+
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Small Are We in the Scale of the Universe?

For Students 9th - 10th
In 1995, scientists pointed the Hubble Telescope at an area of the sky near the Big Dipper. The location was apparently empty, and the whole endeavor was risky- what, if anything, was going to show up? But what came back was nothing...
+
Handout
Cosmos 4 kids

Cosmos4 Kids: You and the Universe

For Students 3rd - 8th
What is the universe? Learn about this topic in this reference article which includes a video that discusses a finding of a distant galaxy by NASA's Hubble.
+
Lesson Plan
University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: The Milky Way

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will work in groups to make up a story and picture that explains how someone living thousands of years ago in their location might have explained the Milky Way.
+
Website
Other

University of Leicester: Spiral Galaxies

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a general overview of spiral galaxies, including descriptions of the different classes of spiral galaxy.
+
Website
Other

Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Galaxy Zoo

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the universe like you have never seen it. Take part in classifying images of galaxies taken from the Hubble telescope archives. This is a crowdsourced scientific research project.
+
Unit Plan
Harvard University

Chandra X Ray Observatory: Video Podcasts: The Incredible Two Inch Universe

For Students 9th - 10th
A set of podcasts outlining a four-step process for understanding the vastness of our universe, from the vicinity of the Earth and Moon, out into distant galaxies. Downloadable instructions and a handout are included, as well as...
+
Website
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Universe a Bit Safer Than We Thought

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Heather Catchpole's article explores issues related to the collision of galaxies and the subsequent formation of black holes.
+
Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Nasa: Hubble Space Telescope: Universe

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site from HubbleSite you can discover the universe by taking a look back toward the beginning of time. Site contains links to information on planets, stars, galaxies, and much more.
+
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Could Human Civilization Spread Across the Whole Galaxy?

For Students 9th - 10th
Could human civilization eventually spread across the whole Milky Way galaxy? Could we move beyond our small, blue planet to establish colonies in the multitude of star systems out there? These questions are pretty daunting, but their...
+
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Universe, an Introduction

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Start with the questions all students ask: How big is the universe, how far away are the planets and stars, how did they form and when, how do they move and why? Build on their natural curiosity. The Smithsonian, in cooperation with...
+
Website
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: How Did the Universe Begin?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Bite-size introduction to two scientists-Hubble and Lemaitre-who played key roles in formulating the theory of the origin of the universe known as the big bang. Includes an interactive timeline on which you can plot out the approximate...
+
Website
Chem4kids

Chem4 Kids: Chemistry in Space

For Students 5th - 8th
Anywhere there is matter there is chemistry, therefore chemistry is found all over the universe, not only here on Earth. In fact, scientists have even discovered organic chemistry in other galaxies.
+
Handout
European Space Agency

European Space Agency: Story of the Universe

For Students 3rd - 8th
The story of the universe is told in this engaging site by the European Space Agency. The history of European space science is timelined with dates ranging from 1066 to present day. The birth of galaxies, the big bang, and the beginnings...
+
Interactive
Other

University of Cambridge: Astro Adventure

For Students 3rd - 5th
Imagine a time when you can travel through space, planet to planet, cheaply and in comfort, when you can take a trip to the stars as your next holiday. Well, imagine no more. Learn more about the solar system as you take this trip of a...
+
Website
NASA

Nasa: Astronomy Picture of the Day: Edwin Hubble 1889 1953

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of the NASA website, this is a reprint of an article in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada about Edwin Hubble's life and accomplishments, stressing his role in the development of modern astronomy.
+
Website
Other

An Atlas of the Universe

For Students 9th - 10th
What does the universe look like? This website offers visitors a collection of images that serve as an "atlas" of our universe. See multiple charts showing the Earth's distance from the Sun and other stars, find helpful terms in a...
+
Interactive
California Institute of Technology

Cal Tech: Stories From Space: What's in Space?

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Through this story you will be introduced to outer space: stars, the Milky Way, planets, the Solar System, the Sun, clouds of dust and gas, galaxies.
+
Website
NASA

Nasa Star Child: Quasars (Level 1)

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn why quasars are the brightest things in the universe. Vocabulary words linked to a glossary of terms and a printable version are available.
+
Unit Plan
Space Telescope Science Institute

Space Telescope Science Institute: Amazing Space

For Students 9th - 10th
Amazing Space promotes the "science and majestic beauty of the universe for use in the classroom." Here you can find learning activities, lesson plans, teaching guides, and helpful tips for students eager to learn about space and space...
+
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: What Do You Know? Astronomy

For Students 3rd - 8th
Take this ten-question self-scoring quiz to test your knowledge of astronomy facts: age of the universe, why stars and planets are spheres, where other life might exist in the outer space, the Milky Way, and more.
+
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: The Black Hole

For Students 9th - 10th
This site examines the black hole as an object in astrophysics. Delve into this comprehensive resource that covers this concept from its history, to qualitative physics, the reality of black holes, mathematical physics and more.
+
Website
NASA

Nasa Star Child: Star Child

For Students 3rd - 8th
StarChild from NASA defines and describes the Solar System in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. The website is broken down into two versions for the student, grade school and junior high.
+
Website
European Space Agency

European Space Agency: Esa Kids: Our Universe: Supernovas

For Students 3rd - 8th
A basic overview of supernovas. Links to more information about starts, planets and other objects in our solar system and galaxy are included.
+
Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Introduction to Motion

For Students 9th - 10th
What do you think of when you hear the word motion? Are you moving right now? You may not think so, but you are. Remember, the Earth is moving around the Sun, and the Sun is moving around the Milky Way Galaxy. Everything in the universe...