This is an entirely new list timed to take advantage of recent events such as the Mars landings and the President’s plan for space exploration.
Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address (URL). Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the "Back" button
All of the sites listed were active as of January 24, 2004. The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom. This list is also sent via email to all teachers with school email addresses. If you do not receive it, please call us to make sure we have your correct email address.
Mars Sites Excellent Very Good Good
MARS
SITES 
All sites are also in alphabetical listing.
DESTINATION MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM392
A
lesson plan for elementary students on Mars. "You have been selected to travel on a special mission to Mars. But
before you go, you must decide what to pack. The amount of space for cargo
is extremely limited. Space engineers have collected what they believe to
be the most useful items; however the list is still not cut down – you
only have space for 10 additional items. Discuss this with your group,
make your selection and mark the quantity of each you decide to take with
you. Prepare your extra cargo list. Then you will use a scenario to see
how well you decided. Be sure to note that scarcity can exist in many
different forms and many choices need to be considered. After you are
finished selecting which items to keep you will be able to recognize that
setting your criteria can increase or decrease you chances for
success." Excellent
DESTINATION RED PLANET: EXPLORING MARS, ONE MISSION AT A TIME – LESSON PLAN
MARS!EXPLORE MARS
NOW
MARS!
http://www.exploremarsnow.org/
An interactive Mars habitat to explore. Sections: Mars Base Layout,
Base Exterior, Enter Base, Exit Base, Stair to Upper Level, Laboratory,
EVA Preparation, Airlock, Medical, Bunks, Galley, Wardroom, Personal
Hygiene, Sample Port, Greenhouse, Pressurized Rover, Mission Overview and
Mars Facts. Excellent
EXPLORING MARS IN THE CLASSROOM
MARS!
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/expmars.html
"This
web site provides access to a variety of educational products about Mars
that have been developed at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These
include classroom activities, image collections and slide sets,
descriptive text, and references for further study. All documents included
in this web site are written at a general level." Excellent
LIFE ON MARS: SCIENCE FACT OR SCIENCE FICTION? –
INVESTIGATING AND EVALUATING THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS –
LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990105tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students investigate the basic requirements needed for human
survival and contemplate the possibility of sustaining life on other
planets, as is being researched by the recently-launched Mars Polar Lander
and the Mars Climate Orbiter. As the main activity, students work in small
groups to create a chart and a graph comparing statistics of the nine
planets in the solar system and evaluating the elements that prevent life
from flourishing on other planets." Excellent
MAPPING MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/marsmap.html
A
lesson plan on Mars and mapping for grades 6-8. "This lesson introduces students to some common map projections and
representations (e.g., globes or close-ups) and asks them to consider the
ways that each representation can be used to show specific features of
Mars. Students will draw three different representations of Mars and will
illustrate each one with details of research they have conducted on the
planet." Excellent
MARS
MARS!
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/mars.html
Detailed information about our nearest planetary neighbor including
photos, myths, facts, speculation and more. Note: Part of The Nine
Planets website. Excellent
MARS EXPLORATION ROVER MISSION
MARS!
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
The official site of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Get
the latest news and images. Excellent
MARS EXPLORATION STATION
MARS!
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/ac/mars/index.html
"Scenario: The year is 2031. You are a visitor to Mars and the
Mars Exploration Station, a Martian community for 100 settlers. Through
this site, you can explore the historical study of Mars, discover
scientific information relating to Mars and its resources, and participate
in ongoing discussions about Mars and future settlement of the Red
Planet." Sections: Timeline, Library, Science
Lab, Life Support, and Town Hall. Excellent
MARS LANDING:
EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT – LESSON
MODULE MARS!
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/activities/mars/situation.html
A teaching module on Mars. "This is it! You are Captain
aboard the good ship Low Bid, the first manned spacecraft
to orbit Mars. The trip has been a long one--18 months in a minimum energy
orbit (naturally). It has also been tedious, with only the pilot, and your
know-it-all computer, the SAL 9,000,000,000
(Sarcastic, Arrogant, and
Loquacious: "I'm 32 billion times smarter than
you humans") to talk to. Now that you are actually in orbit around Mars,
it is time to choose a landing site and get off this flying tin can. This
has been a really cost-effective flight, so you have no big windows or
high-powered telescopes aboard, only an internal guidance system
controlled by SAL and some old Viking Orbiter images taken way back in the
70s to help you to find a good spot to settle down. You and the pilot are
a bit concerned about using the old images, but SAL is very nonchalant:
"Don't worry about it. You pick a spot, and I'll land you there within an
accuracy of a few millimeters." Excellent
MARS MOBILES – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/marsmobiles.html
A
lesson plan on Mars and the Earth for grades K-2. "This activity
introduces students to the basic features of the Mars landscape. Students
will compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and create mobiles
showcasing some of the features of the Martian landscape."
