Curated OER
Solar System
In this Solar System worksheet, 5th graders demonstrate knowledge of parts of the Solar System. Students unscramble letters to list these parts.
Curated OER
Making Craters
Students study craters and identify the different things that characterize craters. In this crater lesson students create a model of an impact crater.
Curated OER
The Vocabulary of Space
Students build their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary related to space. In this space lesson, students discuss four categories of words and phrases related to space.
Other
University of Leicester: Comets, Asteroids & Meteorites
Provides a general overview of comets, asteroids, and meteorites. Content includes ways to identify them in the night sky, as well as detailed information on each type of small body.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Meteor Showers
This video segment adapted from NASA uses animation to illustrate the properties of meteor showers and comets. Included is are visualizations of a comet's tail and of Earth passing through a debris stream left behind by meteoroids.
NASA
Nasa: Asteroids: Overview: Ancient Space Rubble
Comprehensive look at asteroids, with many useful facts, photos, and related links. Provides a detailed account of how asteroids get their names and a timeline of significant dates.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Comets
Amazing Science provides teachers with facts about comets that they can use as a reference or to stimulate class discussion. The science questions support the lesson's activities.
NASA
Nasa Space Place: Asteroid or Meteor: What's the Difference?
Learn the difference between asteroids and comets, meteoroids and meteorites, and more!
NASA
Nasa: Our Solar System Lithograph Set
View a lithograph set that includes pictures and brief descriptions of planets, sun, asteroids, comets, meteors, and meteorites. While viewing the lithograph learn important dates and interesting facts about our solar system.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Earth Impact
This activity poses the question: What would happen if a meteor or comet impacted Earth? Students simulate an impact in a container of sand using various-sized rocks, all while measuring, recording and graphing results and conclusions....
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Asteroids, Comets and Meteors
A brief vocabulary overview describing the difference between asteroids, comets, and meteors.
NASA
Nasa: Our Solar System Overview
This site has links to all the planets, providing an overview of the solar system. It also contains information about asteroids, meteors, comets and other features of our solar system.
NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration
Enter our solar system to interact with the planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, and more. Investigate with NASA scientists and explore missions related to space exploration. Read facts, compare statistics, look through resources, and...
Other
Space weather.com
Want to know what the current weather conditions are in space? Find everything here you may want to know about the latest solar flares, sunspots, asteroids and more. Site also includes essential web links to quench any user's thirst for...
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Piece of Dinosaur Extinction Asteroid Puzzle Recovered
The first meteorite fossil discovered in this period when tests can be run on it, was found at Chicxulub in Northeastern Yucatan, Mexico. Scientists believe it is part of the meteorite which made the dinosaurs extinct.
E-learning for Kids
E Learning for Kids: Science: Antarctica/ What Are the Different Parts of the Universe?
In this lesson, students learn about objects in the universe, including constellations, planets, meteors, asteroids, and comets.
Nine Planets
The Nine Planets: Small Bodies
This site explores the smaller bodies in the solar system, namely the various asteroids and comets. Links are also provided for additional information on related subjects.
Nine Planets
The Nine Planets: An Overview of the Solar System
A detailed overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in the solar system.
NASA
Nasa Star Child: Star Child
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.
Other
Who Dunnit to the Dinosaurs?
"One of the great mysteries in science is the extinction of the dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic Era some 65 million years ago. Who (or more likely what) caused it is unknown and a subject of great debate." Many theories are touched...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Our Solar System Lithograph Set
View these amazing high-quality images of our solar system from NASA with this lithograph set. Each lithograph contains images, facts, dates, and general information on a particular subject. Background information and teaching tips are...
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Berkeley Lab: The Fruitful & Inventive Mind of Scientist Luis Alvarez
This article, reprinted from the fall 1979 LBL News Magazine, was written about Dr. Luis Alvarez and his part in the study of geological sediments and the great extinctions.
Extreme Science
Extreme Science: Space Science: Our Solar System
Read about our solar system and its formation over 4.6 billion years ago. Find out about the planets, asteroids, meteors, satellites, and comets. More in-depth planet background can be accessed through links.
Other
The Apollo Society: The Solar System
Contains a small set of images of solar system objects and a series of links to information about all solar system objects. Solar System Tours link to excellent image collections.