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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SETI WebQuest and the Drake Equation

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners complete a WebQuest where they research the Internet for extraterrestrial intelligence. In this extraterrestrial lesson plan, students also explore how the Drake Equation can predict the occurrence of life elsewhere.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete a WebQuest in order to better explain solar and lunar eclipses. They observe images and videos of eclipses from around the world.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars examine eclipses. In this eclipse lesson, students investigate solar and lunar eclipses. Young scholars complete a WebQuest and write a descriptive summary of eclipses. Lesson references a WebQuest, but does not include a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cosmic Rays

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Students study cosmic rays and the energy behind them.  In this atmospheric lesson students complete a cosmic ray telescope project. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Be A Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify the name, order and attributes of the planets. They role play the position of planets, and draw pictures of the planets as well.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comets And Meteor Showers

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hubble Space Telescope Webquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars research the Hubble Space Telescope. In this Hubble Space Telescope instructional activity, students complete a webquest about the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World In Motion Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Middle schoolers recognize the difference...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sky Stories Curriculum

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the stories told by ancient cultures about the constellations. They listen to stories told by the Greeks and Romans. The classroom should have posters of constellations for the lesson and the teacher performs...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Jupiter's Moons

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students explore Jupiter's Moons. They calculate and predict the location of Jupiter's 4 large moons. In addition, they draw Jupiter with its moons correctly shown for the time of the observation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three D Constellations

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students are introduced to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder. They convert spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates to construct a three dimensional model of a constellation...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Best of the Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students visit a site which provides images to be analyzed. Notes are taken and planets are named based on observed features and observations. Using peer review, they try to determine the identity of the planets. They are free to browse...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moons Of The Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate the solar system and its moons. They conduct research in groups to find information. Also the teacher uses models of the planets in order to teach different facts about the solar system through the use of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do We Explore Strange Environments?

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars identify and label the different parts of a robot, rover, or a spacecraft. They discuss and record all of the features their robot will need to accomplish its mission and be able to explain why they chose these features...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

#22 Frames of Reference: The Basics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of frames of reference in physics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Celestial Sphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are introduced to the celestial sphere, describing its apparent rotation and the special role of the pole star.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frames of Reference: The Basics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners learn the concept of frames of reference in physics. They examine how two frames of reference, each moving with respect to the other with a constant velocity v (constant speed, constant direction).
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day and Night

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are Stars?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars research the solar system and it's characteristics.  For this solar system lesson, students are broken into 4 groups, each assigned a specific part of the solar system.  Young scholars use the Internet to research their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic School Bus Lost in Space

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore outer space as they visit the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in order to learn about our solar system.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sweet Candy Comets

For Teachers 4th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unveiling the Secrets of Saturn

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students read and study an article then answer questions on Saturn.  In this investigative lesson students identify ways space exploration has helped humanity and then they search the Internet for space pictures and sketch a drawing of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitable Zones

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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...