US Environmental Protection Agency
Carbon Through the Seasons
Meteorologists view an animated video by the Environmental Protection Agency to learn how the carbon cycle works, and then move into groups to analyze and graph actual data of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from Hawaii's...
Space Awareness
The Intertropical Convergence Zone
Young scientists know it is hotter along the equator, but why is it also rainier? Through the process of completing two experiments and a worksheet, scholars discover the answer is the intertropical convergence zone. First, they...
Curated OER
Sky Show
Students participate in a discussion of the sky and colors. They watch a demonstration of how colors can change. They examine the issue of if weather should be a part of their coursework.
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth instructional activity in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive...
NASA
Stellar Fingerprints and Doppler Red Shifts
Young scientists observe the spectra of elements and compare that to the Doppler effect. Hook scholars from the beginning all the way to the extension activities in this 5E-format lesson.
NASA
Dark Matter NASA Conference
Young scholars calculate the escape velocity of planets in our solar system and use that knowledge to calculate the escape velocity for NGC 2300 group. They then suggest reasons for the escape velocity to be higher than possible given...
Curated OER
Learning from Light: The Big Bang
High schoolers explore what astronomers are able to examine our galaxy and universe by examining light. They explore in this sub-unit the formation of the universe, commonly called "The Big Bang," and it follows studying from the Light:...
Curated OER
Rocketry
Middle schoolers design and construct a paper rocket that can be launched with a drinking straw. They participate in a lecture and read an article about rocketry and how Newton's Third Law applies to rocket launches. Each student...
Curated OER
Earth Systems Science
Young scholars perform experiments designed to grow plants and bacteria in a controlled environment. In this ecosystems lesson students investigate varying conditions for growing plants and bacteria.
Curated OER
"Hard" Data from Space
Students use satellite images to analyze development patterns within Baltimore City. They prepare a land cover map for Baltimore indicating the prevalence of impervious surfaces and explore how these patterns affect water pollution.
Curated OER
Science: Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders use their observations to describe daily and seasonal cycles. through a demonstration using a suspended ball and flashlight, they determine the time of day in various locations. Next, 1st graders participate in a...
Curated OER
Earth's History
Seventh graders study the law of superposition by creating models of fossils in layers of rock. They examine how fossils are usually found in sedimentary rock which leads to the study of geologic history in those rocks.
Curated OER
Write a Space Poem
Learners write a variety of space travel poems that will be used to compile a class book and draw their own rocket and half fill it with words associated with space travel and add design and color.
Curated OER
Radio Astronomy and Radio Telescope
Students construct a simple radio telescope. In this astronomy lesson plan, students explain how this telescope works and what information it collects.
Curated OER
Universal Proportions: Earth and Moon
Students create scale models of Earth, the Moon, and the distances within the universe. Working in groups, they construct their models of Earth and the Moon on a scale of 50:1 and calculate how far apart to place their models. They...
Curated OER
Chart the Stars
Seventh graders find constellation distances and plot the stars. In this star lesson, 7th graders plot the star points for Canis Major. Students use graphing calculators to graph the constellation. Students choose another constellation...
Curated OER
#24 Rotating Frames of Reference in Space and on Earth
Students explore rotating frames of reference, focusing on the weightless environment in space and the Coriolis force.
Curated OER
Earth Images BINGO
Students introduced to different views of the Earth. They play BINGO with boards that are made of images of Earth.
Curated OER
Science - Lesson 42 - Astronomy
Third graders demonstrate the position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun in a solar and lunar eclipse. They list uses for manmade satellites and write a description of how a satellite would be use.
Curated OER
Earth Epochs
Students explore earth epochs, i.e, Permian, Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordivician and through pictures they see what life on Earth and animals looked like. They organize Earth Epochs according to years going from greatest to least...
Curated OER
The Nature of Science and Technology
Learners study the environmental concerns of orbital debris. In this orbital debris lesson students complete several activities.
Curated OER
Student Experiment Flies On NASA Space Shuttle!
Young scholars design and construct an experiment that will be launched into space aboard a NASA research shuttle. How better to gain and appreciation for (and, hopefully, a love of) scientific investigation than to do real science and...
Curated OER
Earth and Beyond
In this earth and beyond worksheet, students answer short answer questions about the atmosphere, the chemical compounds in Earth's atmosphere. Students visit different websites to conduct research of the discoveries of the scientist who...
Curated OER
Science: Discovering Earth's Air Prressure
Fourth graders discover earth's air pressure through observation of several experiments. In the "Experiment of the Leaky Bottle," they observe how air pressure forces water out of the lowest hole farther than the holes above it. In...