Activity
Mr. Jones's Science Class

Planet Presentation

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Upper-elementary astronomers take on the role of interplanetary real estate salesmen. They research an assigned planet and create a PowerPoint to persuade the rest of the class to purchase property and move there. This fun project would...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Classroom Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students use a concrete model of the Sun and Earth to observe and manipulate a 3-D model of the Sun and Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building and a sundial

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners create a sundial. In this sundial lesson, students examine the history and use of sundials. Learners create a sundial and test their sundial.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research and identify the phases of the moon. They consider the moon's rotation, as well as that of the earth and sun. They write a description of their research and present it to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar System: The Four Inner Planets and Earth's Moon and Astronauts

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders read THe Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. For this language arts and science lesson, 2nd graders explore the four inner planets. Students view the inner planets using Google Earth.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Motion Near Earth

For Students 9th - 12th
In this motion activity, learners will match 5 physics vocabulary words relating to motion with their definitions. Then, they will review 9 statements of different motion scenarios to determine is the statement is true or false. Finally,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tides of Change Worksheet (Part 1)

For Teachers 1st
In this science worksheet, 1st graders track the tides of the ocean for a number of days and examine the data to determine the meaning of the pattern.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ancient Sun Models of the World

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain that many different cultures across the world developed their own reasoning for the weather around them. They explore the different cultural beliefs of the sun's cycle and to create their own story of the sun's movement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time Zones and Migration Patterns of the Leatherback Sea Turtle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the different time zones by plotting the migration patterns of the leatherback sea turtles. They discover that traveling around the worlds includes passage through different time zones.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can You Get A Charge Out Of Matter?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students observe and demonstrate how objects can be charged positively and negatively and how static electricity works. They observe a teacher-led demonstration, and in small groups rotate through various static electricity activities,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moving in Outer Space

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students participate in a lesson that demonstrates the concepts of rotation and revolution as they pertain to the Sun, the moon, and the Earth. They examine the relative sizes of each. They watch a computer based movie at a subscription...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Seasons of the Earth

For Students 3rd
In this seasons worksheet, 3rd graders study a diagram that shows the Earth's rotation around the sun as it relates to the seasons. They describe the position of the Earth during each season in a short answer format.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Oceanography Worksheet #1

For Students 6th - 9th
If you are teaching physical oceanography to middle school earth scientists, here is a terrific multiple choice worksheet. Learners look at a diagram of a landscape created by glacial sediment deposition and the resulting ocean floor....
Lesson Plan
Science Friday

Mineral Madness

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Science does not need to be as hard as a rock. Pupils test 10 different minerals to determine their properties. The learners observe luster, streak, hardness, and fluorescence for each specimen. Afterwards, they compare and contrast the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lunar Lollipops

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases instructional activity, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Timekeeping by the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: Super Spinners!

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students make spinners to investigate rotational inertia, rotational speed, angular momentum, and velocity. They make two sets of spinners that have different mass distributions and shapes. They complete a worksheet while experimenting...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's A Meteor

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners complete a webquest to find Earth's relationship to the sun.  In this webquest lesson, students complete tasks to understand the effect of the sun on weather and time. Learners create a multimedia presentation as an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Agriculture is a Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore cycles in nature. In this cross curriculum agriculture lesson, students define "cycle" and research weather and planting folklore. Learners make a bracelet in which individual colored beads represent the many "cycles" of...
Worksheet
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Curated OER

Venus

For Students 3rd
Looking for a good instructional activity to help teach about the planet Venus? This instructional activity is for you! An excellent photograph of Venus accompanies three paragraphs of text. Learners answer five multiple choice questions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Solar System and Seasons

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the relative diameters of planets and distances between them and the cause for seasons on Earth using the 5-E Learning Model. They appreciate the size and distances involved with objects in the real universe....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Foucault's Pendulum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate how the motion of the Foucault pendulum proves that the Earth is rotating. They research the Internet about pendulums and conduct an experiment online. They view a multimedia presentation about pendulums and...
Worksheet
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Curated OER

Saturn

For Students 3rd
Looking for a good worksheet to help teach about the planet Saturn? This worksheet is for you! An excellent photograph of Saturn accompanies three paragraphs of text. Pupils answer five multiple choice questions based on what they've...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Galileo: Revealing the Universe

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
To gain an understanding of the significance of Galileo Galilei's revolutionary ideas, class members watch the short video "Stargazing Before Galileo," and conduct a close reading of Galileo's Sidereal Messsenger. They then...