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Planets of the Solar System
Pupils use the internet to research the planets in the solar system. Using the information they collect, they design and create a webpage with the data. They present their material to the class and answer any questions presented to them.
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Exploring the Solar System
Students are introduced to the nine planets and countless moons of the solar system. Using the internet, they research one of the planets to determine if a manned mission to the planet would be possible. They share their information...
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The 'Solar' System Past and Present
Students identify cardinal and intermediate directions, recognize that models changes due to new or improved observations and technology, identify the major characteristics of the planets including their positions in the solar system,...
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Solar System Lesson Plan
Students explore the internet to answer specific questions about the solar system. They use worksheets to record information about planets. Students increase awareness of the solar system through exploration of websites.
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Inner Planets
Students create a booklet about the inner planets after researching the characteristics of each planet. Students research the following items for each planet: moons, size, rotation, orbit, atmosphere, an interesting fact. Their final...
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Solar System Socratic Questions
High schoolers reflect on and discuss theories of how the solar system was formed. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence to relate the formation of the solar system and the age of the Earth.
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Our Solar System
Third graders describe the composition of our solar system. They recognize the names of the planets in our solar system and compare and contrast the nine planets that orbit the sun.
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Planetary Problem Solving
Students create their own planet. They determine its diameter, density, composition, mass and orbit. Students create a list of elements necessary to sustain human life. They present their model to the class.
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Phases of the Moon
Students use a simple physical model of the Earth, sun, and moon to understand why the moon changes phases from the perspective of Earthly observers. They hold up balls representing the moon in a room with a single light source to see...
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Sun Path: Interactive On-line Mac or PC
Students use SunPath in the yearly mode to investigate seasonal changes in sunrise, sunset, length of day and sun altitude at their own latitude. Sun Path JAVA applet uses equations for a spherical Earth to calculate the sunrise and...
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Planets or Not, Here We Come!
Learners, working in groups, research planets in terms of the size, temperature, number of moons, and potential for life. They use packets and worksheets as guides for their research. Students may role-play as aliens visiting their...
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Scale Model of the Solar System
Young scholars work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. Students know that earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and...
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Tracking down Good Information on the Web
Fifth graders brainstorm on whiteboard Web authorship and what they think they need to know about information on a website in order to judge its content. They research the solar system websites and present them to the class with their...
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The Great Planetary Debate
Students' are given a research sheet to complete in small groups. They are to select a planet or moon to research using the Internet. With this research and their completed form, each group defends their planet or moon in a debate...
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Space Science: Constellations and the Sun
Students review the zodiac signs and illustrate their movement using constellations on the wall and themselves to represent earth. Individually or in groups, they stand in the center of the room while a shadeless lamp is placed between...
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Space the Next Frontier
Students examine the use of space as the frontier of the future. Using the colonist's experience coming to the New World, they identify challenges they would face if they were to settle in space. As a class, they share what they already...
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Embrace Space
Young scholars use the internet to gather informatino about the solar system and space. In groups, they create a slideshow in which they use illustrations from the internet and include their own text. They complete the lesson by going on...
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Earth, Sun and Moon
Pupils investigate that the sun is at the center of the solar system through role play. One student is the sun and one student is the Earth. The students then show how the Earth orbits around the sun. Pupils view a flashlight and globe...
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Solar System Name Tags
Students participate in four activities that will get them to know each other and the celestial bodies of the solar system. Students take the name of a celestial body. Students stand up one at a time, say their celestial body name and...
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Not So Lost in Space
Students investigate how engineers navigate satellites in orbit around the Earth and on their way to other planets in the solar system. They study vocabulary words and participate in studying a satellite by learning about times and...
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Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...
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The Magic School Bus Lost in Space
Learners identify the planets by making two models of the Solar System. They create a model that shows the order of the planets and a model that shows the planets sizes as compared to one another. They may write about the planet they...
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Astronomy
Pupils brainstorm about what they know about the solar system. They study a planetary fact sheet and create a Venn Diagram with the information. They work in groups to examine the names of the planets and information regarding each of...
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A Tour of the Solar System
Young scholars construct a spacecraft out of Lego blocks and other materials. They work on their models in small groups while building. They become familar with the planets while working cooperatively.