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Try This On For Size!
Students view a video to gather information about our solar system. They create models of the planets to scale and place them in scale relative to their distances from the sun. They also visit a planetarium or use the internet to gather...
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The Moon
Students explore the relationship between the earth, sun, and moon in our solar system. They create a moonrise/moonset chart, perform a dance that models the moon phases, and create a Styrofoam model of the moon's surface.
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Stellar Magnitudes
Young scholars analyze the stellar magnitude scale. In this stellar magnitude lesson, students examine the stellar magnitude scale. Young scholars predict the Sun's magnitude from various planets.
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Our Solar System
Students analyze the theories of the formation of the universe and solar system. Students analyze planetary motion and the physical laws that explain that motion: Rotation, Revolution, Apparent diurnal motions of the stars, sun, and...
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Is it Really Winter in Australia? It is June!
The purpose of this activity is to determine how the location of a place on the Earth (hemisphere) determines what season that place is experiencing relative to the Sun's rays. Day one the students will be introduced to the terms...
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Animating Motion
Students apply what they recall about objects in motion by animati ng sequences of pictures that model a set of physical conditions. They animate the orbital motions of the Earth, the space shuttle, and the Moon based on calculations of...
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Mars Calendar Project
Students design a calendar that displays time on Mars. They explore the differences between time on Earth and time on Mars while making the calendar.
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Space Science: Phases of the Moon
Looking for a terrific lesson on the phases of the moon that has lots of good worksheets? With two excellent websites are embedded in the plan, the activity is sure to spark some interest in your astronomy unit. Some common...
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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...
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The Analemma
Students describe the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun, by learning about analemmas. They determine what they can do to show that the sun's position doesn't change, and they find ways to...
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Moon Observations
Learners study the science of the moon. In this moon observations lesson plan, students study vocabulary associated with the moon, study a lunar calendar, and a phases of the moon's orbit around the Earth.
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Learning Lesson: The Shadow Knows I
Students examine the elevation of the sun to discover the changes in seasons. They observe and measure the length of their shadow. They compare this measurement to one taken four months later.
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"Space" Investigations
Sixth graders understand the patterns of change observable on Earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system. They identify the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system.
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Planet Research
Students recognize that the other eight known planets, which revolve around the Sun, have characteristics and surface conditions that are different from Earth; and identify examples of those differences.
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Exploration of the Moon
In this moon activity, students review the Clementine exploration of the Earth's moon. This activity has 8 matching and 14 true or false questions.
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Fact and Opinion
Facts and opinions are clearly defined in this organized PowerPoint. Following the definitions are a few examples that students must identify as facts or opinions. Tip: After viewing this presentation, ask students to share some of their...
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Asteroid, Comet, or Meteor?
In this asteroid, comet and meteor worksheet, middle schoolers complete a chart by determining which of 8 given characteristics belong to asteroids, comets or meteors.
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Angular Size and Velocity
In this distance instructional activity, students calculate the angular size or angular diameter of objects at a given distance. This instructional activity has 6 problems to solve.
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Planet Cards
In this science card worksheet, students cut out the different cards and study the planets Earth, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus. Students' objective is to learn each planets' orbit, rotation, distance...
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Venus
Looking for a good worksheet to help teach about the planet Venus? This worksheet is for you! An excellent photograph of Venus accompanies three paragraphs of text. Learners answer five multiple choice questions based on what they've...
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Saturn
Looking for a good worksheet to help teach about the planet Saturn? This worksheet is for you! An excellent photograph of Saturn accompanies three paragraphs of text. Pupils answer five multiple choice questions based on what they've...
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Mars
After reading a short excerpt about the planet named after the Roman god of war, Mars, your class will answer four comprehension questions. The activity challenges them to fold over the paper and answer the questions without referring...
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Asteroid, Comet, or Meteor?
In this asteroid, comet, and meteor graphic organizer worksheet, learners compare and contrast asteroids, comets, and meteors as they mark the characteristics of each.
K12 Reader
Solar Eclipse
A passage about solar eclipses provides readers with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to identify the main idea and supporting ideas in an article.