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Pioneers of Space
Students explore how to use natural resources in the next millenium. Students create a KWL chart and then research information on our solar systsem, natural resources, and environments. Students build a model of a future community and...
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Solar System Distance Activity
Students examine the distances between the Sun, planets, and smaller objects in the Solar System. They design a model using beads that shows the scale distances of the Solar System using astronomical units converted into a 10 centimeter...
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Amazing -- Saturn Is So Far Away!
Students work together to create a scale model of the distances between the planets. They write a paragraph to describe Saturn and their make-believe trip to the planet. They identify other characteristics of Saturn as well.
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Build a Space Shuttle
Pupils explore the concept of space. In this space lesson, students pretend to be aerospace engineers. Pupils build space ships out of cardboard tubes. Students discuss what aerospace engineers do. Pupils model their space ships after...
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Astronomy 1 Quiz- Online Interactive
In this space science worksheet, students complete 5 multiple choice questions pertaining to the planets and other space bodies. This is an online interactive quiz. Prior knowledge is assumed.
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SIZING UP SOL
Ninth graders produce a projected, pinhole image of the sun and from measurement of the image and projection distance, calculate the actual size of the sun. They estimate the sun's apparent brightness from different planet.
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Tilted Earth
What causes Earth's seasons? Find out through a series of anticipatory questions, an easy yet powerful activity representing the sun-Earth system, a diagram to label, and follow-up questions. Dispel the misconceptions about Earth being...
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Slip Slidin' Away
Students investigate mechanical weathering as a form of erosion. In this erosion lesson, students, define weathering and erosion before determining how the Earth's surface is in a constant state of change. They watch a video, access...
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Target Earth
Space scientists use water displacement to determine the mass of a cubic centimeter mini meteorite, and then use it as a small-scale representative of an asteroid. They figure out the orbital velocity of an asteroid. Then they use a...
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What Lives in Water?
Students learn about a variety of sea creatures. They look at sea creatures pictures and identify the creatures by name and by their unique characteristics. Phonemic Awareness skills are reinforced using the beginning sounds of the...
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How Do Atmospheres Affet Planetary Temperatures?
Students perform a literature search and use reputable research resources in order to find the surface temperature of different planets in our solar system. They speculate about the observed and unobserved factors. Then brainstorming is...
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Being Nosy About Our Neighbors
Students use the scientific method to explore the effect of size on impact cratering. They compare images of landforms on Earth to those of other planets to compare surface processes. Students infer the geologic history of another...
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Atmospheric Shielding from Radiation III
In this radiation activity, students compare the efficiency of planetary atmospheres to shielding from radiation. This activity has 2 problems to solve.
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On Jupiter
Students tour Jupiter. In this scenario based lesson, students examine the size of Jupiter and make models of the other planets in the solar system to show how large Jupiter is compared to the other planets.
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Earth
Fourth graders have a spatial awareness of the plants by orally discussing what they saw after they stepped out the model of the solar system. They recognize the similarities and differences between Earth and the other planets by being...
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Out of This World
Students are introduced to the solar system and its place in the universe. They begin to grasp the idea of very large numbers by estimating and computing how long it take the class to make a million x's.
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A Journey Through Our Solar System
Students investigate the concept of the solar system in our universe by constructing a model that is made to a measurable scale. Once the model is constructed it should be placed in a wide open space for observation and demonstration...
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Tall as a Mountain, Flat as a Plain
Students examine pictures of various landforms before placing them on a chart under the appropriate label.They sing songs about landforms to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain." Next, they use non-edible baker's dough to...
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What's down there?
students analyze how oil is formed and where in the Earth we find it. Students take a core sample to look for oil in a model of the Earth. They analyze their sample and make an informed decision as to whether or not they should "drill...
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Earth to Saturn, Earth to Saturn!
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of Earth and Saturn. They practice writing analogies using those characteristics. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson.
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Earth and Sun's Distance
Students consider the shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. They view the first segment of Science Court video and use Timeliner software to construct a scale of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
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Types of Galaxies
Eighth graders take a quiz to review the different objects in space. As a class, they define terms related to galaxies. In groups, they make a model of the Milky Way galaxy using materials provided to them by their teacher. To end the...
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Was Kepler Correct?
Students are introduced to Kepler's 2nd law of Planetary Motion. The lesson reinforces the understanding of focal points. They calculate the sector area of an ellipse.Students expand understanding by modeling Kepler's 2nd Law of...
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Lesson Plan on Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
Pupils construct a solar system model. In this space science lesson, students calculate the eccentricity of a planet's orbit. They calculate the period of a planet's revolution using Kepler's formula.