Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planetary Landers

For Teachers K - 8th
Students watch programs from a series titled "Planetary Landers". As a class, they view a poster of various vehicles that have made their way into space. In groups, they brainstorm the characteristics that should be included when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Bag Skits

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students discover math measurements by creating a skit with classmates.  In this geometry lesson, students utilize objects in a paper bag and index cards to create a short skit focusing on debate over the size of the objects....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Works Wonders

For Teachers K - 1st
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Relative Ratios

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover that proportions are made up of equal ratios each containing the same building blocks. They, using the Internet, apply their knowledge of direct relationships and proportions to problems in planetary science.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ellipses and Kepler's First Law

For Teachers 11th - 12th
The class examines graphs in the form r = F(¿¿) in polar coordinates (r, ¿¿), in particular with the circle, ellipse and other conic sections. They determine the nature of an ellipse by studying the role of the semimajor axis and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ellipses And Kepler's First Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain that planets actually orbit the center of gravity of the solar system, and that distant planets may be detected by motions of their central star around the centers of gravity of their planetary systems.
Lesson Plan
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Kepler's Second Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils gain an understanding of Kepler's 2nd law--that planets (and satellites) move fastest at their closest approach to the center of attraction, and slow down when far away. They explore the concepts of "potential energy" and "kinetic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environmental Action

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate an environmental problem in order to find and propose possible solutions. The problem is real to add to the engagement of the instructional activity. This is found through conducting research and then brainstorming...
Lesson Plan
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Water from the Well

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
How much water does it take to brush your teeth? How about to wash your clothes? Perform an experiment that measures water usage in everyday tasks and compares them to the days before indoor plumbing, specifically the California...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fostering Geospatial Thinking: Space to Earth: Earth to Space (SEES)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students locate and access data to help them with their science inquiry.  In this geographical positioning lesson students evaluate and compare data sets. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Out There? Space Shuttle Exploration and Simulation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students role-play the jobs of space shuttle astronauts, conduct experiments, and research space using the Internet and offline experiments. Student-astronauts hold a "press conference" to share their information with others in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth From Space

For Teachers K - 8th
Students watch a series of programs from NASA titled "Earth From Space". After viewing the program, they identify ways NASA is researching the reasons why the Earth is changing. They discuss the various levels of the atmosphere and...
Activity
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Teach Engineering

The Great Gravity Escape

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Groups simulate an orbit using a piece of string and a water balloon. Individuals spin in a circular path and calculate the balloon's velocity when the clothes pin can no longer hold onto the balloon.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beyond The Earth Part I

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore the solar system. In this space science lesson, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Students then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Combining and Breaking Apart Numbers

For Teachers 1st
First graders read Imogene's Antlers by David Small the create pipe cleaner antlers. Using these as a tool students combine and create number sentences. They continue to work through the framework of a software program.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Big Bang Theory

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students will use scientific reasoning to formulate ideas about the formation of the universe using the Big Bang Theory. The use of critical thinking skills is part of the activity and the foundation of the scientific method will serve...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: A Roundabout Way to Mars

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students investigate Hohmann orbit transfers using cardboard and string while focusing on the orbits of Earth and Mars. They look at the planets orbits around the sun and transfer orbit form one planet to another to determine what a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ellipse

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the concept of ellipses including finding the center, vertices's, foci and eccentricity. They assess how to graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses. This assignment is to be completed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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.
Lesson Plan
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Spaced Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
Lesson Plan
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Hanging Around

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore weight by building a spring scale and observing how it responds to objects with different masses. Each team of students can make their own spring scale by following steps which are specifically outlined in the plan. As...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kepler's Third Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers use Kepler's third law to derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius, and identify the Earth escape velocity.
Worksheet
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Kids Astronomy

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this astronomy word scramble worksheet, students examine the 16 letter groupings and use the decoder to help them reveal the 16 astronomy terms listed at the bottom of the worksheet,
Lesson Plan
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Kepler's 3rd Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius. They derive the Earth escape velocity and prove Kepler's 3rd law for circular orbits # A simple formula for the orbital period in a circular Earth orbit of given radius.