Ahoy, matey! Here is an engineering expedition that mini mariners are sure to be swept away by! After reading a brief description and history of periscopes, they work in crews to construct one. Use this activity to enhance a...

Students experiment with water and mirrors to better understand how telescopes work. In this telescopes lesson plan, students use water and mirrors to see how mirrors reflect light and create a magnified image.

Students explore a web-based illustrated text and interactive graphics to determine the relationship between the operation of telescopes and light. optics. They work in small groups to become an expert on one of the ten eras of telescope...

Students explore the basic principles of the operation of the NASA's KAO telescope. They construct a simplified model of it using film canisters and other everyday objects. Step by step directions are included in plan.

Students explore light. In this properties of light lesson, students define the terms refract, reflect, and diffract after listening to the teacher's description. Students listen to the book Light Magic and observe a spoon in a glass of...

High schoolers investigate the Law of Reflection and how light travels.  In this reflection activity students produce data from their experiment then create a pencil tracing.

Eighth graders are introduced to concepts related to the Solar System. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they must describe a ray of light and how it travels. They draw a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum and...

Students differentiate refracting and reflecting telescopes. In this earth science lesson, students explain how they are closely connected to satellites. They complete the concept map at the end of the activity.

Third graders utilize the scientific method to explain light and optics in this five lessons unit. Through experimentation and discussion, 3rd graders canvass the concepts of light traveling, reflection and refraction.

Fifth graders view a Powerpoint show about reflecting light. They experiment through a reflection simulation on the internet. Students complete the activity by using mirrors and light to complete send light to a specified spot.

Students explore light.  In this physical science light lesson, students display objects on a projection screen and investigate how light absorbs, refracts, transmits and reflects. Students discuss common features of light based on...

Students investigate the uses and purpose of the Hubble telescope. They create a model of the telescope and conduct research about the history behind the invention of it. Students use the information in order to create a context for the...

Galileo first observed Saturn's rings in 1610. Through the use of a flashlight and baby powder, classes see how they can observe the rings of the outer planets from far away. Another demonstration shows how these rings, made of ice and...

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.

Students investigate lenses and mirrors showing how they bend and reflect light waves.

Fifth graders observe the video, Exploring Light and Color. They access a website to create their own light show. They conduct lab experiments to investigate refraction, reflection,and other light-related topics.

Students study cosmic rays and the energy behind them.  In this atmospheric lesson students complete a cosmic ray telescope project. 

Put together the pieces and model a parabola. Learners work through several examples to develop an understanding of a parabola graphically and algebraically. 

Students plot the positions of the planet Jupiter while predicting what the configuration system looks like from Earth. For this configuration of satellites lesson, students photograph Jupiter and its moons to record the motions of...

Learners explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.

Students build their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary related to space.  In this space lesson, students discuss four categories of words and phrases related to space. 

Young scholars discuss reasons to record the location of stars. They view a picture of the night sky, and discuss constellations. Students complete a worksheet of the various shapes they see in the constellations.

Pupils explore the Earth's only natural sattelite, the moon. They view a demonstration using tennis balls of the waxing crescent moon, waxing gibbous moon and a lunar eclipse.

Students consider the idea of a world with Six Billion people and subsequent results and ramifications. Then students will gather data regarding the state of these diverse nations and then create a presentation as a culminating activity.