Curated OER
Start the Space Flight Time Line
Students research space flight exploration and technology. In small groups, they research a significant event from early time until the start of the space age. A class time line is created from the research groups.
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Astronomy
Students explore space science by utilizing education software. In this moon cycles activity, students discuss the importance of the moon and the different phases we observe from earth. Students demonstrate the earth's orbit by creating...
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Distance in Space
Sixth graders explore space science by measuring distances between planets. In this solar system lesson, 6th graders view a Bill Nye video and discover the conversion between the metric system and imperial measuring systems. Students...
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Hubble Space Telescope
Students investigate the history and use of the Hubble Space Telescope. They take a quiz in order to establish in any prior knowledge. Students conduct research to find information in conjunction with participating in class discussion...
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Make a Spaceship
Students create a spaceship, satellite, or space station. In this space lesson, students consider design elements for buildings and objects in space. Students use K'Nex, Legos, or other household materials for their creation. Students...
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Understanding the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)
How did our universe really begin? Explore the Science Big Bang Theory and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) with this multiple activity-based lesson that demonstrates that the increase of density due to the decrease of temperatures,...
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Black Holes
Students explore what black holes are and how gravity is associated with them. In this space activity students are given enough information to imagine a journey to a black hole.
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The Magic School Bus Out of This World
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore craters that objects of different sizes and weights (marbles, Ping-Pong balls, and aluminum foil balls) create.
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Why Do We Have Night?
Students engage in a fun, creative way to discover how the Earth moves. This lesson helps students explain why there is day and night. It can also create curiosity to further study the solar system and eclipses!
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An Explorative Journey Through the Solar System
Learners explore space science by creating a planetary model in class. In this solar system lesson, students identify the many planets and moons that make up the solar system and decide on one entity in which to research. Learners create...
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Meteorites
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science instructional activity, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a...
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The Next Logical Step in Astronomy
Young scholars research future astronomy endeavors and how the exploration with contribute to astronomy and humanity. In this astronomy lesson plan, students research, present, and debate the topics as a class.
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Constellations
Fifth graders create their own constellations using pin holes and black paper. In this space science lesson, 5th graders write a story about their constellation. They share their project with the class.
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Hubble Space Telescope Webquest
Learners research the Hubble Space Telescope. In this Hubble Space Telescope lesson, students complete a webquest about the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Tools of Modern Astronomy
Students differentiate refracting and reflecting telescopes. In this earth science lesson, students explain how they are closely connected to satellites. They complete the concept map at the end of the activity.
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Swinging on a Star
Students explore the issues that might arise if humans were to go on an interstellar space mission. They synthesize their understanding of interstellar travel by writing scenes from a science fiction novel that would depict such a mission.
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Space Exploration to Find Habitable Planets
Students explore space science by reviewing scientific vocabulary terms. In this planet identification instructional activity, students identify the nine planets in our solar system and discuss which ones could potentially harbor life at...
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Get the Picture!
Astronomers practice downloading data from a high-energy satellite and translate the data into colored or shaded pixels. As a hands-on activity, they use pennies to simulate high-energy satellite data and they convert their penny...
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Constellations
Students investigate the concept of the constellations using many different resources to find information. Then students use the information in order to construct models of the constellations that show the magnitude of their size and...
EngageNY
Choice of Unit
Explore using units with scientific notation to communicate numbers effectively. Individuals choose appropriate units to express numbers in a real-life situation. In this 13th lesson of 15, participants convert numbers in scientific...
University of Colorado
Looking Inside Planets
Researchers use scientific data to understand what is inside each of the planets. The first in a series of six, this lesson builds off of that concept by having pupils use a data table to create their own scale models of the interiors of...
Curated OER
Explore the Characteristics of Stars with Microsoft WorldWide Telescope
Students explore the characteristics of stars. In this space science activity, students use the Microsoft WorldWide Telescope program to identify the properties of stars and identify the stars in the galaxy.
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Strange New Planet
Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. For this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...
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And a Star to Steer Her By: A Field Trip Guide for the Planetarium Show
In this field trip study guide for the planetarium show lesson, students construct a model of the Earth and describe the relative positions of the continents using latitude and longitude. Students construct a star chart to find...