Young scholars gain appreciation of the vastness of our galaxy by viewing an applet about the Milky Way. Students hypothesize about how long it would take to get from Earth to Pluto.

Students investigate the concept of a model and how it is used to represent something that is real. They recognize how the model can be applied to other types of concepts like the solar system. Students create a scale drawing of a house...

Eighth graders discuss the flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. They study artwork of various sculptors showing the concept of flight. They write a paragraph and design a papier-mache' sculpture that shows movement.

Young scholars explore the Hawaiian culture through food. In this cultural appreciation lesson plan, students use map skills to locate where the food originated. They also discuss the importance of food to a culture's heritage, and...

Students investigate the age of the earth by using accepted scientific methods. They conduct research about the use of radioactive dating and there is a simulation activity of the process. Finally, students measure the radioactive decay...

Students examine the relationship between water retention and plant growth by conducting two experiments. They first compare the water retention qualities of clay, sand and loam soil types. Then they use the data from the first...

Students use NASA photographs and hands-on activities to compare the amounts of land and water on our planet. They discover that the world has five oceans and that they cover seventy percent of Earth's surface. Students learn how this...

Students analyze monthly sea surface temperature data from the Pacific Ocean to determine if the period is an El Nino or a normal year. They recognize signs to see if there are any patterns that signal either occurrence. Satellite images...

Students are introduced to the causes of plate movements and the hazards they present. They plot the location of 50 earthquakes and 50 volcanic eruptions on a map and explore the relationships between plate tectonics, earthquakes, and...

High schoolers investigate oxidation-reduction reactions involving iron by conducting an experiment in which they expose iron filings to different atmospheric and ocean conditions. They relate the results to the oxidation banding...

Students study water resources that are important to the people of North American and Africa. They use satellite images and data to explore how human actions can degrade, improve, or maintain water resources. They analyze and interpret...

Students develop a sense of the scale of our solar system by creating a one to ten billion scale model. They calculate the relative sizes and distances for the planets and asteroid belt using a guiding worksheet. To create the model they...

Students focus on stellar luminosities to estimate size of habitable zones, map out habitable zone around hot light bulbs that serve as models of stars, investigate how size of model "habitable zone" around light bulbs depends on...

Students identify the basic requirements needed for survival and identify the resouces needed for survival that are found within their own community. They use craft materials to create a model of it and then. create a color key to...

In this Milky Way galaxy worksheet, students are given a table of distances and angles of nebulae and star clusters from the sun. Students plot each one on a piece of paper and solve 2 problems using the data.

In this ion rocket engines worksheet, students read about how heavy atoms are used to create the thrust in rocket engines. They solve 5 problems including determining the speed of atoms in a satellite, finding the average acceleration of...

In this distance between stars worksheet, students plot the distance between the sun and 11 other stars on a 2 dimensional grid using a protractor and a ruler. They determine the distances between various stars and they find the shortest...

In this unit conversion worksheet, students are given 3 stories about situations where errors in the conversion of units caused dramatic problems in science. For each situation, students practice converting units to solve the errors.

In this exploring Jupiter:  Galileo Curriculum Module issue one worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle that tests their knowledge of Jupiter; their are 11 links to other worksheets to explore the planet.

Students examine the Triangle Trade Route. In this slave trade lesson, students investigate the profits brought by the goods and people traded. Students also participate in a classroom activity that requires them to replicate how slaves...

Students examine the Earth's crust or lithosphere, mantle and core. They complete research using assigned web sites before designing a model of the Earth using items such as Play-Doh, peaches and apples.

Students work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its...

Students discover Sky City. In this Asian culture and traditions instructional activity, students watch "Asia: Culture and Tradition," and then discuss the practicality of building Sky City. Students visit a Discovery Education Web site...

In this astronomy and song lyrics worksheet, students are given 10 lyric fragments from different artists. Students select 3 of the fragments and write short essays about each to explain their thoughts from a human and astronomical point...