Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students read "The Moon Seems to Change" and conduct an experiment with oranges to demonstrate the phases of the moon. They write about the experiment and describe each phase of the moon.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Meet Our Home: Earth

For Students 1st - 6th
Earth is a complex structure. Learners explore their home, the earth, using a fun hands-on activity. They create tactile models of the earth using ordinary household materials that represent some common features: land, polar caps,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

As the Earth Turns

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore why the sun and moon seems to disappear and reappear creating day and night.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Planetary Mysteries

For Students 6th - 12th
A website all about planetary mysteries—it's a one-stop-shop for all things, stars, planets, and space travel. Scholars read an astronomy overview to discover the page's big ideas, then choose from the plethora of resources, including...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing the Solar System to Life

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students walk marked paths as they simulate the orbit of the planets.  In this solar system lesson, students recognize the relationship between the sun and the planets.  Students visualize how the phases of the moon are seen.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wobbling in Circles

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Voyage: A Journey through our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students 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

Out of This World

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders animate their own planets.  In this solar system lesson, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when played...
PPT
Curated OER

Who Wants to be a Millionaire: Solar System

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Fourth and fifth graders will love showing what they know about the planets and our solar system. This game is fashioned after "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and has the class work through fifteen different solar system related...
Worksheet
Simply Worksheets

Solar System Quiz

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this space science learning exercise, students take an eight question quiz that contains multiple choice, short answer and true or false questions. All of the questions are based on facts about the solar system.
Lesson Plan
S2tem Centers SC

Seasons

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sizing Up The Solar System

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate and design various models of size and distance related to the solar system. They work together to build a solar system model. The models should focus on distance and scale. They don't include moons or satellites in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comet Myths, Facts, and Legends

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Here is an interactive book lesson through which learners explore the facts and stories about comets. The plan is comprehensive, providing background information, standards met, vocabulary, assessment ideas, and more. Though the content...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar System Hall Model

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Not novel, but fun, this lesson gets your space science learners to model the size of the planets and the solar system along your school's hallway. Scaled measurements as well as actual distances are provided for both planet diameters...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

The Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 4th Standards
Learners explore the Solar System. In this cross-curriculum space instructional activity, students identify the planets, name them in order according to distance from the sun, and describe major characteristics of each planet. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sculpt-a-Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners study the moon and the planets. They create a painted, paper mache moon or planet sculpture.
Worksheet
2
2
T. Smith Publishing

Earth

For Students 3rd - 6th Standards
Young astronomers read an informational text passage and then answer questions based on what they read.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

What is Astronomy?

For Students 6th - 12th
Go study the universe. Pupils learn seven aspects about astronomy and astronomers. They begin to learn about constellations; distance and motion between objects; gravity; the electromagnetic spectrum; dark matter and energy; and teams of...
Worksheet
Rhythm Rhyme Results

Whatʼs the Same and Whatʼs Different?

For Students 6th - 8th
Learn about radiation, convection, and conduction with a multiple choice worksheet. Each question prompts kids to decide what is different about each form of heat energy transfer, and what is the same.
Website
American Museum of Natural History

A Closer Look at Mars

For Students 6th - 12th
A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Kepler-The Hunt for Earth-like Planets

For Students 9th - 11th
In this hunt for planets worksheet, students read about the Kepler satellite used to detect exoplanets. Students solve 6 problems including drawing a sun disk and determining the scale in kilometers/millimeter, finding the area of the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Grade 8 Science written test

For Students 8th
In this science worksheet, 8th graders complete multiple choice questions on plant and animal cells, organisms, planets, and more. Students complete 70 questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth and Sun's Distance

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students consider the shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. They view the first segment of Science Court video and use Timeliner software to construct a scale of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Exploring Dwarf Planet Eris

For Students 8th - 10th
In this planet Eris activity, 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...