Students work together to identify the accuracy of sundials. They track the position of the sun and create a shadow plot. They discover the difference between real time and clock time.

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...

Young scholars investigate a model of the tilt of the Earth in its relationship to the Sun during the different seasons of the year. They study the solstices and equinoxes, while determining how sunlight hits the Earth with different...

Third graders discuss how Aristotle concluded that the Earth was round. As a class, they review theories about the Earth's shape and describe how life on Earth would be different if it were flat. Individually, they make a moon book in...

Pupils study the moon and its shadows.  In this moon lesson students complete a lab activity that shows the different shadows and answer questions.

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...

Students explore shadows. In this art lesson, students put black construction paper on the ground and place objects on the paper. Students leave and when they come back at the end of the afternoon the sun has faded the black paper with...

Students make a simple sundial to examine the changes in shadows over time. In this sundial and shadow lesson, students make a simple sundial out of a manila folder and pencil. They observe how shadows change over time, and relate it to...

Students explore forms that water can take. In this science lesson, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.

Students investigate how the sun travels across the sky at different latitudes using Solar Motion Demonstrator. In this earth science lesson, students explain why seasons change. They study how the tilt of the Earth's axis affects...

In this earth, moon, and sun orbits worksheets, students will read the cause of four different events that focus on the earth's rotation around the sun and the moon's rotation around the earth. Then students will write in the effect of...

Students investigate what happens to solids and liquids when they change from one form to another. In this states of matter lesson, students work in groups on a virtual experiment that requires them to collect data regarding the melting...

High schoolers trace the beginning of the heliocentric theory of the solar system--the idea that the solar system revolves around the Sun--to an observation by the Greek astronomer Aristarchus, which convinced him that the Sun was much...

Students measure shadows and explore the altitude of the sun.  In this sun lesson plan students will graph the length of shadows and solar altitude against time. 

Students explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.

High schoolers investigate how the Earth's rotation affect the length of day. In this earth science lesson, students construct a sighting apparatus and record their observations over a few days. They analyze data collected and formulate...

Students design an appropriate and usable storyboard and then create a claymation video. They take digital photographs frame by frame, then assemble the stop-motion movie using video software.

High schoolers use diagrams to review how the Earth rotates around the sun. In groups, they use the same diagrams to explain how the sun shadows are produced and how they differ between seasons. They describe the Earth's rotation and...

Students investigate the relationships between certain environmental factors and levels of exposure to sunlight. The variables of location, time of year, and day, and the weather which affect the intensity of the sun are explored in this...

Students use SunPath in the yearly mode to investigate seasonal changes in sunrise, sunset, length of day and sun altitude at their own latitude. Sun Path JAVA applet uses equations for a spherical Earth to calculate the sunrise and...

Students measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Students...

High schoolers use principles of geometry to measure the circumference of the Earth. In this applied geometry lesson, students use mathematics to determine scientific information. They make measurements, calculate the central angle,...

In this literature and science worksheet, students listen to a family member as they read "Bear Shadow." They conduct experiments that with light, shadows, and measuring tools before recording the date they did the experiment. They...

Students create a model of the phases of the Moon by giving students pictures of the phases of the Moon, a picture of the Earth, and a picture of the Sun. They then take a picture, and stand in correct place to make the phases of the...