Lunar and Planetary Institute
Moon Flip Book
Watch an entire month flash before your eyes with this fun phases-of-the-moon flip book activity.
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Diurnal Cycling Experiments
Students carry out an experiment to monitor diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, and water temperature. They determine the CO2 and pH of the samples (and optionally, dissolved oxygen). Students complete their...
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The Effect of Rain on Morning Temperatures
Eighth graders study the effects of the water cycle. They create a graph of the air temperature versus solar radiation on a rainy and clear 24 hour period using data from a provided link. Afterward, they answer questions to determine the...
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Calendar Challenge
In this calendar challenge worksheet, 6th graders identify and complete 20 different problems that include reading a calendar illustrated on the sheet. First, they identify the days of the week. Then, they determine the days for a full...
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Timekeeping by the Sun
Students measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
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Lunar Lollipops
Students simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases instructional activity, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.
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Earth, Sun and Moon
Students investigate that the sun is at the center of the solar system through role play. One student is the sun and one student is the Earth. The students then show how the Earth orbits around the sun. Students view a flashlight and...
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Weather and Wind
Students study wind and its effect on weather. In this investigative lesson students write a report on wind and weather and create a movement sequence.
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The Great Horned Owl
In this recognizing facts about the Great Horned Owl learning exercise, students read fun facts, match illustrations with adaptations, sequence life cycle cards, and read what to do if they find an injured bird. Students solve 16 answers.
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Simple Machines: The Wede & Lever
Students describe how wedge and lever makes work easier. In this physics lesson, students analyze experimental data by creating a graph to see the trends. They calculate the work done and mechanical advantage of these simple machines.
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Moon
Learners discover scientific facts about the Moon and how
some American Indian Tribes used the moon to measure time.
They accomplish this by listening to stories and poetry, writing
stories, communicating with an astronaut,...
Marcia's Science Teaching Ideas
Observing the Moon Activity
In this moon instructional activity, students observe the moon on three consecutive nights and draw their observations. They answer questions about the phases of the moon and its position in the night sky. They identify the position of...
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What Shape is the Moon Tonight?
Young scholars understand that the moon appears differently throughout the month. In this phases of the moon lesson, students observe and record the phases of the moon.
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Phase to Phase with the Moon
Fourth graders study the Moon phases. The lesson includes hands-on activities as well as web-based activities. They use models of the Moon and a lamp to study each of the phases of the Moon, and test their knowlege of the Moon on a web...
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Charting Seasonal Changes
Students 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.
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Ecology - Reproduction and heredity
Students correlate signs of spring with reproductive strategies of varioius organisms. They describe how organisms inherit traits from generation to generation.
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Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase instructional activity, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase...
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Shadow Trackers: From Photography to Writing
Students explore the rotation of the earth. In this science lesson, students view photos of various places around the world. Students conduct an experiment in which they can see how the earth's rotation creates shadows on the earth.
School World
Moon Observation Project
Mrs. Flynt has designed a 12-day moon observation activity that is best assigned when daylight hours are shorter. Middle school moon experts record several factors, including the altitude above the horizon, the azimuth, the phase, and...
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Moon Watch
Third graders read books about the moon and discuss its perceived changes as it moves across the sky. They observe the moon over the course of a month and chart their observations. They discuss their observations and conduct further...
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Ancient Sun Models of the World
Students explain that many different cultures across the world developed their own reasoning for the weather around them. They explore the different cultural beliefs of the sun's cycle and to create their own story of the sun's movement.
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Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson plan, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
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The Moon
In this space science worksheet, students complete each of the statements with the correct word or phrase about the moon. Then they identify four ways that scientists believe the moon was formed, selecting one and writing a paragraph...
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The Earth in Space
High schoolers use computer images to explain why the Earth has seasons and examine the phases of the moon. They create 3-D images and present them to the class. They answer a series of questions at the end of the lesson.