Activity
Star Date

Astronomy Day from McDonald Observatory Solar System Scale Activity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Add a visual aid to your solar system lessons. Enthusiastic astronomers create a model depicting the nine planets and their distance from the sun. 
Activity
101 Questions

Speed of Light

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How quickly does light travel long distances? A short video simulates light going from the earth to the moon at two different paces. Scholars relate the distance to the rate to understand which simulation is correct.
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
University of Colorado

Looking Inside Planets

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Researchers use scientific data to understand what is inside each of the planets. The first in a series of six, this lesson builds off of that concept by having pupils use a data table to create their own scale models of the interiors of...
Activity
NOAA

Make Your Own Compass

For Students 3rd - 5th
Scholars build a compass using a needle, cork, magnet, and a water-filled cup in order to locate the magnetic north and south.
Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Let's Lasso the Moon: Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 1st
A timelapse video hooks learners' attention to the phases of the moon. After discussing their observations, pupils use the Moon Giant website to view the moon on their birthday and complete a bar graph. The class creates an anchor chart...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Properties of Earth: Word Search

For Students 4th - 8th
In this word search worksheet, students search for words related to the Earth, the sun and it's movements. Terms include seasons, features, and movements.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Timekeeping by the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Planet Earth

For Students 5th - 8th
In this Earth activity, students review 13 terms associated with the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. Students find the terms in a word search and then fill in the term next to its definition.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

IS THE SUN OUR HEATER?

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore and discover how the sun provides heat to the earth, depending on the surface as well as the angle of the sun's rays.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth, Sun, and Moon

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students participate in a demonstration and complete an online activity that illustrates the earth orbits the sun once a year, and that the moon takes approximately 28 days to orbit the earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth is Round?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss how Aristotle concluded that the Earth was round. As a class, they review theories about the Earth's shape and describe how life on Earth would be different if it were flat. Individually, they make a moon book in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Computer Activity-The Sun

For Teachers 7th - 8th
In this computer activity worksheet, young scholars visit a website and take a Virtual Tour of the Sun. While navigating through the site, they complete 16 fill in the blank questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

As the Sun Burns

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students investigate the sun's energy. They explore various websites, demonstrate proper solar protection, conduct experiments using special UV beads, and complete worksheets.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Energy from the Sun

For Students 7th - 9th
In this energy from the sun instructional activity, students are given 20 terms to complete sentences about the sun, the energy of the sun, the radiation of the sun, the transfer of energy from the sun and the currents created by the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring the Earth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use principles of geometry to measure the circumference of the Earth. In this applied geometry lesson, students use mathematics to determine scientific information. They make measurements, calculate the central angle, and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Layers of the Earth

For Students 4th - 5th
In this layer of the earth worksheet, students label and color each layer of the earth. Then students are asked to describe each layer below.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ceres and Pluto: Dwarf Planets as a New Way of Thinking about an Old Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the new categories of planets and how planets were reclassified.  In this solar system instructional activity students complete activities using Venn diagrams and images of planets. 
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Where to Look For Life?

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Every year we discover new planets including more than 1,000 in 2016 alone. Will we ever find life on another planet? The instructional activity includes two activities to help scholars understand this concept. First, they analyze the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System and Seasons

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the relative diameters of planets and distances between them and the cause for seasons on Earth using the 5-E Learning Model. They appreciate the size and distances involved with objects in the real universe....
Lesson Plan
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Baylor College

Measuring and Protecting Skin

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Several subjects are addressed within the context of a science lesson about the sun's ultraviolet rays. Elementary earth scientists consider protection of the skin with sunscreens (health), estimating and measuring surface area or an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physics The Earth and Beyond

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders will explore our solar system. In this physics lesson students create a model of the solar system to explore the movement of Earth, the Sun, and stars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Journey Through Space

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners arrange various pictures of the Earth to identify its journey through space. In this Earth's rotation lesson plan, students use models of the Earth and demonstrate its journey through space. Learners complete the worksheet about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring the Diameter of the Sun

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders study the sun and its distance from Earth.  In this Sun's diameter lesson plan students examine how measurement data permits accurate measurement of the sun's diameter. 

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