The Planets (Grades K-5)

What does Jupiter sound like? How about Mars? Find out in this creative activity for all ages.  

A composer named Gustave Holst (1874-1934) composed an orchestral suite called “The Planets.” Pick one of the planets to listen to at the bottom of this page.

What You Need

• Your imagination
• Paper
• Crayons, pen or pencil
• A device to play the YouTube videos below

What To Do

1. Draw a picture or write a story about what you might find on the planet, based on what you hear in the music. (Use your imagination! It doesn’t have to be based in fact.)
2. If you have permission, listen to the music outside while looking up at the night sky.
3. Listen to the musical elements in the piece you chose. What tempo do you hear? What dynamics do you notice? 

Mercury:

Venus:

Earth:

 Mars:

Jupiter:

Saturn:

Uranus: 

Neptune: