Lesson Plan
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What's Up? Astronomy Curriculum

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study astronomy. In preparation for a field trip to a planetarium, students discuss the stars, planets, and light. They explore the importance of the north star and constellations. The Digitarium system is used to assist the...
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The Impact

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners study inventions and the impact they have had on people.  For this investigative lesson students learn how inventions are created and take part in a design project that will allow them to solve problems. 
Lesson Plan
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Hello, Anybody Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students understand that people believe there may be life in other solar systems. In this communication with other solar systems lesson, students analyze our planet and write things they want to communicate to other solar systems.
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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...
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Ellipse

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students find the center, vertices, foci, and eccentricity of ellipses using the subscriptions website www.explorelearning.com. They graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses.
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine how water changes state, from a liquid to a solid.  In this water lesson students study the water cycle and how temperature and pressure effect it. 
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Sun

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study how the sun is at the center of the solar system.  For this solar lesson students measure the altitude of the sun and its size.
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Heavens Above

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study the stars and their positions.  In this astronomy lesson students see how scientists can predict the positions of the stars and can tell how they would have appeared in the past. 
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American Idol Presents: Solar System Night

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore facts about the solar system. They conduct research, and compose lyrics to well-known songs about one of the planets or various members of the solar system.
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Theme

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars examine a reading selection. In this descriptive writing lesson, students read an excerpt from "Hello! Anybody Out There?". Young scholars discuss the idea of aliens living on other planets, describe what they think an...
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Asteroids

For Teachers K - 12th
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere.  In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
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Destination Outer Space

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use effective writing skills, their imagination, and their knowledge of the nine planets as they create travel pamphlets of the solar system.
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Introduction to the Globe

For Teachers K - 4th
Students investigate how to use a globe. In this map skills activity, students define what a globe is and locate the various continents on the globe. Students are also asked to locate the four oceans on the globe.
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Observations From the Past

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore direct and indirect evidence. In this astronomy lesson, 9th graders investigate the contribution of early astronomers to their field. They create a model of the solar system.
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The Earth's Rotation

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students see a model of a globe to watch the Earth rotate. In this Earth lesson plan, students rotate the globe and shine a flashlight to see where the sun shines and how it rises and sets. They create a diagram and explain day and night...
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Rain Forest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the Amazon tropical rain forest. In this rain forest lesson, students discuss the Manu Biosphere reserve and watch a video about conserving the rain forest. Students create mobiles for the rainforest that includes research...
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Paragraph Matching

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete an activity sheet. In this paragraphs lesson, students discuss the essential parts of a paragraph. Students practice thinking of body sentences to support a topic sentence. Students complete an activity sheet where they...
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The Heat is On

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars investigate climate change. In this current events lesson, students research the listed Web sites that include information about the effects of greenhouse gases on the Earth. Young scholars discuss how to combat the...
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Exploring The Neighborhood of the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain why exploring the universe for life on other planets is an important field of study. They use mathematical formulas to calculate the temperatures of planets as it relates to their distance from the sun. Students use...
Lesson Plan
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Observational Astronomy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research about the characteristics of celestial bodies using a database. In this space science lesson plan, students collect data such as brightness, apparent color and size by observing the night sky. They share their findings...
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Meteors

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science lesson plan, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.
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Look At Those Leaves!

For Teachers K - 1st
Students observe, measure and sort leaves.  In this leaf lesson students divide into groups and observe the different kinds of leaves. 
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Earthquakes

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change instructional activity, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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Sky Watching

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine telescopes and understand how they have helped us better understand the sky.  In this astronomy lesson students complete a worksheet and a lab activity.