Curated OER
A Cosmic Cafeteria
Students indentify and differentiate between transit and surface food systems. Students measure energy that is released by various foods. Students compare and contrast cooking with solar energy on earth and what they might have learned...
NASA
Earth, Earth’s Moon, Mars Balloons
Very specific diameters are given for blowing up three different balloons to represent, in scale, the moon, Earth, and Mars. In groups of three, amateur astronomers explore scale measurements and distance in space.
Curated OER
Clay Planets
Learners create scale models of the planets out of clay and compare them to the real planets.
Curated OER
Exploring Ecosystems
Fourth graders investigate ecosystems. In this ecosystem lesson, 4th graders explore producers, consumers, and decomposers and study the interdependence of each.
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Pluto, although no longer considered a planet, has five moons. Pluto's moon, Charon, is the focus of a resource that describes how the moon is viewed from the surface of Pluto. Photos help individuals see how Charon would look at...
Curated OER
Exploring the Water Cycle
The water cycle is one of earth's most easily observable processes, but demonstrating each step within classroom walls can be a challenge. Through a series of videos and quick demonstrations, cover each aspect of the hydrologic cycle in...
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....
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
Space Awareness
Global Warming of the Atmosphere
Scientists know the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today is higher than at any point in the last 800,000 years. Scholars learn about the amount of thermic radiation absorbed by air and what happens to the rest of the...
Curated OER
Shine On, Moon
Pupils explore space science by conducting an experiment in class. In this Moon lesson plan, students define a list of space science vocabulary and read the book The Moon. Pupils utilize shoeboxes and string to conduct a sunlight...
Curated OER
Elders' Weather Forecasting
Students interview an Elder to determine ways of forecasting the weather. In this weather lesson, students use the information from an interview to make a weather prediction.
Curated OER
Measuring Temperature
Students conduct an experiment using the steps of the scientific method. In this scientific method lesson, students experiment with temperature and record their findings using the scientific method. Students complete a data sheet based...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Bag
Students enclose water in an airtight bag and leave it in a warm area to view the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson plan, students observe evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. They then discuss what they learned about the...
Curated OER
It's A Meteor
Learners complete a webquest to find Earth's relationship to the sun. In this webquest lesson, students complete tasks to understand the effect of the sun on weather and time. Learners create a multimedia presentation as an...
Curated OER
What Makes you Hot?
High schoolers manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth. In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature.
Curated OER
Circles to Spheres
Students investigate circles and spheres. In this space shapes lesson plan, students compare and contrast two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Students investigate the relationship between plane and space shapes.
Curated OER
Meteorites
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
Curated OER
Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy instructional activity, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of...
Curated OER
Two Views of the Universe
Students build the two models of the universe created by Aristotle and Copernicus. They compare and contrast the two universes. They create hypothesis on how each model functions.
Curated OER
I, Robot: Chapter Four- Catch That Rabbit
Sixth graders explore the development of technology in the 20th century. For this chapter lesson, 6th graders read and discuss the literary content of chapter four, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. They research the technology that was...
Curated OER
Planetary Diversity
Students explore the infrared radiation and the part of the spectrum that is not always visible. In this electromagnetic lesson plan students complete a lab activity on the different wavelengths.
Curated OER
Lunar Lollipops
Students simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases instructional activity, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Impact Craters: Holes in the Ground!
Students simulate crater formation through a lab activity. In this space science instructional activity, students calculate how much energy is transferred during meteorite impact. They identify different factors affecting the size and...
Curated OER
Motion Experiment
Students experiment with the laws of motion. For this motion lesson, students explore Newton's Laws of Motion. Students work in groups experimenting with different objects and observing different types of motion.