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Viewing Earth and Sky
In this earth and sky instructional activity, students review terms associated with map reading. Students also review topographic maps and how contour lines represent elevation. This instructional activity has 5 matching, 5 true or...
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Stars in Your Eyes
In this solar system activity, students answer 20 short answer questions about the stars, the planets, the sun and moon, meteorites and constellations.
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Cloze Passage: The Sun
Use this Cloze activity in your science lesson or reading unit. Second graders read two paragraphs about the sun and seasons, and fill in eleven missing vocabulary words. This worksheet contains an answer key.
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Night Sky
Students discover why stars can only be seen at night. They participate in a read aloud of, "Night Sky" by Carole Stott and, "Switch on the Night" by Ray Bradbury. Using the sky objects described in the readings, they brainstorm and list...
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Astronomy
Students complete a unit of lessons on our solar system, its stars, and astronomers. They record information in a space journal, design constellations, define key vocabulary, observe the phases of the moon, and create a group planet...
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Scale Model of the Solar System
Students work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. Students know that earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller...
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Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take. In this science lesson, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
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Moon Watch
Third graders read books about the moon and discuss its perceived changes as it moves across the sky. They observe the moon over the course of a month and chart their observations. They discuss their observations and conduct further...
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Sunny Symbols
After listening to a series of stories about signs and symbols associated with the United States, pupils discuss the importance of the sun in Native American legends and as a representation of New Mexico. As part of this exploration,...
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Exploring the Night Sky: Fall/Winter
Students explain how moon phases occur. They explain three ways that the night sky has been used through history. Students locate some of the constellations in the night sky. They discuss stories and myths surrounding stars.
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Our universe
In this quiz, students are asked 20 questions about the magnitude of planets and stars both in and out of our Solar System. An answer key is provided.
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Sculpt-a-Planet
Learners study the moon and the planets. They create a painted, paper mache moon or planet sculpture.
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Space Words and Comparatives
Which is bigger: the sun or the moon? Which is nearer: the planets or a star? English Language Learners first located a series of space-related nouns and adjectives in a word search, and then identify the comparative and superlative...
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The Path of the Sun, the Ecliptic
High schoolers are introduced to the ecliptic, the zodiac and the apparent motions of the Sun, Moon and planets across the sky.
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Finding the Pole Star
Students study the constellations fo the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia and their use in finding the Pole Star. They realize that other celestial objects--Sun, Moon and planets--share the rotation (and hence rise and set), even though their...
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Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Learners explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.
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Earth is Round?
Third graders discuss how Aristotle concluded that the Earth was round. As a class, they review theories about the Earth's shape and describe how life on Earth would be different if it were flat. Individually, they make a moon book in...
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Spinning into Space
Students, through hands-on activities, teacher demonstrations, pictures, and informational books, complete a unit on the Earth and its place in the Universe. They make mobiles of the Milky Way and watch demonstrations of lunar and solar...
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Voyage: A Journey through our Solar System
Students build the Voyage scale model of the Solar System on a playground and "travel" to each planet. They recognize that the Sun and planets are tiny worlds in a vast space, giving them a new perspective on the Solar System, and...
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The Solar Cycle
Students research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Students produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.
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Heavens Above
Middle schoolers study the stars and their positions. In this astronomy lesson students see how scientists can predict the positions of the stars and can tell how they would have appeared in the past.
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Star Child Astronomy
Students gain understanding of the relationship of Earth within the Solar System. They increase knowlegde of the planets, sun, moon, meteoroids, asteroids and comets.
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Water and Ice
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states instructional activity, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn...
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Comparing Poems
Young literary analysts compare two poems by the same author. Readers look for slant rhyme, observe the beat and rhythm of each, and search for repeated vowel sounds. After re-reading, they observe the lack of punctuation and the stanza...