Excellent
MARTIAN REAL ESTATE: A GOOD INVESTMENT? – LESSON
PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g35/marsreal.html
A lesson plan comparing Earth and Mars for grades 3-5. "This
lesson has students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and explore
why the two planets are so different. They will conclude by writing
letters convincing fictitious family friends that it is probably not a
good idea to invest in Martian real estate."
Excellent
MISSION TO MARS WEBQUEST
MARS!
http://www.geocities.com/mickey6040/
A webquest on Mars exploration for grades 8-12. "In fourteen
days, your mission team will be the first humans to endeavor on a journey
to mars. Your mission team is comprised of a journalist, a history teacher
and a scientist. You will see things no one else in this world has seen
first hand. Before you go, your team will have some last minute activities
to complete to prepare for your journey. Remember, mystery and the unknown
is everywhere. No human has stepped foot on this planet until now. Your
team coming from varied walks of life, will become the most knowledgeable
individuals about the planet mars. Your journey begins now."
Excellent
MOONWALKING TO MARS? CONSIDERING BUSH’S PLANS FOR HUMAN
EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND MARS – LESSON
PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040120tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Moon and Mars for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students research past U.S. presidents' space exploration goals.
They then synthesize their knowledge by holding a presidential panel to
analyze President George W. Bush's plans regarding missions to the Moon
and Mars." Excellent
MYSTERY ON MARS DERBY
MARS!RED PLANET ROVERS
MARS!
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
News and information about the Spirit Rover exploration of Mars.
Very extensive. Excellent
SCIENCE LESSON PLANS –MARS – ASTRONOMY
MARS!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMO.htm
Lesson plans revolving around the theme the Colonization of Mars.
Excellent
THE TECHNOLOGY OF MARS EXPLORATION – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g912/marstech.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on Mars exploration. "This
lesson asks students to research the types of technology that are used to
map and explore Mars. Students will imagine that they are working as
"technology experts" for NASA, and will create visual presentations to
show the American public the types of technology that their tax dollars
are funding for Mars mapping and exploration."
Excellent
ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT:
– DONNA
SHIRLEY INTERVIEW– MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM
MARS!
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/shi0int-1
Transcript of an interview with Donna Shirley of the Mars
Exploration Program. Includes audio and video clips along with a Profile
and a Biography. Visit the Curriculum Center for teacher and student
materials. Very Good
CENTER FOR MARS EXPLORATION
MARS!
http://cmex.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX/index.html
Brings together NASA’s plans for Mars exploration. Sections: Mars
Concept Maps, Atlas, Calendar, Gallery, Mars Surveyor Landing Sites,
Missions, Movies, and Science. Includes Educator Resources. Very
Good
HOW THE MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS WORK
MARS!
http://science.howstuffworks.com/mars-rover.htm
An explanation for students of how the Mars rovers work, why we use
them instead of people, a day in the life of a rover and more. Very
Good
MISSION TO MARS – LESSON
PLAN
MARS!
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/mission_2_mars/index.html
A
lesson plan for grades 5-12 on Mars and the possibility of humans landing
on Mars. "Sometime during the next twenty
years, a human being may step out of a spacecraft and actually set foot
onto the surface of another world, the Planet Mars! Before that day comes,
many unmanned missions will take place to lead the way. One question that
will need to be answered is where is a suitable place to land. If you
compare the diameter of Mars with the diameter of Earth, it is
approximately one-half the size. But because Mars has no oceans like
Earth, the amount of land is almost the same. This makes for a great deal
of land to choose from! What do you think would be important for a landing
site to have?" Very
Good
KYE’S SKIES MARS LINKS
MARS!
http://www.kyes-world.com/mars.htm
Links to information about Mars. Good
MARS
MARS!
http://calspace.ucsd.edu/marsnow/library/index.htm
Information on Mars. Sections: Mars in Myth & Science Fiction,
Mars Science: What We Know About Mars, Mars Exploration, and Future Mars
Exploration. Good
MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR MARS ORBITER CAMERA IMAGE
GALLERY MARS!
http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/index.html
Contains all of the pictures of Mars obtained by the Mars Global
Surveyor through February 2003. Provides background for current events.
Good
2003: A SPACE TRAGEDY: EXAMINING THE
SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA DISASTER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030203monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the shuttle Columbia disaster for grades 6-12. "In
this lesson, students examine the facts and logistics connected to the
space shuttle Columbia tragedy and present at a teach-in on the incident."
Excellent
AMAZING
SPACE
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/
A
huge array of classroom and online activities with resources for teachers
and students. Includes reading materials, basic facts. Online explorations
and much, much more. Outstanding. Excellent
THE APOLLO PROGRAM
http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/apollo.htm
"This site presents imagery & information from manned
Apollo missions. This information comes from NASA and the National Air and
Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies RPIF collection."
