Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets Curriculum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete an in-depth study of the known planets in the solar system. As a class, students identify the planets that are known in the universe, in the night sky. They explain the differences between planets and stars and the...
Organizer
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this solar system worksheet, students complete a database comparing the 9 different planets' mass, surface temperature, rotation period, orbital period, moons, and distinguishing features. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Planet Mars

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders gain knowledge about Mars and Earth. In this compare and contrast lesson, 5th graders use visual representations of the solar system to observe the characteristics of the planets. Students read fiction and nonfiction...
App
GoSoftWorks

GoSkyWatch Planetarium for iPad - The Astronomy Star Guide

For Students 6th - Higher Ed
Digital compass alignment enables navigation of the skies with true orientation at any time. Just point to the sky or "aim for the stars!" This application acts as a virtual telescope, allowing you to zoom in on any object that is...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this solar system worksheet, students will name the two models of the solar system and compare their differences. Students will state the hypothesis behind the formation of the sun and planets. Students will compare and contrast the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Would You Weigh On Distant Planets?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the effects of gravity on the planets of the Solar System. They view movies from the lunar Apollo missions, calculate their own weight on other planets, and propose what they might weigh on newly discovered planets around...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explain the classification of planets according to various criteria. They create charts illustrating comparative data.
Lesson Plan
Pacific Science Center

Worlds in Comparison

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Young astronomers follow a step-by-step procedure for dividing a lump of dough into parts, resulting in a scaled volume set of puny planets. Along with the printable directions is a template chart of planet names on which learners can...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners explore the solar system on the internet and video programs. They investigate the names of each planet and their places in the solar system. They chose their favorite planet and design an advertisement to sell a vacation to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar System Cloze Activity

For Students 4th - 5th
In this solar system activity, students fill in 21 blanks with words from a word bank at the top of the page. They include information about the solar system, terrestrial planets, gaseous planets, and planetoids.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Students 6th - 9th
In this solar system word puzzle worksheet, students use the 17 clues regarding the solar system to fill in the blanks in the crossword puzzle.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar System Crossword

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this solar system worksheet, students fill in a crossword that gives them clues about the solar system. Students solve 31 clues for the crossword.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space: Our Star, the Sun, and Its Friends, the Planets

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine the solar system. For this space lesson, students identify the order of the planets and their relative size to the sun. Students create a scale model of our solar system using a variety of household objects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Outer Planets

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars study the planets Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In this solar system lesson plan, students read facts about the planets and their location in the solar system. Images, diagrams, and background information on the planets is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Scale And Ratio

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners measure the actual size and distance of the solar system using scale and ratio. They watch and discuss a video, create a distance-scale solar system model, and compare the scale sizes of planets to their actual sizes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT SPACE

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders set up a scale model of the solar system using the same scale for distance and diameter. They calculate scale distances and sizes for modeling the solar system and relate actual distances to difficulties in discovering and...
Article
NASA

Blinded by the Light!

For Students 9th - 12th
Pupils learn of multiple ways astronomers look for planets outside of the solar system. By completing a hands-on activity, scholars discover that trying to see the planets directly because of the glare from the nearby star is nearly...
Interactive
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

The Solar Wind Tunnel

For Students 9th - 12th
The winds of change are blowing in our very own solar system!  But what makes some heavenly bodies more affected by solar winds than others?  Pupils discover the concept of magnetic forces at work in space in this...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Night Here, Day There

For Students 3rd - 5th
Explore astronomy with a lab sheet for fifth grade scientists. After reading a short explanation about the earth's rotation, they solve a word problem about the differences in times across the world. Next, they make a model of the solar...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders name the planets of the solar system in order from the Sun to Pluto and recognize the planets by pictures shown in class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore planets of the solar system, write reports, and create dioramas.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar System Crossword Puzzle

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this solar system crossword puzzle worksheet, students figure out the answers to 14 clues in order to fill in the circular crossword puzzle about the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students describe the different bodies that make up our solar system, explain the place of our solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe, explain day and night and the Earth's movement, and describe the relationship...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 'Solar' System Past and Present

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify cardinal and intermediate directions, recognize that models changes due to new or improved observations and technology, identify the major characteristics of the planets including their positions in the solar system,...