Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
The Planets and Scale
Scholars gain an insight into the relative size of planets and distance between inner and outer planets with the help of informational text, a data table, and a series of four questions.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Looking to the Future
New Horizons set forth on a mission to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, the spacecraft is still on its way. Here, enthusiastic scholars predict what they will be like—likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc.—when New Horizons arrives at its...
Curated OER
Plotting Sunspot Activity
Students explore how to graph sunspots using a solar graph. In this sunspots lesson students investigate sunspots and complete and evaluation worksheet.
Curated OER
Star Systems
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.
Baylor College
What Is the Water Cycle?
Small groups place sand and ice in a covered box, place the box in the sunlight, then observe as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation occur. These models serve as miniature water cycles and demonstrations of the three phases of...
Curated OER
Up in the Sky
First graders associate events and objects with day or night. They create a word bank and use is as a reference to create sentences about the sun. They conduct sun-themed experiments and art projects.
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Where Are We Going?
Come take a ride on the space bus! Scholars go on an imaginary trip to pick up their peers from the inner and outer planets while reinforcing math skills. First, learners round decimals to identify each planets' distance from Earth....
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Jupiter’s Relative Size
How do you properly illustrate the extreme size difference between two planets—Earth and Jupiter? With the help of jellybeans, of course! Create a scale model of Jupiter's mass compared to Earth using a fishbowl, 1,400 beans, and a dixie...
Curated OER
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Fact Sheet
In this space worksheet, students will read facts about Mars and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Students will also find 24 space related words in a word search.
PHET
The Dynamic Nature of the Sun
In this second instructional activity of the series, pupils learn to observe similarities and differences in photos of the sun and record them in a Venn diagram. Then, small groups practice the same skill on unique images before...
PHET
Soda Bottle Magnetometer
Introduce learners to set of complete instructions that describe how to build a magnetometer that works just like the ones professional photographers use to predict auroras. The diagrams are wonderfully descriptive, and the written...
Curated OER
Star Wars Activity
Students investigate radiant energy by completing discrepant events and identify various temperature changes through absorption and how radiant energy can be used for solar panels. They experiment with different color fabrics in order...
Curated OER
Tracking an Active Sunspot Region
Eighth graders plot the location of a single active region for 12 days. In this sunspot lesson plan students track an active region across the face of the sun.
Curated OER
When a Ruler is Too Short
Students measure distances using parallax. In this math lesson, students explain how this method helped astronomers with their studies of the solar system. They determine the length of their arm using parallax and compare it with other...
Curated OER
Spacd Day:Probing For Knowledge
Students investigate the uses and purpose of the Hubble telescope. They create a model of the telescope and conduct research about the history behind the invention of it. Students use the information in order to create a context for the...
Curated OER
Who Cares for the Land?
A very thorough lesson plan focuses on what plants need to grow and stay healthy. There are excellent reading activities and worksheets included in this fine plan. A terrific way to introduce a unit on plants and their needs.
Curated OER
Mars
After reading a short excerpt about the planet named after the Roman god of war, Mars, your class will answer four comprehension questions. The activity challenges them to fold over the paper and answer the questions without referring...
Curated OER
Space, The Funky Frontier Internet Research Worksheet
In this solar system worksheet, students explore a web site called The Nine Planets, to refresh their knowledge of the solar system, and to research new facts about Uranus. They answer three questions about Uranus, write an essay about...
Curated OER
How Bright are the Stars?
Young scholars observe the brightness of stars and are introduced to the concept of apparent brightness as a measure of how much light hits a detector of a surface area during a given time. In this star activity, students make...
Curated OER
How Far Away Is Saturn?
Students work together to create a scale model of the solar system. They write a descriptive paper and a paper comparing and contrasting the Earth to Saturn. They discuss their writings with the class.
Curated OER
The Capacity of Planets
Tenth graders change numbers written in standard form to scientific notation. In this scientific notation lesson, 10th graders use given diameters and distances from the sun for each planet in our solar system. After rewriting each of...
Curated OER
Using the Internet
In this using the internet worksheet, learners search several websites to review information about the heart, human senses, the solar system, and planets. Students also read information about the rock cycle and answer provided questions.
Curated OER
Graphing Sunspot Cycles
Students explore sunspots and then graph them to analyze the data. In this sunspot cycles lesson students complete an activity sheet and complete questions.