A huge amount of information on the Apollo
missions 1-17 including the spacecraft, astronauts, launches, landing
sites. Includes extensive images and audio and video clips.
Excellent
ASPIRE – SPACE SCIENCE
http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/studentside/lessons.html
"The ASPIRE Lab is now one of the most innovative and
interactive science education websites available on the Internet. You will
find not only fun interactive labs, but well designed and produced
curriculum content, created by teachers for teachers. The powerful
combination of inquiry-based content, along with interactive, hands-on
labs provides a powerful visualization tool for you and your students `to
use. Best of all, the ASPIRE Lab is free!" Includes lessons, quizzes, science fair projects and much more.
Outstanding. Excellent
ASTEROID MINING WEBQUEST
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/asteroid-mining-webquest.html
A
webquest on mining the asteroids for grades 9-12. "You have just won a
contract to write, direct and film a middle-school puppet show about an
asteroid mining colony. This WebQuest guides you through the steps
required to make your puppet show a success." Excellent
ASTRONOMY
BASICS
http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/basics/
Basic
facts and terms for students studying astronomy and the solar system.
Excellent
ASTRONOMY FOR KIDS
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
A
colorful site on astronomy for kids. Sections: Outer Space, Solar System,
Deep Space, Space Exploration, How Big is the Universe?, News, Astronomy
Dictionary, Games and Teacher’s Corner. The Teacher’s Corner includes free
worksheets. The Games include puzzles, word search, coloring pages, space
jokes and more. Excellent
ASTRONOMY – OUR PLACE IN SPACE
http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/index.htm
A
colorful site from the American Museum of Natural History. Sections: The
Journey Begins; Gravity: The Universe’s Main Attraction; A Closer Look at
Mars; One-on-One with the Sun; Cosmic Connections; Don’t Be Lost in Space;
The Milky Way Galaxy; How Did the Universe Begin?; Stuff to Do; Meet the
Ologists; What Do You Know?; and Astro Poll. Outstanding.
Excellent
ASTRONOMY (SOLAR SYSTEM/SPACE) THEME
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/theme/space.html
A
huge list of links to classroom activities, printable, puzzles, recipes
and much more. Excellent
ASTRONOMY/SPACE LESSON PLANS
http://www.aviationnow.com/content/ncof/lo_eas00.htm
A
collection of lesson plans on astronomy and space. All for grades 4-6.
Excellent
ASTRONOMY WEBQUESTS
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/astronomy-webquests.html
A
page of webquests on astronomy. Excellent
AT HOME ASTRONOMY – HANDS-ON SCIENCE
EXPERIMENTS
http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/
A
collection of 10 experiments on the principles of astronomy. Shadow Dance,
Where is the Sun?, Finding the Size of the Sun and Moon, Building a Lunar
Settlement, Meteoroids & the Craters They Make, Rockets Away, Making a
Simple Astrolabe, Using a Simple Astrolabe, The Order of the Planets, and
The Size and Distance of the Planets. Excellent
AN ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE
http://anzwers.org/free/universe/
"This web page is designed to give everyone an idea of what our
universe actually looks like. There are nine main maps on this web page,
each one approximately ten times the scale of the previous one. The first
map shows the nearest stars and then the other maps slowly expand out
until we have reached the scale of the entire visible universe."
Excellent
AURORAS – PAINTINGS IN THE SKY
http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/auroras/
A
self-guided lesson on auroras. Includes audio and video clips.
Excellent
THE BEST OF
HUBBLE
http://wires.news.com.au/special/mm/030811-hubble.htm
A
slide show with sound of the best images from the Hubble Space Telescope.
Very impressive. Note: This takes a while to load but is worth it.
Excellent
BLACK HOLES – JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN –
WEBQUEST
http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/blackhole_webquest/hole5.html
A
webquest for junior/senior students on black holes. "You and your
traveling companions, a group of scientists, are currently enjoying a
remarkable and relaxing tour of the local universe. Your tour guide
suddenly informs you that the rocket's engines have failed. In order to
navigate, the captain will use the enormous gravity of a black hole to
guide you to a nearby help station. Recognizing a great scientific
opportunity, your group, decides to gather as much information about these
mysterious objects." Excellent
BLACK HOLES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=272
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 on black holes. "In this activity,
students will explore a Web resource called No Escape: The Truth About
Black Holes on the Amazing Space website. This is a module that introduces
students to the science of black holes. Students examine the anatomy of a
black hole using a diagram of an accretion disk, the event horizon, and
jets of hot gas. This module also includes subsections about myths, the
history related to the discovery of black holes, an animated trip to the
center of a black hole, a discussion of different types of black holes,
and an opportunity to see actual Hubble images that support the hypothesis
of black holes." Includes worksheets. Excellent
CASSINI-HUYGENS MISSION TO SATURN AND
TITAN
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
"Launched from Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 15, 1997, the
Cassini-Huygens spacecraft will reach the Saturnian region in July 2004.
