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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spaced Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Interstellar Medium

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young scholars investigate the Interstellar Medium and the Local Bubble that the Sun is inside. They read and discuss a handout, answer discussion questions, observe a demonstration of light scattering, and conduct an experiment on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ellipses and Kepler's First Law

For Teachers 11th - 12th
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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Worksheet
Curated OER

Estimation

For Students 3rd - 4th
Ten word problems provide practice in estimating. This worksheet is intended to accompany a specific text and lesson; however, it is useful without those resources.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volume Calculation Exercise

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers work with scientific notation and rounding as they determine volume. In this volume lesson, pupils attempt to calculate the volume of the planet Jupiter. They use rounding to two significant digits and scientific...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

99.86% - Measuring Our Sun's Mass

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners determine just how large the sun is. In this solar system lesson, students follow the prescribed steps to draw a box that represents the size of the sun and its mass compared to the entire solar system.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Distance in Space

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore space science by measuring distances between planets. In this solar system instructional activity, 6th graders view a Bill Nye video and discover the conversion between the metric system and imperial measuring...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Capacity of Planets

For Teachers 10th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Searching For Protoplanetary Disks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope views of star-forming regions in nebulae and look for evidence of planetary systems forming beyond our own solar system. They hypothesize about mysterious objects in NASA HST images.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit 2 Sun & Stars

For Teachers 6th - 7th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Big Are Earth, Sun, and Moon?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders draw what they believe is in space on a dry erase board. In groups, they are given a beaker half filled with water and they add a teaspoon of oil, observing the different layers that form. To end the lesson, they identify...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the solar system by conducting Earth science experiments. In this Sun lesson, students identify the different seasons on Earth and discuss their purpose and cause. Students create a sundial and observe the changes to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Oceans Affect Climate

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Night Sky

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders develop questions they have about the solar system. After being read a book, they view and discuss different constellations in the sky. In groups, they are given a piece of butcher paper and glow in the dark crayons in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sorting

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students experience sorting. In this organization lesson plan, students play a computer sorting game called "Flood Game" on the "Between the Lions" website. Students visit a library and observe and discuss book organization. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scale Models to Planet Size

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners consider the comparative sizes of the planets in the solar system. In this scale lesson, students select balls of different sizes to represent the planets in the solar system.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circles to Spheres

For Teachers K - 3rd
Young scholars investigate circles and spheres. For this space shapes lesson, students compare and contrast two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Young scholars investigate the relationship between plane and space shapes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blast Off with Model Rockets

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry lesson, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure as...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water, Weather, and the World

For Teachers 4th - Higher Ed
Students in a special education classroom examine the role of weather and water in their lives. Each day, they add a symbol for the weather outside and identify the proper activities for the weather on that day. In groups, they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun and Earth

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students explore the sun, its structure, how big it is and how far away it is.  In this solar system lesson students complete a lab activity on dew point and weather.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Place Value to 10,000

For Students 3rd - 4th
For this ten thousands place worksheet, learners review the table that shows the diameters of the largest moons in the solar system and the planet it orbits. Students use the table to help them understand numbers with a place value of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hurricane Frequency and Intensity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Decoding a Mystery Message from Space

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners examine a message sent from outer space and do their best to interpret its meaning. In this problem solving lesson, students investigate a code sent to them from "outer space." The learners collaborate with their classmates to...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Multiply 3-Digit Numbers by 2-Digit Numbers

For Students 4th
By solving word problems related to the planets, 4th graders practice multiplying numbers with several digits. Using this worksheet to solve problems involving 2 and 3-digit multiplication, students practice this skill. This worksheet is...