Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Voyage: A Journey through our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars build the Voyage scale model of the Solar System on a playground and "travel" to each planet. They recognize that the Sun and planets are tiny worlds in a vast space, giving them a new perspective on the Solar System, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sweet Candy Comets

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this lesson, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the lesson by making an edible model of a comet. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Milestones of Flight

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students identify significant milestones in the history of flight. In this aviation history lesson, students study various resource materials and construct timelines of significant achievements.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun and Earth

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students explore the sun, its structure, how big it is and how far away it is.  In this solar system instructional activity students complete a lab activity on dew point and weather.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Email From Another Planet

For Students 4th - 6th
In this article about emails and plants worksheet, students read short descriptions about 8 planets in the solar system and then imagine they are visiting one of the planets and send an email to a family member describing their...
PPT
Curated OER

Personification

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Introduce your young scholars to personification. The literary device is clearly defined and illustrated with clever examples. Opportunities for guided and independent practice using poems by Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes are also...
Lesson Plan
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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Where Are We Going?

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
Come take a ride on the space bus! Scholars go on an imaginary trip to pick up their peers from the inner and outer planets while reinforcing math skills. First, learners round decimals to identify each planets' distance from Earth....
Lesson Plan
Earth Day Network

Healthy Earth, Sick Earth

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Earth is sick and needs our help! Read the children's book Planet Earth Gets Well to explain the various problems facing the planet, discussing what young conservationists can do to heal the planet along the way. A great Earth...
Lesson Plan
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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Space Travel Guide

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Looking to take a trip? Why not go to space? Here, scholars take on the role as travel agent to create a guide to their favorite planet including travel tips and sightseeing recommendations. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"A Pig is Big"

For Teachers K
Students explore the concept of big, bigger, and biggest. They examine and classify items by size, listen to and discuss the book "A Pig is Big," complete a fill in the blank activity, and create a tri-fold that illustrates two items...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Too Bright at Night?

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Young scholars reflect upon the causes and effects of light pollution in the night skies. First, they read articles provided and then do worksheets that are provided. They work in groups to discuss their conclusions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Figurative Language: Simile and Metaphor

For Students 4th - 6th
What is figurative language? Introduce your young learners to the most popular forms of figurative language: the simile and the metaphor. Start by reading "Willow and Ginkgo" by Eve Merriam, and identify where similes are used. Then look...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Imagine That! Analyzing Imagery

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Poems by O. Henry, Marion Dane Bauer, Monty Roberts, and Langston Hughes provide the text for a study of symbolism, hyperbole, and imagery. Employing the “think-pair-share” strategy learners generate definitions of these terms and locate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kindergarten Writing: Narrative Prompt

For Teachers K
What is special about summer (fall, winter, or spring)? Using a bag filled with season-related items (for summer items like sunglasses, a swimming suit, etc.) the class take turns taking out one item. A discussion of how each item might...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plumbing the Deep-Using Sound Waves to See

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore and learn about the concept of echolocation. In this echolocation lesson, students explore how animals and engineers use echolocation (seeing under water) and sound waves to look and hear things under the deep water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water 1: Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore forms that water can take. In this science instructional activity, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore water and ice. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students work with a partner to observe, illustrate, and describe the characteristics of an ice cube in a cup. The ice cube is observed again in 15 minutes and changes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states activity, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn Diagram...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Sky: Home of Stars and Planets

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners discover that astronomy is a branch of science that includes the study of planets, stars, and constellations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Six Insect Legs

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe and discuss the sun's position in the sky. They explore the number six, read various number books, and create the number six page for a counting book.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Wanderers: Planets of Our Solar System

For Students 5th - 6th
In this planets worksheet, students read a detailed 3 page text about the planets in our solar system. Students then complete 21 true/false and multiple choice questions about planets.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Science--Learning About Light and Shadows

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this light and shadows worksheet, students find 5 transparent items and 5 opaque items from the classroom and categorize them underneath their appropriate headings. Students look at 4 boxes with shadows and draw a little sun to show...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Altitude of Iridium Flares

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine what iridium flares are and when they occur.  In this iridium flare instructional activity students complete an activity to see how far overhead Iridium satellites are.