Columbus City Schools
Experiencing Eclipses
Don't be caught in the dark! Young scientists investigate the causes of both solar and lunar eclipses using an interactive to help them understand the development of an eclipse over time. They then research facts and characteristics...
NASA
On Target
NASA's LCROSS mission is dropping a probe into a lunar crater. Groups design a system to travel down a zip line and drop a marble onto a target in the classroom. The groups then modify their designs based upon testing.
Curated OER
Exploring the Spirit of Islam, Ramadan, and the Hajj
Ninth graders explore the different ways people celebrate their religions. For this Religion lesson, 9th graders examine the basics of Islam. Students create a handout on a specific topic about Islam.
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Fall/Winter
Students explain how moon phases occur. They explain three ways that the night sky has been used through history. Students locate some of the constellations in the night sky. They discuss stories and myths surrounding stars.
PBS
Why Isn't There an Eclipse Every Month?
Searching for an eclipse activity that sends scholars over the moon? Try an interesting interactive to get their minds active! The resource, part of an extensive Space series from PBS Learning Media, uses modeling and data analysis to...
NASA
Eclipse Activity Guide
Ever made solar s'mores? Or recreated the solar system using peanuts? Astronomers young and old investigate all things solar using a variety of activities. Explore how the sun works, types of light it emits, and methods of charting the...
NASA
Watering Your Plants
Make sure plants have water to drink regularly. Learners investigate the parts of a watering system for plants. They design and create a watering system for a lunar plant growth chamber before explaining why it is important to have water...
NASA
Roving on the Moon
Build a rover for pennies in a fun-filled activity! Young engineers design, build, test, and evaluate a lunar rover model. Using rubber bands, plastic straws, and cardboard, teams collaborate to make a rover model with spinning wheels....
Curated OER
Mono-Moonscape Painting/Collage
Students, after viewing pictures of the moon's surface, explore positive and negative space using mono print and collage techniques to create an imaginary lunar landscape. They interact with various shapes and textures to create their...
University of Colorado
Using Spectral Data to Explore Saturn and Titan
Saturn's rings are made of dust, ice, and solid chunks of material. Individuals use spectrographs in this final installment of 22 lessons to determine the atmospheric elements. They analyze spectrums from Titan's atmosphere and...
Curated OER
Moon Exploration
Third graders examine the various phases of the moon. They define each moon phase, create an illustration for each phase, identify patterns in the moon's phases for the upcoming months, and take a quiz.
Curated OER
Predicting Lunar Eclipses
Students explore lunar eclipses and discover how to predict an eclipse the same way that ancient people did. They examine dates of recorded eclipses and find a pattern. Students apply an algorithm to the pattern.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan # 1 - Phases of the Moon
Pupils explore and identify moon phases, watch teacher demonstration of different phases using globe and flashlight to represent moon and sun, and discuss reasons why there are moon phases.
Curated OER
A Tour Through China
Students explore the culture, development, inventions, and geography of China in the seven lessons of this unit. The teachings of Confucius are examined and the celebrations for the Chinese New Year are inspected.
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Oreo Moon Phases
Learning about the moon has never tasted delicious! Using the popular Oreo cookie as a model, young scientists carve out the cream filling to represent the different phases of the moon.
University of Texas
Observing the Moon
Why does it look like there is a man on the moon? Why does the moon look different every night? These are the focus questions of a lesson that prompts class members to observe and record the nightly changes of Earth's natural...
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Moon Flip Book
Watch an entire month flash before your eyes with this fun phases-of-the-moon flip book activity.
Scholastic
Lesson Three: The Earth, Movement in Space
If you feel like you're standing still, you're wrong! The Earth is constantly rotating and orbiting under our feet. Demonstrate the Earth's movement within the solar system with a collaborative activity. With a candle or lamp in the...
Curated OER
Tantalizing Tangrams
Learners create puzzles of animals based on the 12-animals cycle of the Lunar Calendar. They use logical or spatial relationship skills. Students comprehend the mathematical term geometry. They research the history, beliefs of the...
National First Ladies' Library
One Small Step
Students explore the steps taken to fulfill President Kennedy's promise to land a man on the moon.They examine the costs and difficulties of fulfilling that promise and the historical events that motivated the nation to do so.
Curated OER
Lunar Craters
Students explore crater impacts. In this moon crater instructional activity students evaluate and interpret the physical characteristics of a crater.
Curated OER
Student Exploration: Phases of the Moon
In this moon phase learning exercise, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use the "Phase of the Moon Gizmo" to complete several activities, answering short answer questions when finished.
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Moon
Young scholars explore the phases of the moon. In this solar system lesson, students listen to several books about the moon including The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons. Young scholars complete a KWL activity concerning the phases of the moon...
Curated OER
A Moon with a View
Third graders explore the rotation of Earth and the moon. In this solar system instructional activity, 3rd graders participate in an Earth and moon simulation in which part of the class "becomes" the sun, while other children represent...