Curated OER
Our Universe: Always Moving, Always Changing
Students explore the main concepts of astronomy through the eleven lessons of this unit. The past, present, and future methods of studying the science are examined in this unit.
Curated OER
The Four Seasons with "Charlotte's Web"
Students explore the characters and plot of the story, "Charlotte's Web" through the twenty-two lessons of this unit. Characters, facts, and details of the story are recalled and discussed and form the basis of several activities in this...
Curated OER
Observing Mars in the Night Sky
Students compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.
Curated OER
How Far Away is SOHO?
Learners create a scale model of the Earth and the sun that demonstrates where the SOHO satellite is in relation to the Earth.
Curated OER
The Planet Earth
Learners explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.
Curated OER
Precession
Students explain how Hipparchus, around 130 BC, used a shift in the predicted location of a lunar eclipse to detect a slight shift in the path of the Sun around the sky. They examine the elliptical orbit in which the Earth travels around...
NASA
International Space Station: Overview
This is NASA's press release on the International Space Station
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Newton's Cannon
[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about orbits and how an object can stay in orbit under the influence of gravity. By adjusting launch velocities users will understand how to successfully put a virtual satellite into orbit without...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Space Station
[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about orbits in the context of a next generation space station.
Harvard University
Harvard Smithsonian: Everyday Classroom Tools
The focus of this series of lessons is to engage students in an exploration of the world around them. The emphasis is on inquiry as students learn about the earth, sun, light, shapes and more.
Other
University of Leicester: Comets
A detailed look at comets. Content outlines our observational history, as well as the origins of comets and an explanation of the appearance of comets.
Other
Center for Educational Resources: Sky Paths
Lesson activities where students observe and describe the movements of objects in the sky in both daytime and nighttime. They learn how early cultures regarded the skies, and the stories they told about them. Students will be given the...
NASA
Nasa: The Space Place: Orbits 'R' Us
Learn about how Earth orbits the sun and how satellites orbit the Earth. Discover the different types of satellites such as GOES and POES and what they are used to monitor.
Other
Spl Swiss Propulsion Laboratory
The Swiss Propulsion Laboratory is a non-profit organization whose primary goal is the development of means of lifting civilian payloads into low-earth orbit at reasonable prices.
NASA
Nasa Star Child:space Probes (Level 1)
This page of NASA's excellent Starchild site deals with Space Probes. Learn about the various planetary probes by clicking on the planet of interest.
BBC
Bbc Schools: Ks2 Bitesize: Science: Physical Processes: Earth, Sun, and Moon
Help Sarah Jane and her team put the solar system's planets back in order. Following the activity, read more about the sun, the Earth, and its moon, and then take a quick quiz to check for understanding.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Great Gravity Escape
Middle schoolers use water balloons and a length of string to understand how gravity and the velocity of a spacecraft balance to form an orbit. They see that when the velocity becomes too great for gravity to hold onto an object, the...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Earth Orbits
An equation for the law of universal gravitation is stated. The weight equation (W=m*g) is related to the law. An interactive JavaScript form allows the user to practice determining the force of gravity and the acceleration of gravity...
Chem4kids
Chem4 Kids: Atoms
This site provides a detailed overview of atoms. Content explores an atom's structure, as well as what ions are, how atoms bond, what compounds are (including how to name compounds), and what isotopes are.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Moon Journal Activity
Students use the process of journaling to make discoveries about the moon. This activity involves having students write observations about the moon in a journal. Using their observations they go to an online resource and choose...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Gravity and Orbits
Move the sun, earth, moon, and space station to see how it affects their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen without it.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Why Doesn't the Moon Fall Down?
In this animated video segment adapted from NASA, astronomer Doris Daou explains how the forces of speed and gravity keep the moon in a constant orbit around Earth. [1:36]
NASA
Nasa: Kepler and His Laws
This site from NASA provides biographical details about the lives of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Discusses Kepler's successes at developing laws of planeatry motion. States the three laws and discusses each one individually....