Curated OER
The Nine Planets
A solid lesson on teaching the nine planets in our solar system is here for you. In it, young scientists learn the correct order of the planets, and they choose one of the planets to do a research report on. They must come up with five...
Journey Through the Universe
Our Solar System
Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...
Curated OER
Day and Night
Good Night, Moon is a classic little ones absolutely love. It's a sweet book that can be used, as in this lesson, to start a conversation about the difference between night and day. After reading the story, the class brainstorms...
Teach Engineering
The Amazing Red Planet
Introduce your class to Mars with a resource that provides information about its size, location, length of day, length of year, number of moons, and average temperature. Also includes is information about the lans for past...
Curated OER
Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?
Students use NASA satellite data to see cloud cover over Africa. In this seasons instructional activity students access data and import it into Excel.
Curated OER
Eclipse: Using a Classroom Model to Explore the Moon's Shadow
Students manipulate and observe a 3-D model which simulates the activity of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a solar eclipse.
Curated OER
Planetary Surface Evolution and Resurfacing
Students are provided with drawings of planet surfaces in order to investigate different types of planetary terrain. They make observations for each planet and discuss the characteristics observed. The lesson plan includes background...
Curated OER
Solar System Hall Model
Not novel, but fun, this lesson gets your space science learners to model the size of the planets and the solar system along your school's hallway. Scaled measurements as well as actual distances are provided for both planet diameters...
Curated OER
Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation with Simple Machines
First graders engage in a activity that is about Newton's Laws Of Gravitation while conducting research in order to perform an information search. They sing a song about the Law of Gravitation and play a game of Ring Around The Rosie....
Curated OER
How Big is the Sun? Exploring the Size and Scale of the Sun, Earth and Moon
Students explore the relative sizes of the Sun, Earth and Moon as they make an impressive large-scale model for classroom use throughout the unit.
Curated OER
Scale Model of the Solar System
Students explore the size of the planets. In this science lesson, students create a scale model of the solar system. Students determine a scaling factor and calculate the size of their planets. Students create a scale drawing of the...
Curated OER
The Earth, Sun Mood and Stars Unit (Planets too!)
Fifth graders prepare five activities to do then show their energy saving skills. In this investigative lesson students create five projects then participate in an energy saving demonstration.
Curated OER
Adding the Moon: Using a Playground Model to Explore the Movement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon
Students experience the rotation of the Earth and the Moon, and the revolution of the Moon around the Earth using a playground model.
Curated OER
The Planet Earth
Students explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.
Curated OER
Tides & Lunar Cycles
Students demonstrate how the moon affects the tides, a neap tide, and spring tides by using their bodies as models. After students observe the model they created, they draw and label the diagram on a provided worksheet. They then log...
Curated OER
Lunar Lollipops
Students 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.
Curated OER
Regolith Formation
Students study what regolith is and how it contrasts with weathering on Earth. In this weathering lesson plan students divide into groups, hypothesize and confirm their guesses.
Curated OER
28 Days - The Lunar Cycle time line
Third graders create a labeled lunar diagram time line illustrating the lunar cycle using Internet resources. An assigned date/month is given to each student, and an online Moon Phase calculator assists them with their drawings.
Curated OER
Calculating the Moon's Width
Sixth graders measure the width of the Moon. In this Moon measurement lesson, 6th graders observe the Moon and complete a formula to calculate the width of the Moon.
Curated OER
Sky Pictures
Learners investigate constellations. In this space science lesson, students view transparencies of constellations and identify the zodiac constellations. Learners research the legends connected with the constellations.
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take and examine the water cycle. In this hands-on science lesson, students participate in activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
University of Colorado
Clay Planets
Why do scientists use models? In the first installment of 22, groups create scale models of our solar system. They then share and discuss their models.
University of Colorado
Are All Asteroids' Surfaces the Same Age?
There are more than 600,000 asteroids in our solar system. Pupils analyze images of two asteroids in order to determine if they are the same age. They count craters for each asteroid and compare numbers.
Messenger Education
Look But Don’t Touch—Exploration with Remote Sensing
Mars is home to the tallest mountain in our solar system, Olympus Mons. In this set of two activities, learners review geologic land formations through the analysis of aerial maps. They then apply this knowledge to aerial maps of objects...