Eighth graders explore the history of space travel and satellites. Through a teacher demonstration, 8th graders observe how a satellite revolves another object. They identify natural and artificial satellites, explore how satellites...

Students explain basic components of the space shuttle stack and the chemical fuel makeup and storage used on the external tank of space shuttle. They discuss findings of Columbia mission accident. and the safety improvements that have...

Students discuss satellites and their functions. They design and construct their own satellite out of readily available materials. Students are taught the definition of a satellite. They discuss the two main purposes of satellites:...

Students explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.

Middle schoolers take a mission to Mars. For this space science lesson, students listen a lecture about space travel to Mars and the planet itself. Middle schoolers then create timelines of exploration and write poetry about...

Students compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.

Students study the science of the moon. In this moon observations instructional activity, students study vocabulary associated with the moon, study a lunar calendar, and a phases of the moon's orbit around the Earth.

In this moon worksheet, students review the different spacecraft missions that went to the moon and the information learned about the moon from these travels. This worksheet has 11 fill in the blank and 2 short answer questions.

Students engage in a study about the planets and create a poster as one of the projects during the study. They create individual charts for mapping the solar system so the locations can be found in mock space missions to other planets.

Fifth graders investigate the Earth's rotation and revolution and the moon's orbit around the Earth. They participate in a class discussion about how night and day occur, and take notes. Next, they watch a video about the solar system...

Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.

In this radiation worksheet, students calculate the distance of a satellite in orbit to determine the placement of a radiation detection device. This worksheet has 2 problems to solve.

Eighth graders describe how the Earth's position causes seasonal changes. In this astronomy lesson, 8th graders explain how solar radiation varies depending on the season. They create a collage or poster on each of the Earth's four seasons.

In this solar magnetic field activity, students are given 2 equations and use them to find the magnetic field strength and the Bp and Bz for given conditions. they express their answer using scientific notation.

Students examine the positions of the nine planets in respect to our solar system and explain the unique characteristics of each planet.

In this reason for the days and nights on earth worksheet, students study the reasons the Earth has days and nights by answering 28 questions about earth's rotation, the equator, the relationship between the sun and moon, and the earth's...

Students create posters of the constellations using glow-in-the-dark glue and black paper. They hang their posters around the room starting with Aries and moving through all the signs. Students create a jingle or acronym to help them...

Students use NASA drawings to build a model satellite for a specific mission. They design a set of drawings for their satellite showing its subsystems as well.

Students study the nature of a satellite's orbit around the Earth.

Students use data collected by an astronomer to determine the relationship between the time it takes the planet to orbit the sun and the average radius of the planet's orbit around the sun. Students use trial and error to find the...

Learners compare and contrast the size, characteristics, composition, and orbits of the planets in our Solar System. They view a PowerPoint presentation, and in small groups conduct Internet research on a selected planet. Each group...

Students design and construct an experiment that will be launched into space aboard a NASA research shuttle. How better to gain and appreciation for (and, hopefully, a love of) scientific investigation than to do real science and be...

students are the opportunity to enhance their computation skills using real life statistics associated with the Space Shuttle. Skills emphasized include working with fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, comparing units,...

Students construct a solar system model. In this space science instructional activity, students calculate the eccentricity of a planet's orbit. They calculate the period of a planet's revolution using Kepler's formula.