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Heavens Above
Middle schoolers study the stars and their positions. In this astronomy lesson students see how scientists can predict the positions of the stars and can tell how they would have appeared in the past.
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Sky Pictures
Students investigate constellations. In this space science instructional activity, students view transparencies of constellations and identify the zodiac constellations. Students research the legends connected with the constellations.
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Stellar Observations
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.
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Solar System Bead Distance Activity
Middle schoolers create a scaled solar system model using colorful beads. In this space science instructional activity, students convert AU units into metric measurements. They arrange the planets according to their distances from the sun.
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Planets Curriculum
Students complete an in-depth study of the known planets in the solar system. As a class, students identify the planets that are known in the universe, in the night sky. They explain the differences between planets and stars and the...
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Astrology: Fact or Fiction?
Students explore the topic of astrology and review the beliefs behind it. They read sample horoscopes. Using a portable digital planetarium, they view the night sky and the zodiac constellations. They examine and discuss the science...
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The Solar Cycle
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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Pulsar Stars And Black Holes
Learners explore the discovery of pulsar stars, and the characteristics of pulsar stars. Theories and ideas behind black holes are discussed. The issues of women's historical role in science are also touched on.
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Mars: Off the Charts--Until You Put It There
Learners explore the night sky and make illustrations which are shared in class the next day. Distinctions are made between the stars and the planets and views of the constellations for the season are made available. The work of early...
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Constellation Creations
Fourth graders puncture holes in black paper to represent stars in constellations. They glue white paper behind the black to show the stars. They create several constellations and keep them to use as study guides.
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A DISAPPEARING ACT Astronomy: Do Stars Always Shine?
Students observe why stars are not visible during the day with a classroom demonstration using an index card punched with holes.
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Finding the Pole Star
Students study the constellations fo the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia and their use in finding the Pole Star. They realize that other celestial objects--Sun, Moon and planets--share the rotation (and hence rise and set), even though their...
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Stars and Slopes
Young scholars use the slopes of various curves plotted on log-log graph paper to classify stellar objects as binary stars, supernovae, or active galaxies.The data used in this instructional activity were obtained from X-ray astronomy...
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Sky Time: On the Astronomical Meaning of the Day, Year and Seasons
Learners simulate the movement of the Earth using their body motion. In this earth science instructional activity, students explain how this causes seasonal changes on Earth.
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Illustrate the Constellations
Students research ancient Greek heroes immortalized in constellations. They choose three constellations in either the summer or winter sky to illustrate and reinforce their understanding of the northern constellations.
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Timekeeping by the Sun
Students measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
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Follow the Falling Meteorite
Students use triangulation method to locate meteorite landing site on the map. In this earth science lesson, students participate in a meteorite treasure hunt set up by the teacher. They explain how this method is used by scientists to...
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Energy: The Universal Currency
Science stars examine the concept of energy by thinking about everyday situations. The lesson plan is incohesive. It lists goals for the student, but doesn't address all of them in the content. The best use of this resource would simply...
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Star Child Astronomy
Students gain understanding of the relationship of Earth within the Solar System. They increase knowlegde of the planets, sun, moon, meteoroids, asteroids and comets.
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A Different Kind of Rock Star: Part 2
Students examine our society's fascination with Mars. In this journalism lesson students read an article that outlines the various ways Mars has captured our imagination and are given topics for discussion and a chart to complete.
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Star Quest
Students engage in a lesson of using maps in order to find constellations in the night sky. They also conduct research using three constellations. The research is used to create a project to inform others. The teacher also leads the...
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A Star Party
Students explore the parts and function of a telescope. In this investigative lesson students gain an understanding of a telescope and identify planets and constellations.
Virginia Department of Education
Modeling the Big Bang Theory
Young astronomers learn about the Big Bang Theory and redshift through a hands-on activity in the last installment of a three-part series. Participants draw dots on balloons and then inflate them to model how galaxies moved farther apart...
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Exploring the Constellations, a WebQuest Activity
Students explore space science by participating in a class WebQuest. In this constellation identification instructional activity, students view star charts based on the four seasons and identify the changes our sky goes through in the...