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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Vocabulary of Space

For Teachers 4th - 8th
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. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and Minerals Composition Database

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research a specific rock or mineral. They compile the facts into a database which students access for information.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Drake Equation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use the Drake Equation to calculate the probability of sustaining life on various planets. Through the use of the equation, they determine whether intelligent and advanced civilizations can be developed on planets other than...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Universal Proportions: Earth and Moon

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars create scale models of Earth, the Moon, and the distances within the universe. Working in groups, they construct their models of Earth and the Moon on a scale of 50:1 and calculate how far apart to place their models. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Alien

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students listen to text read from "Hello! Anybody Out There?" and then brainstorm what aliens from outer space look like and do they exist at all. They then will describe the physical features and a special ability or quality of an alien.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hail to the Chief

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students examine the musical arrangement "Hail to the Chief". For this music history lesson, students listen to and compare jazz, samba, baroque, and march versions of the song. This lesson may be adapted to meet the needs of different...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Theme

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine a reading selection. In this descriptive writing lesson, students read an excerpt from "Hello! Anybody Out There?". Students discuss the idea of aliens living on other planets, describe what they think an alien looks...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Next Dimension

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Young scholars explore the three dimensional Cartesian coordinate system and discuss how it is important for structural engineers in order to be able to describe locations in space to fellow engineers. They participate in a hands-on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sunshine and Shadows

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Students...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Find Center of Milky Way Galaxy Using Globular Star Clusters

For Students 9th - 10th
The Milky Way is the edgewise view of our home galaxy, a disk made up of billions of stars. The Sun resides on one of the spiral arms of the disk, 30,000 light-years from the thick hub of the galaxy. The actual center, with a black hole...
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Identify the shape and size of the Milky Way and where our solar system is located in the Milky Way.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Identify the shape and size of the Milky Way and where our solar system is located in the Milky Way.
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Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Galaxies, the Milky Way and Beyond

For Students 9th - 10th
In this interactive tutorial students will explore galaxies. Learn what the Milky Way Galaxy is like, how various galaxies are grouped into clusters and superclusters and why those particular galaxies clump together.
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Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Milky Way Study Guide

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about the Milky Way. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: The Milky Way and Beyond: Globular Clusters

For Students 9th - 10th
Globular clusters, compact groups of about a million stars that move around together in galaxies, are among the oldest objects found in the universe. Since they are found most galaxies and since they've been around for so long, globular...
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Website
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Milky Way Has an Extra Sweeping Arm

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, this article discusses the shape of the Milky Way Galaxy and the presence of an additional arm attached to the galaxy.
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Website
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Milky Way Is Many Tentacled Beast

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Larry O'Hanlon's article discusses research connected to the size of the Milky Way Galaxy. The article suggests that the galaxy, instead of being a neat spiral, stretches out through a series of arms.
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Graphic
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Star Makes Closest Approach to Black Hole in Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
A star known as S0-2 made its closest approach to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way in 2018.
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Website
California Institute of Technology

Spitzer Science Center: Milky Way Aglow With Dust

For Students 9th - 10th
This space telescope image titled "The Milky Way Center Aglow with Dust" features five separate images of the galaxy's center through infrared eyes. In addition, a detailed textual overview explains various specifics of the picture.
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Website
California Institute of Technology

Spitzer Science Center: Star Clusters in the Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
Under the heading, "Star Clusters Found in the Milky Way" this site examines specific details of an image displaying various clusters of stars in the Milky Way. The text below the image highlights in detail various features of the picture.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: The Moon and the Stars

For Students 3rd - 5th
When you are in the city, only a few of the brightest stars are visible. But when you are in the country, you can see many more stars than you can count. Sometimes you can even see the bright belt of our galaxy, the Milky Way. In this...
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Article
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Earth's Twin Found at Heart of Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Marilyn Head's article centers on research behind the discovery of the planet in the Milky Way which most closely resembles the planet Earth.
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Website
California Institute of Technology

Spitzer Science Center: Center of the Milky Way

For Students 9th - 10th
This space telescope image displays the center of the Milky Way Galaxy and its "A Cauldron of Stars." In addition, a detailed textual overview explains various specifics of the picture.
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Interactive
Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble Site: Way Out!

For Students 9th - 10th
Can you help a cow plot a path out of the Milky Way? This hilarious space game is for all ages and is offered by HubbleSite. Users may pick their level of expertise and can choose from novice, pretty smart about space, or an astrobrainiac.