Space Awareness
Know Your Planets
Does your class know their planets? Implement an activity that has them describing the solar system, identifying properties of the planets, and placing them in order from their distance from the sun.
Curated OER
Making a Sun Clock
For this clock construction lesson, students use a pencil, compass, and sun clock diagram to construct a homemade sun clock. A very interesting lesson on combining images with text.
Curated OER
Reading and Writing about the Solar System
A superb interdisciplinary approach highlights this lesson which incorporates space science knowledge and narrative skills. After reading The Magic School Bus, two excellent poems, and watching a video, all about our solar system, young...
Curated OER
Finding Out About the Stars and Planets
Young scholars complete a web-based activity to study the planets and solar system. Students complete a number of activities including a slide show that depict the true facts about planets.
Curated OER
Earth in the Solar System
A three-week unit designed to be completed in an elementary level, dual-language immersion classroom, this resource includes several lessons intended to introduce young learners to the solar system, the Earth and how the Earth compares...
Curated OER
Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
Space Awareness
Making A Sundial
Can people really measure time just by using the sun? Scholars venture outside on a nice, sunny day to build sundials and learn how people measured time 600 years ago. The class builds two different sundials while gaining practice with...
Curated OER
Planetary Mobile
Students receive pre-cut templates of cardboard with appropriate diameters of each planet and the sun. They use multi-colored construction paper, scissors, yarn, and other art supplies to create their own models of planets. When students...
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
Soaring Through Space With a Kid Pix Slide Show
First graders create a slide show on Kid Pix about space. For this space lesson plan, 1st graders will explore the earth, sun, moon, and planets. After exploring their motions and locations around the sun, they create a 4 page slide show...
Curated OER
Taking a Voyage away from Home
Students experience and participate in a journey through a "Voyage" exhibition of the Solar System and the frontier it covers. They build a dynamic model of the Earth and Sun. Descriptions are given on the relative sizes of the Sun and...
Curated OER
Science: Planet Sizes
Students compare planet sizes using class members holding fruit to represent the planets. They arrange the nine students in planetary order and compare and contrast the planets. Working in groups, students color and decorate planet...
Space Awareness
Day and Night in the World
How do different parts of the world experience day and night? Introduce scholars to the concept of global citizenship while teaching about animal behavior with discussion of nocturnal and diurnal animals. Then, learners complete...
Curated OER
Classroom Planetarium
Students work in groups to create the planets of the solar system. In this planets lesson, students create a hanging solar system taking into account the size, shape and position of the planets. Students discuss the gravity on each...
Curated OER
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Students discover methods that can save the planet by recycling. In this sustainable planet lesson, students read The Berenstein Bears Don't Pollute Anymore, and practice memorizing the 3 R's. Students write commitment letters...
Captain Planet Foundation
Fall into Healthy Shapes
Kindergartners identify geometric shapes by planting a fall garden. They start their seeds in containers that have different shapes, and keep track of their plants based on those shapes. This brilliantly designed and incredibly thorough...
Space Awareness
Meet Our Home: Earth
Earth is a complex structure. Learners explore their home, the earth, using a fun hands-on activity. They create tactile models of the earth using ordinary household materials that represent some common features: land, polar caps,...
California Academy of Science
Tropical Belt
Where in the world is the equator? Explore a world map with your class, coloring in oceans, continents, and rainforests while locating the three major lines of latitude: the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. Discuss how...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun instructional activity that can be extended to everyday practices. First the...
Curated OER
Paper Mache Solar System
Students make a model of the solar system. In this solar system lesson, students make paper mache models of the planets to hand in the classroom, measure the distance to each planet scaled with footsteps, and model the moon's movement...
Curated OER
Where Is Saturn in the Solar System? Where Am I in the Solar System?
Pupils discover the planets and their location in the solar system. They complete a KWL chart on Saturn and discuss. They complete the lesson with a writing activity.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Where Is Saturn in the Solar System? Where Am I in the Solar System?
Students engage in a solar system activity, For 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...
Curated OER
Solar Eclipse
Students demonstrate the revolution of the moon around the earth and the effect of its direct alignment in between the earth and the sun.