Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students observe the questions, "Why do we say there is a man on the moon?, What do you think of when you hear "the moon is made of cheese"?, What is meant, to you, by the expression "Once in a blue moon"? and a comic of Snoopy typing,...
Activity
NASA

Evaluating a Lunar Eclipse

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Do all lunar eclipses look the same? Find out in an activity where astronomers use the Danjon Scale of Lunar Eclipse Brightness to describe the color and brightness of the moon during an eclipse. Explorers make three observations using...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky 4: The Moon

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students will draw the moon's shape for each evening on a calendar and then determine the pattern in the shapes over several weeks. Students' understandings should be confined to observations, descriptions, and finding patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moon Phase Stations

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate the moon. In this Earth science lesson, 3rd graders discuss the moon phases and how every 4 weeks the moon cycles through these phases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pushes and Pulls

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students examine different types of movement and causes that may affect those movements. In this online interactive forces and motion lesson, students use toy cars to observe push and pull and then make predictions and collect data...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. In this lunar activity, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Students view images of the moon and utilize chalk to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Heliocentric and Geocentric Models

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this worksheet, students read an informational article and view drawings of the two models. In this comprehension worksheet, students answer twelve questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mathematical Dynamics of Celestial Navigation and Astronavigation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the different methods used in celestial Navigation and astronavigation. In this math activity, students construct a sextant and demonstrate how it works.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moon Phases, Day/Night

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders observe a demonstration that shows how the alignment of the sun, moon, earth relate to the phases of the moon that occur each month. They describe the moon's phases after experimenting in a small group setting and recording...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling Moon Phases

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the phases of the Moon and the synchronous rotation.  In this hands on lesson students will create a model of the Moon. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners determine the phases of the moon. They observe experiments to formulate explanations for moon phases. Students identify waxing crescent, waning gibbous, and the causes of the phases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase lesson, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase calendar and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Working on the Moon

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students take a mission to the moon. In this space science lesson, students visit selected websites to discover information about Earth's moon and the solar system. Students may take virtual missions to the moon and share...
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Going through a Phase

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Ignore the full moon, it's just a phase. Young scholars observe and record the moon during a full cycle before learning to predict future phases. Then the instructor leads a discussion on the other solar system objects that...
Activity
Curated OER

Scale Activities

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed Standards
How do you put something as large as the universe in perspective? Use a series of scale experiments. Classmates collaborate around four experiments to examine the scale of the earth-moon system, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space: Stars and Planets

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners observe and report that the moon can be seen sometimes at night and sometimes during the day. They describe how changes to a model can help predict how the real thing can be altered. Students explain the essential fact of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moon Phases

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students engage in a study looking for the differences found during the cycle of one lunar month. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Then the information is used to construct a lunar calendar to observe daily changes and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Starry Night Time and Day Time

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
Interactive
Curated OER

Student Exploration: Phases of the Moon

For Students 4th - 6th
In this moon phase worksheet, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use the "Phase of the Moon Gizmo" to complete several activities, answering short answer questions when finished.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Happening With the Moon?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review the process of scientific inquiry. Using this information, they identify the patterns and cycles of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. In groups, they model the phases of the moon from the Earth and Sun's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Earth is Flat

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment to gain understanding of the shape and rotation of the Earth. In this Sun and Moon science lesson, 3rd graders understand that the Earth rotates on its axis and how that explains the appearance of the moon and sun.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lunar Learning

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students learn about the phases of the moon. In this moon phases lesson, students learn about what causes the moon to look different to us everyday and how the Earth and Sun's position determine what phase the moon is in.
Activity
NOAA

Satellite Communications

For Students 3rd - 5th
How do satellites communicate? What types of satellites orbit Earth? Discover and mimic the way satellites communicate between two points in a hands-on activity that has pupils using mirrors, flashlights, and marbles.