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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three D Constellations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students address a major misconception in astronomy, the understanding of scale. The instructional activity is designed to introduce students to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Physics of the Planets: How 16th and 17th Century Physicist Helped Us Understand Our Solar System

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders draw the paths of the planets in the solar system. For this astronomy lesson, 8th graders calculate speed of objects using distance and time information. They research about the work of scientists in the 16th and 17th...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astronomy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine a medieval manuscript on astronomy and create their own books based on modern discoveries in astronomy. In this astronomy instructional activity, students compare astronomy knowledge in the middle ages to today and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astronomy Merit Badge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore astronomy through the Starry Night Constellation Adventure software. They print star charts and identify constellations. They sketch the Big Dipper and describe the Milky Way. They list the five most visible planets and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shoot for the Moon

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders distinguish the different phases of the moon. In this astronomy lesson, 2nd graders study the history of its discovery and myths about its origin. They simulate how the moon's surface is illuminated by the sun.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astronomy and the Cold War: How the United States Used the Moon to Target the Soviet Union

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine how astronomical observations were used to help target sites in the Soviet Union during Cold War and why such targeting was needed. Students then make predictions and observations of same astronomical events for their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observational Astronomy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research about the characteristics of celestial bodies using a database. In this space science lesson, students collect data such as brightness, apparent color and size by observing the night sky. They share their findings with...
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Worksheet
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Curated OER

Civilization in Ancient Mesopotamia

For Students 6th - 8th
For this ancient Mesopotamia worksheet, students respond to 29 short answer and fill in the blank questions about the ancient civilization.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ancient Maya

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore the culture of the Mayans through a variety of activities. For this lesson about Maya, students analyze pictures in books and on websites, produce scale models of Maya architecture, and create Maya mosaics. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deep Impact's Comet on a Stick!

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students create a model of a comet. In this space science lesson, students compare their model to the characteristics of a real comet. They evaluate and make necessary modifications to their original design.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Good Vibrations Remote Sensing data Collection: Thermal Emission Spectrometer

For Teachers 4th - 8th
The Mars Global Surveyor spent two years creating a mineral map of the planet Mars using thermal emission spectrometry. To help young astronomers understand this remote sensing instrument, have them simulate how data is collected and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Mars

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Learners, working in small groups construct scale models of the planets and solar system. They examine images of Mars and discuss what might have caused the features. They record facts about their planetary research in their journals and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Illustrate the Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Ancient Mesopotamia

For Students 9th - 12th
In this geography activity, students read about ancient Mesopotamia and respond to five short answer questions that follow. They identify what part of the country was the heart of Mesopotamia. Then students compare the given map with a...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Take a virtual trip with a geography lesson that uses longitude and latitude, the position of the sun, an astronomy app, and a classroom globe.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Astrology: Fact Or Fiction?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils investigate the concept of astrology and how it evolved from history. They use the Zodiac in order to find the location of constellations in the night sky. The differences between astrology and astronomy are compared and any...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do We Know...?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and explain how various inventions and astronomers have improved our appreciation of the universe. Students identify at least two constellations in the sky and discuss how they were used in ancient times to tell time...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SUNSPOTS SPOTTED

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students study sunspots and their motion, from data gathered, they determine the significance of the sunspot data. The data be used to calculate the rotational period of the sun. They draw conclusions as to the sunspot's impact on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Knowledge of the Universe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore an idea about the history of human knowledge of the universe and understand the process of scientific exploration.  In this scientific exploration lesson students contemplate the state of astronomy and future...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of the Universe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers describe how the universe was formed. In this astronomy lesson, students listen and respond to questions in a PowerPoint lesson that includes various theories about how the universe was created.
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Worksheet
K5 Learning

Miss Mitchell's Comet

For Students 3rd - 5th Standards
Maria Mitchell discovered a comet, became the first female astronomer in the United States, and even has a crater on the moon named after her! Learn more about her passion for the stars with an informative reading passage, followed by...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mayan History

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Pupils examine Mayan contributions to the world. In this Mesoamerican culture lesson, students view a slideshow about the Maya and then peruse books about the accomplishments of the culture. Pupils create charts that highlight Mayan...
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Unit Plan
Intel

Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Almost every ancient culture observed the stars and saw pictures in the patterns. Studying stars allowed them to guide travelers, determine when to plant crops, when to harvest food, and the stories surrounding the images include some of...
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Interactive
School Science

The Big Bang Time Machine

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Scholars take off on an interactive spaceship to explore a historical timeline of the big bang theory. They learn about the evolution of mammals and humans, the formation of stars and planets, and the chemical composition of the early...