Curated OER
Break the Code: Astronomy
Here is a quick puzzle-style worksheet for your aspiring astronomers. A code is printed at the top of the page and learners use it to fill in the blanks describing different phenomena or objects in outer space. The material does not even...
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Precession
Students explain how Hipparchus, around 130 BC, used a shift in the predicted location of a lunar eclipse to detect a slight shift in the path of the Sun around the sky. They examine the elliptical orbit in which the Earth travels around...
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Drawing Ellipses Lab
In this ellipse worksheet, students learn the difference between an orbit and an ellipse. They draw ellipses and calculate the distance between foci, they calculate the length of the major axis and they determine the eccentricity. They...
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Navigation and Trajectory
Middle schoolers prepare a creative demonstration of how Earth and Mars revolve around the Sun. In this astronomy lesson, students determine the different challenges engineers face when building spacecrafts. They draw possible paths for...
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Day and Night
Third graders view a classroom simulation that demonstrates how the Earth's rotation creates day and night.
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Earth Moon Scaling
A wonderful lesson incorporating math and physics skills along with specific details about the planetary bodies. The cross-curricular approach makes for a valid activity to challenge multiple ages and abilities. Your class could work in...
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The Seasons
Students determine the effect of the earth's tilt on the amount of incoming solar radiation throughout the year. They simulate the earth's orbit around the sun using a light bulb and a globe to simulate the seasons. Assessment questions...
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Parallax
Students discover how astronomers used the diameter of the Earth's orbit around the Sun as a baseline for estimating the distance of some stars, and the meaning of "Parsec" and "light year."
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The Planets in our Solar System
In this solar system worksheet, students will write in the nine planets that are found orbiting around our sun in our solar system.
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Phases of the Moon
Students explore why when you examine the moon depends on its location in relationship to the sun and Earth. The moon never goes away or changes shape-we just see a different fraction of sunlight being reflected from the moon to Earth.
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Earth in Space
In this reason for the days and nights on earth worksheet, students study the reasons the Earth has days and nights by answering 28 questions about earth's rotation, the equator, the relationship between the sun and moon, and the earth's...
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Third from the Sun
Students examine images from space. In this third from the Sun lesson, students examine images from, Landsat, the satellite launched by NASA in 1972.
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Earth Science Astronomy Unit: Seasons on Earth
Eighth graders describe how the Earth's position causes seasonal changes. In this astronomy lesson, 8th graders explain how solar radiation varies depending on the season. They create a collage or poster on each of the Earth's four seasons.
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Winter
As the days get shorter and a chill enters the air, it's time to start teaching your little ones about the wondrous winter season. Through a series of teacher demonstrations, whole-class read alouds and discussions, and hands-on...
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Earth's Orbit Lesson
Tenth graders devise a computational model to explore how the orbit of the Earth might change if its velocity were different. Using accurately recorded data, 10th graders defend a scientific argument.
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Day and Night
Inform your elementary scientists why we experience day and night. They are provided with facts and explanation as to why the day and night cycle occur, discuss what they've learned with a partner, and are then given the task of writing...
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Catching Some Rays
Sixth graders explore the tilt of Earth's axis. In this Earth lesson plan, 6th graders read a Greek mythology story explaining why there are seasons. Students build a sun-ray gathering tool from styrofoam, glue, thermometers, skewers,...
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Navigating a Spacecraft
Students work with a partner to plot the trajectory of a spacecraft traveling between Earth and Mars in the 2018 and returning in 2020. They examine the key factors when planning a mission to and from Mars such as travel time, distances...
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Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean
Students use real satellite data to determine the changes in near-surface air temperature at different times of the year over the Caribbean Sea. They discover how Earth's tilt causes seasonal differences in incoming solar energy. They...
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How Far Away is SOHO?
High schoolers create a scale model of the Earth and the sun that demonstrates where the SOHO satellite is in relation to the Earth.
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Tracking Sunrise and Sunset
Learners collect, record, and graph the sunrise and sunset times. They explain how the relationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and its yearly orbit around the sun produces the seasons.
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Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Classroom Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students use a concrete model of the Sun and Earth to observe and manipulate a 3-D model of the Sun and Earth.
University of Arizona
The Exotic Vacation
Students explain the concepts and vocabulary of Earth's rotation. They plan imaginary vacations based on the seasons in different locations. This is a very creative lesson plan, which students enjoy.
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Planet Earth
For this Earth worksheet, students review the characteristics of the Earth including it's rotation and revolution. This worksheet has 9 fill in the blank and 7 short answer questions.