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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space: Our Star, the Sun, and Its Friends, the Planets

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine the solar system. In this space lesson, students identify the order of the planets and their relative size to the sun. Students create a scale model of our solar system using a variety of household objects.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison Activities

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Students explore the size of the sun and it's temperature. Using the Internet, students visit given websites to compare the sun's diameter, outer layers, and mass to visual items students can relate to. They also compare the sun's...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Fun in the Sun

For Students K - 1st
For this word search worksheet, students locate words related to summer. The word list includes sun, smile, beach, play, and warm.
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Organizer
Curated OER

Sun-Shadow Mandala Worksheet

For Students 5th - 9th
In this Sun-Shadow Mandala Worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer and create an original mandala. Students are given 8 categories with related questions as a guide.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sun Affects Earth

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution.  In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders examine how the sun effects the Earth's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water.  In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth, Sun, and Moon

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students participate in a demonstration and complete an online activity that illustrates the earth orbits the sun once a year, and that the moon takes approximately 28 days to orbit the earth.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solar System

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners examine effects of the sun on the planets in our solar system.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do Plants Need Water?

For Teachers 1st
First graders observe the effects of varying amounts of water, sun, and air on lima bean plants. They also predict and describe their outcomes in a written report.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using a Sundial

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the use of a sundial to tell apparent time. In this sundial lesson, students watch a teacher demonstration using a flashlight to create shadows. They discuss what happens to shadows of different objects as the position...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Capturing the Sun's Warmth

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Passive solar heating is a technology that's been in use for thousands of years. Here, elementary schoolers are exposed to this type of heating, the materials that are used in passive solar heating, and they study how engineers design...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students locate Japan on a globe, name the major physical features, and describe the physical environment. They survey the differences and similarities between the life and culture of Japanese young people and American young people.
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Racing With the Sun - Creating a Solar Car

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Here's an exciting and innovative lesson that's sure to get your charges fired up! In it, they use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar powered car. One caveat: the kits that each group needs to make their...
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Interactive
PHET

Gravity And Orbits

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Have you ever wanted to turn off gravity? This simulation allows learners to do just that in addition to altering other variables. Scholars can move the sun, Earth, moon, and space station to see how distance affects gravitational pull....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shade Temperatures, Sun Temperatures

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
A simple activity prompts learners to take temperature readings in the shade and in the sun. This would be a good supplement to any study of how trees keep our environment cooler.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2008

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Throughout this earth science exam, high-school geologists complete a series of multiple choice and short answer questions about the solar system, atmosphere, and earth system. This is an amazing test, as are all of the exams developed...
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App
GoSoftWorks

GoSkyWatch Planetarium for iPad - The Astronomy Star Guide

For Students 6th - Higher Ed
Digital compass alignment enables navigation of the skies with true orientation at any time. Just point to the sky or "aim for the stars!" This application acts as a virtual telescope, allowing you to zoom in on any object that is...
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Interactive3:06
Scholastic

Study Jams! Tides

For Students 5th - 9th Standards
The tide will turn in your earth science or oceanography unit when viewers see this clip. They learn that tides are caused by the gravitational pull of our moon, and are even impacted by the gravity of the sun. High, low, neap, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Science: Constellations and the Sun

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners review the zodiac signs and illustrate their movement using constellations on the wall and themselves to represent earth. Individually or in groups, they stand in the center of the room while a shadeless lamp is placed between...
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Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Here Comes the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners explore concept of how solar energy is gathered by solar panels and adapted to provide power to machines, disassemble solar powered calculator and explore component parts, and work in teams to suggest design enhancements to the...
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Organizer
Curated OER

How is the Sun Important to the Earth?

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this sun worksheet, students will write down 4 facts about the sun and come up with a conclusion about the importance of the sun based on their facts. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Sun

For Students 7th - 9th
Based on chapter 23 of the Glencoe science textbook, this activity provides students with a table of observed sunspots and the years in which they were observed. Students then answer a series of questions about the above information,...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Sun Helps Things Grow

For Students 2nd
In this sunlight worksheet, 2nd graders focus on things that need energy from the sun in order to grow. Students color the 5 pictures that require the sun for survival.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun-Earth Day Flip Books

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students assemble flip books. In this Earth science lesson, students read about different solar occurrences and create flip books. This teacher resource has links to create six different flip books.