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Solar System Bead Distance Activity
Students create a scaled solar system model using colorful beads. In this space science lesson, students convert AU units into metric measurements. They arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun.
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Planet Picking
Students arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun. In this astronomy activity, students list interesting properties about each planet. They identify an unknown planet photo.
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Applying For The Mission
Pupils participate in a live simulation of traveling through space as part of a large science unit. They are encouraged to go into the community and ask for participation from parents and relatives. Students reflect upon their own...
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Where in Our Solar System Are We?
Second graders research distance between planets and the sun using encyclopedias. They use toilet paper sheets as a unit of measurement (50 million km.) students stand at planet locations using toilet paper to measure distance between.
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Reduce Reuse Recycle
Students discover methods that can save the planet by recycling. In this sustainable planet instructional activity, students read The Berenstein Bears Don't Pollute Anymore, and practice memorizing the 3 R's. Students...
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Greenhouse in a Bottle
Students create models of the greenhouse effect using recycled 2-liter bottles. They discuss how their models compares to the real greenhouse effect the earth experiences.
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Dangers of Radiation Exposure
Students calculate their yearly exposure rate to harmful high-energy radiation and cumulative effects over time. They use the information to evaluate the various sources of radiation that are of greatest concern for them.
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Comparing Earth and Mars
Students work together to compare and contrast Mars and Earth. Using the internet, they answer questions given to them by their teacher and calculate answers showing their work. They graph their answers and discuss the results of the...
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Earth Science Lesson Plans on Geologic Time
Springboard your fourth and fifth graders into the study geologic time. They will complete 7 activities to learn about geologic time and the topics most often associated with it: astronomy, creation, planet formation, volcanology,...
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The Magic School Bus Lost in Space
Learners learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore outer space as they visit the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in order to learn about our solar system.
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Saturn’s Moons
Students compare Saturn's moons to the Earth's moon. For this moon lesson students work in groups and complete a lab activity then answer questions.
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Understanding Biodiversity Via Ecological Footprints
Sixth graders investigate the ways in which human beings impact the environment and ecology through the calculation of their own ecological footprint, discussion questions pertaining to biodiversity and potential imbalance hazards, and...
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Paper Mache Solar System
Learners make a model of the solar system. In this solar system lesson, students make paper mache models of the planets to hand in the classroom, measure the distance to each planet scaled with footsteps, and model the moon's movement...
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Deep Blue: Exploring the Deep Ocean
Students examine landforms. In this social studies lesson, students bounce a beach ball around in order to discover that seventy percent of the Earth is covered in water. Students
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Ode to the Earth: Magnetic Poetry
Students explore Earth Day by creating an arts and crafts project. In this nature appreciation lesson, students utilize nature related vocabulary terms on magnets and put them in different orders to create interesting poetry. Students...
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Simple Searches
In this space worksheet, students load a copy of ViewPoint and open the Solar System datafile. There they look through database sheets, using the Preview Sheet and Next Sheet buttons and respond to 8 questions. Then students do some...
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Great Lakes at Stake
Students explore conservation of the Great Lakes. In this geography and ecology instructional activity, students identify the Great Lakes on a map and view a video depicting the history and importance of these lakes. Students work in...
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Gravity: A Relatively Heavy Subject
Students examine planetary movement and its relation to the tide.In this gravity instructional activity students describe how and why the high and low tides change every day.
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The Solar System
Students describe the different bodies that make up our solar system, explain the place of our solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe, explain day and night and the Earth's movement, and describe the relationship...
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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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CO2 and You
Students study the scientific evidence about carbon dioxide emissions. They learn to calculate the amount of energy used by different appliances. They complete a worksheet which analyzes the amount of energy that their home uses.
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Ordinal Numbers Are Out of This World
First graders identify and write ordinal numbers by following the sequence the school bus followed during a field trip to the nine planets in the solar system. This is based on the book The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System.
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On Our Own- Surviving on Another Planet
Students investigate current models for Lunar and Martian settlements and study the mathematics behind these designs. They design their own Lunar or Martian settlement with an explanation of why their model would work best.
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The Rare Earth - How Rare Is Earth-Like Life?
Students systematically investigate the time frame for complex life to develop on Earth. They approximate how many other planets there may be harboring Earth-like complex life in our galaxy.