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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Make a Star Lantern

For Students 1st - 4th
Go star-gazing with young learners! They study the history, origins, and patterns of constellations in an activity that explores the starry night sky.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Quest: Exploring the Constellations

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine constellations and planets through completing various activities. Students work individually and in groups to create drawings based on stars, compare and contrast the night sky with and without a telescope and learn...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students become familiar with constellations. In this space science instructional activity, the teacher introduces constellations by showing students the star patterns and reading myths. Students, observe the stars nightly, then choose...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Name the Constellation

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students read stories about constellations. They create constellations by filling in the letters of their names on a test bubble sheet and tracing the design onto white paper. They make up stories about their name constellations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dot to Dot: Patterns in the Night Sky

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders are introduced to several major constellations and locate them in the night sky. They graph the constellations on grid paper and work in groups to research common myths and stories associated with specific constellations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Illustrate the Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stars and Constellations

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders investigate how ancient cultures viewed their world in terms of astronomy. They read and discuss an informational handout, construct an astrolabe, and locate stars and constellations using star charts.
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: “Dead Stars” by Ada Limón

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pay attention! A lesson plan featuring Ada Limon's poem "Dead Stars" is designed to help learners develop their noticing skills. Class members first study the constellation Orion's image and list what they notice and how the image makes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet/Constellation Mobile

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students construct three-dimensional solar system mobiles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Science: Zodiac Track

For Teachers 4th - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Jeopardy Game

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore space. In this space lesson, students analyze the sky and what causes its changes. Students describe the moon patterns and use a model to show changes in its shape. Students also describe the first trip to the moon....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big Dipper Story Wheel

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students research a Canadian Indian Tale. In this constellation lesson, students hear the story "Never-Ending Bear Hunt" which describes the constellations from the Native American perspective. They create their own constellation wheel...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students identify patterns in the stars. In this constellation lesson, students simulate constellations using black canisters and patterns. Students discuss the points on the constellations and how to draw imaginary lines to see the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galaxy Mapping

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students research the constellations and discuss their findings. Then they construct their own maps of the galaxy using paper, black paint, aluminum foil, etc. They make a 3-D map of their chosen constellation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners study the history and cultural interpretation of a celestial body or constellation. They create technology based presentations of the information.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Sky Clock

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore space science by completing a worksheet in class. In this astronomy lesson, students discuss and identify star patterns in the night sky and relate these patterns to the approximate time they appear. Students complete an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gazing At Cosmic Pinballs

For Teachers K - 1st
Students explore the world of stars. They see that the color of a star tells how hot or cold it is, that stars come in different sizes. and that stars are moving through space. They draw lines connecting start to star.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three D Constellations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students address a major misconception in astronomy, the understanding of scale. The instructional activity is designed to introduce students to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Old Are the Stars?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine the age of a star cluster by observing, measuring, and plotting astronomical data. They examine the Jewe lbox cluster, located within the southern constellation Crux and determine its age.
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

The Seasons

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Discover the change of the seasons by modeling the Earth-Sun system. Learners model the orbit of the Earth around the sun and explore how and why the patterns of winter and summer occur.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Communicative Choices & Linguistic Style

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Start by watching a video entitled Do You Speak American? and respond to discussion questions about the various dialects showcased throughout the video to identify the regional linguistic styles throughout America. As a culminating...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Exploring the Sky: Reading Maria's Comet

For Teachers K - 4th
Discover the science behind astronomy. After reading the book Maria's Comet, which is about a young woman who breaks new ground by becoming a female astronomer, young learners practice reading comprehension with worksheet questions about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to the Day and Night Sky

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a sky observation activity. For this astronomy lesson, students define a list of astronomy vocabulary terms and examine star charts of the four seasons. Students gather with their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mathematics at the Frontier of Astronomy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the different types of measurements used in astronomy. In this space science lesson, students explain the relationship between planets' orbits and distance from the sun using Kepler's Laws. They discuss how math aides in...