American Museum of Natural History
A Closer Look at Mars
A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars.
Education Outside
Our Water Planet
Fresh water is a precious resource. Most kids don't realize how little of the water on Earth is actually drinkable. This lesson will help to illuminate them on this important topic. They discus the ratio of water to land, where most...
Curated OER
Mercury, Venus, and Earth
Young scholars learn information about the planets Mercury, Venus, and Earth by playing a trivia game.
Curated OER
Planets in Balance
Students study the solar system by researching the planets. In this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.
Curated OER
The Solar System
In this science worksheet, students learn the names of the 9 planets in our solar system (Pluto is still included here) and locate them in a word search. Students answer 9 questions about the planets--their positions and attributes.
Curated OER
How does the Earth compare to the other planets?
Students equate the size of the planets by determining their relative size. In this planet's size instructional activity, students use a variety of measurements to evaluate the sizes of the planets. Students share their comparisons and...
Curated OER
The Sun's habitable Zone
High schoolers explore the average surface temperature of planets. They use the Planet Temperature Calculator to find the average temperature. Students explore how the distance from the sun affects the Earth's average surface...
Curated OER
The Best of the Solar System (Grades 4-7)
Students explore planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their characteristics. They compare and contrasts planets and moons.
Curated OER
The Best of the Solar System (Grades 6-8)
Students are introduced to planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their features. They view images of the planets, and fill in an information chart which is imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Earth, Moon, Mars Balloons
Students demonstrate size and orbits of Earth, Moon, and Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students will use balloons to show how the size and distance between the planets and satellite compare.
Curated OER
Planet Protectors
Students explore ways to protect the earth. In this environmental issues and technology lesson plan, students investigate the water quality in their community and compare their findings to the water quality in other geographic...
Curated OER
Create a Planet
Students craft planets from clay. In this geography skills lesson, students create model planets that mimic the geographic features found on Earth as well as the other planets. Students conduct research about characteristics of the...
Curated OER
Be A Planet
Learners identify the name, order and attributes of the planets. They role play the position of planets, and draw pictures of the planets as well.
Curated OER
Learning Planet Sizes
Students utilize the concepts of greater than, less than, and equal to, in order to classify student height, object size, and planet size. They build scale models of the planets based on their discoveries of planet size.
Curated OER
Inner Planets
Students research characteristics of the planets and record their findings on Planet Web worksheet. They create fold paper to create a foldable booklet to display the information they discover about the planets.
Curated OER
Finding Out About the Stars and Planets
Young scholars complete a web-based activity to study the planets and solar system. Students complete a number of activities including a slide show that depict the true facts about planets.
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Clay Planets
Students create scale models of the planets out of clay and compare them to the real planets.
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The Solar System
In this solar system worksheet, students complete a word puzzle by determining the terms associated with the 10 statements about the planets.
Curated OER
Living With the Heat: The Ring of Fire
Students investigate the planet Earth's infamous ring of fire and the life that thrives from it. In this ocean environment lesson, students investigate hydrothermal vents and how organisms thrive off their heat. Students...
University of Colorado
Space Travel Guide
Neptune takes 164.8 Earth years to travel around the sun. In the fifth of 22 lessons, young scientists create a travel guide to a planet in our solar system. They provide tips for others on what to bring, what they see, and their...
Curated OER
Ellipse Lab
Leading the learners to draw a representation of ellipses of planets, this handout will help understanding the planet movement around the sun. There are ten questions about the analysis of those orbits and a conclusino specifically...
TLS Books
Uranus
After reading an informational text passage, learners answer four multiple choice questions about the third largest planet in our solar system.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Classroom Activities: EarthViewer
The spot you are standing in right now—how did it look 2,000 years ago, one million years ago, or even four billion years ago? Scholars use a model of Earth throughout history to learn about continental drift, climate change, changes in...
NASA
Let's Investigate Mars
Take your science class on a hypothetical field trip to Mars with an engaging astronomy lesson. After first learning about NASA's Mars rover missions, young scientists plan their own scientific investigations of Earth's...