Curated OER
Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Playground Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students experience the rotation of the Earth and the Sun and the Earth's revolution around the Sun, using a playground mode.
Curated OER
Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Classroom Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students use a concrete model of the Sun and Earth to observe and manipulate a 3-D model of the Sun and Earth.
Curated OER
To Infinity and Beyond...Magazine of Planetary Studies
Students demonstrate their creativity by creating a magazine to express expository text. In this expository text lesson plan, students create a magazine in groups to creatively make text interesting.
University of Arizona
The Exotic Vacation
Pupils explain the concepts and vocabulary of Earth's rotation. They plan imaginary vacations based on the seasons in different locations. This is a very creative lesson plan, which students enjoy.
Curated OER
Changing Faces: A Study of Solar and Planetary Rotation Rates
Students determine rotation rates of a variety of solar system objects using images and the Internet.
Curated OER
Exploring the Solar System: All About Spacecraft/Spaceflight
Rarely do you find resources that reach high school astronomy learners. Here is something at their level! The physics of flyby missions is explained via several examples. Landing, penetrating, and roving spacecraft are examined. Diagrams...
Curated OER
Strange New Planet
Fourth graders gather data and simulate a Mars spacecraft mission using multi-sensory observations.
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Charon, the largest of Pluto's moons, was discovered in 1978. Lesson is a walk through of how to solve for the phases of Charon. It uses two different points on Pluto and takes into account the tilt of the pole, the rotational axis, and...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Life on Mars
Through reading and discussion, aspiring astronomers consider the question of whether or not there was ever life on the planet Mars. Throughout the process, they review how scientific investigations are carried out, examine the...
Curated OER
The Toilet Paper Solar System
Explore the solar system with this lesson. Learners create a model of the solar system using toilet paper. With this creative approach, learners create a solar system according to distance and scale parameters, and write down a list of...
Curated OER
Spuds in Space
Students explore the effects of velocity on an object when it collides with another object. They design and outfit a potato astronaut in a spacesuit to withstand the hazards of high velocity impacts from space debris and meteoroids.
Curated OER
Creating Impact Craters
Sixth graders simulate the creation of impact craters on Mars.Through the creation of model surfaces, the effects of an impacting object's mass, velocity and size are determined, and the features of the resulting crater are identified.
Curated OER
Life on the Moon
Students study the physical properties of the Moon. In this life on the moon lesson students describe the ways life on the Moon would be different than on Earth.
Curated OER
An Out-of-This-World Crossword Puzzle
An interactive web site allows students to create crossword puzzles online after researching planets and Sun in the Earth's solar system facts. They complete crossword puzzles created by classmates.
NASA
Earth, Earth’s Moon, Mars Balloons
Very specific diameters are given for blowing up three different balloons to represent, in scale, the moon, Earth, and Mars. In groups of three, amateur astronomers explore scale measurements and distance in space.
Curated OER
Temperature Variations and Habitability
Students, in groups, evaluate conditions outside the building and inside the classroom using thermometers, barometers, anemometers, etc. They compare interior and exterior conditions. They consider and discuss factors that contribute...
Curated OER
The Undiscovered Planet
Students find a planetary object using star fields. In this investigative lesson students determine the distance to an object using trigonometric parallax.
Curated OER
Changes Inside Planets
High schoolers investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The...
Curated OER
Outpost Communications Exercise
Pupils engage in a unique study of the solar system with the integration of technology in the form of e-mail. They communicate to each other on e-mail and give clues to an imaginary location without revealing the source the students must...
Curated OER
Atmospheric Shielding from Radiation III
In this radiation activity, students compare the efficiency of planetary atmospheres to shielding from radiation. This activity has 2 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Polar Caps: Image Processing Tutorial
High schoolers utilize computer image processing techniques to measure the size of Earth's polar ice caps and analyze various phenomena visible on planetary images.
Curated OER
The Planets Moon
Students explore the theories of the creation of the universe and examine the properties of celestial bodies. They analyze the relationship between the sun, Earth and other planets. They discover the infinite potential of the science of...
Curated OER
Our Universe: Always Moving, Always Changing
Students explore the main concepts of astronomy through the eleven lessons of this unit. The past, present, and future methods of studying the science are examined in this unit.
Curated OER
A Whole New World
Young scholars work in small groups to investigate statistics regarding the solar system and participate in a 'scientific conference'. They explore available information about the extrasolar planet and assess the importance of this...