CK-12 Foundation
Cassegrain Telescope
How does a telescope magnify images? Learners first watch a tutorial explaining the basic construction of a telescope. Then they interact with a simulation that allows for changes in the location and diameter of the reflecting mirrors....
Curated OER
Infrared Telescope
Most of the twenty slides in this presentation include photographs or diagrams, making it an eye-catching way to teach about infrared telescopes. The pros and cons of using infrared light to study outer regions of space are explained....
Smarter Balanced
View Through a Telescope
Preparing for an assessment? Here's an activity that will ensure that all class members have the background knowledge they need to demonstrate their skills on a performance task related to the solar system and the tools astronomers use...
Curated OER
Labs from YSI 95: Telescopes
Students build a telescope and give quantification of its magnification and field of view while making observations regarding images. In this telescope lesson plan, students use a simple lens to project a scene and examine various...
Curated OER
Telescope Allocation Committee
Students create a research proposal and write letters to researchers to explain why their proposals were rejected. In this astronomy lesson plan students use the Internet to help them to write a proposal on what they observed...
University of Colorado
Strange New Planet
The first remote sensors were people in hot air balloons taking photographs of Earth to make maps. Expose middle school learners to space exploration with the use of remote sensing. Groups explore and make observations of a new...
Curated OER
Sky Watching
Students explain how our knowledge of the sky has been enhanced by telescopes. They make their own night-sky observations, diagram and describe what they see, and examine pictures taken by telescopes.
Curated OER
Virtual Venus
High schoolers practice using the tool of remote telescopes in order to make observations in space. The lesson includes the best times of year to make observations. They use the internet to obtain information and to initiate the use of...
NASA
Collecting Electromagnetic Radiation
Astronomy is literally over your head, but this lesson will explain how we study it. Young scientists make telescopes, calculate and compare the light gathering power of lenses, and simulate detection of infared radiation....
American Museum of Natural History
Cosmic Connection
Do you see what I see? Individuals view eight images from the Hubble Space Telescope and then determine exactly what is being shown in the images. The pictures range from the rings of Saturn to views of billions of galaxies that take up...
California Education Partners
Telescopes
An assessment challenges scholars to read an informative text then respond with an explanatory essay. The exam begins as participants read a text passage twice then take notes, making sure to jot down key details. Following the...
Curated OER
Make a Telescope!
Students study modern astronomy and technology. In this telescope instructional activity students design and build a refracting telescope then redesign for better performance.
Curated OER
The KAO Telescope
Students explore the basic principles of the operation of the NASA's KAO telescope. They construct a simplified model of it using film canisters and other everyday objects. Step by step directions are included in plan.
Curated OER
Radio Astronomy and Radio Telescope
Students construct a simple radio telescope. In this astronomy lesson, students explain how this telescope works and what information it collects.
Curated OER
Lenses and Telescopes
Students examine telescope construction. In this telescope lesson, students examine the lenses used in telescopes by exploring with convex and concave lenses.
Curated OER
Sky Watching
Students complete night-sky observations to understand how our knowledge of the sky has been enhanced by telescopes. Students complete a timeline worksheet giving the history of telescopes. Students then then make their own observations...
Curated OER
Sending Messages to Space
Students interpret a message sent to space using a radio telescope and draw inferences from the interpreted message. Working with a partner, they interpret data that scientists believe is a message from aliens. They work on organizing...
K12 Reader
Galileo and His Telescope
Learn about Galileo Galilei's contribution to modern science with a reading passage that focuses on reading comprehension. After kids read several paragraphs about his life, they answer five questions about the information they have just...
Curated OER
Solar System Multiple Choice Activity
In this solar system worksheet, students complete a ten question multiple choice page pertaining to the solar system. Prior knowledge is assumed.
Curated OER
Star Gazer
Young scholars create a KWL chart on stars and telescopes. In groups, they make estimates on the distances between the Earth and different stars. To end the lesson, they make their own paper stargazer and use it to complete other...
K12 Reader
Galileo and His Telescope
Readers are asked to identify how a key detail reveals the main idea of a paragraph about Galileo.
Curated OER
Sky Quest: Exploring the Constellations
Students examine constellations and planets through completing various activities. Students work individually and in groups to create drawings based on stars, compare and contrast the night sky with and without a telescope and learn...
Curated OER
Algebra: Mirror, Mirror on the Universe
Students assess how algebra, telescopes, space exploration and optics are so important in astronomy. They encounter studies on the Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble Deep Field and how algebra helps to determine the effects of contamination...
Curated OER
Astro-Madness
Students study the different telescopes and instruments used in the Observatory. In this engineering and research lesson students explore telescopes using a website and build data tables about them.