Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glowing Glimpses of Our Universe

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students will complete hands-on space activities. In this space science lesson, students will create a glow-in-the-dark model of the solar system, visit a planetarium, make star pictures, and paint constellations. Activities are meant to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cool! Awesome! What is it?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students work in small groups to brainstorm hypotheses about mysterious science photographs, read and interpret answers to the science photographs, cooperatively develop a set of clues for the images and develop their own science photo...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stormy Sunspots

For Teachers 7th - 9th
In this sunspots worksheet, students determine how magnetic storms on Earth are related to sunspot activity. They plot data for sunspot activity between 1967 and 1997. They compare their plotted data with the data for magnetic storms on...
Worksheet
New York Science Teacher

Planet Scaling using Extra Terrestrial Tools

For Students 7th - 10th Standards
Your class will use a set scale to convert diameters of planets to the model size, the diagram given to expand on the number of planets drawn as concentric circles, and examine the scale that would be needed to fit the larger...
PPT
Mr. E. Science

Stars, Galaxies and the Universe

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
It takes 225 million years for our sun to travel around the galaxy. The presentation covers astronomical units, light years, telescopes, types of stars, the life cycle of a star, and types of galaxies. This is the last lesson in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scale Model of the Solar System

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the size of the planets. In this science lesson, 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

May The Earth Be Revolving Around The Sun?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students trace the beginning of the heliocentric theory of the solar system--the idea that the solar system revolves around the Sun--to an observation by the Greek astronomer Aristarchus, which convinced him that the Sun was much bigger...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

(S-1) Sunlight and the Earth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss the solar heating of the Earth and atmosphere, its heat loss proceses, and the way these relate to weather and climate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science - Lesson 42 - Astronomy

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders demonstrate the position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun in a solar and lunar eclipse. They list uses for manmade satellites and write a description of how a satellite would be use.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Stories

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students are introduced to the branch of science known as astronomy. They discuss stars and constellations and then view the night sky using a portable digital planetarium projector. They identify a variety of constellations and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reasons for Seasons

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the course of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Star Quest

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students review the concepts of the branch of science known as astronomy. They discuss stars and constellations and then view the night sky using a portable digital planetarium projector. They identify a variety of constellations using a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Swinging on a Star

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the issues that might arise if humans were to go on an interstellar space mission. They synthesize their understanding of interstellar travel by writing scenes from a science fiction novel that would depict such a mission.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SUNSPOTS SPOTTED

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students study sunspots and their motion, from data gathered, they determine the significance of the sunspot data. The data be used to calculate the rotational period of the sun. They draw conclusions as to the sunspot's impact on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explore the Characteristics of Stars with Microsoft WorldWide Telescope

For Teachers 2nd - 9th
Students explore the characteristics of stars. In this space science activity, students use the Microsoft WorldWide Telescope program to identify the properties of stars and identify the stars in the galaxy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stars and Constellations

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders investigate how ancient cultures viewed their world in terms of astronomy. They read and discuss an informational handout, construct an astrolabe, and locate stars and constellations using star charts.
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We Are Not Alone!!!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the area of astronomy. They explore Earth's neighboring planets. Students research a planet's characteristics. They develop a scale model of the solar system and a narrative about the planets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Sun

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Learners use a simple model of the Earth and Sun as seen from space to explore the sun's apparent movement across the sky over the course of a day and year. They consider the apparent direction of movement and changes in the sun's angle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Satellite Images

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students analyze satellite images.  In this astronomy lesson, students examine 3 satellite images in order to understand how satellite images are taken and what they can teach scientists.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Universe Has Room for Change

For Students 7th - 9th
In this universe and change worksheet, learners read about the demotion of Pluto as one of the 9 planets as well as other changes in science. Students summarize their reading and identify unfamiliar words in the article....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stellar Navigation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners are introduced to the concept of stellar navigation. Inside a portable digital planetarium they identify various stars that were used as a navigational tool. They go through several activities in which they attempt to identify...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adopt a Constellation

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students adopt a constellation and find detailed information about their constellation. In this constellation lesson plan, students use the web to find information about a constellation of their choice. They identify the history of the...