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Lesson Plan
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science

Mask of the Black God

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Finally, an astronomy lesson for the high schooler! Explorers are able to read star maps for finding objects in the night sky by determining celestial coordinates. In particular, they locate the Pleiades and read about a Navajo legend...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Azimuth and Altitude

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students use a compass and their hands to find positions of stars and planets in the night sky or of the sun during the day.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Azimuth and Altitude

For Students 8th - 10th
In this azimuth and altitude worksheet, students answer fifteen questions about measurements of objects in the sky using a compass and an inclinometer.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Azimuth and Altitude Quiz 1

For Students 8th - 10th
In this azimuth and altitude worksheet, students answer questions about celestial bodies and how they are measured. They label drawings of clinometers, celestial spheres, and a compass.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Star to Steer Her By

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students determine their latitude using a protracdtor and/or cross-staff to find the altitude of Polaris.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Temperature and the Earth's Atmosphere

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Earth science super stars visit the National Earth Science Teachers Association's interactive website to glean information on the layers of the atmosphere. Data tables are provided for them to record what is collected. This assignment...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Azimuth and Altitude

For Students 9th - 11th
In this altitude worksheet, students define compass, azimuth, astrolabe, and altitude. Students use a protractor to determine the altitude of the given stars on a graph. This worksheet has 7 short answer questions and 8 fill in the blank...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Altitude of Iridium Flares

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine what iridium flares are and when they occur.  In this iridium flare lesson students complete an activity to see how far overhead Iridium satellites are.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Constellation Tracking

For Students 8th - 10th
In this constellation activity, learners pick a constellation to track over time. They measure its altitude and azimuth at least three times. They make an experimental design for their research and plot their data.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Watchers: Ancient Astronomers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars close their eyes and picture the sky. They are asked to brainstorm things they may see in the course of a night and day, such as the movement of the sun, moon, and stars. Students work in groups to coduct their research....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The North (Wall) Star

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students engage in a lesson plan which shows them that celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects -...
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Interactive3:35
Scholastic

Study Jams! Air Pressure & Wind

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Blow your class away with a gust of humor as they watch this video about air pressure and wind. Along the way, they find that the density of air (as determined by temperature, altitude, and water vapor content) leads to air pressure...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #7 - Positioning Solar Panels I: Explorations with Tracking

For Teachers 6th - 9th
In this first part of a two-part lesson, learners track and record the sun's azimuth using a solar panel. They graph and analyze the data to identify relationships among the time of day, the altitude and azimuth of the sun, and the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Unit VIII Worksheet 5: Circular Motion

For Students 9th - 12th
Seven problems send physics stars out of this world! Challenge learners to calculate centripetal force, time to complete revolutions, circular speed, and acceleration. They also are asked to explain scenarios and draw a force diagram for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Launches for the Stars

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students are introduced to rockets and the space shuttle program. After viewing a 1960s show, they examine the role and history of NASA and how it evolved into having a space shuttle program. In groups, they create their own model rocket...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Book Excerpt from "The 23rd Cycle"

For Students 7th - 9th
In this solar storms instructional activity, learners read an excerpt from the book "The 23rd Cycle: Learning to Live with a Stormy Star". Students answer 7 questions about the effects of solar storms on radiation exposure, health risk...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

GPS Treasure Hunt for Knowledge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine themselves as being part of a global community. In this global community lesson, students investigate GPS systems. Students gain knowledge on how the device works. Students discover that satellites provide information...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study how the sun is at the center of the solar system.  For this solar lesson students measure the altitude of the sun and its size.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Observation and Inference

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Assess your young scientists' understanding of the difference between observation and inference with this 20-question multiple choice quiz. It reviews a variety of physics and astronomy concepts, such as solar eclipses and sunspots, the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When a Ruler is Too Short

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers measure distances using parallax. In this math lesson, students explain how this method helped astronomers with their studies of the solar system. They determine the length of their arm using parallax and compare it with...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Matters II

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Students research solar energy. For this solar energy lesson, students construct a KWL chart and research solar energy through various websites and related readings. Students complete a science journal page as an assessment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding the Way

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars identify and research navigational tools used in deep sea explorations. They are introduced to a compass, the Global Positioning System and sonar technology and then describe their uses in underwater exploration.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

From Dust Grains to Dust Balls

For Students 10th - 12th
In this formation of planets worksheet, students solve 6 problems including finding the equation for the mass of rocks as a function of time, finding the equation for the rate of growth of the mass of rocks and integrating these equations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Anza and Font in Search of Latitude

For Teachers 7th
This is an integrated lesson that incorporates Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. In Social Studies, 7th graders complete an online interview and complete an online worksheet about latitude of sites on the Anza trail. In Science...