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...

Students examine Hubble Deep Field images. In this galaxy classification lesson, students research galaxy classification. Students view and classify Hubble Deep field images of galaxies.

Learners complete a WebQuest where they research the Internet for extraterrestrial intelligence. In this extraterrestrial lesson plan, students also explore how the Drake Equation can predict the occurrence of life elsewhere.

Students engage in a lesson that covers the concept of different phases of the moon. They name the cycles of the phases of the moon while using flashlights to simulate the light of the sun. They research information about several...

Learners 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.

Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. For this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...

Learners research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Learners produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.

Students explore the expanding universe.  In this science lesson, students use balloons to model the expansion of the universe. Students take measurements of the balloon expansion and answer questions directed to develop their...

Students tour Chandra's top galactic X-ray images. In this Chandra X-Ray Observatory instructional activity, students play games and complete puzzles based on the Chandra Mission and X-Ray Astronomy. Students listen to pod casts,...

Learners explore the solar system. In this space science lesson, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Learners then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.

Young scholars explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.

Students consider the scale of the Milky Way Galaxy. In this Milky Way lesson, students hypothesize the length of time necessary to cross the Milky Way.

Students complete research and solve problems that show the factors that determine the temperature of the earth's surface including the effect of greenhouse gases. They look at the relationships between solar energy, atmosphere, and how...

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.

Students investigate the celestial sphere and circumpolar motion. In this science lesson, students view an applet, The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion. Students discuss the Earth's rotation and stellar movement.

Students research the aurora. In this aurora lesson, students participate in a webquest about the aurora. Webquest worksheet is included.

Students examine eclipses. In this eclipse lesson, students investigate solar and lunar eclipses. Students complete a WebQuest and write a descriptive summary of eclipses. Lesson references a WebQuest, but does not include a link.

Students use Venn diagrams to highlight the similarities and differences between comets, meteors, and asteroids.

Students complete a WebQuest in order to better explain solar and lunar eclipses. They observe images and videos of eclipses from around the world.

Thoroughly written, this plan walks you through every detail of having your high school astronomers design scale models of the solar system. Complete instructions on building to scale, lesson procedures, and associated worksheets are all...

Learners discover that astronomy is a branch of science that includes the study of planets, stars, and constellations.

Students study star charts and describe locations of objects.  In this scientific models lesson students use coordinates and identify characteristics. 

Students examine the dust in their classroom and relate it to the dust in space.  In this investigative instructional activity students collect dust and graph their findings.

Students learn the concepts of momentum and its conservation, using the recoil of a cannon as an example. They examine how momentum is a vector, allowing its conservation to be applied to problems in 2 and 3 dimensions.