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Moon

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners discover scientific facts about the Moon and how some American Indian Tribes used the moon to measure time. They accomplish this by listening to stories and poetry, writing stories, communicating with an astronaut,...
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore water and ice. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students work with a partner to observe, illustrate, and describe the characteristics of an ice cube in a cup. The ice cube is observed again in 15 minutes and changes...
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Moon Watch

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders read books about the moon and discuss its perceived changes as it moves across the sky. They observe the moon over the course of a month and chart their observations. They discuss their observations and conduct further...
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Taking a Voyage away from Home

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students experience and participate in a journey through a "Voyage" exhibition of the Solar System and the frontier it covers. They build a dynamic model of the Earth and Sun. Descriptions are given on the relative sizes of the Sun and...
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Mercury

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study the planet Mercury and develop an understanding of the planet's composition, geology, and other important characteristics. They explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury which is the central focus of this lesson.
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Water 1: Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore forms that water can take and examine the water cycle. In this hands-on science instructional activity, students participate in activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
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Bouncing Sunlight

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use flashlights and balls to demonstrate how the light bounces off of the sun and reflects onto the moon. They record their observations in a journal.
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Constellations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the major constellations. After reviewing the Earth's basic motions and their significance, students discuss the moon's orbit and revolutions. Using a Digitarium Alpha portable planetarium projector, they observe at...
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Earth Science: Create a Star Clock!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students identify and use the starts to tell time just as people had for thousands of years. They identify the stars that appear to rise in the east and set in the west, and that those stars near the North Pole appear to go in circles...
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Astronomy

For Students 4th - 5th
In this astronomy instructional activity, students read a detailed text about our solar system. Students then answer 15 questions about the information presented.
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Mother Earth - Father Sky

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research and write about Cyrus Dillan. They explain one of Dillan's sculptures. Students locate six constellations and two planets. They research and write about the daily life of the Pawnee.
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Weather Proverbs

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Define and write proverbs! Learners define proverbs, use the Internet to find weather-related proverbs, and talk with their parents to learn other proverbs. There's a well-structured worksheet included here. 
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Stories in the Sky

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover the concept of combining constellations and tall tales. For this tall tale lesson, students compare constellations to tale tales. They create their own tall tale and constellation.
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Graphing Sunspot Cycles

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore sunspots and then graph them to analyze the data.  In this sunspot cycles lesson plan students complete an activity sheet and complete questions. 
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Tracking an Active Sunspot Region

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders plot the location of a single active region for 12 days.  In this sunspot lesson students track an active region across the face of the sun. 
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Hello, Sunshine!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how the sun travels across the sky at different latitudes using Solar Motion Demonstrator. In this earth science lesson, students explain why seasons change. They study how the tilt of the Earth's axis affects...
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Shadows

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Pupils measure shadows at different times of the day to determine when a shadow casts its longest and shortest shadows.
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Plotting Sunspot Activity

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore how to graph sunspots using a solar graph.  In this sunspots lesson students investigate sunspots and complete and evaluation worksheet. 
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What is Weather?

For Students 6th - 8th
In this weather worksheet, middle schoolers photograph and record the weather conditions for a week. Then they list the types of clouds observed and the weather conditions they noted associated with each cloud type. Students also write a...
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Lunar Cycle

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students become familiar with repeating patterns in nature, namely the phases of the moon.
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Star Patterns

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create constellation maps and record their own legends of how constellations came into existence. After observing the sky at night, 3rd graders discuss star maps, read previously recorded legends on the origin of stars. ...
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Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the history and cultural interpretation of a celestial body or constellation. They create technology based presentations of the information.
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"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders sing the son "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." They are asked:"How many of you have looked at the stars in the sky on a clear night? Have you ever wished on a star? What did you wish?" Students are explained the concept...
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Weather Proverbs

For Teachers K - 5th
Your class explores weather proverbs and superstitions from around the country and writes their own proverb about weather. They interview community elders to learn proverbs about Alaska and its weather. Then they discuss several example...