Curated OER
Adding the Moon: Using a Classroom Model to Explore the Movement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon
Students observe and discuss motions of the Earth and the Moon as they spin and orbit the Sun.
Curated OER
Doin' The Moonwalk
If you are looking for an outstanding lesson on the Moon for your budding astronomers, look no further! This outstanding plan is full of wonderful, meaningful activities for your charges to engage in. Pupils will discover why there are...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Birthday Stars
Space explorers take a virtual trip around the sun right within your classroom! They stand in a circle facing away from the "sun" (a lamp) in the center of the room. As they move according to your instructions, they view different...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the Night Sky and Movement Astronomy
Basically, this is an interactive exploration of educational astronomy software and an app. Young astronomers discover how the apparent motion of the sky relates to Earth's movements and the position of the observer. It is out of this...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan # 1 - Phases of the Moon
Students explore and identify moon phases, watch teacher demonstration of different phases using globe and flashlight to represent moon and sun, and discuss reasons why there are moon phases.
Curated OER
Timekeeping by the Sun
Students measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
Curated OER
Can an Astronaut on Mars Distinguish Earth from its Moon?
Students explore the possibility of being on Mars and being able to identify the Earth. In this space lesson students complete a set of calculations to see if this is possible.
Curated OER
Shoot for the Moon
Second graders distinguish the different phases of the moon. In this astronomy lesson, 2nd graders study the history of its discovery and myths about its origin. They simulate how the moon's surface is illuminated by the sun.
Curated OER
Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
Curated OER
Exploring the Moon
First graders complete an experiment illustrating why the moon appears to change over time using a flashlight and ball. Students discuss the shape of the moon and identify it as a sphere. Students write a short informational piece after...
Curated OER
What Shape is the Moon Tonight?
Students understand that the moon appears differently throughout the month. In this phases of the moon instructional activity, students observe and record the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Students answer the question, "How are the motions of the Earth, the moon, and the sun, related to the moon's phases?" They observe the moon to create a moon journal and a phases of the moon diagram.
Curated OER
Moon
Students discover scientific facts about the Moon and how
some American Indian Tribes used the moon to measure time.
They accomplish this by listening to stories and poetry, writing
stories, communicating with an astronaut,...
Curated OER
Cycles and Starting Mealworms
Here is a fascinating lesson about the life cycles of plants and animals, and other cycles found in nature. Learners explore the cycle of the moon, the tides, and other sequences of events in every day life. The big activity is the...
Curated OER
The Phases of the Moon
Students sketch the different phases of the moon after exploring them on an internet program. In this moon phases lesson plan, students discuss how the Sun, Earth, and Moon are related.
Curated OER
Tides, Eclipses, Day and Night, and Seasons
In this earth science worksheet, middle schoolers use the clues given at the bottom of the sheet to complete the crossword puzzle on tides, eclipses, day and night, and the seasons of the year. There are 17 clues to solve in the puzzle.
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Young scholars read "The Moon Seems to Change" and conduct an experiment with oranges to demonstrate the phases of the moon. They write about the experiment and describe each phase of the moon.
Curated OER
Moon Observations
Students study the science of the moon. In this moon observations lesson, students study vocabulary associated with the moon, study a lunar calendar, and a phases of the moon's orbit around the Earth.
Curated OER
The Earth Moves Around the Sun
Students demonstrate that the movement of the sun causes shadows which were used as the first indicators of telling time.
PBS
NASA's Eyes on the 2017 Eclipse
How did the 2017 eclipse look in Los Angeles—or Chicago? Experience both views, plus many more, using a lesson from PBS's Space series for middle schoolers. Scholars follow the movements of the sun, moon, and Earth during the most recent...
Curated OER
Moon Observations
Third graders create a model of the moon and use a flashlight to illustrate the various stages of the moon.
Curated OER
Tides - The Ins and Outs of Tides
Get your junior oceanographers to generate tidal prediction graphs on an interactive website. They will feel like experts in the field, or shall we say, experts in the ocean! This is a brief, but worthwhile activity that could be used to...
Curated OER
NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION
Students examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Solar System
Students explore the Solar System. In this cross-curriculum space instructional activity, students identify the planets, name them in order according to distance from the sun, and describe major characteristics of each planet. Students...