Lesson Plan
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Ptolemy vs. Copernicus

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students list differences in the diagrams of a geocentric universe and a heliocentric universe. They students describe the religious impact of this change on man's conception of the universe and man's place within it. Students describe...
Lesson Plan
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Take a Spin Through the Solar System

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders participate in a variety of activities to explore the Solar System in this unit.
Unit Plan
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Our Universe: Always Moving, Always Changing

For Teachers 3rd
Students explore the main concepts of astronomy through the eleven lessons of this unit. The past, present, and future methods of studying the science are examined in this unit.
Worksheet
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What Makes Up the Solar System?

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this solar system worksheet, students will fill in the blanks for 5 statements in this graphic organizer based on the objects found in space that make up the solar system.
Lesson Plan
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Sky Stories Curriculum

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the stories told by ancient cultures about the constellations. They listen to stories told by the Greeks and Romans. The classroom should have posters of constellations for the lesson and the teacher performs...
Lesson Plan
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The Great Hubble

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain how Hubble telescope captures images from space. For this space science lesson, students use the internet to view space photos. They debate on an issue raised by the teacher.
Lesson Plan
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How Did the First Asteroid Come to be Discovered?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine asteroids including how and when they were discovered.  In this asteroid lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation on asteroids.
Lesson Plan
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The Solar Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Students produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.
Lesson Plan
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Sun too close? We'll just change Earth's orbit

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study an article and discuss what would happen if the Earth's orbit changed.  In this Earth's orbit instructional activity students answer a list of questions and complete an activity.
Worksheet
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Jupiter - King of the Planets

For Students 5th - 6th
In this Jupiter learning exercise, students read a passage about the environment and atmosphere of Jupiter. Students then answer several multiple choice questions about the passage.
Worksheet
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Multiply 3-Digit Numbers by 2-Digit Numbers

For Students 4th
By solving word problems related to the planets, 4th graders practice multiplying numbers with several digits. Using this activity to solve problems involving 2 and 3-digit multiplication, students practice this skill. This activity is...
Lesson Plan
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Try This On For Size!

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students view a video to gather information about our solar system. They create models of the planets to scale and place them in scale relative to their distances from the sun. They also visit a planetarium or use the internet to gather...
Lesson Plan
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Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore the solar system on the internet and video programs. They investigate the names of each planet and their places in the solar system. They chose their favorite planet and design an advertisement to sell a vacation to...
Lesson Plan
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The Discovery of the Solar System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
Worksheet
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Solar System Cloze Activity

For Students 4th - 5th
In this solar system activity, students fill in 21 blanks with words from a word bank at the top of the page. They include information about the solar system, terrestrial planets, gaseous planets, and planetoids.
Lesson Plan
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Earth's Tilt Creates Seasons

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine how the Earth's tilt creates the seasons. In this seasons instructional activity, students study a diagram that shows the rotation of the earth around the sun and how it tilts during the rotation. They answer 4...
Worksheet
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Worksheet 27

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this math worksheet, students examine the equations for the planets of Mercury and Saturn. Then they find the distance of Saturn’s closest and farthest approach to the sun.
Lesson Plan
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The Magic School Bus Lost in Space

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify the planets by making two models of the Solar System. They create a model that shows the order of the planets and a model that shows the planets sizes as compared to one another. They may write about the planet they...
Lesson Plan
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Scale Model of the Solar System

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the size of the planets. In this science lesson, students create a scale model of the solar system. Students determine a scaling factor and calculate the size of their planets. Students create a scale drawing of the...
Lesson Plan
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Our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders describe the composition of our solar system. They recognize the names of the planets in our solar system and compare and contrast the nine planets that orbit the sun.
Lesson Plan
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The Voyage Scale

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils identify how models are powerful tools of exploration and that the sizes of the planets and distances between the planets in the Solar System span a large range. They make a sign for each planet they have created in the lesson...
Lesson Plan
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Objects in the Solar System

For Teachers 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
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The Toilet Paper Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Pupils classify the planets in the solar system, study planetary objects, and measure the relative distance between planets. In this solar system instructional activity, students use toilet paper to complete a scale model of the distance...
Lesson Plan
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The 'Solar' System Past and Present

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify cardinal and intermediate directions, recognize that models changes due to new or improved observations and technology, identify the major characteristics of the planets including their positions in the solar system,...