The mission is composed of two elements: The Cassini orbiter that will
orbit Saturn and its moons for four years, and the Huygens probe that will
dive into the murky atmosphere of Titan and land on its surface. The
sophisticated instruments onboard these spacecraft will provide scientists
with vital data to help understand this mysterious, vast region."
In-depth information on the mission, the
spacecraft, and more including images and videos. Excellent
CERES PROJECT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/EdActivities.html
A
collection of activities and webquests on space and astronomy.
Excellent
CHANDRA X-RAY OBSERVATORY CENTER
http://chandra.harvard.edu/
"NASA's
Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was launched and deployed by Space
Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, is the most sophisticated X-ray
observatory built to date. Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from
high-energy regions of the universe, such as the remnants of exploded
stars. The two images of the Crab Nebula supernova remnant and its pulsar
shown below illustrate how higher resolution can reveal important new
features." Sections: Photo Album, Field Guide, Educational
Materials, Pres Room, About Chandra, Resources, Chandra Chronicles and
more. The Multimedia section has animations and video. The Educational
Materials include classroom activities, projects, puzzles, games,
printables and more. Excellent
CLASSIFYING
GALAXIES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.smv.org/hastings/galaxy.htm
A
lesson plan for grades 5-9 on galaxies. "Topics
Covered by This Lesson: What is a galaxy? - Hubble classification of
galaxies - Practice using Hubble classification system as an example of
how scientists classify objects in nature."
Excellent
COMET WEBQUEST
http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/webweavers/suea/cometweb.htm
A
webquest on comets for elementary students. "A team of
prominent scientists you work with has just discovered a deadly comet
headed for earth. It will impact the earth in just one year. According to
your team the comet is approximately 2 kilometers in size. This comet has
the potential of destroying the human species. Your team of scientists
must find solutions to this threat within 2 months and present your
findings to an international task force on the Impact
Hazards of Comets ." Excellent
COMETS WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Comets.html
A
webquest for elementary students on comets. "Webquests #1-5. We live
in a region of space known to us as the Solar System. The Solar
System consists of planets and their moons, stars (the sun), and other
objects such as asteroids, meteors, and comets. These Web Quests
will explore comets by using web resources. Be sure you have a
pencil and your Comments on Comets booklet."
Excellent
CONSTELLATION CRUSADERS – WEBQUEST
http://www.cesa8.k12.wi.us/teares/it/summer2001/Astronomy/web%20page/constellationindex.htm
"Your adventure begins with a look at 12 myths involving
constellations chosen especially for you. After conquering the myths
provided, you will create your own myth story with a model of that
constellation to represent it. The crew that best fulfills the mission
requirements will become dictators of the science room for 1 day."
Excellent
CONSTELLATIONS IN SCIENCE AND MYTHOLOGY –
WEBQUEST
http://chsweb.lr.k12.nj.us/dscheinberg/constellations/constellations.htm
A
webquest for high school students in which they design and write a book on
constellations for 3rd-5th grade students.
"Each group of four students will produce one illustrated book that
would be appropriate for third to fifth grade students to read and enjoy."
Excellent
CONSTELLATION PRIZES: LEONID METEORS AND MAKING COMETS IN
THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981117tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on comets for grades 6-12.
"In this lesson, students learn
about meteors, meteorites, and comets by reading and discussing a related
New York Times article about the Leonid meteor showers and the methods
that scientists are using to learn from these meteors. Students then
create and observe a comet in their classroom."
Excellent
COSMIC CHEMISTRY WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2000/cosmicchemistry.html
A
webquest for grades 6-9 on chemistry in space. "Purpose: To
investigate the chemistry of stars, nebula, planets, and other celestial
bodies. This activity will help the learner understand and appreciate the
integration of the sciences of astronomy and chemistry."
Excellent
COSMIC
QUEST
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/cosmicquest/index.html
Three
sections: Living in Space: Designing a Space Station, Field Guide to the
Universe, and Expedition to the North Magnetic Pole. Includes Teacher
Resources. Excellent
CULTURAL ASTRONOMY – BRINGING THE HEAVENS TO EARTH
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/ecuip/diglib/science/cultural_astronomy/
"This module explores the cultures that have observed the
heavens, the phenomena they observed, and the ways they incorporated their
observations of the sky into their daily lives."
