Curated OER
Our Sky Clock
Students explore space science by completing a worksheet in class. In this astronomy lesson, students discuss and identify star patterns in the night sky and relate these patterns to the approximate time they appear. Students complete an...
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Our Intriguing Star, the Sun!
Explore the sun in a lesson plan about space. The lesson spans ten weeks, with students performing activities to answer weekly questions about the Sun and Earth.
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Communication Delay
Construct a maze in your classroom and have a blindfolded scientist act as a space rover, maneuvering unfamiliar terrain while another scientist plays commander. Classmates record the number of occurrences of the commander having to...
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Black Holes Revealed
Students explore the concept of black holes through an interactive program. They explore how they form and what materials form them. They can also visit websites in which they can research radio transmission between the Earth and space.
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Astronomy
Pupils explore space science by utilizing education software. In this moon cycles lesson, students discuss the importance of the moon and the different phases we observe from earth. Pupils demonstrate the earth's orbit by creating a...
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NASA Robots
Students investigate how robots are used in space. In this space science lesson, students participate in an experiment using a blindfold and complete assigned tasks. The students demonstrate how robots are "thinking" machines.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Albedo, Reflectivity, and Absorption
What is reflectivity, and what does it have to do with the Earth's climate? As reflectivity is measured by albedo, scientists can gather information on Earth's energy balances that relate to global warming or climate change. Budding...
NASA
Cleaning Water
From their sweat to the water vapor in their breath, astronauts recycle every possible drop of water while in space. After watching a short video describing the different ways materials are recycled and reused in space shuttles, young...
Space Awareness
Fizzy Balloons - C02 in School
Carbon dioxide is a very important gas; it is present in the air, used in cooking, and supports plant and animal life. Scholars investigate the properties of carbon dioxide with three different activities. They experience a color change,...
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Making Models of the Solar System
Students make several models of the solar system to learn the positions of the planets in the solar system as well as relative distances and sizes. Creation of these models will help them identify the planets by size, shape, color,...
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Health Issues Related to Space Experiments
Students participate in a science lesson that integrates connections between health issues on Earth and how those issues are related to studies conducted on the International Space Station. T
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Earth & Space Science: Holding it Together
Students estimate how many drops of water can fit onto the surface of a penny and then test their hypothesis to find out. They also experiment with bubbles.
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Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond
Students analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations lesson, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes and...
Journey Through the Universe
Our Solar System
Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...
NASA
Lava Layering
Take the old baking soda and vinegar volcano to the next level by using it to study repeated lava flows over time, examine geologic features on Earth and Mars, and speculate about some of the formations on Mars.
Space Awareness
Ocean Acidification
Learn the science behind ocean acidification and its effects on ocean wildlife. Young scientists conduct a laboratory investigation that monitors the acidity level of water. While burning a candle, learners capture the carbon dioxide in...
Curated OER
Astronomy
Students complete a series of activities to better understand space studies. For this space science lesson, the teacher is provided with a number of activities for students to complete such as finding words that begin with the prefix...
NASA
Is It Alive?
Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not.
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Exploring the Planets
Learners study robotic spacecrafts that have provided detailed information about the inner and outer planets. In this exploring the planets lesson plan, students use posters and diagrams to study the various robotic spacecraft sent to...
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Rocks and Minerals
Students are able to describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students, neighborhoods. They are able to identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains, faults,...
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Living On The Moon
Students evaluate what life would be like living on the moon or another planet in our solar system. In this science lesson, students create a colony that they would use to live in on the moon using Legos.
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Introduction to the Day and Night Sky
Students explore space science by participating in a sky observation activity. In this astronomy lesson, students define a list of astronomy vocabulary terms and examine star charts of the four seasons. Students gather with their...
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Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface
Students explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. In this lunar lesson, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Students view images of the moon and utilize chalk to...
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Illustrate the Constellations
Learners explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy instructional activity, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons...