Curated OER
Our Sun and the Four Seasons
Learners discover the relationship between the sun and Earth. In this weather lesson, students examine the effect of the sun on the Earth's seasons. Learners complete a weather activity using props to simulate the sun and...
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take and examine the water cycle. In this hands-on science instructional activity, students participate in activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
University of Texas
Observing the Moon
Why does it look like there is a man on the moon? Why does the moon look different every night? These are the focus questions of a lesson that prompts class members to observe and record the nightly changes of Earth's natural...
K12 Reader
Why Does the Moon Orbit Earth?
Have you ever looked up at the moon and wondered why it looks different every night? Learn about the moon's orbit and the lunar cycle with a reading comprehension exercise. Using context clues, kids find the definitions of unfamiliar...
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Fall/Winter
Students explain how moon phases occur. They explain three ways that the night sky has been used through history. Students locate some of the constellations in the night sky. They discuss stories and myths surrounding stars.
Curated OER
The Starry Night Time and Day Time
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
Curated OER
Rock Stories
Youngsters pretend they are rocks sitting on a hill. They listen to the provided guided imagery script to conceptualize the process of how rocks change over time. They draw a diagram of what happened to them as rocks during the story. An...
Curated OER
Science Videos
Young scholars plan, practice, and act in a 2-3 minute videotaped production about a specific topic. Students from a local high school give presentations pertaining to seasons, earth rotation, and moon phases. Young scholars analyze the...
Curated OER
Sun Shadow Cycles
Students use diagrams to review how the Earth rotates around the sun. In groups, they use the same diagrams to explain how the sun shadows are produced and how they differ between seasons. They describe the Earth's rotation and...
Curated OER
Life Is a Cycle
Students investigate about cycles through games, shared readings and a shared writing activity. They play a game of Ring Around the Rosie to be introduced to the concept of "cycle."
Curated OER
Lunar Cycle
Students become familiar with repeating patterns in nature, namely the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Frogs
In this frogs worksheet, learners analyze and color a diagram of the life cycle of frogs from egg to tadpole to full-grown frog.
Curated OER
Moon Phases, Day/Night
Fifth graders observe a demonstration that shows how the alignment of the sun, moon, earth relate to the phases of the moon that occur each month. They describe the moon's phases after experimenting in a small group setting and recording...
American Museum of Natural History
Journey to the Stars
Fifteen detailed pictures and informative captions delve deep into the exploration of stars—their life cycle and importance in the universe.
Curated OER
Summer Sky Tour
Students explore space science by participating in a constellation identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students view star charts based on the different seasons and define a list of astronomy related terms. Students...
Roland Park Country School
Butterfly or Moth?
What is the main difference between a moth and a butterfly? Butterflies have club-shaped antennae, while moths have a feather-like antennae. But what else differentiates these beautiful insects? The presentation in the resource...
Curated OER
Phase In, Phase Out, the Magnificent Moon
First graders discuss why the moon appears to change shape. They use flashlights and balls to simulate the sun's light shining on the moon during its different phases. They read books, paint pictures and write sentences about the moon.
Curated OER
The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion
Learners investigate the celestial sphere and circumpolar motion. In this science lesson, students view an applet, The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion. Learners discuss the Earth's rotation and stellar movement.
Curated OER
Taking the Measure of the Universe
Four fabulous activities immerse amateur astronomers into measuring objects that we cannot handle. The experiences are applied to NASA's Space Interferometry Mission, which will take measurements of planets around stars other than our...
Curated OER
It's A Meteor
Learners complete a webquest to find Earth's relationship to the sun. In this webquest lesson, students complete tasks to understand the effect of the sun on weather and time. Learners create a multimedia presentation as an...
Curated OER
In the Rain Shadow
Students charts the rainfall averages on either side of a mountain range. In this water cycle lesson, students discover that mountain ranges affect weather patterns. Students pretend they are air traffic controllers and must...
Curated OER
Graphing Sunspot Cycles
Students explore sunspots and then graph them to analyze the data. In this sunspot cycles lesson plan students complete an activity sheet and complete questions.
Curated OER
Is the Moon out tonight?
Learners talk or read about the way the moon travels across the sky. They then look at the picture of where the moon is and draw where it will be in the picture, later in the evening. Note: The worksheet is intended for third or fourth...
Curated OER
Lunar Learning
Students learn about the phases of the moon. In this moon phases lesson, students learn about what causes the moon to look different to us everyday and how the Earth and Sun's position determine what phase the moon is in.