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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine space in this unit of lessons. They create a KWL chart and write in their journals about space. They also examine the phases of the moon and identify the constellations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing the Outer Planets

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students observe the outer planets. In this science lesson, students use a telescope locate the outer planets of the solar system. Students create a video of their observations.
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Lesson Plan
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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Charting the Progress of New Horizons

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Working on the Moon

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Learners take a mission to the moon. In this space science instructional activity, students visit selected websites to discover information about Earth's moon and the solar system. Learners may take virtual missions to the moon and share...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT SPACE

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders set up a scale model of the solar system using the same scale for distance and diameter. They calculate scale distances and sizes for modeling the solar system and relate actual distances to difficulties in discovering and...
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Lesson Plan
1
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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....
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

What is a Constellation

For Students 1st - 5th Standards
Why do some stars in a constellation appear brighter than others? Using a get-up-and-move astronomy activity, scholars explore perspective and the appearance of constellations in the sky while developing an understanding of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Regolith

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
You may not be able to take a field trip to the moon, but that doesn't mean your class can't study moon rocks. Using graham crackers as the moon's bedrock and powdered donuts as micrometeorites, young scientists simulate the creation of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Coordinate Geometry by Land, Sea and Outer Space.

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars complete a table of values and plot points, as well as construct a graph on a coordinate grid. They construct two graphs on the same coordinate system, and identify the point of intersection. Students represent and record...
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Lesson Plan
Voyage Solar System

Round and Round We Go — Exploring Orbits in the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson plan then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: Muscles, Muscles Everywhere

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study three different muscle types and investigate the affect of space travel on astronauts' muscles. They examine how exercise has a positive affect on muscle both on Earth and in space while looking at engineers' roles in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stellar Resorts

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the future of "orbital vacations" and create fanciful tours of the Milky Way Galaxy. Students respond to the following prompt in their journals "Entrepreneurs are currently designing concepts for accommodating tourists...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Science

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners conduct an experiment. In this physical science lesson, students learn about Isaac Newton's theory that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. Learners show this theory by looking at how a rocket is propelled...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Vacation

For Teachers 5th - 10th
In this planets worksheet, students fill out a chart where they fill in the distance each planet is from the Earth, and how much travel time in years and hours it would take to get there. Students do this for 8 planets.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hello, Anybody Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students understand that people believe there may be life in other solar systems. In this communication with other solar systems lesson, students analyze our planet and write things they want to communicate to other solar systems.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air and Water in the Environment

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students demonstrate an awareness of air as a substance that surrounds us and takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind. They predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Words in the News Hopes and Fears for Shuttle Discovery

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners participate in vocabulary building activities including worksheets before reading an online article. They write a space travel diary of their first visit to outer space in a journal entry.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Extraterrestrial Communication: Can We Talk to Anybody Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outerspace: Frontier for Personal Health and Hygiene

For Teachers K - 5th
Students view photos of astronauts sleeping, eating, bathing, and using the toilet, and discuss hygiene problems in a zero-gravity environment. They contrast hygiene habits in space to those on Earth, and create storybooks illustrating...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Extraordinary Explorers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students, using the Internet, B41460research facts about explorers and travelers. They also state what places they have explored and share with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Structure & Interior

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Young scholars compare Jupiter and Earth. In this Earth and space studies instructional activity, students compare the composition of Earth and Jupiter and analyze how the composition affects the rate at which the planets spin.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Staging

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students explore rocketry using balloon rockets. They demonstrate how rockets can achieve greater altitudes by using the technology of staging. By using two inflated balloons that slide along a fishing line, they simulate a multistage...
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Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Comets: Bringers of Life?

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Young scientists investigate the elements found in our solar system and then construct a model of a comet. They apply their new knowledge to the formation of the solar system. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...