Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mercury

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the planet Mercury and develop an understanding of the planet's composition, geology, and other important characteristics. They explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury which is the central focus of this lesson.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Tidal Forces-Let'er Rip!

For Students 9th - 12th
For this tidal forces worksheet, students read about the gravitational pull from the moon that causes the ocean tides. Students solve 3 problems including finding the Roche or the tidal radius for the Earth and Moon, comparing the Roche...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Rotation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the rotation of the Earth as it occurs in the 24 hour cycle. They use models of planets and the globe to make observations of movements made. Students brainstorm prior knowledge and then participate in a demonstration of...
Lesson Plan
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Space Science

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the objects in our solar system.  In this space instructional activity students identify and describe planets, then classify them as terrestrial or gaseous.
Lesson Plan
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Where Now Man Has Gone Before

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the Apollo lunar landings and past theories about the creation and structure of the Earth's Moon as a springboard for investigating missions and milestones in space exploration since the creation of NASA in 1958.
Lesson Plan
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Space Science: Journey Through the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners explore the Solar System and examine the characteristics of al the planets. Through research and discussion, they create catalogs of the Solar System's components. Next, students use their findings to create Powerpoint...
Lesson Plan
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Astronomy Merit Badge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore astronomy through the Starry Night Constellation Adventure software. They print star charts and identify constellations. They sketch the Big Dipper and describe the Milky Way. They list the five most visible planets and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sky Jeopardy

For Teachers 1st
First graders reinforce concepts about sun, moon, day, night and sky by playing the Sky Jeopardy game. In the end, 1st graders get to nibble crackers in order to show the different phases of the moon.
Worksheet
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Crossword: Solar System

For Students 4th - 5th
In this crossword worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle by solving clues about the solar system. For example, "All nine planets can be seen through a..."
Lesson Plan
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The North (Wall) Star

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars engage in a lesson which shows them that celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects -...
Worksheet
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Stars in Your Eyes

For Students 6th - 9th
In this solar system learning exercise, students answer 20 short answer questions about the stars, the planets, the sun and moon, meteorites and constellations.
Lesson Plan
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Weight A Minute

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students watch a video and engage in hands-on activities which introduce scientific information made real through re-cognition and understanding the phenomena of gravitational force and how it impacts life on our planet.
Worksheet
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What is Gravity?

For Students 7th - 12th
In this gravity learning exercise, students will compare the difference between mass and weight and the unit of measurement used for weight and mass. Then students will compare the weight of objects on the Earth and on other planets....
Worksheet
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Ocean World

For Students 7th - 9th
In this components of the ocean worksheet, students answer 20 questions about various species in the ocean such as plankton, different types of whales, sharks, and herring. Students also answer questions about the volume of water in the...
Lesson Plan
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Focus on Saturn's Fascinating Features

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students identify and discuss the characteristics of Saturn. They create a book using those characteristics. They also develop diagram to show Saturn and its moons.
Lesson Plan
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Solar System Fun Facts

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students read facts about the Solar System. In this solar system lesson plan, students read facts on the dimensions, planets, and workings of the solar system. There is a big emphasis on Saturn.
Lesson Plan
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The Undiscovered Planet

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students find a planetary object using star fields.  In this investigative lesson students determine the distance to an object using trigonometric parallax. 
Lesson Plan
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What Do I See When I Picture Saturn?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students create their own Saturn Discovery logs. They draw pictures of the planet and its founder. They share their drawings and writings with partners.
Lesson Plan
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All About Titan and the Huygens Probe

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine the characterisitics of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. They discuss what they think is on Titan and what the Huygens probe can tell them about the moon. They write a summary about the information they gathered during...
Lesson Plan
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What Do You Know About Saturn?

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Young scholars discuss what they know about Saturn. They create drawings to show what the planet looks like and identifies its characteristics. They write a paragraph about the planet as well.
Worksheet
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Solar System Quiz

For Students 2nd - 4th
For this space science instructional activity, learners complete an eight question quiz about the solar system. The quiz has multiple choice, short answer and true or false questions.
Activity
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Mass vs. Weight

For Students 8th - 11th
Why do you weigh more in space? Each individual in your class explores this question and others as they determine the mass and weight of different objects using two types of scales. They perform conversions and discuss their...
Website
American Museum of Natural History

Meet the Universe's Main Attraction ... Gravity

For Students 6th - 12th
Learners read a short description about gravity and what it does and then explore the two ideas about how gravity works. After gaining a better understanding of the concept, individuals participate in a thorough experiment on what would...
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

Are All Asteroids' Surfaces the Same Age?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
There are more than 600,000 asteroids in our solar system. Pupils analyze images of two asteroids in order to determine if they are the same age. They count craters for each asteroid and compare numbers.