Curated OER
Our Solar System - Comparing Planetary Travel Distances
NASA presents a mini-unit on distances in our solar system. It incorporates scientific concepts of gravity, mass, density, and payload while your aspiring astronauts also employ mathematics skills. They calculate speed, they determine...
Curated OER
A Model Solar System
If Earth is modeled by a grapefruit, what planet could be represented by a golf ball? This activity uses everyday and not-so-everyday objects to create a model of the Solar System.
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 Mathematical Fingerprint of Our Solar System
Young scholars study the beautiful mathematical model unique to our solar system.
Illinois State Board of Education
Solar System
Aspiring astronomers solve problems involving mixed units of the same attribute, including time, money, length, and area. They convert large numbers into scientific notation, then compute and compare ratios to explain why drawing...
Curated OER
Exploring The Neighborhood of the Solar System
Students explain why exploring the universe for life on other planets is an important field of study. They use mathematical formulas to calculate the temperatures of planets as it relates to their distance from the sun. Students use...
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.
Curated OER
You Are Here
Students determine the relative size and distance of the planets in the solar system. They use ratios in their mathematical calculations to make models of the planets after discussing the relative sizes of the planets. They keep a...
Curated OER
Asteroids Between Mars and the Sun
In this asteroids of the solar system activity, students observe a diagram showing all the minor planets found in the orbit of Mars. Students answer 4 questions about the minor planets inside the orbit of other planets, they find the...
Teach Engineering
Energy Systems
Is electricity created in the outlet? Using posters of several energy systems, collaborative groups identify and describe the parts of their systems. The groups also look at the environmental impacts of the systems and present their...
Curated OER
The Battle for Ultimate Power
Students gain an understanding of how the powers of 10 and scientific notation can be used to represent the scale of things in the universe. They relate the number of stars in the universe to the number of grains of sand on Earth's beaches.
Curated OER
Building a Scale Model
Third graders create a model of the solar system. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders create a scale model of the solar system. Working in pairs students solve mathematical problems to correctly measure the distance each planet is...
Curated OER
Astronomy in the Round
In this round astronomical bodies worksheet, learners use 6 photographs of various solar system bodies to answer 5 questions related to the roundness of these bodies. They create a number to represent the roundness of an object and they...
Curated OER
Relative Ratios
Students discover that proportions are made up of equal ratios each containing the same building blocks. They, using the Internet, apply their knowledge of direct relationships and proportions to problems in planetary science.
Curated OER
Exploring the Celestial Neighborhood
Ninth graders study the origin and organization of the solar system. They investigate the Earth's place in the system and how planetary motions explain natural phenomena observable from Earth.
Curated OER
Traveling Through the Solar System
Students use calculator and non-calculator methods for analyzing data. They apply data collection and analysis in a study of mass and weight. Students enhance and apply the concept of line of best fit. They master graphing in a plane,...
Curated OER
Exploring Place and Space
Students explore number values by completing mathematical worksheets in class. In this decimals lesson, students identify the different place values a number has and the use of decimals to represent a fraction of a number. Students...
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....
Curated OER
Meet the Neighbors: Planets Around Nearby Stars
Students explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare the...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Earth's Orbit Lesson
Tenth graders devise a computational model to explore how the orbit of the Earth might change if its velocity were different. Using accurately recorded data, 10th graders defend a scientific argument.
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
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...
Illustrative Mathematics
Eratosthenes and the Circumference of the Earth
The class gets to practice being a mathematician in ancient Greece, performing geometric application problems in the way of Eratosthenes. After following the steps of the great mathematicians, they then compare the (surprisingly...