Curated OER
Create a Cloud in a Bottle
Meteorology or earth science classes reach for the sky with this lesson plan! You will need to purchase a Fizz Keeper® device and temperature strip for each lab group if you want them to perform this as an activity rather than you doing...
Curated OER
Understanding the Poem
Practice literary analysis with your poetry pupils using the mysterious narrative poem "The Listeners." They examine the archaic language and answer 12 comprehension and analysis prompts. Foster creativity with these referential...
Curated OER
Roller Coasters
Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....
Space Awareness
Star in a Box
What happens to stars as they get older? A simulation takes pupils through the life cycle of stars based on their masses. The resource introduces the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and the common relationships and life cycle patterns observed.
National Park Service
Aspect, Treeline, and Climate
Head to the treeline and beyond to examine how this feature of the landscape affects weather and climate, which gives scientists clues about its health. Class members' observations of photographs provide the data that drives the...
Curated OER
Learning Lesson: Head in the Clouds
Young scholars observe and describe the sky as they discover the different cloud types. They record the types of clouds they see twice a day. They also use the internet to view a skywatcher chart. They end the instructional activity by...
Curated OER
Investigation 6 - Celestial Model
Third graders investigate why stars appear to move across the night sky.
Curated OER
John Constable: artist
Students paint their own cloudy sky after studying paintings of the artist John Constable. In this John Constable lesson plan, students read and discuss the outdoor paintings of this artist and then complete their own painting of the...
Curated OER
Exploring the Constellations, a WebQuest Activity
Students explore space science by participating in a class WebQuest. In this constellation identification lesson, students view star charts based on the four seasons and identify the changes our sky goes through in the course of 12...
Curated OER
Weather Patterns
Fourth graders collect and chart weather data over the course of the school year either using tools at school or media resources. They agree on weather terms to use in their observations and write them on the assigned sheet. Finally,...
Curated OER
Flying the Friendly Skies
Learners discover the power of wind by flying a glider. In this weather lesson, students describe their thoughts on wind and practice using weather related vocabulary. Learners construct model gliders in class and attempt to fly them...
Curated OER
Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface
Learners explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. In this lunar instructional activity, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Learners view images of the moon and...
Curated OER
Piece of the Sky: Introduction for Making S'COOL Observations
Pupils observe and discuss cloud cover. They identify percent of cloud cover, calculate cloud cover by fraction and convert to a percent, and compare their models with the current real sky cloud cover.
Curated OER
Flying the Friendly Skies
Students investigate aerodynamics by comparing and contrasting the flight of two gliders. They make prediction and observation charts and test a variety of hypotheses using paper gliders.
Curated OER
Observing Bursts from an X-ray Burster
Students study the use of X-ray data to make size and energy estimates of the source and the processes occurring there. They use XTE observations of the object GRO 1744-28 to determine whether bursts occur periodically and the duration...
Curated OER
The Sky and the Dichotomous Key
Students conduct observations and use a dichotomous key to identify clouds they see.
Curated OER
Art in the Sky
First graders become familiar with four types of clouds by experimenting with cameras and exploring the web. They observe illustrators' renderings of clouds and draw their own representation of clouds.
Curated OER
Cloud Observation and Graphing
Students identify the three major cloud groups. They are introduced to the three main cloud types and spend a week making and recording observations of clouds. Students produce a graph that presents their findings and conduct research...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Reading and Writing
Here is a great way to get pupils to express a scientific concept in a fun way. After hearing the story of Walter the Water drop and learning facts about the water cycle, the class will write a creative expository piece describing what...
Space Awareness
Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Folktales
Following a reading and thorough discussion of books—Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott and The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons—scholars complete three activities. First, they use playdough or cookie dough to create...
Curated OER
Too Bright at Night?
Students reflect upon the causes and effects of light pollution in the night skies. First, they read articles provided and then do worksheets that are provided. They work in groups to discuss their conclusions.
Curated OER
What's The Weather?
Students explore the role that remote sensing plays in predicting our weather. Students investigate weather websites, and read about the three kinds of clouds. Students record and draw their observations in science journals.
Curated OER
Here Today. . .Gone Tomorrow
Learners observe that there are threatened and endangered bird species in Illinois, why they have been given this status and how it relates to endangered species on a worldwide basis. they participate in the Project WILD "Oh, Deer" or...