Pacific Science Center
Worlds in Comparison
Young astronomers follow a step-by-step procedure for dividing a lump of dough into parts, resulting in a scaled volume set of puny planets. Along with the printable directions is a template chart of planet names on which learners can...
Curated OER
Kepler-The Hunt for Earth-like Planets
In this hunt for planets activity, students read about the Kepler satellite used to detect exoplanets. Students solve 6 problems including drawing a sun disk and determining the scale in kilometers/millimeter, finding the area of the Sun...
Curated OER
The Transit of Mercury
In this transit of Mercury worksheet, students read about Earth and Mercury lining up so that Mercury passes across the disk of the sun from the Earth's view. Students solve 3 problems and they determine the diameter of the solar disk...
Curated OER
The Winter Solstice
In this winter solstice activity, students read a detailed text about the winter solstice and the historical and religious significance of this day. Students then complete a 15 question fill-in-the-blank and true/false activity.
Curated OER
Windows to the Universe Scavenger Hunt
Students access the Internet to go on a scavenger hunt to investigate the solar system. In this space mission lessons students fill out a worksheet and explain how technology and scientific inquiry have helped us learn about...
Curated OER
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.
K12 Reader
The Inner Planets
Here's a reading exercise that uses an article about the inner planets to assess comprehension. After reading the article, kids respond to a series of questions using information from the text.
American Museum of Natural History
Solar System Scavenger Hunt
Scholars go on a hunt to locate objects that best fit the measurements to create an eye-catching scale model of the solar system.
Concord Consortium
The Six Faces of Amzora
Here's a task that is out of this world! Given a description of a fictional cube-shaped planet, scholars answer a set of questions about the planet. They create a two-dimensional map and consider the distances between locations on the map.
Curated OER
Zipping Through Our Solar System and Beyond
Launch your class on an exploration of the solar system. Learners construct solar system models to scale and get a better understanding of our place in the vast void of space. This is a great way for them to cement their understanding of...
Messenger Education
Give Me a Boost—How Gravity Assists Aid Space Exploration
The propellant needed for space explorations runs in the thousands, while paying to get the craft into orbit costs millions! In the second installment of three, two activities explore laws of conservation of energy and momentum. Using...
American Museum of Natural History
What is Marine Biology?
A marine environment covers the majority of the earth but is arguably the least understood. Teach young scientists about the characteristics of oceans and ocean species using an interactive online lesson. The in-person or remote learning...
Curated OER
Water in Earth's Hydrosphere
Environmentalists test stream water for temperature, pH, and turbidity. Each group shares their information and then the class makes an overall evaluation of the water quality. A slide show sets the backdrop for the teaching portion and...
101 Questions
Neptune
Examine an innovative approach to a large-scale model. Pupils across the state of Maine teamed up to create a model of the solar system that spans 40 miles. Put thinking skills to work within your classes as they make the calculations to...
Curated OER
Saturn
Looking for a good worksheet to help teach about the planet Saturn? This worksheet is for you! An excellent photograph of Saturn accompanies three paragraphs of text. Pupils answer five multiple choice questions based on what they've...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
Curated OER
How Hot is that Planet?
For this planet worksheet, students read about finding the temperature of a planet using the distance to its star, its reflectivity and the luminosity of the star. Students use a given equation to determine the surface...
Curated OER
What's This Solar System All About?
Sixth graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. In small groups, they participate in a Webquest, watch movies, complete graphic organizers, and answer questions, create a model of the planets, and develop a Powerpoint...
Curated OER
Finding Mass in the Cosmos
In this finding mass in the cosmos worksheet, students use the equations for the force of gravity, the centrifugal force pushing a planet outwards and the speed of a planet to solve 2 problems. They find the mass of primary bodies given...
Curated OER
Exploring Dwarf Planet Eris
For this planet Eris worksheet, students read about the discovery of this dwarf planet and its characteristics. Students answer 3 questions about the planets, the classification of planets and the definition of planets. Students define 7...
Curated OER
Hubble Sees a Distant Planet
In this Hubble telescope worksheet, students solve 4 problems about the image of the distant planet the Hubble telescope discovered. Students determine the distance the planet was from its star in 2006, they determine the planet's...
Curated OER
Moons Of The Solar System
Students investigate the solar system and its moons. They conduct research in groups to find information. Also the teacher uses models of the planets in order to teach different facts about the solar system through the use of...
Curated OER
Wobbling in Circles
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Curated OER
Phase to Phase with the Moon
Fourth graders study the Moon phases. The instructional activity includes hands-on activities as well as web-based activities. They use models of the Moon and a lamp to study each of the phases of the Moon, and test their knowlege of the...