Curated OER
Comets
What happens when a comet full of 'volatiles' comes to close to the sun? The volatiles ignite, creating a long gaseous tail. Are there differences between meteors and comets? Leading scientists and CG graphics help differentiate the two...
Crash Course
Meteors
When you wish upon a shooting star ... you're actually pinning your hopes and dreams upon a meteor! Science scholars discover the origin of these dazzling falling bodies in a video that's sure to captivate. The narrator explains 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...
SciShow Kids
Comets and Asteroids!
Follow along as host Jessi and her mouse sidekick, Squeaks, examine space's comets and asteroids. Discover what they are made of, their size, where we can find them, and two of the more popular space objects of the group.
Curated OER
Comets And Meteor Showers (Perseid Meteor Shower)
As the dusty tail of a comet pass near Earth, particles fly off and burn up in Earth's atmosphere creating beautiful meteor showers. Learn about the Perseid Meteor Shower and the NASA space craft that make it possible for us to know when...
Curated OER
Meteors and Meteorites
Students create Earth boxes containing some of Earth's biomes--desert, forest, tundra, ocean, and mountains. They simulate Earth's encounter with a comet trail and the resulting meteor shower. They present their Earth boxes to...
Curated OER
Meteor Showers
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.
Curated OER
Meteor, Meteoroid, Meteorite: What's the Difference?
Students explore the difference between a meteor, meteorite and meteoroid. In this space science lesson, students first read information about these space bodies. Students make Comet Cookies and use them to model a meteor shower with a...
Curated OER
Comets And Meteor Showers
Young scholars fill in a diagram of a comet. They listen to a short lecture, view flash animation descriptions of comets and meteors and then use the presented information to complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
The Difference Between Comets, Meteors And Asteroids
Pupils use Venn diagrams to highlight the similarities and differences between comets, meteors, and asteroids.
Curated OER
Track the Meteor Storm Online!: Leonid Meteor Showers, Astronomy
Young scholars are guided through an online series of readings and questions to explore the Leonid Meteor Showers and related topics. Modifications are provided for teaching this lesson plan to k-4, 5-8, and 9-12 students.
Curated OER
Space the Next Frontier
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
The Story of the Solar System
There is more to the solar system than the typical study of the sun and planets. Launch a study of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets by watching the video The Story of the Solar System, available for purchase through this resource on the...
Curated OER
Meteorites
Learners model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
Curated OER
An Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Students explore space science by creating a planetary model in class. In this solar system lesson, students identify the many planets and moons that make up the solar system and decide on one entity in which to research. Students create...
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
Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
Curated OER
Objects in the Solar System
Eighth graders define a planet by the orbit around the sun, have a large enough gravitational force to hold a sphere shape and needs to clear the neighboorhood of it own orbital zone. They describe comets, meteoroids, meteor, meteorites...
Curated OER
Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science instructional activity, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups...
Curated OER
The Vocabulary of Space
Students build their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary related to space. In this space lesson plan, students discuss four categories of words and phrases related to space.
California Academy of Science
Sorting the Solar System
Scientists are always sorting and classifying objects based on their characteristics. In a hands-on learning activity, young space explorers work together to categorize solar system cards based on their properties. It is up to the young...
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
The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star and make conclusions based on evidence, research, and observation. In this lesson on space and scientific investigation, students describe the relationships between science and technology...
University of Colorado
Clay Planets
Why do scientists use models? In the first installment of 22, groups create scale models of our solar system. They then share and discuss their models.