Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
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Hyperstudio Solar System Review: Technology, Study Skills
Students use Hyperstudio to review important points before taking a test at the end of a study unit on the solar system. This concept could easily be switched to many different topics.
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Planetary Profiles
Students explore the characteristics of the planets and moons in the solar system. They create profiles of the nine planets in the solar system and present a written and oral report about a planet.
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Strange New Planet
Students choose a spherical object to decorate with stickers, scents, etc to make it interesting. They write a key to the features for future explorers. Students use viewers to observe mystery planets. Students simulate NASA missions by...
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Space the Next Frontier
Students examine the use of space as the frontier of the future. Using the colonist's experience coming to the New World, they identify challenges they would face if they were to settle in space. As a class, they share what they already...
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Constellations
Students explore the major constellations. After reviewing the Earth's basic motions and their significance, students discuss the moon's orbit and revolutions. Using a Digitarium Alpha portable planetarium projector, they observe at...
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Planet Picking
Students arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun. In this astronomy lesson plan, students list interesting properties about each planet. They identify an unknown planet photo.
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Our Solar System to Scale
Students calculate the diameter of planets and their relative distances. In this space science lesson, students discover how small or big the planets are in comparison to each other. Students use cross multiplying fractions to find...
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"101 Amazing Earth Facts" Game
Students read for comprehension, work cooperatively to learn "101 Amazing Earth Facts," and compete as teams in a Jeopardy-like game.
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The Climate Change Skeptic's Argument: Natural Solar Cycles or Human Activity?
Teachers explore patterns in sunspots and total solar irradiance to understand the counterpoint to the human effect of global warming. In this professional development tool, teachers work through a lesson on the sun's natural...
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Clay Planets
Pupils create scale models of the planets out of clay and compare them to the real planets.
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Planet Research and Brochure
Fourth graders design a brochure based on the planet that they researched. For this planets lesson plan, 4th graders include the data, important facts, and completed as a team.
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Our Sky: Home of Stars and Planets
Learners discover that astronomy is a branch of science that includes the study of planets, stars, and constellations.
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Your Weight on Other Planets
Students explore their weight on other planets. In this science lesson, students view a presentation about the other planets and complete a worksheet in which they make predictions about their weight on the moon and other planets.
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Planetary Problem Solving
Students create their own planet. They determine its diameter, density, composition, mass and orbit. Students create a list of elements necessary to sustain human life. They present their model to the class.
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The Sun
In this space science worksheet, students identify and name which gases make up the sun and the name of the part of the sun that we can see from Earth. Then they describe a solar eclipse and draw a diagram illustrating what happens...
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson plan, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups to research...
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Out of This World (Science)
Students participate in various hands-on activities to visually demonstrate the positions of the planets from the sun. Then they draw a pictorial representation of the order of planets from the sun.
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Hoop Trip To The Planets
Learners practice locomotor patterns already introduced while reinforcing facts about each planet.
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Inner Planets
Students research characteristics of the planets and record their findings on Planet Web worksheet. They create fold paper to create a foldable booklet to display the information they discover about the planets.
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Language Arts Written Drama Project: Creationism
High schoolers create and perform science fiction drams based upon their knowledge of the solar system. For this solar system lesson students work in cooperative groups to create a short play and will also score the play.
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Science - Lesson 42 - Astronomy
Third graders demonstrate the position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun in a solar and lunar eclipse. They list uses for manmade satellites and write a description of how a satellite would be use.
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Moon Journal
Students review the planets and major moons in the Solar System. In groups, they research and describe the various phases of the moon. They record their observations of the moon phases over a specific period of time and use the...
Teach Engineering
A New Angle on PV Efficiency
Let me get an angle on this! Investigate the orientation of a photovoltaic panel and its effect on efficiency. By using a light source, learners collect and plot current output to determine the ultimate orientation. The resource includes...