Curated OER
Our Home in the Milky Way
Learners 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.
Curated OER
Time Travel to the Edge of the Universe and Back!
Learners analyze the size of the universe and calculate the time to travel to near and distant destinations.
Curated OER
Gravity, Seasons, and Time
In this Earth activity, students read about Earth's gravity, the reason the Earth has seasons, and time zones. Then students complete 21 multiple choice, 2 true or false, and 1 short answer question.
Curated OER
Look at those Leaves!
Students observe and measure tree leaves. For this leaf lesson students do on a "leaf walk" then use the leaves they find to complete a few activities.
Curated OER
A Relatively Far Out Idea: Estimating
Students investigate methods of estimating through cooperative group activities, hands-on activities, the use of tables and graphs and an interactive video.
Curated OER
Images of Our Changing Earth
Students identify and explain that remote sensing can detect changes on the Earth's surface that occur over time, and name at least three: urbanization, deforestation, and succession. They select a global change issue to investigate and...
Curated OER
A Different Kind of Rock Star
Young scholars examine the mysteries of Mars. In this scientific comprehension instructional activity, students read a USA Today article and discuss questions about Mars. To conclude the instructional activity, young scholars engage in a...
Curated OER
A Model of Earth's Atmosphere
Middle schoolers make a model of the four layers of Earth's atmosphere that represents the characteristics of each layer.
Curated OER
Gravity and Layers of Air
Students actively look and listen as their teacher provides transparencies to show how the atmosphere is made up of layers. In this atmosphere lesson plan, students discuss the atmosphere in terms of layers and how gravity pulls...
Curated OER
Global Change — Change and Cycles Where Land, Air and Water Meet
Pupils participate in an experiment to define a parts-per-billion solution. In this ecology lesson, students select a second substance to create a parts-per-billion solution and observe and record their results. Pupils work in groups to...
Curated OER
Sun too close? We'll just change Earth's orbit
Students study an article and discuss what would happen if the Earth's orbit changed. In this Earth's orbit lesson plan students answer a list of questions and complete an activity.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Space Math Scale of the Solar System
Practice Space Math! Math is the cornerstone of space travel. Familiarize yourself with all the ways math can help you study the solar system. Practice math problems in areas such as speed of light, the distance of planets to the sun,...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Activity: Scale of the Universe on a String
This activity will help your students comprehend the huge scales of time and space by using familiar objects. You can explore the massive distances of our Solar System using scale models made out of string. Included is a scale model of...
NASA
Nasa: Space Place: Messenger: Planet Mass Comparison
Compare the masses of planets in this interactive animation. Simply pile a number of Earths on one side of the scale, to balance with the mass of one Jupiter. Then try this with all the planets.
Curated OER
Nasa: Space Place: Solar System Comparative Sizes
This picture compares the sizes of the moons of the different planets in the solar system.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Climate Change: Earth's Giant Game of Tetris
There's a game of Tetris happening on a global scale: The playing space is planet Earth, and all those pesky, stacking blocks represent carbon dioxide- a greenhouse gas that is piling up ever more rapidly as we burn the fossil fuels that...