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Classroom Planetarium

For Teachers K - 4th
Students work in groups to create the planets of the solar system.  In this planets lesson plan, students create a hanging solar system taking into account the size, shape and position of the planets.  Students discuss the...
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Cosmic Wheels

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson plan.
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Groups, Clusters and Individuals

For Students 7th - 9th
In this galaxies, clusters and planets worksheet, students solve 5 problems including determining sunspot groups on the sun in a particular day, finding the number of individual galaxies present, determining the number of stars in...
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Probing Our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders engage in a lesson utilizing small group activities and individual work incorporating student research on space satellites, probes and international connections. They, in groups, construct information disks, timelines, and...
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Solar System Lesson Plans

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Solar system lesson plans provide teachers with a multitude of ways to interest even the most reluctant learners.
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Taking a Voyage away from Home

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students experience and participate in a journey through a "Voyage" exhibition of the Solar System and the frontier it covers. They build a dynamic model of the Earth and Sun. Descriptions are given on the relative sizes of the Sun and...
Worksheet
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The Stellar Magnitude Scale

For Students 7th - 9th
In this stellar magnitude scale worksheet, students use a scale showing the magnitude of objects in the sky to answer 5 questions about the brightness of the moon, the planets and stars.
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MAPPING THE TOPOGRAPHY OF UNKNOWN SURFACES

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students describe in words and graphic displays the elevation or depression profile of sections of Mars' Olympus Mons and/or Valles Marineris. They explain how orbiting spacecraft build up global maps one data slice at a time.
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Solar Systems Models Foldable Question Sheet

For Students 7th - 10th
In this solar system worksheet, students use foldable models they made of the planets to answer questions about each planet. They answer questions about the theories and predictions made in our history about the solar system and answer...
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Habitable Zones

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers focus on stellar luminosities to estimate size of habitable zones, map out habitable zone around hot light bulbs that serve as models of stars, investigate how size of model "habitable zone" around light bulbs depends on...
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Gazing At Cosmic Pinballs

For Teachers K - 1st
Learners explore the world of stars. They see that the color of a star tells how hot or cold it is, that stars come in different sizes. and that stars are moving through space. They draw lines connecting start to star.
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One World Ocean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars compare and contrast the properties of salt water in the oceans/seas and freshwater elsewhere on the planet. They also analyze mixing caused by currents in the ocean, including the effects of warm and cold water as well as...
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Stars in Your Eyes

For Students 6th - 9th
In this solar system learning exercise, students answer 20 short answer questions about the stars, the planets, the sun and moon, meteorites and constellations.
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Illustrate the Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
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Our Solar System

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explain the classification of planets according to various criteria. They create charts illustrating comparative data.
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Scale Model of Our Nearest Stars

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders calculate a light day, light hour, and light minute from the standard of a light year. After establishing the distances, a one meter scale is created to demonstrate the distance between the sun and the planets of our solar...
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Dangers Of Radiation Exposure

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the effects of radiation exposure and how it can effect objects on earth and space. They conduct research using a variety of resources and use the information to create a project that is reflective of good research...
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The Life Cycle of a Star

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the life cycle of a star and make conclusions based on evidence, research, and observation.  In this lesson on space and scientific investigation, students describe the relationships between science and...
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Stellar Discoveries That Are Out of This World

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students hear of the recent discovery of a group of planets orbiting the star Upsilon Andromedae. Each student create a page about an element of the universe,
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See the Stars

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the nighttime sky. In this space science lesson, students read the book Maria's Comet and and investigate the sky using their naked eyes. Students compare the view of their naked eyes to the view of a telescope.
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Layers of the Earth

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the earth's surface.  In this planet structure lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation then draw and label the earths layers. 
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Origins: Earth Is Born

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students develop a timeline of all the major events involved in the formation of the Earth and the emergence of humans. In groups, they focus on a specific topic by watching a PBS program and taking notes. After the video, they list...
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View of a Comet from Earth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate comets. For this space science lesson, students study overhead transparencies of the orbits of Earth and a comet. Students identify various locations and times where comets would be visible from Earth.
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Understanding Air Pressure

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders complete experiments with air to understand that air takes up space, has mass, and that air pressure can be changed. In this air pressure instructional activity, 5th graders test the air pressure by using balloons,...