Curated OER
How Does a Satellite Stay in Orbit?
Students explore placing a satellite into orbit, then about forces needed to keep an object in orbit. They examine how satellites orbit in elliptical paths and about properties of ellipses. They learn Kepler's 3rd Law of Planetary Motion
Curated OER
Physics The Earth and Beyond
Fourth graders will explore our solar system. In this physics lesson students create a model of the solar system to explore the movement of Earth, the Sun, and stars.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Playground Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students experience the rotation of the Earth and the Sun and the Earth's revolution around the Sun, using a playground mode.
Curated OER
The Mass of the Moon
In this mass of the Moon worksheet, students use the lunar orbit and the orbit period to determine the mass of the Moon. They solve 4 problems including finding the mass of the Moon, determining the ratio of the Moon's mass to the...
Curated OER
Scenes of the Earth
Students examine and study how changes in perspective can change the way that they can observe objects. They explore the relationship between a scene's area and its detail. Each student looks at the ground through cardboard tubes from...
Curated OER
Measuring the Diameter of the Sun
Ninth graders study the sun and its distance from Earth. For this Sun's diameter lesson students examine how measurement data permits accurate measurement of the sun's diameter.
Curated OER
Kepler's 3rd Law
Students derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius. They derive the Earth escape velocity and prove Kepler's 3rd law for circular orbits # A simple formula for the orbital period in a circular Earth orbit of given radius.
Curated OER
The Flat-Out Truth
In this Earth's shape activity, students read an article about a gentleman who believes the Earth is flat. Then students complete 5 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Kepler's Third Law
Students use Kepler's third law to derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius, and identify the Earth escape velocity.
Star Date
Modeling the Night Sky
Dramatize the stars and planets as they become a visual representation of the solar system in this activity. Young astronomers track and simulate various constellations as they orbit the Earth to learn the position and motion of objects...
Curated OER
Observing Mars in the Night Sky
High schoolers compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.
Curated OER
Seasonal CEENBoT
Students simulate the Earth's revolution around the sun using CEENBoT. In this earth science lesson students calculate the Earth's distance in AU and it's speed of revolution. They explain how the Earth's movement cause seasonal variation.
Curated OER
NUMB3RS Activity: Implicit Orbits
In this algebra worksheet, learners solve word problems using algebraic equations and implicit differentiation. There are 16 problems dealing implicit differentiation.
Curated OER
Around the World
Students find the circumference of various round objects. For this finding the circumference of various round objects lesson, students find the circumference of the Earth. Students find the circumference of trees, tires, and other...
TOPS Learning Systems
PI in the SKY
What is pi anyway? After this set of activities, your pupils should have multiple answers to this question. Investigate pi with various experiments and discoveries. Calculate the ratio circumference/diameter for different sized circles....
Curated OER
Science: Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders use their observations to describe daily and seasonal cycles. through a demonstration using a suspended ball and flashlight, they determine the time of day in various locations. Next, 1st graders participate in a...
Curated OER
What is the Solar System?
Students study the solar system. In this solar system lesson, students create graphic organizers, and participate in class demonstrations illustrating size and distance within the solar system.
Curated OER
Planetary Mobile
Students receive pre-cut templates of cardboard with appropriate diameters of each planet and the sun. They use multi-colored construction paper, scissors, yarn, and other art supplies to create their own models of planets. When students...
Curated OER
Parallax
High schoolers 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."
Curated OER
Seeing Solar Storms in STEREO-I
In this geometric calculations of solar storms activity, students use a diagram indicating the location of 2 STEREO satellites, the earth and the sun to calculate the distance between a Coronal Mass Ejection and the Earth. They use...
Curated OER
Seeing Solar Storms in STEREO-II
In this solar storms learning exercise, students use a diagram given the location of two STEREO spacecraft satellites, a coronal mass ejection, the sun and the Earth to solve 2 problems about the coronal mass ejection. Students use...
Virginia Department of Education
Planet Line-Ups
Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets.
Curated OER
Dark Matter In The Universe
Young scholars investigate the concept of dark matter and how it occurs in the universe. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information by reading at least two articles about dark matter. They also...