Interactive
PHET

Gravity And Orbits

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Have you ever wanted to turn off gravity? This simulation allows learners to do just that in addition to altering other variables. Scholars can move the sun, Earth, moon, and space station to see how distance affects gravitational pull....
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Lesson Three: The Earth, Movement in Space

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
If you feel like you're standing still, you're wrong! The Earth is constantly rotating and orbiting under our feet. Demonstrate the Earth's movement within the solar system with a collaborative activity. With a candle or lamp in the...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
How many times have you traveled around the sun? Aspiring astronomers grasp what a year is and they differentiate between orbit and rotation by walking around the sun right within your classroom. Place a lamp in the center of the room to...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

The Sun: Earth's Friend and Foe

For Teachers 5th
Students study the structure and features of the sun. In this earth science lesson, students explain how the sun's energy drive the processes on Earth. They perform temperature conversions using appropriate equations.
App
Q Continuum

Planets

For Students K - 12th
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what constellation you were seeing or whether that bright object was a star or a planet? Are you searching for the best tilt-to-view constellation and planet app that money can't buy?...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scale Model of the Solar System

For Teachers 6th
Young scientists gain a better understanding of space, the solar system and its vastness by creating a scale model. Students first need to calculate the distance between each of the nine planets according to the size of their scale. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling the Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners build a scaled model of the solar system. In this space science lesson, students arrange them according to their distances from the sun. They analyze each planet's unique features such as density and relative gravity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth in the Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 6th
A three-week unit designed to be completed in an elementary level, dual-language immersion classroom, this resource includes several lessons intended to introduce young learners to the solar system, the Earth and how the Earth compares...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing the Solar System to Life

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Learners make models of the planets and use the models to show revolution of the planets around the sun. They explain the rotation of the planets after demonstrating with balloons.
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Birthday Stars

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Space explorers take a virtual trip around the sun right within your classroom! They stand in a circle facing away from the "sun" (a lamp) in the center of the room. As they move according to your instructions, they view different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sun-Earth Connection

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research about the location of different planets from the sun. In this earth science lesson plan, 3rd graders discuss the weather in their place and identify common weather terminologies. They explain how tornadoes form and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Models of the Earth and Moon

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore the earth's rotation and phases of the moon. For this planets lesson, students rotate and revolve around a light representing the sun. Students use movement and props to simulate what causes the phases of the moon as...
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

The Jovian System: A Scale Model

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Jupiter has 67 moons! As the seventh in a series of 22, the exercise shows learners the size and scale of Jupiter and its Galilean moons through a model. They then arrange the model to show how probes orbited and gathered data.
Interactive
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Orbit Simulator

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Researchers think they have evidence of a new planet deep in our solar system that is the size of Neptune and orbits the sun far beyond Pluto. The orbit simulator shows the orbits of our well-known planets, as well as Pluto and the comet...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System Walk

For Teachers 11th - 12th
A unique lesson on the solar system, and some of the mathematics associated with it, is here for your high schoolers. Pupils are put into groups of four, and each group is assigned one of the planets from our solar system. They must...
Lesson Plan
1
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PHET

Planetary Magnetism

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What do magnetic fields look like? The best way to learn about magnetic fields is to try identifying them for yourself. Scholars will understand the importance of magnetic fields after completing this experiment. The extension activities...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th
If the majority of our planet is covered with water, why do we need to bother conserving it? With a thorough and varied investigation into the location and types of water on the earth, learners will gain an understanding of why this...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wobbling in Circles

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astronomy and Me: Moons Over New Haven

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study the features of different moons orbiting the planets. In this astronomy lesson, 3rd graders explore the different phases of the moon using an interactive online website. They compare and contrast the features of the...
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

Great Red Spot Pinwheel

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The great red spot on Jupiter is 12,400 miles long and 7,500 miles wide. In this sixth part of a 22-part series, individuals model the rotation of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. To round out the activity, they discuss their findings as a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day and Night

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders view a classroom simulation that demonstrates how the Earth's rotation creates day and night.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Mime-it

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners pantomime new climate vocabulary words.  In this climate lesson, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings.  Learners form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mathematical Dynamics of Celestial Navigation and Astronavigation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the different methods used in celestial Navigation and astronavigation. In this math lesson plan, students construct a sextant and demonstrate how it works.