Curated OER
Dark Matter In The Universe
Students investigate the concept of dark matter and how it occurs in the universe. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information by reading at least two articles about dark matter. They also generate...
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Making Models To Understand Our Home
Students investigate the concept of a model and how it is used to represent something that is real. They recognize how the model can be applied to other types of concepts like the solar system. Students create a scale drawing of a house...
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Spuds in Space
Students explore the effects of velocity on an object when it collides with another object. They design and outfit a potato astronaut in a spacesuit to withstand the hazards of high velocity impacts from space debris and meteoroids.
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The Planets Terra Firma
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 the other planets.
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Please Ex-Planet
Seventh graders create a model of an earth centered solar system and a model of the sun centered solar system. As a class, they discuss why the earlier astronomers believed their model and why it changed when evidence arose that this...
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Sunspots or Lumpy Planets
Students examine the method Galileo used to prove sunspots were actually on the sun instead of objects between the Earth and Sun.. They study the term foreshortening and assess its relevance to observation.
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The Planet Earth
Students explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.
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Seasons' Journey : Putting it All Together
Third graders complete a diagram of the revolution of the earth around the sun and write a one paragraph explanation of the factors that cause seasons.
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Planet Structure & Interior
Students compare Jupiter and Earth. For this Earth and space studies lesson, students compare the composition of Earth and Jupiter and analyze how the composition affects the rate at which the planets spin.
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The Planet Venus
In this worksheet on the planet Venus, students look at a picture of the planet and read accompanying facts, along with a brief paragraph.
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Where Is Saturn in the Solar System? Where Am I in the Solar System?
Students engage in a solar system activity, In this activity, students will read aloud as a class about the solar system. The students will then listen to the teacher read a solar system book prior to filling out a worksheet about...
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The Earth's Rotation
Students see a model of a globe to watch the Earth rotate. In this Earth lesson, students rotate the globe and shine a flashlight to see where the sun shines and how it rises and sets. They create a diagram and explain day and night in...
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Reading Comprehension: Is Pluto a Planet?
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, students read a passage about Pluto, then complete a set of 5 multiple choice questions. An answer key is included as well as a reference web site for additional activities.
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Mars Worksheet
In this planet Mars activity, students color a detailed picture of Mars and answer 5 questions about its size, rotation, distance from the sun and other interesting facts. Students will need to do their own research to answer these...
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Out of this World! 2
In this science and research skills activity, students use Internet searches to find the answers to 15 questions about the planets in the solar system.
American Museum of Natural History
Solar System Scavenger Hunt
Scholars go on a hunt to locate objects that best fit the measurements to create an eye-catching scale model of the solar system.
Voyage Solar System
Round and Round We Go — Exploring Orbits in the Solar System
Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson...
NASA
Exploring Exoplanets with Kepler
Calculate the movement and properties of planets like professional astronomers! Scholars use Kepler's third law to find Mercury and Venus's distance from the sun. Using changes in brightness of distant stars and Kepler's third law,...
PHET
Planetary Magnetism
What do magnetic fields look like? The best way to learn about magnetic fields is to try identifying them for yourself. Scholars will understand the importance of magnetic fields after completing this experiment. The extension activities...
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Solar Eclipse
Pupils demonstrate the revolution of the moon around the earth and the effect of its direct alignment in between the earth and the sun.
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Graphing the Facts
Students investigate the correlation between our planet's weather and solar activity. They analyze and discuss data regarding the solar activity cycle, graph annual precipitation and temperature averages over a period of 100 years, and...
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Zodiac Constellations
For this space science worksheet, learners learn to identify the 12 constellations of the Zodiac. Students read the information and look at the detailed drawings of each constellation and when it is visible in the night sky.
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Spacecraft Launched on Mission to Pluto
Young scholars read a news article about a space mission being launched to the planet Pluto. They study the necessary vocabulary and complete an anticipation guide of questions which they revisit after they read the article.