PBS
Nova: Make the Earth's Weather
The earth has some unusual properties that make its' weather suitable for life. This activity allows you to change four properties (earth's size, rotation speed, angle of the sun, and ocean size) to see what effects they would have on...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Planets Made Real: Creating Size and Distance Scale of Planets
An activity where students build a scale model of the solar system based on a marble they pick from a bowl. After choosing a marble that represents Earth, students must calculate the size of the other planets and the sun. Site includes...
Fourmilab Switzerland
Earth and Moon Viewer
View a map of the Earth showing the day and night regions at this moment, or from the sun, the noon, the night side, and other points of view in this simulation. Illustrated.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: The Earth and Sky in a 24 Hour Day
An activity where students learn, through modeling and demonstration, about the relative sizes of the Earth and Sun, the distance between them, and how the Earth rotates in a 24-hour period.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Earth, Sun and Moon
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this unit children learn about the shapes and relative sizes of the Earth, Sun and Moon. Using models they learn how the three bodies move relative to each other and how these movements relate to...
NASA
Nasa: Great Images in Nasa
Fascinating collection of images from NASA, chosen for their historical or aesthetic significance. Images are searchable by subject, by NASA center, and by keyword, and each is available in three sizes. With links to more information...
NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration
This stunning site on the solar system gives a great overview of the planets and our sun. Learn about each object's size, vital statistics, and moons. Then go on for a more in depth look at these objects in the column on the left.
Curated OER
Harvard University: The Solar System
These hands-on activities are are a great way for students to gain perspective on the relative sizes and distances of each planet, the relationship between the sun and Earth, and much more.
Other
All (Known) Bodies in Our Solar System Larger Than 200 Miles in Diameter
How big is the Earth compared to the Sun? Is Mars bigger than the Moon? Seeing all bodies in the solar system larger than 200 miles in diameter side by side provides an excellent comparison and an interesting perspective.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Gravity and Orbits
Move the sun, earth, moon, and space station to see how it affects their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen without it.
Curated OER
Bill Arnett's Ss Montage
These hands-on activities are are a great way for students to gain perspective on the relative sizes and distances of each planet, the relationship between the sun and Earth, and much more.
Curated OER
Harvard University: The Solar System
These hands-on activities are are a great way for students to gain perspective on the relative sizes and distances of each planet, the relationship between the sun and Earth, and much more.
Curated OER
Cornell University: Aristarchus
This site from Cornell University provides a discussion of how Aristarchus arrived at his conclusions of the distance from the earth to the sun and moon. Also has his methods for determining the size of the moon and the sun.
Curated OER
Cornell University: Aristarchus
This site from Cornell University provides a discussion of how Aristarchus arrived at his conclusions of the distance from the earth to the sun and moon. Also has his methods for determining the size of the moon and the sun.