Space Awareness
Seasons Around the World
Why does Earth experience summer, fall, winter, and spring? Using an informative demonstration, learners see how the angle of the sun on Earth and the rotation of Earth determine the seasons. Scholars work in pairs to learn that the...
Curated OER
Space: Stars and Planets
Students observe and report that the moon can be seen sometimes at night and sometimes during the day. They describe how changes to a model can help predict how the real thing can be altered. Students explain the essential fact of the...
Curated OER
Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Working on the Moon
Students take a mission to the moon. For this space science lesson, students visit selected websites to discover information about Earth's moon and the solar system. Students may take virtual missions to the moon and share...
Curated OER
Why is There a Tidal Bulge Opposite the Moon?
Students simulate how the Moon causes ocean tides. In this earth science lesson, students calculate gravitational acceleration using a mathematical formula. They compare the force of attraction between the Earth, Moon and Sun system.
EngageNY
How Far Away Is the Moon?
Does the space shuttle have an odometer? Maybe, but all that is needed to determine the distance to the moon is a little geometry! The instructional activity asks scholars to sketch the relationship of the Earth and moon using shadows of...
Vosonos
Interactive Minds: Solar System
Travel through space as you learn about the galaxy, solar system, planets, and much more. An extensive resource for studying astronomy in upper-elementary and middle school classrooms.
Curated OER
Earth in Space
For this reason for the days and nights on earth worksheet, students study the reasons the Earth has days and nights by answering 28 questions about earth's rotation, the equator, the relationship between the sun and moon, and the...
Curated OER
Space Science: Adventure is Waiting
These full-color handouts feature two activities. The first is a reading on comets, meteors, and meteoroids. Your space science learners will examine ten phrases and determine which of the three each characterizes. The second activity...
Curated OER
Science: Space Quiz
In this science: space quiz learning exercise, students answer twenty questions, not interactively, about outer space, then scroll down to find the answers.
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon Flipbook
Third graders create a flipbook. In this phases of the moon lesson, 3rd graders examine how the moon changes and phases occur. Students create their own flipbook of the phases of the moon using file cards to create a motion-picture...
Curated OER
Space Search
In this space worksheet, students identify and locate vocabulary terms and names related to space. There are 26 words located in the puzzle.
Curated OER
The Moon's Atmosphere
In this moon's atmosphere worksheet, students read about the tenuous lunar atmosphere and solve 4 problems. They find the density of helium particles, they find the grams of given atoms in the moon's atmosphere and they find the volume...
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Craters on the Moon
In this moon craters worksheet, students use a high resolution image of the lunar surface and calculate the image scale in meters per millimeter. They use the image scale to find the largest crater in the image, the smallest crater, the...
Curated OER
Changing Perspectives on the Sun's Diameter
In this sun's diameter worksheet, students use a photograph taken by the SOHO satellite of the sun showing a change in diameter from one month to another. Students find the average diameter of the sun, they determine the percent change...
Curated OER
The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Third graders construct a model of the earth-sun-moon system using students as the sun, moon, and earth. They discuss ways that time is related to the movement of the earth and moon.
Curated OER
Phase In, Phase Out, the Magnificent Moon
First graders discuss why the moon appears to change shape. They use flashlights and balls to simulate the sun's light shining on the moon during its different phases. They read books, paint pictures and write sentences about the moon.
Curated OER
Earth and Sun's Distance
Students consider the shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. They view the first segment of Science Court video and use Timeliner software to construct a scale of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Curated OER
Moon Phase Flip Books
What better way to study the moon phases than to see them in action? The directions on the handout only have kids cut out and tape on the moon phases to make the flipbook, but it would be even more powerful to include the name of each...
Curated OER
Embrace Space
Students use the internet to gather informatino about the solar system and space. In groups, they create a slideshow in which they use illustrations from the internet and include their own text. They complete the lesson plan by going on...
Journey Through the Universe
How Far is Far?
The earth only revolves around one thing — and it's not any of your pupils. The lesson plan includes two activities dealing with the distance to the sun and the moon. First, scholars create a pin hole camera and use the rules of similar...
Journey Through the Universe
Going through a Phase
Ignore the full moon, it's just a phase. Young scholars observe and record the moon during a full cycle before learning to predict future phases. Then the instructor leads a discussion on the other solar system objects that...
101 Questions
Speed of Light
How quickly does light travel long distances? A short video simulates light going from the earth to the moon at two different paces. Scholars relate the distance to the rate to understand which simulation is correct.
Curated OER
Facts and Myths about our Solar System
Sixth graders explore popular ideas about the Sun and Moon. In this space science lesson, 6th graders separate commonly accepted details about our solar system into facts and myths. Students research a particular idea and...