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Modeling Martian Motion
Students explore the difference between stars and planets and take on the role of these objects to simulate the relative motions of Mars and the Earth around the Sun.
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Solar System
Second graders create planet mobiles in order to reinforce concepts such as planet size, position in relation to the sun, and planet names.
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Earth Science Astronomy Unit: Seasons on Earth
Eighth graders describe how the Earth's position causes seasonal changes. In this astronomy lesson plan, 8th graders explain how solar radiation varies depending on the season. They create a collage or poster on each of the Earth's four...
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The Hot and Cold
In this seasons labeling worksheet, students explore the seasons of summer and winter as they label the lines of latitude on the 2 diagrams of the earth.
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Earth's Energy Balance Performance Standard
Students examine how Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth's energy balance and the pattern of world temperatures. Students study a Surface Temperature Regions map and write a paragraph describing the temperature pattern from the Equator...
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Third from the Sun
Students examine images from space. In this third from the Sun lesson, students examine images from, Landsat, the satellite launched by NASA in 1972.
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Measuring the Speed of Light
Students explore physics by completing measurement problems in class. In this speed of light lesson, students discuss the importance of knowing the speed of light and how it affects many aspects of human life on Earth. Students identify...
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Don't Marry the Mole!
Third graders examine the power of solar energy. In groups, they create their own pizza box solar oven to discover the power of the sun and how it is a source for heat and light. To end the instructional activity, they use the internet...
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Reasons for Seasons
Students model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the course of...
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Spinning in Circles
In this secondary mathematics instructional activity, students determine the speed at which we travel a circle around the axis of the earth and around the sun. The one page instructional activity contains one problem. A solution is...
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Out of This World
Fifth graders animate their own planets. In this solar system lesson, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when played...
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Show Me the Way To Go Home
Students place a pencil perpendicular to the ground and trace its shadow between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM. They measure the length of the shadow, periodically over several hours, in either English or Metric units. Using the data, they find...
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Moon Phases, Day/Night
Fifth graders observe a demonstration that shows how the alignment of the sun, moon, earth relate to the phases of the moon that occur each month. They describe the moon's phases after experimenting in a small group setting and recording...
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The Tides of Change Worksheet (Part 2)
In this tides worksheet, students visit specified websites to view information. They explore the mass of the sun and moon, the force of gravity between two objects, and the ratio of the distances from the earth to the sun. Students...
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Solar System Bead Distance Activity
Students create a scaled solar system model using colorful beads. In this space science lesson, students convert AU units into metric measurements. They arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun.
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Changing Faces: A Study of Solar and Planetary Rotation Rates
Students determine rotation rates of a variety of solar system objects using images and the Internet.
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Science Quiz: Earth Quiz
In this earth science quiz worksheet, learners respond to 20 short answer and true or false questions regarding earth science topics.
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Unit 2 Sun & Stars
Students describe stellar objects using terms such as stars, planets, satellites, orbits and light. In this sun and stars unit, students research stellar objects through seven individual lessons discovering star characteristics, how...
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Solar System Hall Model
Not novel, but fun, this lesson gets your space science learners to model the size of the planets and the solar system along your school's hallway. Scaled measurements as well as actual distances are provided for both planet diameters...
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Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses
Each of the Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses are associated with a city and a symbol. This hand out is intended as a quick reference guide to help learners recall 12 of the most prominent of these figures.
NASA
Solar System Scale & Size
Use a variety of whole fruits to represent the different planets in the solar system to introduce scale sizes to your math or space science class. They follow suit by creating a non-scaled model of the solar system using specific-colored...
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Ocean Waves and Tides
Except for a few blurry photos that you can leave out, this is a succinct, yet purposeful presentation. It explains what causes ocean waves, the parts of a wave, and how they break against a shore. It details the cause of tides and...
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Giving Thanks to Mother Earth
Students create an art project to be made into a laminated placemat to use during a classroom Thanksgiving feast. The lesson involves choosing at least three cutouts of elements of nature to glue onto a background page, drawing one...
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CO2 and Air Pollution
Seventh graders observe and test for the presence of carbon dioxide gas. They compare concentrations of carbon dioxide gas and conclude high concentrations of carbon dioxide gas are unhealthy for human beings.