Curated OER
My Angle on Cooling
Students explore how the angle and distance of an object can change it's temperature. After reviewing how the position of the Earth affects the temperature of the planet, student groups design and perform an experiment to test how...
Curated OER
Solar System Bead Distance Activity
Middle schoolers create a scaled solar system model using colorful beads. In this space science lesson, students convert AU units into metric measurements. They arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun.
Curated OER
Measurement
Students study the metric system and examine other ways to measure. In this measurement lesson students complete activities that help them to better understand the measuring system.
Curated OER
Looking Back in Time
Students construct a timeline that records the birthdates of several scientists. They calculate a relationship for distance and years and then compare their timelines to the use of light years as a measurement unit.
Messenger Education
Star Power! Discovering the Power of Sunlight
It takes less than 10 minutes for energy from the sun to travel 90 million miles to Earth! In the first installment in a series of four, groups measure the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth. They then discuss how this is...
Curated OER
Using Measurement
For this science worksheet, middle schoolers concentrate on attaining new knowledge of the science standard using the creative medium of games and puzzles.
Science 4 Inquiry
Expanding the Universe
When Einstein first heard the theory of the expanding universe, he dismissed it as bad physics. Now scholars learn about the theory and how scientists prove it has merit. Through a hands-on simulation and videos, class members measure...
Star Date
Solar System Scale Model Demonstration
Explore outer space and decorate your classroom with an astronomy project. Learners create a visual model with the creation of a scaled solar system using different sized balls.
Virginia Department of Education
Solar System Model
How many planets can you name? Did you get all 13 in our solar system, including the dwarf planets, or were you surprised when you read there are 13 planets? The lesson helps scholars understand the scale of the universe including the...
LABScI
Vision Lab: The Eye
Our bodies have some amazing capabilities, but there are some limitations. Explore the limitations of the human eye through the eighth lab activity in a series of 12 biology lessons. Individuals measure their own peripheral vision and...
Curated OER
Discover Magazine: Size and Scale
Students research measurements of the moon and Earth as well as the distance between the two in order to create scale models of the Earth-moon system. With a marble to be used as the moon, they must determine how large to make Earth...
Curated OER
Physics of Space Flight
In this space flight learning exercise, students will review physics terms relating to space which includes measuring the distance of space objects, how rockets work, and electromagnetic waves. This learning exercise has 10 terms in a...
Curated OER
Space Weight, Gravity, and Distance
In this planets in space worksheet, students calculate their weight on the 9 planets plus calculate the distance of the planets from the sun in astronomical units. This worksheet has 6 fill in the blank and 3 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Algebra: Mirror, Mirror on the Universe
Students assess how algebra, telescopes, space exploration and optics are so important in astronomy. They encounter studies on the Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble Deep Field and how algebra helps to determine the effects of contamination...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
Curated OER
Deep Sea Drilling
Students explore ocean vessels that drill the ocean floor. In this ocean drilling lesson, students watch videos about drilling the ocean floor and discuss. Students get into groups, go outside and use string to mark off the amount of...
Curated OER
Rover Races
Learners identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science lesson, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
Curated OER
Measuring the Speed of a Solar Tsunami!
In this solar tsunami learning exercise, students are given three images of the progress of a Morton Wave on the sun. They solve six problems using the images to find the radius of the sun's disk, the scale of the image, and the time...
Curated OER
Exploring a City from Space
For this exploring cities from space worksheet, students use a satellite image from the QuickBird Satellite to determine the image scale. They use the image scale to calculate the length of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the length of...
Curated OER
Seeing Solar Storms in STEREO-I
In this geometric calculations of solar storms worksheet, students use a diagram indicating the location of 2 STEREO satellites, the earth and the sun to calculate the distance between a Coronal Mass Ejection and the Earth. They use...
Curated OER
Reflections on Earth: Exploring Planet Earth from Space
Students examine satellite images of Earth and contrast images at different scales. In this exploring Earth from space lesson plan, students use satellite images to contrast images at different scales, calculate distances from the scale...
Curated OER
Galaxy Distances and Mixed Fractions
In this galaxies and fractions worksheet, students solve 8 problems involving the distances of galaxies from each other by using mixed fractions to solve each problem. They use the megaparsec as the unit of measurement.
Curated OER
Our Neighborhood in the Milky Way
In this Milky Way galaxy worksheet, students are given a table of distances and angles of nebulae and star clusters from the sun. Students plot each one on a piece of paper and solve 2 problems using the data.
NASA
Just How Far is That Star?
Pupils often wonder how we know the distance to various stars. Starting with a thought experiment and progressing to a physical experiment, they determine the brightness and distance to various stars. The evaluation requires critical...