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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orbital Motion

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students use a formula to measure the eccentricity of an ellipse, then state Kepler's Law of Elliptical Orbits. They predict the solar energy received at different positions in a planet's orbit.
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Orbital Motion

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Why do planets orbit the sun in ellipses when moons orbit their planet in circles? Pupils control the semi-major axis, eccentricity of the orbit, and position angle. The resulting orbital appears with the related force vectors as...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Orbits Worksheet #1

For Students 4th - 8th
A diagram of Earth's path around the sun, including the position of the moon, is displayed at the top of the worksheet. Five multiple questions get astronomers to analyze the diagram considering what is going on in the solar system. Use...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Bellwork for Week 19-Electromagnetic Spectrum and Planets

For Students 8th - 10th
For this bellwork on the electromagnetic spectrum and planets worksheet, students answer questions about the information determined using a spectroscope, the geocentric and heliocentric models of planet rotation and the planets.