Curated OER
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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The Flat-Out Truth
In this Earth's shape worksheet, students read an article about a gentleman who believes the Earth is flat. Then students complete 5 short answer questions.
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Space Science
Eighth graders study the objects in our solar system. In this space lesson students identify and describe planets, then classify them as terrestrial or gaseous.
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Demonstrating Moon Phases
Third graders participate in a demonstration of the moon's phases. In this moon phase instructional activity, 3rd graders watch as the teacher demonstrates moon phases with a bright light and a Styrofoam ball. They answer questions...
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Seasonal CEENBoT
Students simulate the Earth's revolution around the sun using CEENBoT. In this earth science lesson students calculate the Earth's distance in AU and it's speed of revolution. They explain how the Earth's movement cause seasonal variation.
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Astronomical Data
In this astronomy worksheet, students use a chart with planetary data comparing the inner planets to each other. Students will use the period of rotation, period of revolution, and distance from the sun for these inner planets to...
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Hopping Across the Solar System
Learners role-play and communicate that objects in space have describable properties, locations, and movements. Students identify and communicate effectively that Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system, eight other...
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Toilet Plunger Sundial
Students build a sundial to measure the local noon time. In this third grade science lesson, students build a sundial out of common materials and align to measure the local noon. This lesson is a hands-on tracking of the sun, and allows...
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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.
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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...
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Kepler's Third Law
Students use Kepler's third law to derive the velocity in a circular orbit of any radius, and identify the Earth escape velocity.
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The Path of the Sun, the Ecliptic
Students are introduced to the ecliptic, the zodiac and the apparent motions of the Sun, Moon and planets across the sky.
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Phases of the Moon
Sixth graders learn that the moon orbits the Earth in a predictable cycle. Each learner engages in a two-week observation of the moon. They sketch its appearance, and take note of its position in relation to objects in their yard. Some...
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Cryosat Mission
Beginning with general information on satellites and seasons, concluding with polar ice and the Cryosat Mission, this worksheet gives your earth scientists an opportunity to conduct some research. Most of the assignment consists of short...
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The Solar System and Beyond
What an inspiring PowerPoint! The color scheme and pictures all contribute to the scientific style of this PowerPoint and will keep the attention of your junior high kids. The diagrams help illustrate the positioning of the moon, sun and...
Star Date
Modeling the Night Sky
Dramatize the stars and planets as they become a visual representation of the solar system in this activity. Young astronomers track and simulate various constellations as they orbit the Earth to learn the position and motion of objects...
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Universal Gravity and Kelper's Laws Worksheet
High school physicists apply their knowledge of planetary motion. Using Kepler's three laws, Newton's law of universal gravitation, and the provided properties of the moon, sun, and Earth, they proceed to solve 23 problems. An answer key...
Messenger Education
My Angle on Cooling—Effect of Distance and Inclination
When exploring Mars, spacecrafts are exposed to 5-11 times more sunlight than when near Earth. Groups of pupils complete a hands-on activity to explore how distance and angle of the sun affect temperature. Through discussions, they then...
Curated OER
Modeling the Solar System
Young scholars build a scaled model of the solar system. For this space science lesson, students arrange them according to their distances from the sun. They analyze each planet's unique features such as density and relative gravity.
Messenger Education
Give Me a Boost—How Gravity Assists Aid Space Exploration
The propellant needed for space explorations runs in the thousands, while paying to get the craft into orbit costs millions! In the second installment of three, two activities explore laws of conservation of energy and momentum. Using...
University of Colorado
The Jovian System: A Scale Model
Jupiter has 67 moons! As the seventh in a series of 22, the exercise shows learners the size and scale of Jupiter and its Galilean moons through a model. They then arrange the model to show how probes orbited and gathered data.
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Hello, Is Anybody Out There? (cont.)
In this space science worksheet, students read an informative passage about radio waves and the possibility of sending messages in space. The passage describes a "Sounds of Earth" record on the Voyager satellite which contains messages...
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Bouncing Sunlight
Third graders use flashlights and balls to demonstrate how the light bounces off of the sun and reflects onto the moon. They record their observations in a journal.
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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.