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Beyond The Earth Part I
Students explore the solar system. In this space science instructional activity, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Students then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.
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A Model of the Sun's interior
Students create a three-dimensional model of the sun. In this solar system lesson, students design a scale model of the sun using plasticine.
University of Colorado
Clay Planets
Why do scientists use models? In the first installment of 22, groups create scale models of our solar system. They then share and discuss their models.
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The Magic School Bus Out of This World
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore craters that objects of different sizes and weights (marbles, Ping-Pong balls, and aluminum foil balls) create.
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The Magic School Bus Lost in Space
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.
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Star Gazing
Third graders investigate what an astronomer is and what he studies in the solar system.
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Meteorites
Learners 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...
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An Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Students explore space science by creating a planetary model in class. In this solar system activity, students identify the many planets and moons that make up the solar system and decide on one entity in which to research. Students...
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The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star through research. Once research is complete, students prepare posters and present findings to class. Flash animation is included to help students visualize life cycle of star researching.
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The Big Bang Theory
Students will use scientific reasoning to formulate ideas about the formation of the universe using the Big Bang Theory. The use of critical thinking skills is part of the activity and the foundation of the scientific method will serve...
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The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star and make conclusions based on evidence, research, and observation. In this lesson on space and scientific investigation, students describe the relationships between science and technology...
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Modeling the Big Bang and the Formation of the Universe
Sixth graders conduct an experiment to understand the Big Bang Theory. In this Big Bang Theory lesson, 6th graders will observe a balloon with confetti popping to emulate and analyze information related tot he Big Bang theory. Students...
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups to research an...
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Meteors
Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science lesson, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.
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Comets And Meteor Showers
Students fill in a diagram of a comet. They listen to a short lecture, view flash animation descriptions of comets and meteors and then use the presented information to complete a worksheet.
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The Amazing and Beautiful Aurora
High schoolers create an oil pastel painting. In this pastel painting lesson, students examine images of the aurora borealis. High schoolers produce an original pastel painting of the aurora.
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Planet Interiors
Students compare and contrast the Earth's interior with 2 other planets by looking at images on the computer. In this planet interiors lesson plan, students write a paper about their findings.
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Your Weight on Other Planets
Young scholars explore their weight on other planets. For this science lesson, students view a presentation about the other planets and complete a worksheet in which they make predictions about their weight on the moon and other planets.
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The Milky Way and Beyond
Students consider the scale of the Milky Way Galaxy. In this Milky Way instructional activity, students hypothesize the length of time necessary to cross the Milky Way.
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an Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Students, in groups, research a planet from our solar system. They create Styrofoam models of the planets and place the planets on a correct distance scale from the sun.
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Our Home in the Milky Way
Students gain appreciation of the vastness of our galaxy by viewing an applet about the Milky Way. Students hypothesize about how long it would take to get from Earth to Pluto.
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Clay Planets
Have your class learn about the solar system using this hands on technique. Learners review what they know about the planets, and create a clay model of the solar system. There are a list of resource links to make this activity a...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Rose By Any Other Name
In part one, your astronomers read an interview dialogue between a reporter and Dr. Maria Ocasio, the chair of the group that assigns names to celestial objects. The topic in question is Pluto's status. Learners research Plutinos and...
Curated OER
Fractions in Space
In this fractions in space worksheet, students solve 4 problems where they find ratios of orbit periods of satellites, they find the ratio of Neptune's and Pluto's periods, they determine the location of the planets after 5 opposition...