[hobbes78]

In elementary school I remember hearing the planets move in CIRCLES in THE SAME PLANE around the Sun.

In an atom, electrons would also move around the nucleus like a mini-solar system.

For seven and eight years old children, it's a fair simplification, I guess.

[JKCalhoun]

If I taught elementary school I would explain that planets move nearly in circles and often in the same plane.

It's not that elementary school children can only handle absolutes.