Sections: Cultures, Phenomena, Cultural
Expressions, Lessons, Multimedia Gallery, Further Explorations, and Tour
the Exhibit. Excellent
DEEP IMPACT? COULD IT HAPPEN? –
WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Deep.html
A
webquest exploring the likelihood that a meteor impact affected life on
Earth and could it in the future. "In this lesson we will explore
the recent information about the crater called Chicxulub. Scientists have
found evidence worldwide that an E.L.E ended the existence of many life
forms and changed the direction of life on Earth as we know it. In this
Web Quest you will search a database and analyze the most recent
information available. At the completion of this lesson you will be able
to answer the question: "What caused the end of the dinosaur age?"
Excellent
DESTINATION MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM392
A
lesson plan for elementary students on Mars. "You have been selected to travel on a special mission to Mars. But
before you go, you must decide what to pack. The amount of space for cargo
is extremely limited. Space engineers have collected what they believe to
be the most useful items; however the list is still not cut down – you
only have space for 10 additional items. Discuss this with your group,
make your selection and mark the quantity of each you decide to take with
you. Prepare your extra cargo list. Then you will use a scenario to see
how well you decided. Be sure to note that scarcity can exist in many
different forms and many choices need to be considered. After you are
finished selecting which items to keep you will be able to recognize that
setting your criteria can increase or decrease you chances for
success." Excellent
DESTINATION RED PLANET: EXPLORING MARS, ONE MISSION AT A TIME – LESSON PLAN
MARS!EDUCATIONAL SPACE SIMULATIONS PROJECT
http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Simulations/simserver.html
"Welcome to the Educational Space Simulations Project,
affiliated with the National Association of Space Simulating Educators
(NASSE). The purpose of this web site is to promote the development of
education via simulation. Although the primary focus of this site is space
simulations, the concept of education via simulation is applicable to a
wide range of disciplines." Contains all of
the instructions necessary along with photos and details of projects
completed by other schools. Outstanding. Excellent
EXPLORE MARS
NOW
MARS!
http://www.exploremarsnow.org/
An
interactive Mars habitat to explore. Sections: Mars Base Layout, Base
Exterior, Enter Base, Exit Base, Stair to Upper Level, Laboratory, EVA
Preparation, Airlock, Medical, Bunks, Galley, Wardroom, Personal Hygiene,
Sample Port, Greenhouse, Pressurized Rover, Mission Overview and Mars
Facts. Excellent
EXPLORE THE
SKY
http://www.seasky.org/mainmenu.html
A
colorful site for students. Sections: Sky News, Astronomy Resources, The
Cosmos, Space Exploration, Sky Lab, Sky Gallery, Sky Links and Sky Games.
Excellent
EXPLORING MARS IN THE CLASSROOM
MARS!
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/expmars.html
"This
web site provides access to a variety of educational products about Mars
that have been developed at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These
include classroom activities, image collections and slide sets,
descriptive text, and references for further study. All documents included
in this web site are written at a general level."
Excellent
EXPLORING PLANETS IN THE CLASSROOM – HANDS-ON
ACTIVITIES
http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/index.html
A
collection of lesson plans and activities exploring Earth and the planets.
Excellent
EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=165
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the solar system. "Students likely know some information about the other planets in
our solar system as well as about earth's moon. In this lesson, students
will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other eight
planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet
would be feasible. Students will determine such factors as: what it
is like, whether or not it is habitable, and how its orbit affects
planning a trip. The lesson begins with a whole class exercise in which
students plan a trip to the moon. In addition to giving students a
broader knowledge of the moon, this exercise gives the teacher an
opportunity to model the steps that students will take as they work in
small groups to research and develop their own
proposals." Excellent
EXTREME SCIENCE SPACE PORTAL
http://www.extremescience.com/spaceport.htm
A
fun, informative site on space. Sections include: Our Solar System, All
About the Sun, All About the Earth’s Moon, How the Earth Was Formed, and
links to other sites such as the Earth Moon Viewer, NASA Shuttle Launch
Cams and more. Excellent
EYE IN THE SKY: EXPLORING THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE: A
WEB SCAVENGER HUNT – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19991207tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the Hubble Space Telescope for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students use the Internet to broaden their knowledge and
understanding of the Hubble Space Telescope by participating in an
Internet scavenger hunt, searching for information about the objectives,
past successes and repair of the telescope. Each student will then write
two additional interesting questions and challenge classmates to both
answer them and to correctly cite the Web sites with the answers."
Excellent
FIREBALLS FROM SPACE
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/fireballs/fireballs.html
A
Discovery Channel feature on meteors. Sections: Latest News, The Hunt for
Earth-Killers, Launch a Fireball at Earth, Big Hits in Earth’s Past,
Landing on an Asteroid. Rendezvous with a Comet, and links.
