Space Awareness
How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Take a virtual trip with a geography lesson that uses longitude and latitude, the position of the sun, an astronomy app, and a classroom globe.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Toilet Paper Solar System
Can we model how large the solar system really is? Attempt an astronomical feat with a hands-on-activity that uses a roll of toilet paper. Young scientists measure the distances of the planets from the sun to create a scale model of the...
Curated OER
The Earth, Sun Mood and Stars Unit (Planets too!)
Fifth graders prepare five activities to do then show their energy saving skills. In this investigative lesson students create five projects then participate in an energy saving demonstration.
Curated OER
Stars
In this language arts/science worksheet, students write about 3 topics: what they know, what they want to know, and what they've learned about stars.
It's About Time
Our Community's Place Among the Stars
But isn't the Milky Way a candy bar? Lead a detailed discussion on the complex topic of our solar system and the Milky Way Galaxy as the class explores stellar evolution, structure, and investigates the relationship between luminosity...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Earth's Rotation
After completing the activity, "Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year," zoom in on Earth's rotation using the same simulation setup and this outline. Each class member dons a map of the Western Hemisphere and plays the part of...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Astronomy Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthologys
A read-aloud anthology focuses on astronomy. Each week for three weeks, first graders are introduced to and listen to a text, answer comprehension questions, then complete extensions that include a learning activity and skills practice....
Curated OER
an Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Students, in groups, research a planet from our solar system. They create Styrofoam models of the planets and place the planets on a correct distance scale from the sun.
Curated OER
And a Star to Steer Her By: A Field Trip Guide for the Planetarium Show
In this field trip study guide for the planetarium show lesson, students construct a model of the Earth and describe the relative positions of the continents using latitude and longitude. Students construct a star chart to find...
Curated OER
NASA Juggles Four Satellites at Once
In this NASA satellites learning exercise, high schoolers read about the Magnetosphere Multi-Scale satellite constellation that NASA will launch in 2013. They solve 4 problems including finding the volume of the MMS constellation,...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Day and Night Sky
Students explore space science by participating in a sky observation activity. In this astronomy instructional activity, students define a list of astronomy vocabulary terms and examine star charts of the four seasons. Students gather...
Curated OER
Distances Between Stars
In this distance between stars activity, students use the 3-dimensional distance formula and Cartesian coordinates to find the distances of 10 given stars from the sun. They also determine which constellation each star belongs to and the...
Curated OER
How Old Are the Stars?
High schoolers determine the age of a star cluster by observing, measuring, and plotting astronomical data. They examine the Jewe lbox cluster, located within the southern constellation Crux and determine its age.
Curated OER
Mathematics at the Frontier of Astronomy
Students explore the different types of measurements used in astronomy. In this space science lesson, students explain the relationship between planets' orbits and distance from the sun using Kepler's Laws. They discuss how math aides in...
Curated OER
See the Stars
Students explore the nighttime sky. In this space science lesson, students read the book Maria's Comet and and investigate the sky using their naked eyes. Students compare the view of their naked eyes to the view of a telescope.
Curated OER
Our Changing View of the Solar System
Students identify and name the eight planets and the five dwarf planets in our solar system. In this space science lesson, students view a slideshow of the planets and label them on an included Solar System chart.
Curated OER
Eagle Nebula - Close-up
In this Eagle nebula worksheet, learners solve 4 problems including finding the size of the nebula field, determining the scale of the image, determining how large the nebula is in millimeters and determining the size of the smallest...
Curated OER
Modeling a Planetary Nebula
In this modeling a planetary nebula worksheet, students use a diagram to calculate the intensity at different radii from the center of the nebula. Students use the Pythagorean Theorem to determine the distance between two points on the...
Curated OER
Stargazing Astronomy: A Ceiling Full of Stars
Students make an observe a planetarium using a can with nail holes, black paper and a flashlight.
Curated OER
Meteor Showers!
Students read a story called Orionid Meteors to Shower Earth and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. In this meteor shower lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions, view Sky Maps online, and...
Curated OER
Take a Spin Through the Solar System
Second graders participate in a variety of activities to explore the Solar System in this unit.
Curated OER
How Long Would It Take To Travel To the Stars?
Students consider the amount of time that it would take to get to the star, Sirius using various modes of transportation, some practical and some whimsical. The practicality of physically going to another star system is explored in this...
Curated OER
Observing Mars in the Night Sky
Students compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.
Curated OER
Colonizing the Stars
Middle schoolers compare and contrast the size, composition and surface features of the nine planets of our solar system with the possible sizes and compositions of extra -solar planets.