Space Awareness
Meet Our Neighbors: Moon
Since a field trip to the moon isn't possible, bring the moon to young astronomers! Participants use everyday materials to create models of the moon and represent the features on its surface. The materials serve as a tactile as well as a...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 1: Circle of Life
Volition, or will-power, is the focus of a lesson that brings forth the Native symbol, the Circle of Life, to instill the importance of responsible decision-making. Scholars take part in six activities that empower them to reflect on...
University of Connecticut
Building Your Own Biosphere
On September 26, 1991, four women and four men entered the scientific experiment, Biosphere 2; the doors were sealed for two years in order to study the interactions of a biosphere. In the activity, scholars explore biospheres by...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Earth/Globe (poles & equator)
First graders create his/her own paper mache earth and label the poles and equator. The land masses can be added and labeling of specific bodies of water. The paper mache earth can then be used to discuss the sun, moon, and the earth and...
Curated OER
Winter Season
Students recognize the relationship between Earth's tilt and the Winter season. In this Winter lesson, students work in pairs to complete make frost and design snow goggles. Students experiment a hand lens to study the frost created....
Curated OER
Ceres and Pluto: Dwarf Planets as a New Way of Thinking about an Old Solar System
Students examine the new categories of planets and how planets were reclassified. In this solar system instructional activity students complete activities using Venn diagrams and images of planets.
Marcia's Science Teaching Ideas
Observing the Moon Activity
In this moon worksheet, students observe the moon on three consecutive nights and draw their observations. They answer questions about the phases of the moon and its position in the night sky. They identify the position of the sun, earth...
Curated OER
Solar Isolation Changes and the Sunspot Cycle
In this sunspot cycle and solar irradiation worksheet, students use 2 graphs of daily total solar irradiance and sunspot activity to solve 3 problems. They find the average solar irradiance during a given time, they determine the...
Curated OER
What Shape is the Moon Tonight?
Young scholars understand that the moon appears differently throughout the month. In this phases of the moon lesson, students observe and record the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Climate And the Greenhouse Effect
Students demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
Curated OER
El sistema solar
Everyone loves learning about space; there's something incredible about how all of this came to be, isn't there? Engage your Spanish language learners with this interesting topic. First, have each pupil cut out their vocabulary...
Curated OER
Does the Sun Influence the Temperature of the Earth?
Students explore whether the sun influences the temperature of the earth.
Curated OER
Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Classroom Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students use a concrete model of the Sun and Earth to observe and manipulate a 3-D model of the Sun and Earth.
Curated OER
The Inner Planets
In this planets worksheet, students review the characteristics of the inner planets: Mars, Venus, Earth, and Mercury. This worksheet has 15 multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Seasons on Earth
Students examine how seasons occur and explore how the different angles effect surface heating. For this climate lesson students interpret satellite maps of the world that show seasonal differences in plant life.
Curated OER
The Role of the Atmosphere and Greenhouse Effect in Determining the Surface Temperature of the Earth
Pupils complete research and solve problems that show the factors that determine the temperature of the earth's surface including the effect of greenhouse gases. They look at the relationships between solar energy, atmosphere, and how...
Curated OER
Working on the Moon
Students take a mission to the moon. In this space science lesson plan, students visit selected websites to discover information about Earth's moon and the solar system. Students may take virtual missions to the moon and share...
Curated OER
Orientation of the Earth in Space
Students hypothesize the location of the sun in the sky at diferent times of day and at different latitudes. They perform several experiments to provide evidence for their hypothesis. Experiments including observing the sun's position at...
Curated OER
Why Is It Hotter At the Equator?
Students investigate the different heating effects of sunlight. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the way sunlight strikes the equator, the poles and other parts of the globe.
Curated OER
The Rock Cycle - Thinking About Relationships Among the Major Rock Groups
Step-by-step, arrow-by-arrow, viewers are walked through the rock cycle. In the end, you have a simple, yet complete diagram of the process. Pictures appear to show samples of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. The presentation...
Curated OER
Break the Code: Astronomy
Here is a quick puzzle-style worksheet for your aspiring astronomers. A code is printed at the top of the page and learners use it to fill in the blanks describing different phenomena or objects in outer space. The material does not even...
Curated OER
The Toilet Paper Solar System
Explore the solar system with this lesson. Learners create a model of the solar system using toilet paper. With this creative approach, learners create a solar system according to distance and scale parameters, and write down a list of...
Curated OER
(S-1) Sunlight and the Earth
High schoolers discuss the solar heating of the Earth and atmosphere, its heat loss proceses, and the way these relate to weather and climate.