Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Characteristics of Planets And Their Moon(s) Using an Internet Scavenger Hunt.

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students perform an internet scavenger hunt. They describe characteristics of each planet and their moon(s) and draw a diagram of the solar system and label the planets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Best of the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars visit a site which provides images to be analyzed. Notes are taken and planets are named based on observed features and observations. Using peer review, they try to determine the identity of the planets. They are free to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outer Space and Beyond

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students compare and contrast the size, characteristics, composition, and orbits of the planets in our Solar System. They view a PowerPoint presentation, and in small groups conduct Internet research on a selected planet. Each group...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reaching the Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students sing the Rap of the Solar System, view pictures of the planets, and calculate their weights and ages on all the planets and the sun. They create a presentation comparing themselves with a planet or object in the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Best of the Solar System - Planetary Research

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students increase their ability to recognize the planets and their surface features. In this exploratory activity students focus on details by studying uncaptioned images.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Path of the Sun, the Ecliptic

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are introduced to the ecliptic, the zodiac and the apparent motions of the Sun, Moon and planets across the sky.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Path of the Sun: The Ecliptic

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the celestial sphere and the paths it takes in the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cosmic Wheels

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classroom Planetarium

For Teachers K - 4th
Students work in groups to create the planets of the solar system.  In this planets lesson, students create a hanging solar system taking into account the size, shape and position of the planets.  Students discuss the gravity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Path to Mars

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students compare Earth and Mars to find similarities between the two planets using given websites. They collect and download pictures of geological features of both planets from print and non-print sources. Descriptions of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Remote Sensing

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students research the Earth's ocean systems. They examine the impact of global warming on the oceans and the world as a whole.
Lesson Plan
Aquarium of the Pacific

Turn a Cow into a Whale

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore animals that might have a common ancestor and resemble one another.  For this cow and whale lesson, 3rd graders recognize the similarities between the whale and the cow.  Students complete worksheets based...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter, Matter

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars define vocabulary related to the parts of the atom.  For this matter lesson, students navigate the web to find the structure and the forces that affect atoms.  Young scholars complete an experiment with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One World Ocean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students compare and contrast the properties of salt water in the oceans/seas and freshwater elsewhere on the planet. They also analyze mixing caused by currents in the ocean, including the effects of warm and cold water as well as with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Conservation

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore types of water reserves. In this water conservation lesson, students brainstorm ways water are used in their homes. Students use a graduated cylinder to simulate the amount of water on Earth and the amount that humans use.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Effect: A Computer Simulation

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students complete an online simulation of the greenhouse effect. For this lesson on the greenhouse effect, students use a website, similar to a webquest, to simulate and answer questions on how the greenhouse effect works. This lesson is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scientific Inquiry

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students create a poster. In this recycling lesson, students discuss pollution and the ways humans negatively affect the environment. Students describe examples of litter or pollution they have experienced. Students collect litter from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceans-Coral Reefs

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate coral reefs. In this oceanology lesson, 2nd graders discuss what constitutes a coral reef and the wildlife that lives there. Students watch a video about coral reefs and take an online quiz.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nutrition: It's In Your Hands

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use this lesson to focus on their health, nutrition and the state of the environment. In groups, they examine the various types of land, water and air pollutants and compare and contrast a food chain with and without a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wax On, Wane Off

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders describe the composition of our solar system. They recognize the names of the planets in our solar system and compare and contrast the nine planets that orbit the sun.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Mathematic Models to Investigate Planitary Habitablity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine how the sun's intensity affects the temperature on various planets. They determine whether or not these planets could be habitable. Finally, they factor in the average albedo of the planets to determine whether or not...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Idol Presents: Solar System Night

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore facts about the solar system. They conduct research, and compose lyrics to well-known songs about one of the planets or various members of the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Exploration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore different planets of our solar system. Students gather specific information on each of the planets. High schoolers choose suitable planet for colonization.