Curated OER
Seeing a Dwarf Planet Clearly: Pluto
In this dwarf planet activity, students use images from the Hubble Space Telescope and they determine the scale of the image, they identify the largest features in the images, they calculate the volume of Pluto and they create a model of...
Curated OER
Exploring Dwarf Planet Eris
In 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
Planet Pluto and Personification
In this writing prompt worksheet students are asked to use personification in discussing the redefinition of "planet Pluto" to "dwarf planet." Students are asked to communicate the feelings of the planet as it pertains to its...
BBC
Bbc Newsround: Pluto Pictures Show Hazy Horizon
View photos of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons probe.
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Why Is the Sky Blue? (On Pluto, That Is)
Read about the atmosphere of Pluto.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Our Solar System
This interactive tutorial will take students on a tour of our solar system. Students begin near the Sun with the really hot planets of Mercury and Venus. They will learn about Mars, probably the first planet that humans will visit. Next...
Other
University of Leicester: The Solar System
Resource explores the solar system, with an in depth discussion of each of the planets and their properties.
NASA
Dawn Mission: Dawn Classrooms: Dwarf Planets
Students learn about dwarf planet classification through a researched-based instructional strategy called direct vocabulary instruction. Teacher guide and student activity sheet are included.
NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration
Enter our solar system to interact with the planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, and more. Investigate with NASA scientists and explore missions related to space exploration. Read facts, compare statistics, look through resources, and...
NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration
This stunning site on the solar system gives a great overview of the planets and our sun. Learn about each object's size, vital statistics, and moons. Then go on for a more in depth look at these objects in the column on the left.
Cosmos 4 kids
Cosmos4 Kids: Solar System Details: Kuiper Belt
Explore space beyond Pluto in the Kuiper Belt region of our solar system. Find out about the space bodies that exist there and what our space missions have taught us about this far away region.
BBC
Bbc: Astronomers Name 'World of Chaos'
In mythology, it was Eris that sparked the quarrel ultimately resulting in the Trojan War. It was fitting then that Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology should name this highly debated object Eris. Learn more about...
NASA
Nasa: The Space Place: Hail King of the Ice Dwarfs
This resource provides a nice overview of Pluto. Get information on Pluto's size, tilt, orbit and surface features. There is also a brief explanation of the "New Horizons" space probe.
Famous Scientists
Famous Scientists: Clyde Tombaugh
Find out about Clyde Tombaugh, the scientist who discovered the dwarf planet Pluto in 1930, and also discovered a number of asteroids.
Famous Scientists
Famous Scientists: Michael E. Brown
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.
NASA
Nasa Space Science Data Archive: Pluto
This site, which is provided by the National Space Science Data Center of NASA, is a site with detailed information about Pluto, including planned missions to explore the planet in greater detail.
Read Works
Read Works: Way Out World
[Free Registration/Login Required] This informational text passage describes the solar system's dwarf planet named Haumea. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...
Nine Planets
The Nine Planets: Pluto
This site contains copious information about Pluto. The site contains descriptive and statistical information, as well as a detailed article about the search for trans-Plutonian planets and the "Nemesis" hypothesis.
A&E Television
History.com: The Space Race: Interactive Universe
A virtual journey through space offers photos and facts about Earth and its neighboring planets, comets, other celestial bodies of the Solar System, and the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies.
European Space Agency
European Space Agency: Esa Kids: Our Universe: Pluto
A basic overview of the dwarf planet Pluto. Links to information about the other planets and objects in our solar system are included.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: The Planet Formerly Known as Pluto
From ABC News in Science, this article discusses issues related to Pluto its removal from planetary status. The brief article also touches on the renaming and re-listing process of Pluto.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Pluto
Wikipedia, a publicly-maintained encyclopedia, provides an article on the dwarf planet, Pluto, including images, physical characteristics, history of its naming, the planet/dwarf planet debate, and more.
Science4Fun
Science4 Fun: Pluto
Learn fun facts and details about the atmosphere, geography, composition, and discovery of Pluto, a dwarf planet.
Curated OER
Artist's Concept of the 10th Planet and Its Moon (R Hurt, Ipac)
In mythology, it was Eris that sparked the quarrel ultimately resulting in the Trojan War. It was fitting then that Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology should name this highly debated object Eris. Learn more about...