Learners investigate the motion of Mars. In this space science lesson, students use transparencies to trace the path of Mars through constellations. Learners discuss the characteristics of the planet.

Third graders consider outer space. In this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will contribute...

Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere.  In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.

Intricate details of a modern technology that many of us take for granted in our phones, computers (and some cars) are laid bare in a short but deeply investigative activity. The math behind a seemingly simple GPS device...

In this space science worksheet, learners read facts about the solar system. Students look at the diagram showing the position of the planets. Pluto is included as a planet here.

Students create scale models of Earth, the Moon, and the distances within the universe. Working in groups, they construct their models of Earth and the Moon on a scale of 50:1 and calculate how far apart to place their models. They...

Students demonstrate size and orbits of Earth, Moon, and Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students will use balloons to show how the size and distance between the planets and satellite compare.

Young scholars explore the concept of gamma ray bursts. They examine basic physics concepts about light, measure the shifts of spectral lines, and utilize Hubble's Law to deduce the velocity of an astronomical object.

Students explore the concept that free-fall eliminates the local effects of gravity. They discuss what an Earth-orbiting spacecraft experience is like as well as the terminology of weightlessness. Their lab experiment commences.

Student identify the three stationary positions, on the Earth, on the Moon, and in a house floating atop the cloud layers of Jupiter. They also identify the three orbiting positions, orbiting the Earth, orbiting the Moon, and orbiting...

Students read and study an article then answer questions on Saturn.  In this investigative instructional activity students identify ways space exploration has helped humanity and then they search the Internet for space pictures and...

Young scholars predict the behavior of coffee in a cup while it is dropped during a demonstration. They relate their observations to the weightless conditions that astronauts experience in space and discuss the concept of free-fall.

Students apply what they recall about objects in motion by animati ng sequences of pictures that model a set of physical conditions. They animate the orbital motions of the Earth, the space shuttle, and the Moon based on calculations of...

Pupils investigate how satellites help people communicate with others far away and in remote areas. They discuss a scenario of someone travelling to an area with no mode of communication, observe a teacher demonstration, and create a...

Ninth graders describe, in general terms, the distribution of matter in space and identify evidence for, and describe characteristics of, bodies that make up the solar system. They then investigate predictions about the motion,...

Students investigate the cycles of solar activity. They plot the solar activity and use the graph to answer a number of questions and explain the relationship between the solar storms and sunspots and the impact on earth and space travel.

Students are introduced to science fiction as an adjunct to learning about science. They tape into their creativity by combining science with aspects of the arts. They research real time data available on the Web about space, and Mars in...

Fifth graders view Mysteries of Earth & Mars Video on DVD and record thoughts in their online journal. They record data in a spreadsheet about each planet then form a theory of the best time to launch a space craft from Earth to land...

Learners analyze data received from high-energy satellites of various binary star systems' orbital periods or stellar rotation periods.

Middle schoolers study the Cassini spacecraft and its travel to Saturn. They discover the results of the space mission and examine images of Saturn that Cassini sent back.

Learners calculate the diameter of planets and their relative distances.  In this space science lesson, students discover how small or big the planets are in comparison to each other. Learners use cross multiplying fractions to find...

Why does Earth experience summer, fall, winter, and spring? Using an informative demonstration, learners see how the angle of the sun on Earth and the rotation of Earth determine the seasons. Scholars work in pairs to learn that the...

The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The lesson goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use a strong lamp,...

What causes Earth's seasons? Find out through a series of anticipatory questions, an easy yet powerful activity representing the sun-Earth system, a diagram to label, and follow-up questions. Dispel the misconceptions about Earth being...