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Capturing the Sun's Warmth
Students explore the variety of ways to use solar energy. They investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design. They explain how passive solar...
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Using Bloom's Taxonomy in Science
Help your students internalize knowledge by creating activities that utilize higher level thinking skills.
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Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy instructional activity, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of...
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Echolocation
Students explore echolocation. For this bats science lesson, students compare sunlight reflecting off a mirror to sound waves hitting a bat's ears. Students complete a worksheet about bats.
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Explore the Characteristics of Stars with Microsoft WorldWide Telescope
Students explore the characteristics of stars. For this space science activity, students use the Microsoft WorldWide Telescope program to identify the properties of stars and identify the stars in the galaxy.
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Endangered Species
Students watch video clips of endangered animals. They imagine a small garden in front of a house and describe the living and non-living things that could interact to make up a garden eco-system.
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After 7 years, capsule of comet dust heads to Earth
Students examine an article on a space capsule and explore NASA. In this space exploration lesson students brainstorm the pros and cons of space exploration, then rehearse a sketch and present it to the class.
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Explore! Fun with Science
Learners explore the challenges of living in space by designing a facility that can provide everything required to support humans and can protect them from the harsh environment of space.
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The Weather Classroom - Atmosphere
Meteorology learners explore the weight of air, layers of the atmosphere, and air pressure action through a series of discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on group activities. Enough discussion prompts, background information, student...
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Sky Show
Middle schoolers participate in a discussion of the sky and colors. They watch a demonstration of how colors can change. They examine the issue of if weather should be a part of their coursework.
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A Leap of Space
Students explore how smaller systems exist within larger systems as they build a collage of their place in space! Invite the students to display their posters and talk about their systems and systems of systems.
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Mars Colonization Assignment #1
Eighth graders recognize the some day humans may wish to colonize Mars. They participate in an Internet adventure where they compare and contrast Earth to the other nine planets in the solar system.
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Astronomy Teamwork
Students work together in groups to complete an astronomy project. In the classroom, they find real objects to represent various objects in the solar system. After going outside, they practice using a distance scale and use their...
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Mars
After reading a short excerpt about the planet named after the Roman god of war, Mars, your class will answer four comprehension questions. The activity challenges them to fold over the paper and answer the questions without referring...
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Suited for Space
A fantastic lesson on survival in outer space should excite your learners! Pupils explore the challenges that living, working, and surviving in space elicit. They focus on the spacesuit itself; how it protects astronauts, and enables...
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Planet Facts
Students click on the links to planets to learn facts about them. In this planets lesson plan, students read about 8 of the planets in the Solar System.
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Galaxy Adventure
Working in groups, learners create a mnemonic device, give an oral presentation, and create a pictorial representation of the correct sequence of the planets and asteroid belt from the sun. An assessment rubric is included in the...
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Demonstrating Moon Phases
Third graders participate in a demonstration of the moon's phases. In this moon phase lesson, 3rd graders watch as the teacher demonstrates moon phases with a bright light and a Styrofoam ball. They answer questions associated with the...
NASA
The Invisible Sun: How Hot Is It?
It's getting hot in here! The first in a series of six lessons has learners model nuclear fusion with a simple lab investigation. Groups collect data and analyze results, comparing their models to the actual process along the way.
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The Voyage Scale
Students identify how models are powerful tools of exploration and that the sizes of the planets and distances between the planets in the Solar System span a large range. They make a sign for each planet they have created in the lesson...
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Unit 2 Sun & Stars
Students describe stellar objects using terms such as stars, planets, satellites, orbits and light. In this sun and stars unit, students research stellar objects through seven individual lessons discovering star characteristics, how...
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In a Galaxy Far, Far, Far Away
Sixth graders compare distances between objects in the solar system. They investigate how light years are measured and when using them to measure how distances compare with one another. They write an essay exploring the possibility of...
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Movement of Air
In this movement of air worksheet, students identify and describe the purpose for convection and how it effects Earth. Then they describe what thermals are and why they occur in hot and cold air movements. Students also explain why...
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What's Up? Astronomy Curriculum
Students study astronomy. In preparation for a field trip to a planetarium, students discuss the stars, planets, and light. They explore the importance of the north star and constellations. The Digitarium system is used to assist the...