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Finding Mass in the Cosmos
In this finding mass in the cosmos learning exercise, students use the equations for the force of gravity, the centrifugal force pushing a planet outwards and the speed of a planet to solve 2 problems. They find the mass of primary...
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The Solar System
Students construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is included...
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SDO: Measuring the Speed of an Eruptive Prominence
In this eruptive prominence worksheet, high schoolers read about a plasma ejection from the sun measured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Students solve 3 problems using the given diagrams of the ejection. They determine the scale of...
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Hinode Studies Loopy Sunspots!
In this sunspots and magnetic fields instructional activity, students read about the satellite images taken showing 'loopy' patterns from solar gases and the magnetic fields on the sun. Students solve 2 problems including finding the...
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Seeing Solar Storms in STEREO-I
In this geometric calculations of solar storms worksheet, students use a diagram indicating the location of 2 STEREO satellites, the earth and the sun to calculate the distance between a Coronal Mass Ejection and the Earth. They use...
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An application of the Parallax Effect
In this parallax effect activity, learners observe 2 photographs taken of an active area of the sun by 2 STEREO satellites and 1 photograph taken of the same active area of the sun by the SOHO satellite. Students observe the shift in...
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Application of Scientific Notation
In this scientific notation worksheet, learners solve eight problems about the sun, the planets and the universe using very large numbers expressed in scientific notation.
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Collapsing Gas Clouds-Stability
In this collapsing gas clouds worksheet, students read about the Bok Globules seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. They use a given equation indicating the pressure of a gas sphere and determine at what minimum radius the cloud would...
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Seeing Solar Storms in STEREO-II
In this solar storms worksheet, students use a diagram given the location of two STEREO spacecraft satellites, a coronal mass ejection, the sun and the Earth to solve 2 problems about the coronal mass ejection. Students use segments,...
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Magnetic Energy
In this magnetic energy worksheet, young scholars are given the formula to calculate the magnetic energy of an object. They use the formula to solve for the magnetic energy of the Earth, a geotail, the Sun, and a solar prominence given...
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Spinning in Circles
In this secondary mathematics worksheet, students determine the speed at which we travel a circle around the axis of the earth and around the sun. The one page worksheet contains one problem. A solution is provided.
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Kepler's 3rd Law
Students derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius. They derive the Earth escape velocity and prove Kepler's 3rd law for circular orbits # A simple formula for the orbital period in a circular Earth orbit of given radius.
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Seasonal CEENBoT
Students simulate the Earth's revolution around the sun using CEENBoT. In this earth science lesson students calculate the Earth's distance in AU and it's speed of revolution. They explain how the Earth's movement cause seasonal variation.
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Worksheet 27
In this math worksheet, students examine the equations for the planets of Mercury and Saturn. Then they find the distance of Saturn’s closest and farthest approach to the sun.
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Solar Surface Details
In this solar surface worksheet, students use a photograph taken by the Swedish Vacuum Telescope to answer 6 questions about the solar features in the photograph. Students determine the scale of the image, they determine the smallest...
NASA
The Effects of Sunspots on Climate
In this sunspots and climate change learning exercise, learners use a diagram of a tree stump and its rings to determine the age of the tree. They use sunspot data from the internet and they construct an Excel spreadsheet to compare the...
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Discovering a Law of Space Physics
Students use data collected by an astronomer to determine the relationship between the time it takes the planet to orbit the sun and the average radius of the planet's orbit around the sun. Students use trial and error to find the...
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Kepler's Third Law
Students use Kepler's third law to derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius, and identify the Earth escape velocity.
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Math: A Geometric Neighborhood
Pupils, as a final project, draw a picture of their ideal neighborhood on a sunny day. In addition to the sun, their drawings include homes, trees, streets, and selected objects. Each object in their drawing has a written description...
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Worksheet 19: Ship Positions
In this math worksheet, students read informational paragraphs and then answer 18 questions using data from their readings. Questions are about vectors, positions, distance and orbits.
New York Science Teacher
Planet Scaling using Extra Terrestrial Tools
Your class will use a set scale to convert diameters of planets to the model size, the diagram given to expand on the number of planets drawn as concentric circles, and examine the scale that would be needed to fit the larger planets on...
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Scientific Notation
Review conversion of decimal numbers into SN form with these examples of common astronomical applications and quantities. Young learners rewrite those numbers with scientific notation and with the correct units. The answers are available...
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Unit VIII Worksheet 5: Circular Motion
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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Pocket Solar System
The scale of the solar system is difficult to grasp without some sort of concrete visual; with some register tape and different-sized stickers, teach astronomers of any age just how spread out our solar system really is. Try to use...