Space Awareness
Model of a Black Hole
Even light cannot leave the force of a black hole! Learners use a model to explore the gravitational force of a black hole. An elastic bandage and heavy ball serve to create the hole, while marbles become the victims of its strong force.
Curated OER
Space Science: Adventure is Waiting
These full-color handouts feature two activities. The first is a reading on comets, meteors, and meteoroids. Your space science learners will examine ten phrases and determine which of the three each characterizes. The second activity...
Curated OER
A Classical & Relativistic Trip to a Black Hole
Students calculate distance, velocity, acceleration and time on their fantasy trip to the black hold. They apply Newton's Laws of Motion and calculate circular motion. They discuss any questions that may arise.
Curated OER
Black Holes
Students explore what black holes are and how gravity is associated with them. In this space lesson students are given enough information to imagine a journey to a black hole.
Curated OER
Black Holes
Students study black holes and see how space telescopes can provide data to support current hypotheses. They examine the anatomy of a black hole using a diagram of an accretion disk, the event horizon, and jets of hot gas.
American Museum of Natural History
Space and Time
Carve out some time to learn about space-time. Young scientists use a remote learning resource to read up on the relationship between space and time. They consider the idea of relativity, see how objects with a large mass can bend space...
Space Awareness
Living in the Milky Way
Get to know our galaxy with an astronomy-themed, hands-on activity. Scholars watch an informative video, answer questions, and construct a model of the Milky Way in order to examine its contents and the distance inside it.
Starry Night Education
The Stars
Three astronomy activities in one resource! Here you will find one hands-on activity, one demonstration, both with discussion questions, and one activity worksheet. During these lessons young scientists discuss how stars are different,...
Curated OER
X-Ray
A striking PowerPoint that presents the Yohkoh Telescope, some information about its construction, and the amazing x-ray images of the sun that have been captured. Specific information about the electromagnetic phenomena is given. This...
Curated OER
Pulsar Stars And Black Holes
Students explore the discovery of pulsar stars, and the characteristics of pulsar stars. Theories and ideas behind black holes are discussed. The issues of women's historical role in science are also touched on.
Scholastic
Falling Stars
Young scientists explore meteors, and comets by reading a fascinating passage in the plan, then answering 13 questions about them. Then, learners perform a WebQuest and learn amazing things about gravity, robots, and black holes. The...
Curated OER
Finding the Spot
Fourth graders use circles to "home in" on particular spots, showing the ability of scientists to locate unseen objects in space. This activity shows how scientists know certain objects exist in space due to the forces exerted by...
Curated OER
Journal of the Stars
Students receive balloons representing the "Life Cycle of the Stars." As the attached script is read, students follow the directions for the color of balloon they are given. Students chart the results for their star. They plot data from...
New Mexico State University
Lab 6: Kepler's Laws
A 15-page package thoroughly teaches your physics or astronomy learners about Kepler's three laws of planetary motion. Each one is stated and explained. Class members answer questions, solve problems, and participate in the classic...
Exploratorium
Squirming Palm
You will need an electric drill and some Velcro™ in order to have this activity available for your class. It is, however, an intriguing display of optical illusion. After watching a spinning disk (provided), viewers look at one of their...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Building a Parabolic-Trough Collector
Amateurs of alternative energy build a mini parabolic-trough solar energy collector and use it to heat water. Temperature is recorded over a three-minute period and the data is graphed and analyzed. Note that in order to paint aquarium...
American Museum of Natural History
Planetary Mysteries
A website all about planetary mysteries—it's a one-stop-shop for all things, stars, planets, and space travel. Scholars read an astronomy overview to discover the page's big ideas, then choose from the plethora of resources, including...
Curated OER
Space, The Funky Frontier Internet Research Worksheet
For this solar system worksheet, students explore a web site called The Nine Planets, to refresh their knowledge of the solar system, and to research new facts about Uranus. They answer three questions about Uranus, write an essay about...
Polar Trec
Polar Detectives: Using Ice Core Data to Decode Past Climate Mysteries
How does examining an ice core tell us about weather? Learners set up and explore fake ice cores made of sugar, salt, and ash to represent historical snowfall and volcanic eruptions. From their setups, scholars determine what caused the...
Curated OER
Are Beds Made of Balsa Wood?
Here is an interesting resource which describes different kinds of wood and their uses. There is a table with six different types of furniture wood listed, and the number of worm holes found in each one. Based on the information in the...
Curated OER
Count Marsili & the Mediterranean Current
Young scholars integrate history and science while discovering how salinity affects the density of water. After a lecture/demo, students work in groups to complete a lab activity that demonstrates how salinity affects the density of water.
Curated OER
Does Soil Get Soggy?
Study the properties of soil and water absorption with a science activity. Based on a paragraph with background knowledge on sandy soil, silt, and clay soil, third graders choose which illustration represents a bottle full of sandy soil....
Star Date
Build Your Own Galaxy
Don't just look at pictures of the Milky Way galaxy, build it with this hands-on activity in which scientists recreate the galaxy we live in.
Curated OER
Spiders
Young scholars experience the life a spider through several cross-curriculum activities that address multiple learning styles. In this cross-curriculum lesson, students listen to The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle and toss string in a...