Penn Museum
Penn Museum: China Gallery
Invite your learners to take a closer look at the art and mathematical function of dome buildings as designed by the ancient Romans. In the next segment of this attractive worksheet set, your young historians will then learn about...
Curated OER
Basic Needs
Young scholars examine the unique and diverse historical artifacts that people have designed to fulfill their everyday needs in extraordinary ways. They identify ways humans have used design throughout history to enhance the ways they...
Curated OER
Coins In Space! (Creative Writing)
Young scholars practice creative writing. They write an imaginative story in which quarters escape from the space shuttle and ends up in the hands of an alien. Students brainstorm ideas, write a draft, revise, and edit their composition.
Curated OER
Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space
Young scholars study the life of Christa McAuliffe who was on the Challenger space shuttle lost their lives when the ship exploded.
University of Colorado
Astro-Chronology
Class members play a version of the game Chronology to determine when certain scientific events occurred in history. Teams play until someone has 5-10 events in the correct order.
Curated OER
White House Havoc
The president of the United States must be able to keep a cool head in moments of crisis to lead his or nation out of the darkness. A history instructional activity encourages learners to study the ways various presidents have handled...
American Museum of Natural History
A Closer Look at Mars
A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Attitude Determines Altitude
A fabulous lesson plan which combines mathematics with space science. Middle schoolers work in cooperative groups in order to research early astronauts and their accomplishments. They look at a variety of rocket and space shuttle...
Curated OER
Life on the Moon
Students study the physical properties of the Moon. In this life on the moon lesson students describe the ways life on the Moon would be different than on Earth.
Glynn County School System
Terrestrial Planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are collectively known as the terrestrial planets. Although part of the same group, each planet has its own set of characteristics. Scholars explore the characteristics that make the planets unique and...
DocsTeach
Challenger Explosion Photograph Analysis
Young historians turn into detectives in a thought-provoking activity on the Challenger Explosion. The activity uses an image of President Reagan watching the Challenger explode on live TV to help academics practice historical analysis....
Curated OER
Lifting Bodies: Designing Your Own Spacecraft
Young scholars work cooperatively with classmates to design a wingless vehicle that can fly back to Earth from space, landing like an aircraft. Students plan and describe their models. Also, they will research facts about the lifting...
Curated OER
Investigating Falling Particles
Learners investigate the characteristics of a clay ball. In this particles lesson students examine what happens to a ball of clay when it is dropped from different heights.
Education World
Every Day Edit - Mars Odyssey
In this everyday editing activity, students correct grammatical mistakes in a short paragraph about the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The errors range from punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
International Technology Education Association
Dampen That Drift!
The spacecraft is drifting too far off course! Two games help explain how a spacecraft can use its thrusters to maintain its position. The games have pupils be the components of vectors in order to create and counteract the...
Curated OER
Launches for the Stars
Students are introduced to rockets and the space shuttle program. After viewing a 1960s show, they examine the role and history of NASA and how it evolved into having a space shuttle program. In groups, they create their own model rocket...
Curated OER
Good Vibrations Remote Sensing data Collection: Thermal Emission Spectrometer
The Mars Global Surveyor spent two years creating a mineral map of the planet Mars using thermal emission spectrometry. To help young astronomers understand this remote sensing instrument, have them simulate how data is collected and...
Curated OER
The New Space Race
The race to explore space is on and students can learn about the latest developments with these activities and lessons.
EngageNY
How Far Away Is the Moon?
Does the space shuttle have an odometer? Maybe, but all that is needed to determine the distance to the moon is a little geometry! The lesson asks scholars to sketch the relationship of the Earth and moon using shadows of an eclipse....
International Technology Education Association
Make a Pinhole Camera
With a little light and a lot of time, you can create some amazing images. This NASA-related task instructs pupils to build a pinhole camera. The lesson provides suggestions for different pictures to try with the pinhole camera...
Curated OER
How Do We Explore Strange Environments?
Students identify and label the different parts of a robot, rover, or a spacecraft. They discuss and record all of the features their robot will need to accomplish its mission and be able to explain why they chose these features to...
American Museum of Natural History
Beyond Planet Earth
Scholars take a journey through space with 16 eye-catching images. Along the way, learners read captions starting with the moon, then move onto asteroids, Mars, and Jupiter.
Curriculum Corner
April Writing Ideas
There are so many things to celebrate in the month of April, like April Fool's Day, Earth Day, and spring! Use these fun prompts to get young writers writing during the month of April.
Curated OER
New Perspectives
Eighth graders imagine they are getting ready to "take off." They may imagine themselves in any type of aircraft or spaceship. They may then sketch themselves as passengers anticipating this moment.