Excellent
FUTURISTIC FLIGHTS: LEARNING ABOUT AND DESIGNING ORBITAL
SPACE PLANES AND THEIR MISSIONS – LESSON PLANS
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030701tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on space flight for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn about the orbital space plane, NASA's proposed spacecraft
of the future. They then work in groups to plan missions to take place
twenty years from now and design orbital space planes in which to carry
out the missions." Excellent
GALAXY DIRECTORY – ASTRONOMY
http://www.einet.net/galaxy/Science/Astronomy/
A
gateway to a huge number of sites dealing with astronomy and the solar
system. Excellent
GARY’S ASTRONOMY HOMEWORK HELP LINKS
PAGE
http://members.aol.com/gca7sky/astrohelp.htm
A
terrific resource for elementary students researching astronomy and the
solar system. Excellent
GRAVITY AND BLACK HOLES – CURRICULUM
GUIDE
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/ac/gravity/index.shtml
Two
sections: grades 5-8, grades 9-12. "You have been chosen to lead a
select team to orbit Hades and observe its behavior and effects on its
surroundings. The scientific rewards will be fantastic and may challenge
our knowledge of gravity and increase our understanding of this force,
which shapes our Universe. Ultimately, the team hopes to describe the
black hole in a way that will help all people of Earth understand this
entity known mostly through science fiction."
Excellent
HOW OLD ARE THE STARS? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=267
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the stars. "In this lesson, students
examine the Jewelbox cluster, located within the southern constellation
Crux, and determine its age using a relationship between temperature,
color, and luminosity. Before beginning this lesson, students should have
an understanding of what stars are composed of and their life cycle.
Students should also understand the relationship between temperature and
color." Excellent
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 3D SITE
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/vrml/station/
"Welcome to the International Space Station 3D web site. When
your browser has a Virtual Reality Markup Language, or VRML, plug-in, you
will be able to explore these Virtual Reality-based models, either from
the preset viewpoints or by interactive navigation. The intuitive
interactive navigation allows you to explore and discover the
International Space Station." Excellent
AN INTRODUCTION TO REMOTE SENSING – LESSON PLAN - LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=294
A
lesson plan on remote sensing for grades 6-8. "This lesson combines
several resources from NASA's Observatorium to teach about remote sensing.
Although students will learn about the technology involved in remote
sensing as part of the lesson, teachers should focus their attention on
the ideas in the benchmark by discussing how technology has assisted
scientific investigation and how it has enhanced our natural abilities."
Excellent
IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? USING TECHNOLOGY TO SEARCH FOR
EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19980929tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students focus on the tremendous public interest in the potential
of extraterrestrial life. Students read and discuss an article about the
search for alien life. They then divide into small groups and discuss the
issues and implications of this search. Finally, they write about the
complex issues involved in this search and its implications in one of
several suggested genres." Excellent
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html
Get
the latest info and images from the current Mars exploration. Includes
animations, images, videos, feature stories, latest news, other astronomy
news, and more. Check out the Resource Center in the Education section for
information on materials you can get by mail. Excellent
KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/
The
official site for the Kennedy Space Center, where all space shuttles are
launched. Sections include: View Launches & Landings, Spaceport
Technology Center, Expendable Launch Vehicles, Space Shuttle,
International Space Station, Educational Resources, Media Resources, Our
History, Live Video. The Fun Space includes a launch simulation and much,
much more. Outstanding. Excellent
THE LIFE CYCLE OF STARS – WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2003/starlife.html
A
webquest for grades 9-12 on the life cycle of stars. "In this
webquest, you will investigate the process of nuclear fusion explained by
Einstein's famous equation E = MC2 and learn how
mass in the form of hydrogen atoms is converted to helium and causes a
release of energy that makes stars shine. We will also begin to understand
the forces involved in stars that maintain this nuclear reaction and how
these forces change as the star ages." Excellent
LIFE ON MARS: SCIENCE FACT OR SCIENCE FICTION? –
INVESTIGATING AND EVALUATING THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS –
LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990105tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students investigate the basic requirements needed for human
survival and contemplate the possibility of sustaining life on other
planets, as is being researched by the recently-launched Mars Polar Lander
and the Mars Climate Orbiter. As the main activity, students work in small
groups to create a chart and a graph comparing statistics of the nine
planets in the solar system and evaluating the elements that prevent life
from flourishing on other planets." Excellent
LINKS/SITES FOR SOLAR SYSTEM INFORMATION OR
PHOTOS
http://www.indianchild.com/links_for_solar_system.htm
An
excellent page of links to sites on the solar system and space. Note: Many
of the sites appear elsewhere on this list. Excellent
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! MAKING MODELS OF SOLAR ECLIPSES
AND BUILDING PINHOLE PROJECTORS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990810tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on solar eclipses for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn about solar eclipses by participating in a number of
hands-on activities. In class, students work in teams using tennis balls,
grapes and flashlights to model partial and total solar eclipses. At home,
students build pinhole projectors and experiment with how they work."
