Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
Curated OER
How Far Away Is Saturn?
Students work together to create a scale model of the solar system. They write a descriptive paper and a paper comparing and contrasting the Earth to Saturn. They discuss their writings with the class.
Curated OER
In a Galaxy Far, Far, Far Away
Sixth graders compare distances between objects in the solar system. They investigate how light years are measured and when using them to measure how distances compare with one another. They write an essay exploring the possibility of...
Curated OER
Science That's Out of This World
Learners use iChat AV and an iSight camera to "meet with" a space scientist to ask and answer questions, visit relevant websites, and broaden their understanding of the solar system and space. They videoconference with a sientist and...
Curated OER
Energy From Space: The Next Frontier
Middle schoolers investigate ideas for getting energy from space. In this space-based power lesson, students read articles about ideas for alternatives to fossil fuels. Middle schoolers define and give examples of vocabulary words....
Curated OER
Baseball Math
Fifth graders complete activity pages. In this operations and problem solving lesson, 5th graders use the Internet to gather baseball statistics, solve problems and convert units.
Curated OER
TE Activity: You're in Hot Water
Young scholars study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
Curated OER
Plotting Temperature and Altitude
students convert the temperature readings from degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit. they predict and create a graph of what the graph of altitude (x-axis) versus temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (y-axis) might look like.
Curated OER
When I Heard the Learned Astronomer
Students recognize different purposes and methods of writing and to identify a writer's tone and point of view.
Curated OER
The Webb Space Telescope: Detecting Dwarf Planets
In this detecting dwarf planets worksheet, students read about the Webb Space Telescope that will be launched in 2014 to detect dwarf planets using an infrared telescope. Students solve 3 problems and create a graph for each using given...
Teach Engineering
Photosynthesis—Life's Primary Energy Source
Wouldn't it be great if you could produce your own food? Scholars learn about the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in plants. They consider how to use photosynthesis as a model of an efficient system and how to apply...
NASA
Development of a Model: Analyzing Elemental Abundance
How do scientists identify which elements originate from meteorites? Scholars learn about a sample of material found in a remote location, analyzing the sample to determine if it might be from Earth or not. They study elements, isotopes,...
Curated OER
Foreign Economics
Why do so many countries export cars? Economists examine this and other foreign economics principles through this introductory instructional activity. A brief text explains international trade, then lists the top 11 leaders in global...
PBS
Inspector Detector
How do spacecraft detect magnetic fields? The fourth installment of a five-part unit has learners develop a device with magnets that allows for the detection of magnetic fields. They use a map of an imaginary planet to try out their...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
Curated OER
Lost King of the Maya
Students are introduced to the Mayan Long Count calendar system. They work in groups to calculate the date of their birth and use the calendar to determine important Mayan dates.
Curated OER
Summer Vocabulary
In this summer vocabulary worksheet, students read 10 definitions that pertain to summer. Students match these definitions with the words they describe.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Concept Application: One to One Correspondence of Objects
Young scholars consider the comparative sizes of the planets in the solar system. In this scale lesson plan, students select balls of different sizes to represent the planets in the solar system.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Waves and Whistles
Wave goodbye to the same old demonstrations for alternative energy sources, and wave hello to this one investigating ocean waves! Using a water bottle to create an oscillating water column, learners see and possibly hear how the...
Teach Engineering
Optimize! Cleaner Energy Options for Rural China
What are the trade-offs when looking to get the most benefit from an energy source? Small groups compare the cost-to-emission levels of several energy sources by looking at the information graphically. The groups utilize this...
Curated OER
Extensions - Astronomy Review Unit
Students participate in a review unit in Astronomy using the Layered Curriculum. This allows them to take charge of the type of assessment that is given. The method also allows better differentiation of instruction to occur.
T. Smith Publishing
Earth
Young astronomers read an informational text passage and then answer questions based on what they read.