Space Awareness
The Engine of Life
There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...
Science Geek
Electrons in Atoms
Electrons could never be Bohring! The presentation covers where you find electrons in an atom. It begins with the Bohr Model, then moves on to the Heisenberg Principle and orbital shapes. It concludes with the concept of electron spin...
American Museum of Natural History
Beyond Planet Earth
Scholars take a journey through space with 16 eye-catching images. Along the way, learners read captions starting with the moon, then move onto asteroids, Mars, and Jupiter.
Curated OER
Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths
Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
Curated OER
Solar System and Planets
Students identify the main components of the solar system. In this earth science lesson, students order the planets according to their distances from the Sun. They differentiate planets from dwarf planets.
Curated OER
Exploring Dwarf Planet Eris
In this planet Eris worksheet, students read about the discovery of this dwarf planet and its characteristics. Students answer 3 questions about the planets, the classification of planets and the definition of planets. Students define 7...
Curated OER
Could the Solar System have Ten Planets?
Students react to statements about the solar system, then read a news article about a recently discovered object that could be another planet. In this space science and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the lesson with a...
Curated OER
How Hot is that Planet?
In this planet learning exercise, students read about finding the temperature of a planet using the distance to its star, its reflectivity and the luminosity of the star. Students use a given equation to determine the surface temperature...
Curated OER
What Orbital Dynamic Variables are Responsible for Earth's Weather?
Young scholars explore the changing of the seasons. In this astronomy and seasons lesson, students construct a model of the revolution of the sun and the moon. Young scholars compare the recorded solstice/equinox orbital positions and...
Curated OER
The Webb Space Telescope: Detecting Dwarf Planets
For this detecting dwarf planets worksheet, students read about the Webb Space Telescope that will be launched in 2014 to detect dwarf planets using an infrared telescope. Students solve 3 problems and create a graph for each using given...
Scholastic
Study Jams! A Day on Earth
It's good thing that it isn't up to RJ to spin the earth on its axis; he can't even keep a basketball spinning! In this video animation, he and viewers learn about Earth's movements in space. One thing to consider before you use this...
TLS Books
Neptune
Did you know that Neptune is named after the Roman god of the sea? Young astronomers read about this and other facts about the eighth planet from the sun in a short informational text passage.
Scholastic
Lesson Three: The Earth, Movement in Space
If you feel like you're standing still, you're wrong! The Earth is constantly rotating and orbiting under our feet. Demonstrate the Earth's movement within the solar system with a collaborative activity. With a candle or lamp in the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Tilt of Earth's Axis and the Four Seasons
Geometry meets earth science as high schoolers investigate the cause and features of the four seasons. The effects of Earth's axis tilt features prominently, along with both the rotation of the earth about the axis and its orbit about...
Curated OER
Weather and Climate
It's hot today, but is that the weather or the climate? This colorful presentation isolates both concepts to allow for better understanding by covering the positioning of the planet, making comparisons of land versus water, and looking...
Curated OER
Inner Planets
Students create a booklet about the inner planets after researching the characteristics of each planet. Students research the following items for each planet: moons, size, rotation, orbit, atmosphere, an interesting fact. Their final...
Curated OER
Pluto a Planet No More
Young scholars help to create a list of planets in the solar system. They review the terms in the news section and complete the sentences given. They then read the article together and discuss.
Curated OER
Inner Planets
Students research characteristics of the planets and record their findings on Planet Web worksheet. They create fold paper to create a foldable booklet to display the information they discover about the planets.
Curated OER
Eight Planets
In this planets worksheet, 3rd graders use clues from a son "Eight Planets" write planet names under clues and visit a web link to complete a planet game. Link to song not given.
Curated OER
PE Planets
Students use various ball skills to reinforce the names of the planets, their order in relation to the sun, and the revolving of the planets around the sun.
Curated OER
The Outer Planets
In this outer planets worksheet, students determine if 15 statements about Neptune, Pluto, Saturn and Uranus are true or false. If they are false, students change the italicized words in the sentences to make the statements true.
Curated OER
Bringing the Solar System to Life
Students make models of the planets and use the models to show revolution of the planets around the sun. They explain the rotation of the planets after demonstrating with balloons.
Curated OER
Redesign the Rover: Mars Research Year-Round
Students discuss the solar system, the planets, periods of orbit and revolution. In this space lesson students discuss the importance of the study of Mars and brainstorm ideas on how NASA might solve its Rover design problem.
Curated OER
Our Solar System
In this space science instructional activity, students use the clues at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle on our solar system. They identify the different planets and their location in relation to the sun.