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Sculpt-a-Planet
Students study the moon and the planets. They create a painted, paper mache moon or planet sculpture.
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups to research an...
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Reasons for Seasons
Students investigate a model of the tilt of the Earth in its relationship to the Sun during the different seasons of the year. They study the solstices and equinoxes, while determining how sunlight hits the Earth with different angles in...
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South Pole Base Gamma
Students design a South Pole base. In this science lesson, students discuss characteristics of the South Pole and work in a group to design a base that will be named "Gamma." Students sketch their design.
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Out of This World
Fifth graders animate their own planets. In this solar system lesson, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when played...
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Mercury
Students study the planet Mercury and develop an understanding of the planet's composition, geology, and other important characteristics. They explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury which is the central focus of this lesson.
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Foucault's Pendulum
Young scholars investigate how the motion of the Foucault pendulum proves that the Earth is rotating. They research the Internet about pendulums and conduct an experiment online. They view a multimedia presentation about pendulums and...
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Our Sun and the Four Seasons
Students discover the relationship between the sun and Earth. For this weather lesson, students examine the effect of the sun on the Earth's seasons. Students complete a weather activity using props to simulate the sun and...
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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...
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Space Exploration
Students explore the significance of the four space programs: Sputnik, Apollo, Viking, and Voyager. In this space exploration instructional activity, students view a space exploration slideshow and complete an included chart of space...
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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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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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It's Just a Phase
Sixth graders are introduced to the correct terminology for the phases of the moon and arrange picture cards in the correct order. They use flashlights and Styrofoam balls to illustrate the phases of the moon. They write science journal...
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It's Just a Phase
Students describe the phases of the moon and play a game with moon phase cards.
Space Awareness
Meet Our Neighbors: Sun
The sun isn't just a ball of yellow! Young scientists learn about the features of the sun using a hands-on modeling activity. They build models of the sun using common household items to represent sunspots, solar prominence, and the...
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Moon, Mars, and Beyond-Mission Briefing
Students complete this introductory instructional activity in which they find out about the scenario for a simulated online space mission. They review vocabulary and complete a review sheet to reinforce the details of the mission and its...
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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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Let's Think About Day and Night
Students explore day and night and the relationships between the Earth, the sun and the moon. They discuss the ways in which the sun and moon help us. They watch a short video that helps illustrate these concepts.
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The Starry Night Time and Day Time
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
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Lunar Field Trip
Students take a virtual tour on Google Moon of what human life would be like on the moon. In this moon lesson plan, students also compose web diagrams, make charts, make a time line, investigate problems, and more.
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Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
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Eratosthenes
Students examine what Eratosthenes is and the history behind him. In this earth lesson students complete a hands on activity to repeat Eratosthenes' experiment.
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Forces in Action
Students investigate questions centered around force and motion by going through the scientific process and creating fair tests and experimentation. In this instructional activity about forces-in-action, students diagram their findings...
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Interdependence and Adaptation
Fifth graders construct a food web to illustrate how animals and plants are interdependent. In this interdependence lesson, 5th graders identify how consumers, producers, herbivores, carnivores and predators are related in a habitat....