Lesson Plan
BSCS Science Learning

Bscs: Global Night Sky Comparison

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This inquiry invites students to investigate human impacts on the environment. Specifically, students will examine the relationship between human population, light pollution, and how brightly celestial objects like stars appear in the...
eBook
Unite for Literacy

Unite for Literacy: Earth and Sky: The Night Sky

For Students 1st - 2nd
Read about the sights you can see in a clear night sky. Book includes audio narration in 16 additional languages with text in English.
PPT
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Moon in the Sky

For Students K - 1st
Students observe representational images and use as evidence to describe how the Moon is visible in the day and night sky. The digital slideshow is used to provide students with the opportunity to observe and describe how the Moon can be...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: "Fireflies in the Garden"

For Students 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] A poem by Robert Frost about fireflies in the night sky. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Seeing in the Dark

For Students 1st - 9th
While you won't find the full movie here, there are extensive learning opportunities available to discover the many stars in the sky. Students and teachers will find all sorts of activities, facts, and lessons.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Moon in the Day and Night Sky: Lesson Plan

For Students K - 1st
Observe that the Moon is visible in the sky during the day and night with this GBH lesson plan. Students will use evidence from observations, both firsthand and through media, to describe that the Moon can be visible at different times...
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Our Sky

For Teachers K - 1st
What objects are in the day sky and the night sky? How do they seem to move? Come and explore with us as we discover the sun, moon, planets and stars! This detailed lesson plan includes pictures and videos of the activity in action,...
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Phases of the Moon

For Students Pre-K - 1st
When we look up at the night sky, why do we see the Moon's appearance changing over time from a full sphere to a crescent to nothing at all? Find the answers in this interactive resource adapted from the National Air and Space Museum.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: The Moon and the Stars

For Students 3rd - 5th
When you are in the city, only a few of the brightest stars are visible. But when you are in the country, you can see many more stars than you can count. Sometimes you can even see the bright belt of our galaxy, the Milky Way. In this...
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Where Did All the Stars Go?

For Students 3rd - 5th
If you live in a big city or urban area it is hard to see many stars at night. In most urban areas only the most brilliant stars, planets and the moon can be seen. This is because of something called light pollution which is the...
Lesson Plan
BSCS Science Learning

Bscs: Globe at Night Dark Skies

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this inquiry, students predict the best place to stargaze in Arizona based on the brightness of the night sky. Students are introduced to the concept of light pollution and Globe at Night, a global citizen science project in which...
Lesson Plan
BSCS Science Learning

Bscs: Globe at Night Dark Skies

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this inquiry, students predict the best place to stargaze in Arizona based on the brightness of the night sky. Students are introduced to the concept of light pollution and Globe at Night, a global citizen science project in which...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Origin of Countless Conspiracy Theories

For Students 9th - 10th
Why can we find geometric shapes in the night sky? How can we know that at least two people in London have exactly the same number of hairs on their head? And why can patterns be found in just about any text - even Vanilla Ice lyrics?...
Activity
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Bill Nye: Once in a Mega Moon

For Students 3rd - 8th
Bill Nye explains why the moon appears smaller when it is higher in the sky, and he presents a Home Demo experiment that proves its an illusion. The experiment requires a bright moon on a clear night, a stiff piece of cardboard, and a...
Activity
NASA

Astronomical Society of the Pacific: Telescope Treasure Hunt

For Students 9th - 10th
This hands-on astronomy activity lets learners hunt for different objects in the night sky that contribute to stellar and planetary formation, using a Treasure List. They will learn how stars and their planets form and will find objects...
Website
Other

Sea and Sky: The Constellations

For Students 9th - 10th
Is that a lion in the sky? Find out what the constellations are, how they were named, and when stargazers might see specific ones throughout the year.
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Phases of the Moon

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the phases of the moon and why the moon appears to change shape in the night sky throughout the month.
Website
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Equatorial Coordinates Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Using equatorial coordinates, observers will examine the position of a star over the course of the night sky in this simulation.
Website
Other

Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a site on astronomy in general. If you are into astrophotography, you can find out what is happening in the heavens! Jack Horkheimer is also seen on PBS. You can access the 5 or 1 minute shows on this site.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey: Let the North Star Tell You Where

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Through this lesson, students will understand how to determine latitude and locate specific stars in the night sky. They will also have a chance to build and use an astrolabe.
Handout
Environmental Education for Kids

Eek!: Be the Change: Light Pollution?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Light pollution is a particular concern in urban areas as people cannot enjoy looking at the night sky and all this light is being wasted.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs: Rough Science Island Observatory

For Teachers 9th - 10th
PBS site asks users to imagine that they are stranded on a tropical island. Provides experiments for users to calculate time at night and to identify what is in the night sky.
Article
Other

Japan News: The Night Hell Fell From the Sky

For Students 9th - 10th
A powerful article written for a Japanese publication about an event rarely touched in World War 2 history. That is the fire bombing of Tokyo, which killed over 100,000 on March 10th, 1945. Students of the Cold War might recognize some...
Handout
Other

University of Leicester: Comets, Asteroids & Meteorites

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a general overview of comets, asteroids, and meteorites. Content includes ways to identify them in the night sky, as well as detailed information on each type of small body.