Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are collectively known as the terrestrial planets. Although part of the same group, each planet has its own set of characteristics. Scholars explore the characteristics that make the planets unique and...

Aspiring astronomers assess the inner planets using this handout. They read about the characteristics of each, noting that all four of them have rocky surfaces. Rotation and revolution are introduced, including Venus' retrograde...

Mars, Earth, and Venus contain atmospheres that generate weather. Young scientists explore the temperature of inner planets. They create a model simulating the greenhouse effect before researching and answering guided questions to...

Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets. 

Has the solar system always been like it is today? A lesson presentation begins with a discussion of the formation of our solar system. It continues with a compare and contrast of the inner and outer planets. 

Your class will use a set scale to convert diameters of planets to the model size, the diagram given to expand on the number of planets drawn as concentric circles, and examine the scale that would be needed to fit the larger planets on...

Students view cut-away images of the planets' interiors, comparing and contrasting them with the Earth's in written form. Students also classify each planet as "terrestrial" or "Jovian". The Planet Interiors applet on the CSA website...

What would be the best place to live on Mars? A fascinating look at the geographical of Mars is sure to intrigue the future astronomers in your middle or high school class. A short video introduces learners to the different...

How many planets can you name? Did you get all 13 in our solar system, including the dwarf planets, or were you surprised when you read there are 13 planets? The lesson helps scholars understand the scale of the universe including the...

Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...

There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...

Your fingernails grow at approximately the same rate Earth's continents move. The video discusses Earth as a planet, its layers, our magnetic field, the atmosphere, and the human impact on Earth. It provides interesting facts that...

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...

Most research about life on Mars actually happens on Earth. An installment of the SciShow Space series introduces young scientists to the process of learning about one planet by studying our own. They observe photos of the similar...

Students role-play and communicate that objects in space have describable properties, locations, and movements. Students identify and communicate effectively that Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system, eight other...

Students compare and contrast the Earth's interior with 2 other planets by looking at images on the computer. In this planet interiors lesson plan, students write a paper about their findings.

Students explore the infrared radiation and the part of the spectrum that is not always visible.  For this electromagnetic lesson students complete a lab activity on the different wavelengths.

Young scholars use the scientific method to explore the effect of size on impact cratering. They compare images of landforms on Earth to those of other planets to compare surface processes. Students infer the geologic history of another...

An educational video focuses on the SETI, search for extra-terrestrial intelligence, and the METI, messaging extra-terrestrial intelligence. It explains how we would identify a planet with life and how they would be able to hear from us....

Statistically speaking, it is more than possible that extraterrestrial life exists in our solar system. An engaging short video examines moons and planets that might support life, although not just life as we know it.

A unique lesson plan on the solar system, and some of the mathematics associated with it, is here for your high schoolers. Pupils are put into groups of four, and each group is assigned one of the planets from our solar system. They must...

Five evolution-related questions are answered by beginning biologists on a separate sheet of paper. First, they are asked to list adaptations that allow organisms to survive under various conditions. The second question refers to...

Herre is a lesson on divergent and convergent evolution. It has links to terrific video clips, an associate worksheet, and more. The analysis questions have been reviewed separately on Lesson Planet if you would like more information....

Students learn that the planets of the solar system can be classified in different ways; by size, by composition (or what they are made of), by distance from the Sun, and by history (when they were discovered). The resource provides both...