranda
Ariel
Umbriel
Titania
Oberon
Proteus
Triton
Nereid
Satellite
Diameter (km)
3476
8
28 x 20
262 x 134
4800
3126
5276
3629
398
498
1060
1120
1528
5150
360 x 226
1436
220
472
1160
1190
1580
1526
420
2705
340
Copyright 2015, RAFT