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Activity
NASA

Mineral Mystery Experiment

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
One way to study something is to try to replicate it. Young scientists do just that as they use solutions to recreate mineral structures on a dwarf planet. They make solutions with different types of salt, evaporate them, and observe the...
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Solar System Scavenger Hunt

For Students 6th - 12th
Scholars go on a hunt to locate objects that best fit the measurements to create an eye-catching scale model of the solar system. 
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Lesson Plan
University of Colorado

Star Light, Star Bright? Finding Remote Atmospheres

For Teachers 6th - 9th
People might be able to breath there. Learners view a simulation of a planet passing in front of a star. Using data from occultations of planets with known types of atmospheres, scholars determine whether the simulated planet has an...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Venn Diagrams: Planets and Dwarf Planets of the Solar System

For Students 6th - 8th
Yes, Venn diagrams are helpful in science, too. Learners use an interactive to classify celestial bodies as having moons, as dwarf plants, as both, or as neither. They answer a set of challenge questions based on the Venn diagrams they...
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Website
California Institute of Technology

Cool Cosmos: Ask an Astronomer: Pluto

For Students 3rd - 8th
Visit this site and learn more about Pluto. Provides the answers to kids' most frequently asked questions.
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Article
BBC

Bbc Newsround: Top 5 Amazing Space Discoveries

For Students 2nd - 5th
Read about some of the most important space discoveries in recent times.
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Unit Plan
NASA

Dawn Mission: Dawn Classrooms: Dwarf Planets

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students learn about dwarf planet classification through a researched-based instructional strategy called direct vocabulary instruction. Teacher guide and student activity sheet are included.
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Handout
University of California

Ucla: What Makes a Planet

For Students 9th - 10th
This detailed essay defines planets and compares the characteristics to those of Pluto. Orbital graphs and background information clarify the change in Pluto's categorization. A copy of IAU's Resolution 5 is also contained in this essay.
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Handout
Cosmos 4 kids

Cosmos4 Kids: Solar System: Pluto

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn all about Pluto ..its discovery, basic facts, recognition as a planet, and most recently, its 'demotion' from a planet to a dwarf planet. The brief, to the point text makes this site most suitable for younger researchers.
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Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Seychelles: What Is the Solar System?

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this lesson, students learn about the planets, their moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets in our solar system.
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Article
Famous Scientists

Famous Scientists: Michael E. Brown

For Students 9th - 10th
This article discusses the life and scientific discoveries of Michael E. Brown. Learn how he is credited with downgrading Pluto from a planet to dwarf planet.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Dwarf Planets

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes the characteristics of dwarf planets.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Dwarf Planets

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes the characteristics of dwarf planets.
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Website
National Earth Science Teachers Association

Windows to the Universe: Our Solar System

For Students 9th - 10th
Our solar system is filled with a wide assortment of celestial bodies - the Sun itself, our eight planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids - and on Earth, life itself! The inner solar system is occasionally visited by comets that loop in...
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Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Other Celestial Bodies Study Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
Review celestial bodies using this study guide.