Curated OER
Enslaved and Running
Young scholars use runaway slave advertisements to discover how the language varies from the 18th to 21st century. Using primary source documents, they research the brutality of slavery and the desire of those in slavery to be free. ...
Curated OER
Stellar Navigation Curriculum
Students investigate the concept of star mapping and how it is used in space navigation. They conduct various activities to see the effect of mapping. Also the teacher uses models and demonstrations in order to communicate the main...
University of Colorado
Clay Planets
Why do scientists use models? In the first installment of 22, groups create scale models of our solar system. They then share and discuss their models.
University of Colorado
Looking Inside Planets
All of the gas giant's atmospheres consist of hydrogen and helium, the same gases that make up all stars. The third in a series of 22, the activity challenges pupils to make scale models of the interiors of planets in order to...
Curated OER
Habitable Zones
Learners focus on stellar luminosities to estimate size of habitable zones, map out habitable zone around hot light bulbs that serve as models of stars, investigate how size of model "habitable zone" around light bulbs depends on...
Curated OER
My Hometown
Students identify the basic requirements needed for survival and identify the resouces needed for survival that are found within their own community. They use craft materials to create a model of it and then. create a color key to...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star through research. Once research is complete, students prepare posters and present findings to class. Flash animation is included to help students visualize life cycle of star researching.
Curated OER
The Big Bang Theory
Students will use scientific reasoning to formulate ideas about the formation of the universe using the Big Bang Theory. The use of critical thinking skills is part of the activity and the foundation of the scientific method will serve...
Curated OER
Illustrate the Constellations
Students research ancient Greek heroes immortalized in constellations. They choose three constellations in either the summer or winter sky to illustrate and reinforce their understanding of the northern constellations.
Curated OER
The Universe
Middle schoolers describe what scientists mean by an "expanding universe" in their own words. They explain how scientists comprehend the universie is expanding. Students comprehend the vast scale of the universe. They comprehend how...
Curated OER
Bubble-ology
Students observe the visible spectrum while observing light hitting the surface of bubbles. They blow large bubbles and observe how the colors change.
Curated OER
Exploring The Neighborhood of the Solar System
Students explain why exploring the universe for life on other planets is an important field of study. They use mathematical formulas to calculate the temperatures of planets as it relates to their distance from the sun. Students use...
Curated OER
The Role of the Atmosphere and Greenhouse Effect in Determining the Surface Temperature of the Earth
Students complete research and solve problems that show the factors that determine the temperature of the earth's surface including the effect of greenhouse gases. They look at the relationships between solar energy, atmosphere, and how...
Curated OER
The Best of the Solar System (Grades 4-7)
Learners explore planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their characteristics. They compare and contrasts planets and moons.
Curated OER
The Tides
Students experience a computer based applet that explains why the Earth experiences tides.
Curated OER
The Best of the Solar System (Grades 6-8)
Young scholars are introduced to planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their features. They view images of the planets, and fill in an information chart which is imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Comets And Meteor Showers
Pupils fill in a diagram of a comet. They listen to a short lecture, view flash animation descriptions of comets and meteors and then use the presented information to complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Time Signifiers - Past or Present Perfect?
Students refine their usage of past simple or present perfect. After a lecture/demo, students work in pairs and utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to help them gain practice with time signifiers.
Curated OER
The Difference Between Comets, Meteors And Asteroids
Students use Venn diagrams to highlight the similarities and differences between comets, meteors, and asteroids.
Curated OER
Solar and Lunar Eclipses
Young scholars complete a WebQuest in order to better explain solar and lunar eclipses. They observe images and videos of eclipses from around the world.
NASA
States of Matter
Water, one of the basic needs of humans, is found in all three states of matter on Earth; no other planet—that we know of—possesses this quality. Here is a unit that allows learners to explore through experimentation what it...
Discovery Education
Satellite Telemetry
Satellites require rockets to launch, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand them. Future engineers learn about how satellites send data to Earth and how to interpret satellite images. They see how radio waves play a role...
Curated OER
Science-Related Field Trips That Won’t Break the Bank
Try some of these tips to put a new spin on the old field trip favorites.
Curated OER
The Guest Investigator Puzzle
Students conduct a brief astrophysics lab matching the EUVE spectra of various kinds of "mystery" stars with the spectra of known stars taken at Extreme Ultraviolet and optical wavelengths to determine their type.