Curated OER
Passive Solar Design
Students study what passive solar design is for buildings and structures. In this solar design lesson plan students identify passive solar design techniques.
California Academy of Science
Which Way is North?
Who needs a compass to find cardinal directions? Just place a stick in the ground and record the movement of its shadow over the course of a day. Then, measure the shadow lengths in order to determine a north-south line. A simple...
Curated OER
Investigating the Climate System: Energy, A Balancing Act
Earth science explorers design an experiment to demonstrate that the albedo of a surface affects its temperature. They test to find out if moisture on the surface affects temperature. They discover whether or not concrete or asphalt heat...
Bonneville
Designing a Solar Phone Charger
What a bright idea! Working in groups, scholars design a solar phone charger by applying concepts from the unit. They use solar modules and buck and boost converters in their creations, which must be able to charge a phone after...
Curated OER
Planets in Balance
Young scholars study the solar system by researching the planets. In this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.
Curated OER
Sun
Students study how the sun is at the center of the solar system. In this solar lesson students measure the altitude of the sun and its size.
Curated OER
Ordinal Numbers Are Out of This World
First graders identify and write ordinal numbers by following the sequence the school bus followed during a field trip to the nine planets in the solar system. This is based on the book The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System.
Curated OER
Out of This World
Pupils are introduced to the solar system and its place in the universe. They begin to grasp the idea of very large numbers by estimating and computing how long it take the class to make a million x's.
Curated OER
Building a Scale Model
Third graders create a model of the solar system. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders create a scale model of the solar system. Working in pairs students solve mathematical problems to correctly measure the distance each planet is...
Curated OER
Earth
Fourth graders have a spatial awareness of the plants by orally discussing what they saw after they stepped out the model of the solar system. They recognize the similarities and differences between Earth and the other planets by being...
Curated OER
Voyage to the Planets
Students examine the planets in the solar system. For this planetatry lesson students complete a project using a WebQuest program.
Curated OER
Embrace Space
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...
Curated OER
Earth
Students study the earth in relation to the solar system. In this planetary lesson students complete several investigations into the measurement of the earth and its magnetic field.
Curated OER
Not So Lost in Space
Students investigate how engineers navigate satellites in orbit around the Earth and on their way to other planets in the solar system. They study vocabulary words and participate in studying a satellite by learning about times and...
Curated OER
Geologic Timelines
Students view geologic time lines and discuss how old the Earth and solar system is, when dinosaurs roamed Earth, and when humans first appeared. They review the four major eons and life that was present in each before creating a time...
Curated OER
Discovering The Power Of Sunlight
Learners participate in a lesson that looks at the potential for energy from sunlight. Students conduct research from a variety of resources and construct an object that is used to measure the energy of sunlight and calculate the amounts...
Curated OER
Observing the Outer Planets
Learners observe the outer planets. In this science lesson, students use a telescope locate the outer planets of the solar system. Learners create a video of their observations.
Curated OER
The Power of PV: Measuring the Power and Energy of Photovoltaic System
Students explore photovoltaic systems. For this alternative energy lesson, students calculate solar panel efficiency and convert devices to solar energy using photovoltaic cells.
Curated OER
Attributes of Renewable Energy: From Nanopossibilities to Solar Power
High schoolers explore solar energy, why we use it and how we use it. In this renewable energy instructional activity students compare active and solar techniques.
Curated OER
Parts of a Solar Panel-Part II
Students discover how a mini-solar panel is constructed by behaving like detectives. Students examine an actual solar panel, measure the solar panel's voltage and use drawings to describe what they observe before completing questions...
Curated OER
The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water
Learners are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water. In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
Curated OER
Solar System
Eighth graders identify the basic concepts of celestial bodies. They discover the difference between perihelion and aphelion and demonstrate how the universe is expanding. They also discover how gravity and centrifugal force are...
Curated OER
Toilet Paper Solar System
Students create a model of the distances of the planets in the solar system using sheets of toilet paper and markers. Generally accepted orbital parameters are applied.
Curated OER
Astronomical Distances and Space Travel
Students estimate the size of the solar system and the distance to the nearest star. For this space lesson students complete calculations and use Sattgast Hall as a scale model.