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Summer Sky Tour
Learners explore space science by participating in a constellation identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students view star charts based on the different seasons and define a list of astronomy related terms. Learners...
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Exploring the Night Sky: Fall/Winter
Students explain how moon phases occur. They explain three ways that the night sky has been used through history. Students locate some of the constellations in the night sky. They discuss stories and myths surrounding stars.
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Science: Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders use their observations to describe daily and seasonal cycles. through a demonstration using a suspended ball and flashlight, they determine the time of day in various locations. Next, 1st graders participate in a...
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Movement of Air II
In this movement of air worksheet, learners determine the deflection of air masses that result from Earth's eastward rotation. Then they describe what winds provide for different trades. Students also identify and describe the imaginary...
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Our Sun and the Four Seasons
Students discover the relationship between the sun and Earth. In this weather lesson plan, students examine the effect of the sun on the Earth's seasons. Students complete a weather activity using props to simulate the sun and Earth's...
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As the Earth Turns
First graders explore why the sun and moon seems to disappear and reappear creating day and night.
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Science: Day and Night
Pupils listen to the Sky Tellers Native American story, "Ant Dances for Light," and illustrate it. They observe how Earth's rotation results in periods of darkness and light. Students investigate how day length varies throughout the...
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Exploration of the Moon
In this moon activity, students will use a table with facts about the moon to answer questions about the moon's rotation, distance from the Earth, gravity, and temperature. Students will complete 9 short answer questions.
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Seasons
Students investigate the reason for seasons on Earth during three activities. They construct a model of the Earth and Sun to identify patterns in the changes of the angle of light on the Earth's surface. Then they conduct a heat...
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It's A Meteor
Students complete a webquest to find Earth's relationship to the sun. In this webquest lesson, students complete tasks to understand the effect of the sun on weather and time. Students create a multimedia presentation as an end product...
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Sun Shadow Cycles
High schoolers use diagrams to review how the Earth rotates around the sun. In groups, they use the same diagrams to explain how the sun shadows are produced and how they differ between seasons. They describe the Earth's rotation and...
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Investigation 6 - Celestial Model
Third graders investigate why stars appear to move across the night sky.
School World
Moon Observation Project
Mrs. Flynt has designed a 12-day moon observation activity that is best assigned when daylight hours are shorter. Middle school moon experts record several factors, including the altitude above the horizon, the azimuth, the phase, and...
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Lunar Lollipops
Middle schoolers simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases lesson, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.
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The Sun Does What?
Students examine why the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In this sun lesson, students explore the sunset and shadows. Students prove that the sun's position changes during the day. Students investigate what causes a shadow....
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Weather
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
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Taking a Voyage away from Home
Students experience and participate in a journey through a "Voyage" exhibition of the Solar System and the frontier it covers. They build a dynamic model of the Earth and Sun. Descriptions are given on the relative sizes of the Sun and...
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Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
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Moon Shadows
Students study the moon and its shadows. In this moon lesson students complete a lab activity that shows the different shadows and answer questions.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
A Classroom Solar System
Create a scaled model of our solar system in your classroom! Scholars work collaboratively to build paper mache planets and hang them in their proper position to showcase each planet's location in the solar system.
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It's Time to Make Time!
Students explore the evolution of time measurement, and explain the relationship of sunrise/sunset to length of daylight. They collect data and calculations to determine length of daylight during a given day.
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Sundials: Observing and Using Shadows
Learners build sundials and observe changes in shadows over the course of one or more days. They identify patterns in the shadows and discuss how shadows may be used to tell time.
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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.