Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets Online

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students use bookmarked Internet web sites about Space to gather information and use desktop publishing software to write assignments. They participate in various web assignments on provided links to study the planets and the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking a Voyage away from Home

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners 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...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Mache Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 4th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Extraterrestrials Visit Earth

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Learners compare the unique characteristics of Earth to other planets and then write descriptions of Earth that might attract fictional extraterrestrials to visit the planet. They design an appealing travel brochure that incorporates the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's "In" There: A Study of the Inner Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

For Teachers 1st
First graders identify and explore the four inner planets. In this planet science lesson, 1st graders watch a PowerPoint about the planets. Students read the book Our Solar System and discuss the inner planets. Students create a book...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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
Curated OER

Beyond The Earth Part I

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore the solar system. In this space science lesson, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Students then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Embrace Space

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students use the internet to gather informatino about the solar system and space. In groups, they create a slideshow in which they use illustrations from the internet and include their own text. They complete the lesson by going on a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classroom Planetarium

For Teachers K - 4th
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...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Day and Night in the World

For Students 1st - 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planetary Mobile

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Models To Understand Our Home

For Teachers K - 2nd
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's "Out" There?

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate the five outer planets. In this space science lesson, 1st graders read the book Our Solar System and identify the five outer planets. Students create a booklet and write about outer planets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hoop Trip To The Planets

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students practice locomotor patterns already introduced while reinforcing facts about each planet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Up in the Sky

For Teachers 1st
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.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Making A Sundial

For Teachers 1st - 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic School Bus Lost in Space

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore outer space as they visit the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in order to learn about our solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Daily and Seasonal Cycles

For Teachers 1st
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meteorites

For Teachers 1st - 11th
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Spinning into Space

For Teachers 1st
Students, through hands-on activities, teacher demonstrations, pictures, and informational books, complete a unit on the Earth and its place in the Universe. They make mobiles of the Milky Way and watch demonstrations of lunar and solar...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Earth, Earth’s Moon, Mars Balloons

For Teachers K - 8th Standards
Very specific diameters are given for blowing up three different balloons to represent, in scale, the moon, Earth, and Mars. In groups of three, amateur astronomers explore scale measurements and distance in space.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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 plan and the teacher performs...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Two Views of the Universe

For Teachers K - 6th
Students build the two models of the universe created by Aristotle and Copernicus. They compare and contrast the two universes. They create hypothesis on how each model functions.