Excellent
LOOKING BACK, UP AND AHEAD: FORECASTING THE LEONID METEOR
SHOWER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021112tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on meteors for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students
explore how scientists have forecasted the 2002 Leonid meteor shower. They
then pose their own predictions for peak meteor rates per hour during the
2002 shower and compare their results with actual observed rates."
Note: Adaptable for any year. Excellent
LUNAR CYCLE – WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2001/lunarcycle.html
A
webquest for elementary students on the lunar cycle. "Students will
investigate the moon's appearance and changes during the lunar cycle
using the information provided from the internet as well as teacher
made activities." Excellent
THE MAKING OF A STAR: DIAGRAMMING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION MODULE ZVEZDA – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000711tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the International Space Station for grades 6-12. "In
this lesson, students create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space
station module 'Zvezda.' Students use information from the featured
article and information from additional research to help them create their
diagrams." Excellent
MAPPING MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/marsmap.html
A
lesson plan on Mars and mapping for grades 6-8. "This lesson introduces students to some common map projections and
representations (e.g., globes or close-ups) and asks them to consider the
ways that each representation can be used to show specific features of
Mars. Students will draw three different representations of Mars and will
illustrate each one with details of research they have conducted on the
planet." Excellent
MARS
MARS!
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/mars.html
Detailed information about our nearest planetary neighbor including
photos, myths, facts, speculation and more. Note: Part of The Nine
Planets website. Excellent
MARS EXPLORATION ROVER MISSION
MARS!
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
The
official site of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Get the latest
news and images. Excellent
MARS EXPLORATION STATION
MARS!
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/ac/mars/index.html
"Scenario: The year is 2031. You are a visitor to Mars and the
Mars Exploration Station, a Martian community for 100 settlers. Through
this site, you can explore the historical study of Mars, discover
scientific information relating to Mars and its resources, and participate
in ongoing discussions about Mars and future settlement of the Red
Planet." Sections:
Timeline, Library, Science Lab, Life Support, and Town Hall.
Excellent
MARS LANDING:
EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT – LESSON
MODULE MARS!
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/activities/mars/situation.html
A
teaching module on Mars. "This is it! You are Captain aboard the
good ship Low Bid, the first manned spacecraft to
orbit Mars. The trip has been a long one--18 months in a minimum energy
orbit (naturally). It has also been tedious, with only the pilot, and your
know-it-all computer, the SAL 9,000,000,000
(Sarcastic, Arrogant, and
Loquacious: "I'm 32 billion times
smarter than you humans") to talk to. Now that you are actually in orbit
around Mars, it is time to choose a landing site and get off this flying
tin can. This has been a really cost-effective flight, so you have no big
windows or high-powered telescopes aboard, only an internal guidance
system controlled by SAL and some old Viking Orbiter images taken way back
in the 70s to help you to find a good spot to settle down. You and the
pilot are a bit concerned about using the old images, but SAL is very
nonchalant: "Don't worry about it. You pick a spot, and I'll land you
there within an accuracy of a few millimeters."
Excellent
MARS MOBILES – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/marsmobiles.html
A
lesson plan on Mars and the Earth for grades K-2. "This activity
introduces students to the basic features of the Mars landscape. Students
will compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and create mobiles
showcasing some of the features of the Martian landscape."
Excellent
MARTIAN REAL ESTATE: A GOOD INVESTMENT? – LESSON
PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g35/marsreal.html
A
lesson plan comparing Earth and Mars for grades 3-5. "This lesson
has students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and explore why the
two planets are so different. They will conclude by writing letters
convincing fictitious family friends that it is probably not a good idea
to invest in Martian real estate." Excellent
MERCURY – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=309
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on Mercury. "In this lesson, students
will have the chance to view the solar system and identify the sun and
planets that compose it, which is consistent with recommendations that
students begin to pay attention to sizes, distances, and other basic
concepts dealing with the universe. Students then will be well prepared to
explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury—developed by the Adler
Planetarium—which is the central focus of this lesson."
Excellent
MISSION MAKEOVER: EXPLORING THE PURPOSE AND FUTURE OF A
NATIONAL SPACE PROGRAM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030828thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the space program for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn about the broad scope of NASA by investigating current
missions of the agency. They then write speeches arguing for or against
the continued funding of a United States space program."
