Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Connect the Spheres: Earth Systems Interactions

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Is everything really connected? Take your class on a walk outside, where they will make observations and write them down on a worksheet. Once they are back in the classroom, learners will work to determine if and how things like birds,...
Activity
University of Florida

Protecting Our Water Resources

For Teachers K - 9th
Teach young environmentalists to protect their planet's resources with a set of interactive experiments. Kindergartners and other youngsters learn about watersheds and the water cycle, while older elementary learners focus on fertilizer...
Activity
Colorado State University

How Do Long and Short EM Waves Interact with the Earth's Atmosphere?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Things are about to heat up in your classroom! A kinesthetic lesson asks learners to play the part of the gases in the earth's atmosphere and interact with the sun's radiation. The focus is to learn the impact of the increasing...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Anatomy Adventure

For Students 6th - 12th
Sometimes science is puzzling. Using an online animation, individuals manipulate skeletal bones of an ancient species to recreate its skeleton. Learners complete the skeletal puzzle and learn about the process of paleontology in person...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Fishy Deep-sea Designs!

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Oceans represent more than 80 percent of all habitats, yet we know less about them than most other habitats on the planet. The instructor introduces the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, twilight, and midnight zones in the ocean....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water in the Atmosphere

For Teachers 4th - 8th
A slide show serves as the backdrop for a lesson on the moisture in Earth's atmosphere. Through it, mini meteorologists learn about the attributes of the atmosphere and actually use data-collecting weather tools to make observations and...
Lesson Plan
University of Southern California

Mastering Microbes

For Students 6th - 12th
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging lesson asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Groundwater Foundation

How Wet Is Our Planet?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Here's a powerful demonstration that makes the point that it is everyone's responsibility to conserve water and protect the earth's limited supply of fresh water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planetary Surface Evolution and Resurfacing

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students are provided with drawings of planet surfaces in order to investigate different types of planetary terrain. They make observations for each planet and discuss the characteristics observed. The lesson includes background...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blazing Gas

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read and discuss the sun and the energy we use on Earth from the sun. In this sun lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the solar system, planets, and answer short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's That?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Meant to be a simulation of a deep-sea exploration, this requires that another lesson be completed first. In that lesson, titled "Animals of the Lost City," marine biology buffs construct murals of benthic communities. In this lesson,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Changing View of the Solar System

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students identify and name the eight planets and the five dwarf planets in our solar system. In this space science lesson, students view a slideshow of the planets and label them on an included Solar System chart.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Protecting Our Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine the impact of pollution. In this pollution lesson, students watch Protecting Our Planet, then participate in a simulation of the effect of pollution on a variety of organisms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can Photosynthesis Occur at Saturn?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students identify the different requirements for photosynthesis to take place. In this space science lesson, students simulate conditions in Saturn to investigate if photosynthesis is possible there. They use data and observations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Discovery and Identification

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students explore the internet world of Second Life and create a portfolio about the planets in our solar system. In this planets lesson plan, students provide many facts about 1 specific planet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Out of This World (Science)

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students participate in various hands-on activities to visually demonstrate the positions of the planets from the sun. Then they draw a pictorial representation of the order of planets from the sun.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets of the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use the internet to research the planets in the solar system. Using the information they collect, they design and create a webpage with the data. They present their material to the class and answer any questions presented to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sculpt-a-Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students study the moon and the planets. They create a painted, paper mache moon or planet sculpture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Sun Catchers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create suncatchers that resemble planets using recycled plastic lids.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets Curriculum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate the planets in our solar system. They conduct research using a variety of resources in order for students to make cognitive connections with the demonstrations made by the teacher. Learners discover how to recognize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets in Balance

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students study the solar system by researching the planets.  In this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Planet Earth Vocabulary Quiz

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this planet Earth vocabulary worksheet, students draw lines to match 14 words that pertain to Earth science with their definitions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Planets

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the planets through an interactive web site. For this astronomy based lesson, 6th graders compare planets, explore comets, and discover planet facts through a variety of activities provided by the Smithsonian Museum.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing the Outer Planets

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students observe the outer planets. In this science lesson, students use a telescope locate the outer planets of the solar system. Students create a video of their observations.