Curated OER
The Solar System and Beyond: The Moon
Here is a very basic look at the moon and its positioning around our planet. The pictures and labels here show different phases and will help your space explorers understand our changing views of the moon along with the Earth's tilt and...
Curated OER
Around the Sun We Go
Sixth graders complete a short survey on the relationship between the Earth and the Sun. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they test the angle of the Earth and compare it to the sun. To end the lesson plan, they...
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Investigating the Dynamic Martian Polar Caps
Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.
Curated OER
Solar Eclipse
Students demonstrate the revolution of the moon around the earth and the effect of its direct alignment in between the earth and the sun.
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Charon, the largest of Pluto's moons, was discovered in 1978. Lesson is a walk through of how to solve for the phases of Charon. It uses two different points on Pluto and takes into account the tilt of the pole, the rotational axis, and...
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Cloudy vs. Clear
Students analyze line plots. In this weather lesson plan using real NASA data, students discuss how weather affects the way the Earth is heated by comparing different line plots.
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The Seasons
Learners determine the effect of the earth's tilt on the amount of incoming solar radiation throughout the year. They simulate the earth's orbit around the sun using a light bulb and a globe to simulate the seasons. Assessment questions...
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Reasons for Seasons
Young scholars model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the...
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Cut and Paste Moon Phases Activity
In this phases of the moon worksheet, students are given pictures of the phases of the moon and they cut them out and paste them to a diagram with the names of the phases. They answer questions about the moon, the phases and the rotation...
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Student Exploration: Summer and Winter
In this recognizing the seasons online/interactive worksheet, students explore the Earth's positions and determine the summer and winter season. Students answer 21 short answer questions
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Pluto, although no longer considered a planet, has five moons. Pluto's moon, Charon, is the focus of a resource that describes how the moon is viewed from the surface of Pluto. Photos help individuals see how Charon would look at...
Curated OER
Celebrating the Solstice and Equinox
Fourth graders graph the number of daylight hors throughout the year and examine why day length varies. They discover that seasonal changes and latitude on Earth affect the number of hours of daylight in each day. Students listen to...
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Our Universe: Always Moving, Always Changing
Students explore the main concepts of astronomy through the eleven lessons of this unit. The past, present, and future methods of studying the science are examined in this unit.
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Reasons for the Seasons
Students discover how the Earth's axis of rotation affects the angle of sunlight and the length of day. They take a survey and give the survey out to family members and friends. They tally their findings and then determine the correct...
Curated OER
Our Solar System
Students analyze the theories of the formation of the universe and solar system. Students analyze planetary motion and the physical laws that explain that motion: Rotation, Revolution, Apparent diurnal motions of the stars, sun, and...
Curated OER
Tracking Sunrise and Sunset
Students collect, record, and graph the sunrise and sunset times. They explain how the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun produces the seasons.
Curated OER
The Analemma
Middle schoolers describe the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun, by learning about analemmas. They determine what they can do to show that the sun's position doesn't change, and they find...
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Mars Calendar Project
Students design a calendar that displays time on Mars. They explore the differences between time on Earth and time on Mars while making the calendar.
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Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?
Students use NASA satellite data to correlate cloud cover over Africa to the solar declination.
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Students explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.
Curated OER
Mars
After reading a short excerpt about the planet named after the Roman god of war, Mars, your class will answer four comprehension questions. The activity challenges them to fold over the paper and answer the questions without referring...
Curated OER
The Solstices
Compare surface temperatures when the solstice occurs in the different hemispheres. Young scientists draw conclusions from their investigation of data collected using spreadsheets and a globe.
Curated OER
What Causes the Seasons?
Third graders investigate why the seasons occur throughout the year. They read a traditional wisdom story pertaining to the seasons. They create their own wisdom stories about the seasons and act them out for the class.