Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Mars

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students, working in small groups construct scale models of the planets and solar system. They examine images of Mars and discuss what might have caused the features. They record facts about their planetary research in their journals and...
Lesson Plan
University of Colorado

The Moons of Jupiter

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can you name the three planets with rings in our solar system? Everyone knows Saturn, many know Uranus, but most people are surprised to learn that Jupiter also has a ring. The third in a series of six teaches pupils what is around...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Categorizing Celestial Objects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students work together to develop a classification system for planets. They take a class vote and read an article about an astronomer's classification system. They write an essay on how scientists make decisions for the general public.
Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Designing a Spectroscopy Mission

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
In this mind-bending activity, young engineers explore this question of whether or not light actually bends. Using holographic diffraction gratings, groups design and build a spectrograph. The groups then move on research a problem...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Infinity and Beyond

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Pupils explore the planets in our solar system and create a brochure on each planet. They read the book, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System and write notes about solar system facts and watch a video. After the video, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mars Colonization Assignment #1

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders recognize the some day humans may wish to colonize Mars. They participate in an Internet adventure where they compare and contrast Earth to the other nine planets in the solar system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar System: Mars

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars research Mars, read why it is called the Red Planet and find out whether there is or was life on Mars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to the Planets

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students 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 image more...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Faces: A Study of Solar and Planetary Rotation Rates

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students determine rotation rates of a variety of solar system objects using images and the Internet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Models To Understand Our Home

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the concept of a model and how it is used to represent something that is real. They recognize how the model can be applied to other types of concepts like the solar system. Students create a scale drawing of a house...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colonizing the Stars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare and contrast the size, composition and surface features of the nine planets of our solar system with the possible sizes and compositions of extra -solar planets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visual Arts- Planetary Travel Brochure

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students research the planets and create a "travel brochure." In this space science instructional activity, students read the book Magic School Bus: Lost in Space and identify various properties of each planet. Students create a brochure...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Drake Equation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use the Drake Equation to calculate the probability of sustaining life on various planets. Through the use of the equation, they determine whether intelligent and advanced civilizations can be developed on planets other than...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Star Systems

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students study a star system and see how the planets move around stars.  In this star system lesson students complete an activity and see what an eclipse is.
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

Planetary Distances on the Playground

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Earth is 149,600,000 km, or 92,957,130.4 miles, from the sun. Young astronauts create an interactive model to learn the distances between planets. Nine groups, each representing a different planet, are spread around at class-calculated...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do Atmospheres Affet Planetary Temperatures?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students perform a literature search and use reputable research resources in order to find the surface temperature of different planets in our solar system. They speculate about the observed and unobserved factors. Then brainstorming is...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Thermal Energy Flow in Materials

For Teachers 6th Standards
The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth lesson in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars build...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Travel Brochure

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students discover information about the planets and the solar system. They work together to research a specific planet. They develop a brochure for the planet and share with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Distance in Space

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore space science by measuring distances between planets. In this solar system lesson, 6th graders view a Bill Nye video and discover the conversion between the metric system and imperial measuring systems. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space the Next Frontier

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the use of space as the frontier of the future. Using the colonist's experience coming to the New World, they identify challenges they would face if they were to settle in space. As a class, they share what they already...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Milky Way and Beyond

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students consider the scale of the Milky Way Galaxy. In this Milky Way lesson, students hypothesize the length of time necessary to cross the Milky Way.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comets

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the nature and composition of a comet. They research comet facts, legends, and myths. They identify different types of comets and describe what happens to a comet as it travels closer to the Sun.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneers of Space

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils explore how to use natural resources in the next millenium. Students create a KWL chart and then research information on our solar systsem, natural resources, and environments. Pupils build a model of a future community and write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Destination Mars!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders view Mysteries of Earth & Mars Video on DVD and record thoughts in their online journal. They record data in a spreadsheet about each planet then form a theory of the best time to launch a space craft from Earth to land...

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