Curated OER
Exploring the Interstellar Medium
Learners investigate the Interstellar Medium and the Local Bubble that the Sun is inside. They read and discuss a handout, answer discussion questions, observe a demonstration of light scattering, and conduct an experiment on the...
Curated OER
Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Up in the Sky
First graders associate events and objects with day or night. They create a word bank and use is as a reference to create sentences about the sun. They conduct sun-themed experiments and art projects.
Curated OER
The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Third graders construct a model of the earth-sun-moon system using students as the sun, moon, and earth. They discuss ways that time is related to the movement of the earth and moon.
Curated OER
Scale Model of the Solar System
Students work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. Students know that earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller...
Curated OER
Zipping Through Our Solar System and Beyond
Launch your class on an exploration of the solar system. Learners construct solar system models to scale and get a better understanding of our place in the vast void of space. This is a great way for them to cement their understanding of...
NOAA
Make Your Own Compass
Scholars build a compass using a needle, cork, magnet, and a water-filled cup in order to locate the magnetic north and south.
Curated OER
Nonfiction Books: Table of Contents and Index
How do you find what you're looking for when reading a nonfiction book? Even first graders can learn how to use a table of contents and an index. They use the provided images of each to locate information and answer nine questions.
Mrs. Sol's Class
Solar System Project
Finish or launch your unit on the solar system with a jigsaw project covering major celestial concepts such as the Milky Way Galaxy, asteroids, meteors, comets, Earth's moon, and, of course, all the planets. Learners start by...
Curated OER
May the Force be with You -- All about Force and Gravity
Here is a fabulous set of teacher's notes that will make your next hands-on gravity and force lab fun and interesting. These notes provide you with three activities that allow children to make and test hypothesis regarding force,...
K12 Reader
Absolute Location
Where in the world are we? As a reading comprehension exercise, kids read a short passage about navigation using latitude and longitude, and then respond to a series of questions based on the article.
Curated OER
Our Sun
In this space science worksheet, students use the clues at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle on our sun. They identify the cooler and visible surface areas of the sun, as well as what sunspots are on the sun.
Curated OER
Zodiac Constellations
In this space science worksheet, students 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.
Curated OER
Distances Between Stars
In this distance between stars worksheet, learners use the 3-dimensional distance formula and Cartesian coordinates to find the distances of 10 given stars from the sun. They also determine which constellation each star belongs to and...
Curated OER
The Stellar Magnitude Scale
In this stellar magnitude scale worksheet, students use a scale showing the magnitude of objects in the sky to answer 5 questions about the brightness of the moon, the planets and stars.
Curated OER
Our Changing View of the Solar System
Students identify and name the eight planets and the five dwarf planets in our solar system. In this space science instructional activity, students view a slideshow of the planets and label them on an included Solar System chart.
Curated OER
Our Solar System
Students study the Earth and Solar System through a variety of activities. They compile a coloring book show the characteristics of the Sun and nine planets.
Curated OER
Windows to the Universe Scavenger Hunt
Students access the Internet to go on a scavenger hunt to investigate the solar system. In this space mission lessons students fill out a worksheet and explain how technology and scientific inquiry have helped us learn about...
Curated OER
What Can You See in the Sky?
In this objects in the sky activity, students will compare what they can see in the sky during the day and during the night. Students will complete 8 fill in the blank statements.
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
Curated OER
Our Neighborhood in the Milky Way
In this Milky Way galaxy worksheet, students are given a table of distances and angles of nebulae and star clusters from the sun. Students plot each one on a piece of paper and solve 2 problems using the data.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Stars
Fourth graders examine the life cycle of a star while listening to Roy Gallent's, When the Sun Dies. They conduct Internet research and recreate a star's life cycle after viewing an animation.
Curated OER
Star Cluster Math
In this star cluster math instructional activity, students use four different patterns to solve five problems about the fraction of stars classified by their temperature.