Curated OER
Exploring the Sky: Reading Maria's Comet
Discover the science behind astronomy. After reading the book Maria's Comet, which is about a young woman who breaks new ground by becoming a female astronomer, young learners practice reading comprehension with...
Curated OER
Charting Seasonal Changes
Learners research the Earth's patterns of rotation and revolution, create a chart and graph of these patterns and use them to explain the causes of night and day and summer and winter.
Curated OER
Sky Watching
Students complete night-sky observations to understand how our knowledge of the sky has been enhanced by telescopes. Students complete a timeline worksheet giving the history of telescopes. Students then then make their own observations...
Curated OER
Clay Planets
Have your class learn about the solar system using this hands on technique. Learners review what they know about the planets, and create a clay model of the solar system. There are a list of resource links to make this lesson a complete...
Curated OER
Solar System Hall Model
Not novel, but fun, this lesson gets your space science learners to model the size of the planets and the solar system along your school's hallway. Scaled measurements as well as actual distances are provided for both planet diameters...
Curated OER
Similes and Metaphors
What is a simile? What is a metaphor? How are both of these different? First, discuss the difference between the two terms, and then have your emerging writers practice identifying sentences that use either literary device. They are also...
Curated OER
Why Do We Have Night?
Students engage in a fun, creative way to discover how the Earth moves. This lesson helps students explain why there is day and night. It can also create curiosity to further study the solar system and eclipses!
Curated OER
Origins: Earth Is Born
Students develop a timeline of all the major events involved in the formation of the Earth and the emergence of humans. In groups, they focus on a specific topic by watching a PBS program and taking notes. After the video, they list...
Curated OER
Scientist Tracking Network
Students correlate surface radiation with mean surface temperature of several geographic regions. They observe how these parameters change with latitude and construct an understanding of the relationship of solar radiation to seasonal...
Curated OER
When I Heard the Learned Astronomer
Students recognize different purposes and methods of writing and to identify a writer's tone and point of view.
Curated OER
A Tour of Saturn and Uranus
Second graders draw and label each planet, Saturn and Uranus, showing 2 specific individual characteristics of each.
Curated OER
Sweet Candy Comets
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this lesson, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the lesson by making an edible model of a comet. This...
Curated OER
The Mathematical Dynamics of Celestial Navigation and Astronavigation
Students explore the different methods used in celestial Navigation and astronavigation. In this math lesson, students construct a sextant and demonstrate how it works.
Curated OER
Flying Through the Solar System
Learners create a model of the solar system out of candy. They write a book about their travels through the Solar System, beginning at age ten and reaching Pluto at age seventy.
Curated OER
Sky Watching
Learners examine telescopes and understand how they have helped us better understand the sky. For this astronomy lesson students complete a worksheet and a lab activity.
Curated OER
Scale Model of the Solar System
Students explore the size of the planets. In this science lesson plan, students create a scale model of the solar system. Students determine a scaling factor and calculate the size of their planets. Students create a scale drawing of the...
Curated OER
St. Patrick's Day -- History and Traditions
In this St. Patrick's Day worksheet, students answer questions about the history and traditions of the holiday. Students complete sentences about the history and traditions and a word search.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Planetary Cereal Project
Sixth graders decorate an empty cereal box with information and games showing their comprehension of factual information about an assigned planet. This is a nice, creative lesson about the solar system.
Curated OER
Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Pupils plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Pupils work in groups to research an...
Curated OER
Climate Comparison
Students explore climate regions. For this climate lesson, students examine the climate regions of Alaska as well as the state of Hawaii. Students research selected Internet sources to gather information regarding the climates present in...
Curated OER
Figurative Language 2
Students read nursery rhymes and advertisements to identify examples of figurative language. As a class, students discuss the use of figurative language and its effectiveness in advertising, children's books, rhymes, poetry, etc. ...
Curated OER
Astronomy
Students 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...
Curated OER
Metaphors in Literature
Eighth graders analyze literature and the use of metaphors. In this metaphors activity, 8th graders view and discuss the examples of metaphors. Students complete the phrases by writing in a metaphor.
Curated OER
Taking Risks: Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Students discuss a video about drug and alcohol abuse and their connection to risk-taking. They answer questions on a risk factor sheet about the use of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. They discuss long and short term goals and how not...