Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Explore Space

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This informational text passage shares information about the planets in the solar system. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...
Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Amazing Science: Solar System Trading Cards

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Amazing Science looks at the Solar System with this FAQ site and lesson plan.
Handout
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: Planet X Treme Weather

For Students 3rd - 8th
Ever wonder what the weather is like on other planets besides Earth? This resource explores the extreme weather that occurs on other planets.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Air and Space Museum: Exploring the Planets: Earth's Lithosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
The plate tectonics and other features of the Earth's lithosphere are explained and illustrated. Has links to definitions of the magnetosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
Website
Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning: The Planets

For Students 3rd - 5th
This survey of the planets includes all the basics, size, mass, atmosphere, length of day, and the like. It features interactive activities and learning exercises and compares all of the planets in colorful tables.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Capturing the Sun's Warmth

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In the exploration of ways to use solar energy, students investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design.
Interactive
NASA

Nasa: Space Place: I See Ice Viewer

For Students 3rd - 8th
Explore the solar system like never before with this photograph viewer. Choose the planet, then scroll through the many beautiful photographs taken by space missions. Read about how each photo shows evidence of the presence of ice.
Website
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: A Guide to Astronomy Resources

For Students 9th - 10th
A portal to resources on the sun, the Earth's neighboring planets, and the weather in space. Find out why Saturn is the "jewel of the Solar System" and explore what happens when Venus and Mercury make their rare transits across the sun.
Graphic
Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble Site: Images From Space

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides vivid images taken in space by the Hubble Telescope. You can view the entire collection or choose an area you enjoy the most. Explore galaxies, the solar system, nebulae and more!
Website
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Astronomy

For Students 3rd - 8th
Eight hands-on lessons module in which students explore the characteristics of planet Earth, its moons, the sun, the solar system, planets, and the difference between science fact and science fiction.
Handout
Utah State Office of Education

Utah State Office of Education: How Did the Universe and Solar System Develop?

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore this unit to learn how the universe began. Through illustrations, videos, and classroom activities, gain an understanding of how stars help with the formation of elements.
Handout
Cosmos 4 kids

Cosmos4 Kids: Solar System Details: Kuiper Belt

For Students 3rd - 8th
Explore space beyond Pluto in the Kuiper Belt region of our solar system. Find out about the space bodies that exist there and what our space missions have taught us about this far away region.
Lesson Plan
ArtsNow

Arts Now Learning: Phases of the Moon [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
In this lesson, 4th graders use their bodies to model the day/night cycles of the Sun and Earth. Next, they discuss the moon's role in the solar system and explore the eight phases of the moon by acting out a story. Finally, a song...
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Web Links

For Students 9th - 10th
Web links to explore information about the solar system and Earth.
Unknown Type
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Math Space Odyssey: The Capacity of the Planets

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Use this activity to teach students to represent numbers in scientific notation, and use geometry to solve problems related to three-dimensional figures. Explore distance and capacity problems about planets in the solar system. The...
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Solar System Quiz

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is an assessment flipchart that explores the location of planets in our solar system.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Planet Quest: Exoplanet Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
Constellation of articles, images, diagrams, posters, videos, and more on the subject of the search for planets, particularly Earth-like planets, outside our solar system.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: Ology: Astronomy: In Pictures: Beyond Planet Earth

For Students 3rd - 5th
What would it be like to travel across the solar system and explore space? Take a look at some of the places that humans might go to someday, and the questions that scientists are asking.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Models of the Hydrogen Atom

For Teachers 9th - 10th
For this activity, students will explore several different models of the hydrogen atom and compare and contrast them using an online java applet.
Handout
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: What's in the Heart of a Comet?

For Students 3rd - 8th
NASA site explores what a comet's nucleus is composed of. Animation and photographs are provided as well.
Unit Plan
Views of the Solar System

Solarviews: Vista Del Sistema Solar

For Students 9th - 10th
This site offers an exploration and educational entertainment about the solar system. You will be able to study the history of the exploration of space, rockets, the first astronauts, space missions through a large archive of photos,...
Handout
Cosmos 4 kids

Cosmos4 Kids: Solar System Details: Moons of Saturn

For Students 3rd - 8th
Explore the dozens of Saturn's moons orbiting the second largest planet of our solar system. Find out about the Cassini space mission which explored Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Handout
Cosmos 4 kids

Cosmos4 Kids: Solar System Details: Oort Cloud

For Students 3rd - 8th
Explore the huge spherical region surrounding our solar system. Find out what the Oort Cloud contains and how comets originate there.
Activity
National Geographic

National Geographic: Design Your Own Space Probe

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
A science activity for tween students using science and engineering skills to design a space probe to explore the solar system with. Complete lesson plan is provided to guide classroom work.