Students investigate the coincidental parade of planets and witness dramatic views of the solar system by researching websites and participating in online activities. They write about their findings.

Students arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun. In this astronomy activity, students list interesting properties about each planet. They identify an unknown planet photo.

Students, in groups, research a planet from our solar system. They create Styrofoam models of the planets and place the planets on a correct distance scale from the sun.

Students explore the theories of the creation of the universe and examine the properties of celestial bodies. They analyze the relationship between the sun, Earth and other planets. They discover the infinite potential of the science of...

Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science activity, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...

Young scholars research the solar system and it's characteristics.  In this solar system lesson plan, students are broken into 4 groups, each assigned a specific part of the solar system.  Young scholars use the Internet to...

Sixth graders calculate a light day, light hour, and light minute from the standard of a light year. After establishing the distances, a one meter scale is created to demonstrate the distance between the sun and the planets of our solar...

Students use the internet to gather information on the solar system. They identify the discoverer and unique characteristics of each planet. They compare and contrast each planet based on size, mass, and distance from the sun. They...

Students, working in groups, research planets in terms of the size, temperature, number of moons, and potential for life. They use packets and worksheets as guides for their research. Students may role-play as aliens visiting their...

Students study the weather on other planets in our solar system.  In this planetary weather activity students create a display of the different weather conditions on the other planets. 

Use a variety of whole fruits to represent the different planets in the solar system to introduce scale sizes to your math or space science class. They follow suit by creating a non-scaled model of the solar system using specific-colored...

For this space worksheet, students load a copy of ViewPoint and open the Solar System datafile. There they look through database sheets, using the Preview Sheet and Next Sheet buttons and respond to 8 questions. Then students do some...

Students examine the rotation of the Earth as it occurs in the 24 hour cycle. They use models of planets and the globe to make observations of movements made. Students brainstorm prior knowledge and then participate in a demonstration of...

Students develop a sense of the scale of our solar system by creating a one to ten billion scale model. They calculate the relative sizes and distances for the planets and asteroid belt using a guiding worksheet. To create the model they...

Fifth graders animate their own planets.  In this solar system lesson plan, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when...

Middle schoolers simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases lesson, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.

Each color holds its own feeling and these feelings are used to describe the four seasons. Youngsters create a color palate based on the four seasons, assigning various colors to each season. They each create four clay tiles, painting...

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

Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...

Second graders participate in a variety of activities to explore the Solar System in this unit.

Students discover the planets and their location in the solar system. They complete a KWL chart on Saturn and discuss. They complete the instructional activity with a writing activity.

Young scholars study the ideas behind the heliocentric theory of Copernicus. They examine about retrograde motion of the planets as they move around the sun. They study astronomers who include Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo.

Eighth graders define a planet by the orbit around the sun, have a large enough gravitational force to hold a sphere shape and needs to clear the neighboorhood of it own orbital zone. They describe comets, meteoroids, meteor, meteorites...

First graders explore the day and night sky and complete a page for the number 9 for their counting book.