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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Illustrate the Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson plan, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. For this lunar lesson, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Students view images of the moon and utilize chalk to...
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Activity
It's About Time

The Sun and Its Effects on Your Community

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Why is the sun round? Examine this question, and others, with your pupils while teaching them how to live in a more earth-friendly environment. Pupils explore Sun composition and discuss how solar wind, sunspots, and solar energy affects...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers construct a sketch of the planets in our solar system using concentric circles and angles. In this solar system lesson plan, students plot the position of each planet on concentric circles using graph paper. The sun is...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

For Teachers 7th - 8th
In this astronomy worksheet, students use a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to examine the relationship between the average temperatures of stars and their absolute magnitude. After viewing the diagram, they complete 10 short answer questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Young scholars plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson plan, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Young scholars work in groups...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hot Air

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct an experiment to determine how hot air affect the path of laser. In this physics lesson, students explain why stars appear to twinkle at night. They discuss how light travels from space to Earth.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties of Dust

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the dust in their classroom and relate it to the dust in space.  In this investigative lesson plan students collect dust and graph their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tracking and Tracing Sunspots

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners examine sunspots. In this sunspot lesson, students use applets to investigate the movement of sunspots. Learners research sunspots and evaluate the rotation of the sun. Lesson references outside resources not available in this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Students produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galaxies

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the provided website to classify galaxies after exploring information about elliptical, spiral, lenticular, and irregular galaxies and using the Hubble Tuning Fork.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling the Big Bang and the Formation of the Universe

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders conduct an experiment to understand the Big Bang Theory.  In this Big Bang Theory lesson, 6th graders will observe a balloon with confetti popping to emulate and analyze information related tot he Big Bang theory. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bubble-ology

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learners observe the visible spectrum while observing light hitting the surface of bubbles. They blow large bubbles and observe how the colors change.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Studying Shadows

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Young scholars measure shadows and explore the altitude of the sun.  In this sun lesson students will graph the length of shadows and solar altitude against time. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constellations

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore constellations. They read trade books about constellations and write notes including their locations, origins, and names. They research and report on one constellation in the Northern Hemisphere and share their report...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We Alone

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders collect/analyze data and draw conclusions; support reasoning by using a variety of evidence; construct logical arguments; access information at remote sites using telecommunications; apply the concept of percent;...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners examine the relationship between temperature and brightness.  In this astronomy lesson students will correlate the evolution of stars to the HR diagram plotted. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Difference Between Comets, Meteors And Asteroids

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students use Venn diagrams to highlight the similarities and differences between comets, meteors, and asteroids.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SETI WebQuest and the Drake Equation

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners complete a WebQuest where they research the Internet for extraterrestrial intelligence. In this extraterrestrial lesson plan, students also explore how the Drake Equation can predict the occurrence of life elsewhere.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hubble Space Telescope Webquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars research the Hubble Space Telescope. In this Hubble Space Telescope instructional activity, students complete a webquest about the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Parallax to Determine Distances

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study parallax and what it is used for.  For this distance lesson students complete an activity that allows students to get experience using a parallax.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Universe

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students describe what scientists mean by an "expanding universe" in their own words. They explain how scientists comprehend the universie is expanding. Students comprehend the vast scale of the universe. They comprehend how theory...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mirror, Mirror

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the Law of Reflection and how light travels.  In this reflection lesson students produce data from their experiment then create a pencil tracing.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stellar Observations

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders study the uses of spectroscopy and the operation of the Hubble space telescope.  In this astronomy instructional activity students complete a lab activity that includes graphing star color and temperature.