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Craters!
Eighth graders examine the formation of craters. In this craters lesson, 8th graders discover the various energies involved in the formation of a crater, where you can find a crater in the Solar System, and observations of craters on the...
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Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy lesson, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of chondrites and...
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Origins: Earth Is Born
Learners develop a timeline of all the major events involved in the formation of the Earth and the emergence of humans. In groups, they focus on a specific topic by watching a PBS program and taking notes. After the video, they list...
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Please Ex-Planet
Seventh graders create a model of an earth centered solar system and a model of the sun centered solar system. As a class, they discuss why the earlier astronomers believed their model and why it changed when evidence arose that this...
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Moon WebQuest
Third graders research basic information about the moon and identify the phases and order of the phases of the moon. They conduct Internet research, complete a moon WebQuest, and write a magazine article about the moon using their...
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Path to Mars
Students compare Earth and Mars to find similarities between the two planets using given websites. They collect and download pictures of geological features of both planets from print and non-print sources. Descriptions of the...
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Does Humidity Affect Cloud Formation?
Students use NASA's S'COOL database to identify factors that affect cloud formation.
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Layering the Soil
Students study and classify soil. In this soil science activity, students classify soil by texture and size and study soil horizons. Students label the soil types with their specific soil horizon and learn about permafrost. Students...
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Planetary Orbits
Students explore space science by completing a solar system identification worksheet. In this planets lesson plan, students discuss the different planets in our star system and identify their traits. Students complete an orbital system...
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DASH Sunrise and Sunset/ Seasons Chart
Second graders rotate as the person to enter the information of sunrise and sunset into a spreadsheet. The teacher also demonstrates how to convert the spreadsheet into a chart.
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A Star is Born
Students research the life cycle of a star. In this astronomy instructional activity, students work in groups to research on stage in stellar evolution and report back to the class their findings. They will discuss as a class the order...
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Changing Faces: A Study of Solar and Planetary Rotation Rates
Students determine rotation rates of a variety of solar system objects using images and the Internet.
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Traveling the Planets!
Fourth graders research the planets and create brochures to share their information. In this planets lesson, 4th graders navigate the Internet to gather information for a brochure about an imaginary trip to their planet....
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Explore the Characteristics of Stars with Microsoft WorldWide Telescope
Students explore the characteristics of stars. In 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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Impact Craters: Holes in the Ground!
Students simulate crater formation through a lab activity. In this space science lesson plan, students calculate how much energy is transferred during meteorite impact. They identify different factors affecting the size and depth of...
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Creating Craters
Students explore parts of an impact crater and compare and contrast craters found in Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Crater formation is modelled and the relationship of mass, velocity, and size of the projectile to the crater formation is...
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Asteroids!
Students explore how to visually identify asteroids in SDSS images. They are able to explain that stars are so far away that they do not appear to move, even over the course of a human lifespan. Students identify the location of most...
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Is There Water on Mars?
Students decide whether or not there is or has even been water on Mars. They analyze temperature and pressure data from the Pathfinder mission to Mars, and then they analyze images of Mars, interpreting the landforms they see and...
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Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?
Learners use NASA satellite data to see cloud cover over Africa. In this seasons lesson students access data and import it into Excel.
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The Difference Between Comets, Meteors And Asteroids
Students use Venn diagrams to highlight the similarities and differences between comets, meteors, and asteroids.
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Travelogue of a Planet
Students randomly select a planet, including Earth. They research key features of the planet including mass, volume, density, gravity, temperature, weather, geology, atmosphere, surface features, location from sun, Earth and other...
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Geologic Timelines
Middle schoolers create a timeline of geologic events of the Phanerozoic Eon. In this geologic timeline lesson, students view a handout that shows a timeline of the Earth's history. They create their own timeline of the Phanerozoic Eon...
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Classification of Clouds
Learners view progressive slides of cloud formations and identify which type of cloud is shown as it forms. They estimate the cloud's height while viewing each image.
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Webbing the Food Chain
Young scholars compose a visual representation of the food chain cycle using Inspiration educational software.