Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make a Spaceship

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students create a spaceship, satellite, or space station. In this space lesson, students consider design elements for buildings and objects in space. Students use K'Nex, Legos, or other household materials for their creation. Students...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Oceans as a Heat Reservoir

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Where on Earth Am I?

For Students 9th - 11th Standards
Almost every phone has GPS installed, but a large number of teens don't know how the technology works. An initial activity illustrates how GPS determines a location on Earth. Scholars then apply trilateration procedures to a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Exploration to Find Habitable Planets

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students explore space science by reviewing scientific vocabulary terms. In this planet identification lesson, students identify the nine planets in our solar system and discuss which ones could potentially harbor life at some point....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explore the Characteristics of Stars with Microsoft WorldWide Telescope

For Teachers 2nd - 9th
Students explore the characteristics of stars. For this space science activity, students use the Microsoft WorldWide Telescope program to identify the properties of stars and identify the stars in the galaxy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Sky Clock

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore space science by completing a worksheet in class. In this astronomy lesson, students discuss and identify star patterns in the night sky and relate these patterns to the approximate time they appear. Students complete an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Strange New Planet

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. In this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Night Sky Observation

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore space science by completing an observational worksheet. In this astronomy instructional activity, students view several worksheets in which students identify minor changes between separate images in preparation for real...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the solar cycle through a series of experiments. For this space science lesson, students construct and evaluate solar cycle graphs. They explain how this phenomenon affects the Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Probing Below the Surface of Mars

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students simulate the search for water in Mars using simple apparatus. In this space science instructional activity, students explain how soil temperature affects the cooling of probes. They graph the data collected from the simulation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impact Craters: Holes in the Ground!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate crater formation through a lab activity. In this space science instructional activity, students calculate how much energy is transferred during meteorite impact. They identify different factors affecting the size and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sun in Our Lives

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify the different parts of the sun. In this astronomy lesson plan, 3rd graders examine how the sun's energy drive life processes on Earth. They construct a model of a solar system using large rolls of toilet paper.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rover Races

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science activity, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We Are Not Alone!!!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the area of astronomy. They explore Earth's neighboring planets. Students research a planet's characteristics. They develop a scale model of the solar system and a narrative about the planets.
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Do We Have Night?

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners engage in a fun, creative way to discover how the Earth moves. This lesson helps students explain why there is day and night. It can also create curiosity to further study the solar system and eclipses!
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galaxies

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore the structure and content of galaxies. Through discussion, lab, and hands-on activities, they discover the general structure of the three types of galaxies as well as the effect they have on the structure and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Categorizing Celestial Objects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers work together to develop a classification system for planets. They take a class vote and read an article about an astronomer's classification system. They write an essay on how scientists make decisions for the general...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Quest: Exploring the Constellations

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine constellations and planets through completing various activities. Students work individually and in groups to create drawings based on stars, compare and contrast the night sky with and without a telescope and learn...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meteor Showers

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the Internet to discover the wonderful world of comets and meteor showers. They discover how to spot one and predict them using a calendar. They also examine the makeup of meteoroids and meteorites.
Lesson Plan
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Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the history and cultural interpretation of a celestial body or constellation. They create technology based presentations of the information.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Alphabet Journey Through Space

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders author a book about the universe to be shared with a younger audience. After compiling an alphabetic list of words related to the universe, 3rd graders research a definition for each word and put them in book form. Books...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Tools of the Trade

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Did you know every state in the U.S. has at least one observatory? During the lesson, scholars research the cost of building and maintaining an observatory. They must present their information in a proposal to build a new observatory,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stars and Constellations

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders investigate how ancient cultures viewed their world in terms of astronomy. They read and discuss an informational handout, construct an astrolabe, and locate stars and constellations using star charts.

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