Curated OER
Cosmic Wheels
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.
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Was Kepler Correct?
Learners are introduced to Kepler's 2nd law of Planetary Motion. The lesson plan reinforces the understanding of focal points. They calculate the sector area of an ellipse.Students expand understanding by modeling Kepler's 2nd Law of...
Mr. E. Science
Our Solar System
The presentation starts with the scientists who made discoveries about our solar system: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, Brahe, Kepler, and Newton. It also covers the planets, inner, outer, and Pluto, satellites, and an in-depth discussion...
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Ellipses and Kepler's First Law
The class examines graphs in the form r = F(¿¿) in polar coordinates (r, ¿¿), in particular with the circle, ellipse and other conic sections. They determine the nature of an ellipse by studying the role of the semimajor axis and...
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Black Holes...V
In this black hole worksheet, students read about the black hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy called Sagittarius A and observe a Chandra image of the area where the black hole exists. Students solve two problems which include...
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Meet the Neighbors: Planets Around Nearby Stars
Students explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare the...
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Kepler's 3rd Law
Students derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius. They derive the Earth escape velocity and prove Kepler's 3rd law for circular orbits # A simple formula for the orbital period in a circular Earth orbit of given radius.
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Was Kepler Correct?
Learners investigate the elliptical orbit around the Sun. They use the information gathered to measure the distance to the Sun from the closest orbital point and the farthest orbital point.
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How Does a Satellite Stay in Orbit?
Students explore placing a satellite into orbit, then about forces needed to keep an object in orbit. They examine how satellites orbit in elliptical paths and about properties of ellipses. They learn Kepler's 3rd Law of Planetary Motion
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Kepler's Third Law
Students use Kepler's third law to derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius, and identify the Earth escape velocity.
CK-12 Foundation
Journey to Mars
Why are there launch windows when traveling to outer space? Scholars explore the trajectory of traveling from one planet to another. By adjusting the departure and destination planets, as well as the launch date, they observe the ideal...
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Kepler's Second Law
Learners explore orbital velocities and how they vary along each orbit, according to Kepler's Second Law.
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Kepler's Second Law
Students gain an understanding of Kepler's 2nd law--that planets (and satellites) move fastest at their closest approach to the center of attraction, and slow down when far away. They explore the concepts of "potential energy" and...
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Ellipses And Kepler's First Law
High schoolers explain that planets actually orbit the center of gravity of the solar system, and that distant planets may be detected by motions of their central star around the centers of gravity of their planetary systems.
Space Awareness
The Engine of Life
There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...
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Worksheet 19: Ship Positions
In this math worksheet, students read informational paragraphs and then answer 18 questions using data from their readings. Questions are about vectors, positions, distance and orbits.
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Introduction To Orbital Mechanics
Students use NASA drawings to build a model satellite for a specific mission. They design a set of drawings for their satellite showing its subsystems as well.
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Discovering a Law of Space Physics
Students use data collected by an astronomer to determine the relationship between the time it takes the planet to orbit the sun and the average radius of the planet's orbit around the sun. Students use trial and error to find the...
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Application of Ellipses
In this algebra worksheet, 11th graders apply ellipses to real life scenarios such as football, satellite and planet orbits. They discuss a variety of way sto apply ellipses.
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Reading Comprehension 6
Set the timer for five minutes (or less), and distribute this resource to your class. There's a very short reading passage followed by a set of three questions. What a great tool in prepping your class for upcoming state testing.
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Astronomy Class
In this space science worksheet, students find the words associated with the basic terms of Astronomy. The answers are located at the bottom of the page.
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"Water, Water Everywhere and None to Drink"
Ninth graders research the importance of maintaining an unpolluted water source in their community. They work together in groups and brainstorm ideas on what they can do to help. They can also write their local politicians.
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Worksheet 12
In this math activity, learners explain the vector parametric equation for a line, scalar parametric equations, symmetric equations, and the implicit equation for a line.
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Scientific Revolution
In this online interactive world history worksheet, students answer 20 matching questions regarding the Scientific Revolution. Students may submit their answers to be scored.