Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
How many times have you traveled around the sun? Aspiring astronomers grasp what a year is and they differentiate between orbit and rotation by walking around the sun right within your classroom. Place a lamp in the center of the room to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Students 6th - 12th
In this solar system worksheet, students determine the correct unit of measurement to use when measuring a list of items. Students list the five outer planets and four inner planets. This worksheet has 20 fill in the blank questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Science

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the objects in our solar system.  In this space lesson students identify and describe planets, then classify them as terrestrial or gaseous.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
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 Solar System

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine effects of the sun on the planets in our solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is included...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Grade 8 Science written test

For Students 8th
In this science worksheet, 8th graders complete multiple choice questions on plant and animal cells, organisms, planets, and more. Students complete 70 questions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hubble Sees a Distant Planet

For Students 7th - 9th
In this Hubble telescope worksheet, students solve 4 problems about the image of the distant planet the Hubble telescope discovered. Students determine the distance the planet was from its star in 2006, they determine the planet's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Categorizing Celestial Objects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers work together to develop a classification system for planets. They take a class vote and read an article about an astronomer's classification system. They write an essay on how scientists make decisions for the general...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You Are Here

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers determine the relative size and distance of the planets in the solar system. They use ratios in their mathematical calculations to make models of the planets after discussing the relative sizes of the planets. They keep...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Causes the Seasons?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students conduct experiment to examine how tilt of globe influences warming caused by lighted bulb. They monitor simulated warming of their city by sun in winter and in summer by using light bulb, interpret results, and submit lab report.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

KNOW YOUR PLACE IN SPACE

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the positions of the nine planets in respect to our solar system and explain the unique characteristics of each planet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar System Differentiation

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore the solar system.  In this solar system science lesson plan, students choose 3 out of 12 centers to visit, each of which contains an activity related to the planets. The station activities are designed to address...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wobbling in Circles

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World In Motion Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Students recognize the difference between normal and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sucking Students into an Understanding of Air Pressure and Vacuums

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students develop and test their ideas about air pressure and vacuums by conducting several investigations into the movement of fluids in tubes.
PPT
Curated OER

Jupiter

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
A student-produced PowerPoint provides basic facts about the planet of Jupiter. Illustrated slides highlight its physical attributes and satellites. A lot of interesting information about Jupiter is included, such as the fact that twenty...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Third from the Sun

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students examine images from space.  In this third from the Sun lesson, students examine images from, Landsat, the satellite launched by NASA in 1972.   
Activity
Curated OER

Planet Facts

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students click on the links to planets to learn facts about them. In this planets lesson plan, students read about 8 of the planets in the Solar System.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...
Activity
NASA

Packing for a L-o-o-o-ng Trip to Mars

For Students 9th - 12th
Pack just enough to fit. Crews determine what personal items to take with them on a trip to Mars. Each team must decide what to take with them on a two-and-a-half year trip to Mars and whether their items will fit within the allotted...
Activity
5
5
Super Teacher Worksheets

Our Solar System Scavenger Hunt Activity

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Send students on a search for facts about the solar system with this scavenger hunt activity. Whether they are finding out how far the sun is from the earth, or the names of all four gas giants, this resource will engage young...

Other popular searches