Curated OER
Solar System Fun Facts
Students read facts about the Solar System. In this solar system lesson plan, students read facts on the dimensions, planets, and workings of the solar system. There is a big emphasis on Saturn.
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Wow, Saturn Is Much Bigger Than Earth!
Learners compare and contrast the sizes of Earth and Saturn. They create scale illustrations of each planet and label them. They share their models with the class.
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What Do I See When I Picture Saturn?
Students create their own Saturn Discovery logs. They draw pictures of the planet and its founder. They share their drawings and writings with partners.
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Wondering About Saturn: A Short History
Students read an article about the history of Saturn. They complete reading comprehension tests. They examine what has been discovered on the planet.
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The Undiscovered Planet
Learners find a planetary object using star fields. In this investigative lesson students determine the distance to an object using trigonometric parallax.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Growing Up With A Mission
New Horizons began its journey to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, it continues its mission. In that time, scholars have surely grown, but how much more will they grow by the time New Horizons reaches its destination? Find out with an...
Redefining Progress
Have and Have-Not
Is there a correlation between a country's wealth and the extent of its ecological footprint? What exactly constitutes an ecological footprint, and how does one country stack up against the rest? This is a unique instructional activity...
Polar Trec
Where is the World's Water?
Scholars discover the amount of the Earth's water in various locations such as the ocean, ice, the atmosphere, etc. They then make a model of the how much water those percentages represent. Finally, analysis questions bring the concepts...
Starry Night Education
The Year and Seasons
Turn your classroom into a live demonstration of how the earth and sun interact to create the four seasons. Using a globe, a light source, and a series of constellation cards, super scientists discover how the motion of these...
Journey Through the Universe
How Far is Far?
The earth only revolves around one thing — and it's not any of your pupils. The lesson includes two activities dealing with the distance to the sun and the moon. First, scholars create a pin hole camera and use the rules of similar...
Messenger Education
Star Power! Discovering the Power of Sunlight
It takes less than 10 minutes for energy from the sun to travel 90 million miles to Earth! In the first installment in a series of four, groups measure the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth. They then discuss how this is...
Space Awareness
How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Take a virtual trip with a geography lesson that uses longitude and latitude, the position of the sun, an astronomy app, and a classroom globe.
PBS
Earth’s Ever-Changing Surface
The Grand Canyon formed between five and six million years ago, but is it still changing? Scholars explore 10 sites in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, to better understand the geoscience processes that formed these...
Curated OER
What are Stars?
Young scholars research the solar system and it's characteristics. For this solar system lesson, students are broken into 4 groups, each assigned a specific part of the solar system. Young scholars use the Internet to research their...
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Mercury and Venus
Students learn about the characteristics of the planets Mercury and Venus. In this planets lesson, students learn about these planets and their differences from Earth. They also learn how the inventions of engineers have made it possible...
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Pioneers of Space
Students explore how to use natural resources in the next millenium. Students create a KWL chart and then research information on our solar systsem, natural resources, and environments. Students build a model of a future community and...
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Outpost Communications Exercise
Learners engage in a unique study of the solar system with the integration of technology in the form of e-mail. They communicate to each other on e-mail and give clues to an imaginary location without revealing the source the students...
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Exploring the Solar System
Students are introduced to earth's moon and the eight other planets in our solar system. Also, students explore the geology, composition, and orbits of other planets by planning a trip to another planet.
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Take a Spin Through the Solar System
Second graders participate in a variety of activities to explore the Solar System in this unit.
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Build a Space Shuttle
Students explore the concept of space. In this space lesson, students pretend to be aerospace engineers. Students build space ships out of cardboard tubes. Students discuss what aerospace engineers do. Students model their space ships...
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The Great Hubble
Students explain how Hubble telescope captures images from space. In this space science lesson, students use the internet to view space photos. They debate on an issue raised by the teacher.
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Earth Rotation
Students examine the rotation of the Earth as it occurs in the 24 hour cycle. They use models of planets and the globe to make observations of movements made. Students brainstorm prior knowledge and then participate in a demonstration of...
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Terrabagga Activity using a Magnetometer
Students use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of a magnetic field. In this magnetism lesson, students build a simulated planet and use a simple magnetometer to determine the orientation of their planet's magnetic field.
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Motion Through the Ages
Eighth graders conduct internet research to produce a timeline of man's growth in understanding of concepts of motion and planetary motion through history.