Curated OER
Introduction to the Planets
Young scholars become familiar with the members of the solar system and planetary order. They identify differences and characteristics of individual planets. Finally students visualize the great size of the solar system and make the...
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The Inner Planets
In this planets worksheet, students review the characteristics of the inner planets: Mars, Venus, Earth, and Mercury. This worksheet has 15 multiple choice questions.
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Science Trail
Students explore the solar system by conducting Earth science experiments. In this Sun lesson, students identify the different seasons on Earth and discuss their purpose and cause. Students create a sundial and observe the changes to...
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Planetary Terrain
Students research the unique features of their assigned planet. In this astronomy lesson, students organize their findings and present it to class. They recreate planetary terrain and use CEENBoT to drive over it.
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Planet Impact
Learners use their knowledge to crash a comet into Jupiter or make a comet fly past the planet without colliding with it.
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Classification of Pasta, Rice and the Nine Planets
Eighth graders create a classification system of the planets and give a written rational for their choice of categories. For this investigative lesson students participate in an activity that helps them to explore classification.
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An Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Students explore space science by creating a planetary model in class. In this solar system lesson, students identify the many planets and moons that make up the solar system and decide on one entity in which to research. Students create...
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Classroom Planetarium
Students work in groups to create the planets of the solar system. In this planets lesson, students create a hanging solar system taking into account the size, shape and position of the planets. Students discuss the gravity...
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Mathematics at the Frontier of Astronomy
Students explore the different types of measurements used in astronomy. In this space science lesson plan, students explain the relationship between planets' orbits and distance from the sun using Kepler's Laws. They discuss how math...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year
How many times have you traveled around the sun? Aspiring astronomers grasp what a year is and they differentiate between orbit and rotation by walking around the sun right within your classroom. Place a lamp in the center of the room to...
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Worksheet 19: Ship Positions
In this math worksheet, students read informational paragraphs and then answer 18 questions using data from their readings. Questions are about vectors, positions, distance and orbits.
Illustrative Mathematics
Eratosthenes and the Circumference of the Earth
The class gets to practice being a mathematician in ancient Greece, performing geometric application problems in the way of Eratosthenes. After following the steps of the great mathematicians, they then compare the (surprisingly...
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Scale Activities
How do you put something as large as the universe in perspective? Use a series of scale experiments. Classmates collaborate around four experiments to examine the scale of the earth-moon system, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy,...
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Planetary Anagrams
In this planetary worksheet, students practice unscrambling the names of 9 planets and then put the planets into order from the distance they are from the sun.
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The Transit of Mercury
In this transit of Mercury worksheet, learners read about Earth and Mercury lining up so that Mercury passes across the disk of the sun from the Earth's view. Students solve 3 problems and they determine the diameter of the solar disk...
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Try This On For Size!
Students view a video to gather information about our solar system. They create models of the planets to scale and place them in scale relative to their distances from the sun. They also visit a planetarium or use the internet to gather...
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Solar System Lab
In this solar system worksheet, 8th graders make a scale model of the solar system, answer 5 questions and write a conclusion.
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Simple Searches
In this space worksheet, students load a copy of ViewPoint and open the Solar System datafile. There they look through database sheets, using the Preview Sheet and Next Sheet buttons and respond to 8 questions. Then students do some...
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Getting to Know Saturn: Moons, Rings, and Relationships
Students identify the different objects that orbit Saturn. For this space science lesson, students plot the graph of orbital speed and distance. They explain why planets and asteroids remain in orbit around the sun.
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Tilted Earth
What causes Earth's seasons? Find out through a series of anticipatory questions, an easy yet powerful activity representing the sun-Earth system, a diagram to label, and follow-up questions. Dispel the misconceptions about Earth being...
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Atmospheric Chemistry
If you need a comprehensive review of the development of Earth's atmosphere through the ages, then this is for you! The presentation starts with a introduction to theories of planet formation and initial distribution of isotopes in the...
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Mars Motion in 1971
In this science worksheet, students read about the summer of 1971 when the Earth passed closer to Mars than it had since 1924. Students also learn about the retrograde motion of Mars as seen from Earth.
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Planet Earth
For this Earth worksheet, students review 13 terms associated with the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. Students find the terms in a word search and then fill in the term next to its definition.
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Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...