Lesson Plan
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Cosmic Wheels

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
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Six Insect Legs

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe and discuss the sun's position in the sky. They explore the number six, read various number books, and create the number six page for a counting book.
Lesson Plan
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Three D Constellations

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students are introduced to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder. They convert spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates to construct a three dimensional model of a constellation...
Lesson Plan
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Astronomy Merit Badge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore astronomy through the Starry Night Constellation Adventure software. They print star charts and identify constellations. They sketch the Big Dipper and describe the Milky Way. They list the five most visible planets and...
Lesson Plan
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Sampling Rocks

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson plan, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
Lesson Plan
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Looking Back, Up and Ahead

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore how scientists have forecasted the 2002 Leonid meteor shower. They pose their own predictions for peak meteor rates per hour during the 2002 shower and compare their results with actual observed rates.
Lesson Plan
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Stellar Magnitudes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze the stellar magnitude scale. In this stellar magnitude lesson, students examine the stellar magnitude scale. Students predict the Sun's magnitude from various planets.
Interactive
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September Science Internet Activity

For Students 4th - 8th
In this energy activity, students click on the links in the questions about energy to find the answers to the questions and then come back and answer the questions. Students answer 12 questions total.
Lesson Plan
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Oxidation and Combustion: Chemical Reactions in Fire

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the art and science of pyrotechnics.  In this chemistry and computer lesson, students learn about the chemical basis of fire and structure of fireworks.  High schoolers then apply their...
Lesson Plan
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Weightlessness Demonstration

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate gravity.  For this weightless lesson students complete a lab activity about how a free fall might effect how one perceives gravity.
Worksheet
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Modeling Celestial Motion

For Students 7th - 12th
In this modeling celestial motion instructional activity, students fill in the blank about the motion of celestial bodies: planets and stars. Students complete the blanks with information about the scientists and philosophers responsible...
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Moon Journal

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders observe Moon and its features, and record results both in written form and in a drawing on the given template.
Lesson Plan
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Fact Or Fiction

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students demonstrate their ability to distinguish between fact and fiction. Students identify the features of weather-related adages and proverbs. After reviewing several weather adages, students explain whether they are based in fact.
Lesson Plan
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Seeing Interference Fringes with a Telescope

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers construct an interferometer using a simple telescope. In this physics lesson, students explain how light waves create the fringe patterns. They observe patterns made by different objects in the sky and compare them.
Lesson Plan
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Planets, Constellations, and Stars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this space science worksheet, students find the answers to the research questions that focus on the stars, planets, and constellations.
Lesson Plan
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Shadows

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students conduct an experiment. In this shadows instructional activity, students record the height of a meter stick. Students then cast shadows and record their length. Students compare the length of the shadow with the actual height of...
Lesson Plan
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Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students study a research telescope to obtain quantitative information about these objects. They use the SkyServer Navigation Tool to identify objects and record celestial coordinates. In addition, they associate star brightness and...
Lesson Plan
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Rotating Rings of Ice

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students work together to develop a model of Saturn and its rings. They identify what types of materials make up the rings and how they revolve around Saturn. They write a short paragraph describing the rings.
Lesson Plan
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Measuring Elevation

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students practice measuring elevation, one of the key coordinates used by astronomers. They describe how the elevation of an object is measured. and combine compass directions and elevation to find celestial objects.
Lesson Plan
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Weightlessness Demonstration

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the concept that free-fall eliminates the local effects of gravity. They discuss what an Earth-orbiting spacecraft experience is like as well as the terminology of weightlessness. Their lab experiment commences.
Lesson Plan
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Weather Myths

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders relate myths to weather phenomenon. They write and illustrated a weather myth and present it to the class.
Lesson Plan
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A DISAPPEARING ACT Astronomy: Do Stars Always Shine?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students observe why stars are not visible during the day with a classroom demonstration using an index card punched with holes.
Lesson Plan
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Once In a Blue Moon

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Pupils review the characteristics of the planets and their moons. Using the internet, they research the relationship between the Earth and its moons. They take a template of the moon and draw craters of different colors to present to the...
Lesson Plan
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Star Art

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students study about stars, constellations, and myths that accompany them. Then they create their own constellation using black paper and toothpicks and write a myth about their constellation. Their constellation can be viewed on an...