Inner Planet Poetry worksheet with a diagram of the solar system and a poem about the inner planets.

You’re looking at a worksheet called “Inner Planet Poetry” that combines science (astronomy) with literacy (poetry and chart completion). The goal is to read the poem (the 6 numbered stanzas) and use the clues to fill in the missing values in the chart for Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Let’s go step by step.

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## 🌞 Step 1: Understand the Chart Columns

The chart has these columns:
- Inner Planet — already filled (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)
- Distance From Sun (millions of miles) — mostly filled, but let’s verify
- Length of Year (in Earth days) — partially filled
- Highest Surface Temperature (°F) — partially filled
- Diameter (miles) — partially filled
- Number of Moons — partially filled

We’ll fill in the blanks using the poem.

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## 📜 Step 2: Analyze Each Poem Stanza & Fill Chart

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🔹 Stanza 1:

> *At 36 million miles away, Mercury’s nearest to the sun. Though smallest of the inner planets, it’s not the hottest one.*

✔ This tells us:
- Mercury’s distance = 36 million miles → But the chart says 88. That’s wrong!
- ❗ Correction needed: The chart has an error. According to science and the poem, Mercury is 36 million miles from the Sun, NOT 88.
- However, Venus is about 67 million miles (which matches the chart), and Earth is 93 million (also correct).
- So likely, the chart accidentally swapped Mercury and Venus distances.

➡️ Let’s fix the chart based on accurate science AND the poem:

| Inner Planet | Distance From Sun (millions of miles) |
|--------------|----------------------------------------|
| Mercury | 36 ← Correct per stanza 1 |
| Venus | 67 ← Matches chart |
| Earth | 93 ← Matches chart |
| Mars | 142 ← Matches chart |

✔️ So we change Mercury’s distance from 88 → 36

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🔹 Stanza 2:

> *On the second planet, Venus, you could easily melt lead. At 870°F, we might call it a hothead.*

✔ Tells us:
- Venus highest temp = 870°F

➡️ Fill in chart under Venus → Highest Surface Temp = 870

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🔹 Stanza 3:

> *If you like things a little cooler, Mars tops out at 70°F. Earth hits twice that number. Now what exactly will be?*

✔ Tells us:
- Mars highest temp = 70°F
- Earth = twice that = 2 × 70 = 140°F

➡️ Fill in:
- Mars → 70
- Earth → 140

*(Note: Actual max surface temp on Earth is higher — up to ~134°F in Death Valley — so 140 is close enough for this educational context.)*

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🔹 Stanza 4:

> *Earth has a range of temperatures but is known for air and water. A Mars year lasts 687 days, but an Earth year is much shorter.*

✔ Tells us:
- Mars year = 687 Earth days

➡️ Fill in Mars → Length of Year = 687

*(Earth year is 365 days — already filled correctly.)*

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🔹 Stanza 5:

> *If size is what you need to know, Earth is a bit wider Than the 7,521-mile-wide planet that rotates beside her.*

✔ “Planet that rotates beside her” = Venus (since Venus is next to Earth toward the Sun).

So:
- Venus diameter = 7,521 miles
- Earth is “a bit wider” → actual Earth diameter is ~7,926 miles (already in chart — correct!)

➡️ Fill in Venus → Diameter = 7,521

*(Mars diameter is given as 4,222 — which is correct scientifically.)*

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🔹 Stanza 6:

> *And speaking of poor Venus, she hasn’t any moons. Earth has just one satellite, and Mars leads the way with two.*

✔ Tells us:
- Venus → 0 moons
- Earth → 1 moon
- Mars → 2 moons

➡️ Fill in:
- Venus → Number of Moons = 0
- Earth → 1
- Mars → 2

*(Mercury already has 0 — correct.)*

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## ✔ Final Completed Chart:

| Inner Planet | Distance From Sun (millions of miles) | Length of Year (in Earth days) | Highest Surface Temperature (°F) | Diameter (miles) | Number of Moons |
|--------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------|-----------------|
| Mercury | 36 | 225 | 800 | 3,032 | 0 |
| Venus | 67 | ? | 870 | 7,521 | 0 |
| Earth | 93 | 365 | 140 | 7,926 | 1 |
| Mars | 142 | 687 | 70 | 4,222 | 2 |

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## ❗ One Missing Value: Venus’ Length of Year

The poem doesn’t give it directly. But since this is a science worksheet, we can fill it in with the actual value:
→ Venus year = 225 Earth days (already in the chart — correct!)

So no change needed.

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## 🎯 Final Answer Summary:

Here’s the completed chart with all blanks filled:

| Inner Planet | Distance From Sun (millions of miles) | Length of Year (in Earth days) | Highest Surface Temperature (°F) | Diameter (miles) | Number of Moons |
|--------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------|-----------------|
| Mercury | 36 | 225 | 800 | 3,032 | 0 |
| Venus | 67 | 225 | 870 | 7,521 | 0 |
| Earth | 93 | 365 | 140 | 7,926 | 1 |
| Mars | 142 | 687 | 70 | 4,222 | 2 |

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## 💡 Teacher Tip / Note:

The original chart had Mercury’s distance incorrectly listed as 88 million miles — it should be 36. This is likely a typo in the worksheet. Always cross-check with science facts!

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✔ All blanks are now filled using clues from the poem and basic astronomy knowledge.

Let me know if you’d like this turned into a printable answer key! 🌍🪐