Curated OER
The Solstices
Compare surface temperatures when the solstice occurs in the different hemispheres. Young scientists draw conclusions from their investigation of data collected using spreadsheets and a globe.
Virginia Department of Education
Planet Line-Ups
Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets.
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...
Glynn County School System
Solar System Formation and Extra-Solar Planets
Has the solar system always been like it is today? A lesson presentation begins with a discussion of the formation of our solar system. It continues with a compare and contrast of the inner and outer planets.
Curated OER
Mercury
After reading a short excerpt about Mercury, your class will answer four comprehension questions. The worksheet challenges them to fold over the paper and answer the questions without referring back to the excerpt. An answer sheet is...
Curated OER
The Dawn Mission: Ion Rockets and Spiral Orbits
In this ion rocket and orbits worksheet, students read about the spiral orbit the Dawn spacecraft took due to its ion rocket motor. Students solve 3 problems including finding the path taken by the spacecraft, determining the total path...
Curated OER
The Four Seasons - Earth's Axis
Students discover that it is the tilt of the earth's axis that results in the seasons. They clarify common misconceptions about the earth's orbit around the sun.
Curated OER
Measuring the Diameter of the Sun
Young scholars calculate and measure the diameter of the sun. They construct a meter stick instrument, calculate the diameter using a formula, and compare the measurement with the accepted scientific measurement.
Curated OER
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Solar System
Fifteen questions about our solar system make up this interactive review game. It was written by a teacher in the UK, and therefore the monetary winnings for answering correctly are in pounds. The content applies, however, to any...
Curated OER
The Changing Atmosphere of Pluto
In this atmosphere of Pluto worksheet, high schoolers use an equation for the orbit of Pluto to determine the semi-major axis, the semi-minor axis, the ellipticity of the orbit, the aphelion and the perihelion. They also determine the...
Curated OER
The Solar System
Students construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is included...
Curated OER
Mathematics at the Frontier of Astronomy
Students explore the different types of measurements used in astronomy. For this space science lesson, students explain the relationship between planets' orbits and distance from the sun using Kepler's Laws. They discuss how math aides...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Young scholars explore why when you examine the moon depends on its location in relationship to the sun and Earth. The moon never goes away or changes shape-we just see a different fraction of sunlight being reflected from the moon to...
Curated OER
Observation and Inference
Assess your young scientists' understanding of the difference between observation and inference with this 20-question multiple choice quiz. It reviews a variety of physics and astronomy concepts, such as solar eclipses and sunspots, the...
NOAA
Satellite Communications
How do satellites communicate? What types of satellites orbit Earth? Discover and mimic the way satellites communicate between two points in a hands-on activity that has pupils using mirrors, flashlights, and marbles.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
A Classroom Solar System
Create a scaled model of our solar system in your classroom! Scholars work collaboratively to build paper mache planets and hang them in their proper position to showcase each planet's location in the solar system.
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Spring
Celebrate the arrival of spring with this fun primary grade science unit. Engaging young scientists with a variety of hands-on activities and inquiry-based investigations, these lessons are a great way to teach children about...
Glynn County School System
Light, History, Gravity, Distance, Relativity, and Space-Time
Let the star's color be the guide! The color of a star indicates its temperature and its mass and distance affect the gravitational force. The lesson presentations address these concepts as well as how the theory of special relativity...
Discovery Education
Solar System Scale
Extremely large or extremely small numbers are difficult to comprehend. To help understand the massive scale of the solar system, learners complete two activities. First, they create a model to compares the size of the bodies in the...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Agent Exoplanet
Not everything revolves around the sun! Believe it or not, there are planets, called exoplanets, that orbit stars other than our sun. Learners use an interactive online resource to research several of these planets. They learn about the...
Curated OER
Scale Activities
How do you put something as large as the universe in perspective? Use a series of scale experiments. Classmates collaborate around four experiments to examine the scale of the earth-moon system, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy,...
Curated OER
Taking the Measure of the Universe
Four fabulous activities immerse amateur astronomers into measuring objects that we cannot handle. The experiences are applied to NASA's Space Interferometry Mission, which will take measurements of planets around stars other than our...
Curated OER
Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean
Learners use real satellite data to determine the changes in near-surface air temperature at different times of the year over the Caribbean Sea. They discover how Earth's tilt causes seasonal differences in incoming solar energy. They...
Curated OER
Let's Think About Day and Night
Students explore day and night and the relationships between the Earth, the sun and the moon. They discuss the ways in which the sun and moon help us. They watch a short video that helps illustrate these concepts.