Year 7 Science – Term 3 (WA Curriculum): Our Solar System and Earth's Place in Space

What this unit covers

In Term 3, Year 7 Science in the WA Curriculum centres on the unit “Our Solar System and Earth's Place in Space”.

Students explore the distinguishing features of planets in our solar system and investigate predictable phenomena on Earth caused by its position relative to the Sun and Moon.

Lesson sequence (30 lessons)

The unit breaks down into the following lesson-by-lesson sequence — each title below is a teachable lesson, in order:

1. Introduction to Our Solar System: What Makes Each Planet Unique
2. Measuring and Comparing Planet Sizes in Our Solar System
3. Investigating Planet Composition: Rocky vs Gas Giants
4. Exploring Temperature Variations Across the Planets
5. Mapping Planet Orbits: Distance from the Sun
6. Discovering How Planets Rotate on Their Axes
7. Understanding Planetary Axis Tilt and Its Effects
8. Counting and Comparing Moons of Different Planets
9. Creating a Solar System Model with Planet Features
10. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge of the Night Sky
11. Traditional Star Maps and Seasonal Navigation
12. Comparing Scientific and Indigenous Astronomy Knowledge
13. Earth's Position in Space: Our Relationship with the Sun
14. Why Earth Has Seasons: Tilt and Orbit Combined
15. Investigating Seasonal Differences Around the Globe
16. Summer and Winter Solstices Explained
17. Understanding Spring and Autumn Equinoxes
18. Earth's Relationship with the Moon
19. Observing and Recording Moon Phases Over Time
20. Predicting the Lunar Cycle: New Moon to Full Moon
21. Why We See Different Moon Shapes Throughout the Month
22. Solar Eclipses: When the Moon Blocks the Sun
23. Lunar Eclipses: Earth's Shadow on the Moon
24. Predicting When Eclipses Will Occur
25. Understanding Tides: Moon and Sun's Gravitational Pull
26. High Tide and Low Tide Patterns Around Australia
27. How Moon Phases Affect Tidal Strength
28. Investigating Day and Night Cycles on Different Planets
29. Comparing Earth's Phenomena with Other Planets
30. Designing a Space Mission Using Solar System Knowledge

Curriculum codes in this unit

Content codes:

Reading the codes: WA codes (the ones starting with WA) pack the year level, learning area, strand and content number into one string, while the national Australian Curriculum v9 uses a different anatomy that starts with AC9 — same content family, different labels. Our complete WA Curriculum guide decodes both, character by character.

Planning notes for Term 3

WA terms run roughly 9–11 weeks, and in 2026 Term 3 runs from Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September — 10 weeks for WA public schools. With 30 lessons in this unit, that leaves breathing room for assessment, moderation and the weeks that disappear to carnivals, camps and public holidays — plan the assessable work to land two to three weeks before the end of term rather than in the final week.