Alabama Learning Exchange
Scaling Down the Solar System
Learners work collaboratively to gain a better understanding of the vastness of space by scaling down the solar system. They measure by inches, gain an understanding of space, and model the distances of the planets from the sun.
Curated OER
The Solar Cycle
Students research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Students produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.
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Not Your Average Planet
Fourth graders explore median, mode, mean, and range using information about the planets and our solar system.
Baylor College
Needs of Plants
What better way to learn about plant life than by creating a class garden? Young botanists start with a brief discussion about radishes before planting seeds and watching them grow. To determine the importance of water, sunlight, and...
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Out of This World
Students are introduced to the solar system and its place in the universe. They begin to grasp the idea of very large numbers by estimating and computing how long it take the class to make a million x's.
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Residential Power System
Perform data analysis on energy consumption to apply algebraic expressions to the real world. Learners will write and solve equations that answer various questions from residential power use. They will collect data at home and calculate...
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Time That Period
Physical science starters play with a pendulum in order to experience periodicity. Detailed procedures and a worksheet are included for day one. For day two, learners will use a graphing calculator to help them plot orbit data from a...
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Space: The Final Frontier
Sixth graders construct a graph to demonstration information that they've learned about the solary system. They also write or illustrate a sonar or lunar eclipse.
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Rescue Mission Game
Students conduct probability experiments. In this rescue mission lesson plan, sudents play a game and collect statistical data. They organize and interpret the data and determine the probability of success. Students plot points on a...
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Ellipses and Kepler's First Law
The class examines graphs in the form r = F(¿¿) in polar coordinates (r, ¿¿), in particular with the circle, ellipse and other conic sections. They determine the nature of an ellipse by studying the role of the semimajor axis and...
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Unit 2 Sun & Stars
Students describe stellar objects using terms such as stars, planets, satellites, orbits and light. In this sun and stars unit, students research stellar objects through seven individual lessons discovering star characteristics, how...
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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...
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Ellipses And Kepler's First Law
High schoolers explain that planets actually orbit the center of gravity of the solar system, and that distant planets may be detected by motions of their central star around the centers of gravity of their planetary systems.
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A Relatively Far Out Idea: Estimating
Students investigate methods of estimating through cooperative group activities, hands-on activities, the use of tables and graphs and an interactive video.
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Weather Report Chart
Students complete a weather report chart after studying weather patterns for a period of time. In this weather report lesson, students measure temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, wind speed, and wind direction for a month. Students...
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Ellipse
Students explore the concept of ellipses including finding the center, vertices's, foci and eccentricity. They assess how to graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses. This assignment is to be completed...
NASA
Next Generation Spacecraft - Orion
Emergine space engineers discover the area of complex geometric shapes. They find that, just as a spacecraft is composed of many smaller parts, so can polygons be broken into smaller shapes.
Curated OER
A Look At Rocks
Students write letters to organizations, such as United States Geological Society, to find out more about rocks. Students write about a pretend time they found a magic pebble. Students calculate distances to travel to see various...
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Effect of Daylight Hours on Human Activity
Learners determine the average hours of daily sunlight for each month of the year by constructing a bar graph. They develop a understanding of how the amount of daylight hours varies by month and how that affects both temperature and...
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Every Tree For Itself
Fourth graders play a game where they are trees gathering sun, water, and nutrients and CO2 represented by pieces of paper or poker chips. They record their collected requirements and graph how they grew as a forest.
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The Big Bang Theory
Students will use scientific reasoning to formulate ideas about the formation of the universe using the Big Bang Theory. The use of critical thinking skills is part of the activity and the foundation of the scientific method will serve...
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How Oceans Affect Climate
Students draw conclusions about how the ocean affects temperature. In this weather instructional activity, students use the Internet to gather data to help them come to a conclusion about how the climate in a certain region is directly...
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Hurricane Frequency and Intensity
Students examine hurricanes. In this web-based meteorology lesson, students study the relationship between ocean temperature and hurricane intensity. They differentiate between intensity and frequency of hurricanes.
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What on Earth is Greater Than?
Students compare things that are greater than, less than, or equal to, compare the Earth to other planets, and list planets from greatest size to smallest size.