THE SOLAR SYSTEM:
VENUS

PLANET VENUS LESSON

Directions:

Print the Planet Venus reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

          When you look up into the night sky, the brightest “star” you see is probably the planet Venus.  Maybe that's why the Romans named it for their goddess of love and beauty.  But Venus is not a star.  It does not make its own light.  It reflects light from the sun.  Venus is the second planet from the sun.  It is 67 million miles away from the sun. 

     Because Venus is about the same size as Earth, it is sometimes called Earth's twin sister.  Gravity on Venus is about nine-tenths of Earth's gravity.  If you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 91 pounds on Venus. The diameter of Venus is 7,520 miles or 12,100 km.  Venus' surface is similar to Earth's, except there is no water.  It has mountains, valleys, plains, and volcanoes.  Scientists think the volcanoes may still be erupting.

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