Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colonizing the Stars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astronomy

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the rotation of the Earth and observe the shapes of constellations. After discussing how the Earth moves. volunteers use a flashlight and globe to model the movement of the sun-Earth system. Using Digitalis technology,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designed to Scale

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study ratios, scale and distances according to a three dimensional model.  In this exploratory lesson students create their own constellation and prepare an oral presentation that describes their model. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stellar Lunar Curriculum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars engage in a activity that covers the concept of different phases of the moon. They name the cycles of the phases of the moon while using flashlights to simulate the light of the sun. They research information about several...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Knowledge Quiz: The Universe

For Students 6th - 8th
In this universe quiz worksheet, students complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions that cover a variety of concepts about the universe: constellations, black holes, the solar system, etc.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Night Sky

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders develop questions they have about the solar system. After being read a book, they view and discuss different constellations in the sky. In groups, they are given a piece of butcher paper and glow in the dark crayons in...
PPT
Curated OER

Chalkboard Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Here's a terrific Jeopardy-style game that's designed for 3rd and 4th grade students of science. The topics include living things, animals, plants, matter, and "hodge-podge." The questions are all age appropriate, and there is an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Stories Curriculum

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the stories told by ancient cultures about the constellations. They listen to stories told by the Greeks and Romans. The classroom should have posters of constellations for the lesson and the teacher performs...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Celestial Sphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to the celestial sphere, describing its apparent rotation and the special role of the pole star.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mother Earth - Father Sky

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research and write about Cyrus Dillan. They explain one of Dillan's sculptures. Students locate six constellations and two planets. They research and write about the daily life of the Pawnee.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geometry in the Heavens

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders access a star worksheet and determine properties of polygons.  In this investigative lesson students complete a worksheet and discuss myths. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Defined

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete activities to study the sources of energy and forms. In this energy lesson, 4th graders discuss the origin of energy and define it. Students participate in several experiments to further study energy including a...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Galileo: Revealing the Universe

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
To gain an understanding of the significance of Galileo Galilei's revolutionary ideas, class members watch the short video "Stargazing Before Galileo," and conduct a close reading of Galileo's Sidereal Messsenger. They then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mathematics at the Frontier of Astronomy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the different types of measurements used in astronomy. For 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...
Lesson Plan
3
3
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Earth's Rotation

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"No News Like Ancient News"

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Want to know more about Ancient history? Young historians will read a minimum of two web sites to complete the chart "Residents of Olympus". They choose one Greek god or goddess to research. This could be a small group activity or...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Magic Tree House: Midnight on the Moon

For Students 2nd - 3rd
Take your class to the moon with Midnight on the Moon! Then provide them with this short packet to develop vocabulary and practice reading comprehension. The first page has readers match vocabulary terms to their correct...
Handout
2
2
Random House

Focus On: Censorship & Banned Books

For Students 6th - 12th
Billy Collins' "Rain" introduces the Random House 104-page magazine for educators that focuses on censorship and banned books. The resource is packed with teaching guides, articles by noted authors, and links to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Mars Motion in 1971

For Students 9th - 10th
In this science worksheet, students read about the summer of 1971 when the Earth passed closer to Mars than it had since 1924. Students also learn about the retrograde motion of Mars as seen from Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Symbolic Family Flags

For Teachers 5th - 7th
After learning a bit about symbolism and view the Australian flag, learners make one of their own. They discuss how flags and art can symbolically express ideas or feelings, design three symbols, and construct a flag that represents...
Worksheet
Curated OER

How To Build a Planet From The Inside Out!

For Students 9th - 11th
High schoolers read about the Spitzer Space Telescope and the technology used to learn about planet composition. They calculate the radius of a planet, the size of a planet, the average density of a planet and the likely core composition...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Organic Molecules Detected on Distant Planet!

For Students 7th - 9th
Here is a planet learning exercise in which learners read about organic molecules detected through spectral lines of the planet Osiris. They calculate the mass, the volume and the densities of common ingredients for planets including...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Exploring the Sky: Reading Maria's Comet

For Teachers K - 4th
Discover the science behind astronomy. After reading the book Maria's Comet, which is about a young woman who breaks new ground by becoming a female astronomer, young learners practice reading comprehension with...
Activity
Mrs. Sol's Class

Solar System Project

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Finish or launch your unit on the solar system with a jigsaw project covering major celestial concepts such as the Milky Way Galaxy, asteroids, meteors, comets, Earth's moon, and, of course, all the planets. Learners start by...

Other popular searches