Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Extraterrestrial Communication: Can We Talk to Anybody Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the possibilities of communication with other living organisms within our solar system through research and hands on activities, as well as observing and analyzing teacher demonstrations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cosmic Chemistry: An Elemental Question

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Space scientists investigate the cosmic phenomena in order to search for answers to possible origins of the solar system. They consider the concepts of elements and  isotopes. Data is analyzed looking at tje abundance of elements...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sending Messages to Space

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers interpret a message sent to space using a radio telescope and draw inferences from the interpreted message. Working with a partner, they interpret data that scientists believe is a message from aliens. They work on...
PPT
Curated OER

Effects of Ozone Depletion

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Explore the causes of ozone depletion and the effect on plankton, algae, plants, amphibians, and humans. Learn how the Montreal Protocol has possibly helped reverse the decline of the ozone layer. Warning: photos of skin and eye...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drop Zone! Design and Test a Probe

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students work together to develop their own parachuting probe. They test it and record the results. They simulate other experiments that are going to be carried out by the Huygens probe.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Factors

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain the psychological effects of living in space. They esign the houses and interior of a space settlement, make decisions about the running of a space settlement, and explore the human factors involved in space colonization.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Factors

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students design a space settlement for colonizing a planet in our solar system. In small groups, they play a space colony game and read an article about human needs in space to prepare for the design stage. They discuss their design...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life on the Moon

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study the physical properties of the Moon.  For this life on the moon lesson students describe the ways life on the Moon would be different than on Earth. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Snow Goggles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students assemble snow goggle models and discuss how snow goggles change the amount of light shining in their eyes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Travel

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study the International Space Station and space exploration.  In this space travel lesson students describe the different types of engineers that contribute to space travel.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look at those Leaves!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe leaves for patterns and similarities. In this science lesson, students sort through a pile of leaves to find patterns and take measurements. Students make leaf rubbings to view the details of the leaves.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sonic Booms and Logarithms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice working with the symbolic notation for logarithms. They understand various types of patterns and functional relationships. They use symbolic forms to represent and analyze mathematical situations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The X-33 and the X-38

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars explore the relationships among the lengths, areas, and volumes of similar solids. They also discover what effect doubling the dimensions of a figure has on the resulting area.
Website
NASA

Nasa Human Research Program: 21st Century Explorer

For Students 9th - 10th
This NASA research program allows students to explore space topics using science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills. Find twelve themes to investigate through video, song, and animation. Also find links to other NASA projects.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Sts 107 (Space Shuttle Columbia)

For Students 9th - 10th
NASA.gov provides information regarding the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Content includes crew biographies, press releases, shuttle images, and scientific data and research.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Jsc Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
NASA's Johnson Space Center is located near Houston, Texas and was constructed as "the primary center for: design, development testing of spacecraft and associated systems for human flight; selection and training of astronauts; planning...
Website
NASA

Nasa Homepage

For Students 9th - 10th
The official homepage of NASA, the United States' primary space exploration organization.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Innovative Engines

For Students 9th - 10th
NASA's Glenn Research Center reports on its innovative engines program, namely ion propulsion, a technology that once only powered imaginary spacecraft in science fiction novels. It is now a reality.
Lesson Plan
CPALMS

Cpalms: Exploring the Future of Nasa

For Teachers 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson, 8th graders analyze two nonfiction articles and a short video that look at NASA, changes to the space shuttle program, and future possibilities in the United States space program. They...
Website
NASA

Nasa: Marshall Space Flight Center

For Students 9th - 10th
In depth information about news and events happening at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. Includes photos and videos of numerous astronomical events.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Kennedy Space Center Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
The official homepage of the Kennedy Space Center.
Website
FOX News

Fox News: Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report (Volume Ii) Aug. 26, 2003 [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Part two of the official CAIB report on the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. This PDF document is lengthy, but there is a table of contents to help focus your research. Topics covered in this outstanding primary source document include an...
Website
FOX News

Fox News: Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report (Volume I) Aug. 26, 2003 [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an outstanding primary resource. Part I of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's report has a plethora of great information including photos, review of the events surrounding the Columbia disaster, and official findings....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

National Park Service: America's Space Program Exploring a New Frontier

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site includes a instructional activity for teachers to use when teaching about America's space program. Also included is the history of the space program, maps, readings, images of the space program, and benefits that resulted from...