Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
A Tall Ship and a Star to Steer Her By
Learners create a water transportation device powered by wind. In this wind power lesson, students research transportation concepts after reading the poem "Sea Fever" by John Masefield. Learners design the fastest sailboat they can...
Curated OER
Webbing the Food Chain
Students compose a visual representation of the food chain cycle using Inspiration educational software.
Curated OER
Every Tree For Itself
Fourth graders play a game where they are trees gathering sun, water, and nutrients and CO2 represented by pieces of paper or poker chips. They record their collected requirements and graph how they grew as a forest.
Other
Royal Museums Greenwich: Origin of the Solar System
This site explores current theories about how the Solar System was created.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Earth and Space Science: Order Out of Chaos: Solar System
Material to begin an exploration of the Solar System: the characteristics of the planets, theories about planet formation, and more. An hour-long video is accompanied by learning goals, an outline and overview, details on star formation,...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Quiz: Earth & the Formation of Our Solar System
A five question quiz about the formation of our solar system and Earth.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Solar System Formation
An illustrated slide show highlighting the origin and make-up of our solar system.
Other
Buzzle.com: Univer Savvy: How Was the Solar System Formed? A Beginner's Guide
Describes the solar system and explains theories that scientists have put forward about its formation and what may happen in the future. As we learn more and more about space, theories are challenged and scientists develop new ideas...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Threshold Card: Threshold 4 Earth & the Solar System
An infograph showing how our solar system was developed to an increased complexity.
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: Our Solar System
Our solar system is filled with a wide assortment of celestial bodies - the Sun itself, our eight planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids - and on Earth, life itself! The inner solar system is occasionally visited by comets that loop in...
Extreme Science
Extreme Science: Space Science: Our Solar System
Read about our solar system and its formation over 4.6 billion years ago. Find out about the planets, asteroids, meteors, satellites, and comets. More in-depth planet background can be accessed through links.
Utah State Office of Education
Utah State Office of Education: How Did the Universe and Solar System Develop?
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.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Formation of the Sun and Planets Study Guide
Understand the formation of the sun and planets in our solar system.
Simon Fraser University
Chem1 Virtual Textbook: Formation and Evolution of the Earth
As part of the General Chemistry Virtual Textbook, this site examines a variety of topics related to the Earth. Topics covered in the discussion include formation of the solar system, the planets, the continents, primary differentiation...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Video Transcripts
A collection of video transcripts from a unit on the solar system and Earth.
Other
Space Science Institute: Alien Earths: Star and Planet Formation
Learn about the lives of stars, and how stars and planets form. The Interactive activity, 'Planet Families' requires Adobe Flash and cannot be launched.
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: Asteroids
Discover interesting facts about asteroids, large chunks of rock that were leftover from the formation of the solar system.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Formation of the Sun and Planets
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How the Sun and planets formed.
Other
Planetary Science Institute: Building Planets at Psi
An article about the Planetary Science Institutes's advanced computer software, which it uses to model the way the solar system may have formed. Includes some insights into the results already obtained.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Activity: Claim Testing: Geology and the Earth's Formation
An activity where students investigate how scientist study plate tectonics.
Science Struck
Science Struck: How Was the Earth Created
This resource gives a detailed explanation of the stages that the Earth and the solar system went through beginning with their origins in the Big Bang up to the present time.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mars Student Imaging Project (Msip)
Links to the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP), an award-winning authentic inquiry-based learning and student-centered education project which offers young scholars the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research. The website...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Activity: This Threshold Today
An activity for students to research the conditions that allowed for the formation of our planet. Is there any resources that exist today that existed then?