Curated OER
As the World Turns
Third graders read books and participate in class discussions about the motion of the stars and planets and moons in relation to the Earth. In small groups, 3rd graders act out these movements to music.
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Comparing the Satellite and Broadcast Radio Landscapes
Students research the development of satellite technology over the last 50 years students explain how the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed the rules for corporate ownership of multiple media outlets.
Curated OER
Astronomy and Me: Moons Over New Haven
Third graders study the features of different moons orbiting the planets. In this astronomy lesson, 3rd graders explore the different phases of the moon using an interactive online website. They compare and contrast the features of the...
Curated OER
Astronomy as a Career
In this astronomy as a career instructional activity, students use 2 graphs to answer 4 questions about the number of PhDs awarded, the number of PhD's awarded compared to Bachelor's degrees in astronomy and factors that might be...
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Observing Mars in the Night Sky
High schoolers compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.
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Science vs. Science Fiction
Learners acknowledge the difference between science and science fiction through a compare/contrast activity. They discuss their reading materials together. Students identify characteristics specific to science fiction.
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Our Solar System
Third graders describe the composition of our solar system. They recognize the names of the planets in our solar system and compare and contrast the nine planets that orbit the sun.
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Seeing Interference Fringes with a Telescope
High schoolers construct an interferometer using a simple telescope. In this physics lesson, students explain how light waves create the fringe patterns. They observe patterns made by different objects in the sky and compare them.
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Earth
Fourth graders have a spatial awareness of the plants by orally discussing what they saw after they stepped out the model of the solar system. They recognize the similarities and differences between Earth and the other planets by being...
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Astronomy
Students examine a medieval manuscript on astronomy and create their own books based on modern discoveries in astronomy. In this astronomy lesson, students compare astronomy knowledge in the middle ages to today and research modern...
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Planetary Orbits
Students explore space science by completing a solar system identification worksheet. In this planets instructional activity, students discuss the different planets in our star system and identify their traits. Students complete an...
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How Big Are Earth, Sun, and Moon?
Third graders draw what they believe is in space on a dry erase board. In groups, they are given a beaker half filled with water and they add a teaspoon of oil, observing the different layers that form. To end the lesson, they identify...
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Worth Its Weight in Gold
In this comparing weights worksheet, 2nd graders compare and contrast the weight of three different coins and then calculate the answers to eight questions.
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Moons
Students practice rote counting to 20. After a lecture about the planets and the moons that surround them, they identify the number of moons surrounding various planets. Students compare and contrast the quantity of moons surrounding...
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The Chinese Zodiac And The Western Zodiac
Students create individual horoscopes that contrast and compare Western and
Chinese views of their futures using poster boards and magic markers. In-class discussion is used to evaluate the use of the Zodiac in different cultures.
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Space Trader And Economics
Pupils' play a game applying different economic and game terms. In the game, the students' are to travel to 4 planets which provide the best resources for increasing their money to purchase a moon in the end. The pupils' keep track of...
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Measuring the Speed of Light
Students explore physics by completing measurement problems in class. In this speed of light lesson, students discuss the importance of knowing the speed of light and how it affects many aspects of human life on Earth. Students identify...
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Sunspots: Correlating Sunspots to Active Regions
Students investigate sunspots. They use solar imaging from satellite instruments which are currently circling the sun. Students compare images from the satellites and determine the existence of a correlation between the two types of...
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The Cassini Robot
Learners compare the functions of a robot to that of the human body. In this technology lesson, students identify the important components of the Cassini robot that would enable it to carry out space missions. They design and build their...
Messenger Education
Exploring Solar Systems Across the Universe
Scientists have theorized that our solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago. In this pair of activities, learners first hypothesize how our solar system was formed. Using this information, groups then determine how scientists search for...
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Sky Watching
Middle schoolers explain how our knowledge of the sky has been enhanced by telescopes. They make their own night-sky observations, diagram and describe what they see, and examine pictures taken by telescopes.
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Sky Watching
Students complete night-sky observations to understand how our knowledge of the sky has been enhanced by telescopes. Students complete a timeline worksheet giving the history of telescopes. Students then then make their own observations...
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Lotto or Life: What Are the Chances?
Though the website does not seem to have the mentioned video, a reding and lottery style games simulate the chances of finding intelligent life somewhere other than Earth. Without the video, this lesson is short, but it can be a useful...
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Sweet Candy Comets
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this lesson, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the lesson by making an edible model of a comet. This...