Worksheet
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Spectral Classification of Stars

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this spectral composition of stars learning exercise, students use data collected by a spectroscope to compare the stellar spectra to a standard for 5 stars. Students compare the spectral lines to the temperatures of the stars.
Worksheet
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Introduction to Radiation Shielding

For Students 9th - 11th
In this radiation shielding worksheet, students use a graph of the dosage of radiation versus the thickness of aluminum shielding using data from the MIR spacecraft and ISO satellite to solve 3 problems. They determine how thick the...
Worksheet
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Magnetic Forces and Kinetic Energy

For Students 8th - 10th
In this magnetic forces and kinetic energy worksheet, students use the formula that relates the speed of an electron in a plasma cloud to its energy to find the speed of 6 different plasma cloud electrons. They answer 5 questions that...
Worksheet
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A Problem in Satellite Synchrony

For Students 8th - 10th
In this satellite synchrony worksheet, students use a spreadsheet or Least Common Multiples to solve 4 problems related to the satellite orbits, orbital periods and their synchronicity. Students determine when the satellites launched in...
Worksheet
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Falling into a Black Hole

For Students 9th - 12th
In this black hole worksheet, students solve 3 problems given the equation used to determine the speed of a falling body using its mass, the constant of gravitation and the distance it will travel.
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Measuring Speed in the Universe

For Students 8th - 10th
In this measuring speed in the universe learning exercise, students use photographs of 3 astronomical phenomena including supernova explosions, coronal mass ejections and solar flare shock waves to find how fast they move. The...
Worksheet
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LRO Explores Lunar Surface Cratering

For Students 7th - 9th
In this lunar surface worksheet, students use an image taken by the LRO satellite to investigate the size of craters on the moon's surface, to determine the crater density and to find the average distance between the craters.
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LRO's First Image of Mare Nubium

For Students 8th - 10th
In this scale image worksheet, students use an image taken by the LRO satellite of Mare Nubium to determine the scale of the image, the diameter of the smallest crater and a comparison scale drawing of a house.
Worksheet
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How Fast Does the Sun Spin?

For Students 8th - 10th
In this rotation of celestial bodies learning exercise, students determine the speed of the sun's rotation and they determine the number of days it takes the sun to rotate once at the equator. They identify the geometric factor that...
Lesson Plan
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Our Neighborhood in the Milky Way

For Teachers 9th - 11th
In this Milky Way galaxy worksheet, students are given a table of distances and angles of nebulae and star clusters from the sun. Students plot each one on a piece of paper and solve 2 problems using the data.
Lesson Plan
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Probing Below the Surface of Mars

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students simulate the search for water in Mars using simple apparatus. In this space science lesson, students explain how soil temperature affects the cooling of probes. They graph the data collected from the simulation.
Lesson Plan
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Volcanic Clouds and the Atmosphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine how scientists monitor volcanoes.  In this volcano instructional activity students complete several activities including why we see things when using satellites.
Lesson Plan
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Thermo and Fluid Dynamics of a Homemade "Lava Lamp"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct their own lava lamp using simple substances. In this physics lesson, students explain how difference in density causes convection. They solve for forces and buoyancy using mathematical equations.
Lesson Plan
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WAVES AND PHOTONS

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the many types of electromagnetic waves, the concept of an EM wave, how James Clerk Maxwell proposed a slight modification of the equations of electricity, Heinrich Hertz and his radio-frequency, wavelengths, and light...
Worksheet
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The Many Faces of Energy

For Students 8th - 10th
In this energy worksheet, students are given a table of the many measurements of energy. They solve 6 problems converting from one measurement of energy to another using the conversion factors given.
Lesson Plan
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MOTION IN A CIRCLE

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore uniform circular motion, and the relation of its frequency of N revolutions/sec with the peripheral velocity v and with the rotation period T, and the "centripetal acceleration" of an object.
Worksheet
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Hubble Spies Colliding Asteroids!

For Students 9th - 11th
In this colliding asteroids instructional activity, students are given the equation to determine the collision time for asteroids. Students use this equation to solve 4 problems including finding the area of a cross-section through the...
Worksheet
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Areas and Probabilities

For Students 9th - 12th
In this area and probability activity, students solve 5 problems where they find the probability of an event occurring. They also use a given photograph of the moon's surface to find the area covered by craters and determine the...
Worksheet
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Auroras

For Students 7th - 9th
In this aurora worksheet, students read a description of an aurora observed by Captain Standard in 1859. Students interpret the description with a drawing giving as much detail as possible using colored media to capture what they read.
Worksheet
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Fermi Detects Gamma-Rays from Messier

For Students 10th - 12th
In this power law function learning exercise, students use data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space telescope to apply the power law function to physical phenomena. Students use a graph to solve four problems.
Worksheet
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How Many Stars are in the Sky?

For Students 10th - 12th
In this star count activity, students solve three problems using a given polynomial and its logarithm to determine the number of stars in a given area.
Lesson Plan
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Areology-The Study of Mars

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars.  For this core sample lesson students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
Lesson Plan
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Creature Feature

For Teachers 5th - Higher Ed
Students make detailed observations and identify an unknown using descriptions.  In this observation instructional activity students are given a creature and must be able to identify it by species and genus.
Lesson Plan
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It's Just Right

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students conduct an experiment to determine the temperature tolerance of yeasts. For this biology lesson, students collect data and compare them by plotting graphs. They explain how extreme temperatures affect organisms.