Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gravity Gets You Down

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the force of gravity and how it effects different objects that are put into acceleration when applied the experiment of free falling. They drop different objects that have a variety of masses and some that cause air...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Astronomy as a Career

For Students 7th - 9th
In this astronomy as a career worksheet, students use 2 graphs to answer 4 questions about the number of PhDs awarded, the number of PhD's awarded compared to Bachelor's degrees in astronomy and factors that might be involved in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Letters from the Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students examine letters of Japanese-American children during internment in World War II. They discover what it was like in the camps and how they were treated once they were released. They also view photographs of the camps.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lights, Camera, Action!

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore various images and recognize that in order to make a visible image using a camera or using our eye, light is required. In small groups, they observe how the eyes respond to changes in light and record their observations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under the Spell of Spiders

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine spiders. In these spider lessons, students will view spider images and live spiders to determine physical characteristics, habits, and habitats. Students will examine fantasy and folklore about spiders to create and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Size Shapes Animals

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Altitude of Iridium Flares

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine what iridium flares are and when they occur.  In this iridium flare lesson students complete an activity to see how far overhead Iridium satellites are.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests lesson, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the Tropical Rainforest,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Find It!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students analyze the basic concept of Global Positioning Systems using triangulation and measurement on a small scale in the classroom. They describe a satellite and how it helps in locating a person on Earth. They explain how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storm Watch: Knowing What To Do

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the different types of weather and how storms form.  In this weather lesson students make their own "tornado in a bottle" and create brochures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students gain an understanding of earthquakes. They examine vocabulary associated with earthquakes, how earthquakes happen, and preventive measures taken to diminish damage or harm in the event that an earthquake should happen.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars explore the solar system on the internet and video programs. They investigate the names of each planet and their places in the solar system. They chose their favorite planet and design an advertisement to sell a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight Direction

For Teachers K - 8th
Students are introduced to NASA's Connect Series and Flight Direction programs. They explore the world of aeronautics and their missions. Students receive a front role set to the concepts and skills involved with the various NASA programs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students become familiar with coal as an energy source and how it is mined.  In this coal lesson, students research the effects of coal mining on the environment. Students discuss the various problems associated with coal mining....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake Depth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research and locate earthquake epicenters on a map using latitude and longitude. They determine if the depth of an earthquake has any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Acid Rain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use real-time weather maps to determine the likelihood of acid rainfall in a region. Students apply their understanding of interaction between weather systems, land and air pollution, to address acid rain and the effects on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Patterns across the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students articulate differences between climate and weather using examples in a written statement. Using climate data from across the country, they describe climate patterns for various parts of the United States on a map. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cold Fronts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine its' direction of movement, and list at least five weather conditions associated with the specific front, given animations of several atmospheric variables during a cold front passage. They list at least three weather...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sustainable Development

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders explore the difference between natural and man-made environments.  In this renewable resources lesson students evaluate the economic importance of resources. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using the Very, Very Simple Climate Model in the Classroom

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners study the relationship between the average global temperature and carbon dioxide emissions.  In this weather activity students develop a test scenario using a model then read and interpret graphs of data. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trouble in the Troposphere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers Use data sets from MY NASA DATA to produce graphs comparing monthly and yearly ozone averages of several U.S. cities. They analyze and evaluate the data and predict trends based on the data. In addition, they discuss and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watch the Sky for Lightning

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify lightning in pictures from the provided Internet site. They study a definition of lightning as a form of heat energy that can be dangerous. They state and illustrate a minimum of three lightning safety rules.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Dynamic Nature of the Sun

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students compare and contrast images of the sun taken at different times and viewed at different scales. They record their observations in a journal and create a graphic organizer to help analyze their observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A River Ran Through It

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research how water is used to generate electricity. They investigate water's potential-to-kinetic energy transfer in hands-on activities about falling water and waterwheels. They take measurements, calculate averages and graph...