Excellent
MISSION TO MARS WEBQUEST
MARS!
http://www.geocities.com/mickey6040/
A
webquest on Mars exploration for grades 8-12. "In fourteen days,
your mission team will be the first humans to endeavor on a journey to
mars. Your mission team is comprised of a journalist, a history teacher
and a scientist. You will see things no one else in this world has seen
first hand. Before you go, your team will have some last minute activities
to complete to prepare for your journey. Remember, mystery and the unknown
is everywhere. No human has stepped foot on this planet until now. Your
team coming from varied walks of life, will become the most knowledgeable
individuals about the planet mars. Your journey begins now."
Excellent
MODELING ORBITAL DEBRIS PROBLEMS – LESSON
PLAN
http://illuminations.nctm.org/lessonplans/9-12/debris/index.html
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the debris left in orbit by man-made
objects. "In this lesson, students examine the problem of space
pollution caused by human-made debris in orbit to develop an understanding
of functions and modeling. It allows the students an opportunity to use
spreadsheets, graphing calculators, and computer graphing utilities."
Excellent
MOON MANIA
http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania/index.htm
Information
and lesson plans on the Moon. Excellent
MOONWALKING TO MARS? CONSIDERING BUSH’S PLANS FOR HUMAN
EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND MARS – LESSON
PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040120tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the Moon and Mars for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students research past U.S. presidents' space exploration goals. They then
synthesize their knowledge by holding a presidential panel to analyze
President George W. Bush's plans regarding missions to the Moon and Mars."
Excellent
MYSTERY ON MARS DERBY
MARS!NASA EDUCATION
PROGRAMS
http://www.education.nasa.gov/
Your
portal to all kinds of educational resources and opportunities for
teachers and students. Excellent
NASA KIDS
http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
NASA’s
site for kids. Sections: Rockets and Airplanes, Our Earth, Astronauts
Living in Space, Space and Beyond, Projects and Games, NASA Toons, Stories
by NASA Kids, and more. Includes lots of games, activities, art and
stories. Don’t miss the Teacher’s Corner. Excellent
NASA ONLINE MULTIMEDIA
http://www.spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Multimedia/On-line.Multimedia/.index-text.html
Links
to online multimedia sites from NASA. Sections: 3D Images, 3D Models,
Image Archives, Interactive Models, Multimedia Galleries, NASA Television
CU-See-Me, Panoramic Images, Slide Shows, Sound Archives, Video Archives,
Webcams and also Instructional Materials: Models (to download and
assemble). Excellent
NASA MULTIMEDIA CENTER
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html
NASA’s
gallery of images, video, interactive features, NASA TV and more.
Excellent
THE NINE PLANETS: A MULTIMEDIA TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/billa/tnp/nineplanets.html
"The Nine Planets is an overview of the history, mythology, and
current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in our solar
system. Each page has text and images, some have sounds and movies, most
provide references to additional related information."
An extensive site. Excellent
ONE GIANT LEAP FOR HUMANKIND: REVISITING THE APOLLO 11
MISSION IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES OR LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990719monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on Apollo 11 for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students
gain an understanding of the significance of the Apollo 11 lunar landing
thirty years later by interviewing an adult about his or her memories of
the specific events and impact of the mission. Students then incorporate
their interviews into news articles, imagining that they are journalists
in July 1969 with the goal of documenting citizens' views of this historic
'step for mankind.'" Excellent
OUT OF THIS WORLD: REVISING THE SOLAR SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT
– LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021008tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the solar system for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn about the discovery of miniplanet Quaoar and the newly
disputed status of Pluto as a planet. They then create an updated
children's astronomy text to reflect these potential revisions to the
solar system." Excellent
PEACE ABOVE EARTH: EXPLORING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION ON THE WEB – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990603thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the International Space Station for grades 6-12. "In
this lesson, students use the Internet to broaden their knowledge and
understanding of the International Space Station by participating in an
Internet scavenger hunt, searching for information about the goals,
development and plans for the space station. Each student will then
determine which Web site encountered in their scavenger hunt provided the
most thorough and interesting information and will write a brief review of
that Web site." Excellent
PLANETARY WEBQUEST
http://students.itec.sfsu.edu/edt628/hovey/index.html
A
webquest for middle school students on the planets. "You are a
member of an international scientific team in charge of the first
planetary colony in our solar system. Your team must analyze the different
planets and decide on which planet to colonize. While there is no right
answer, your team must give reasons both for why you chose a particular
planet and why you did not choose the other planets. At the completion of
this assignment each team will also need to: 1. Identify all the planets
from their pictures 2. Give general physical characteristics of the
planets they researched 3. Evaluate the web sites they used as sources"
Excellent
THE PLANETS IN BALANCE – LESSON PLAN
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2256/
A
lesson plan for grades 5-8 on the planets. "Students conduct
independent research on one of the planets in our solar system,
specifically discovering a planet’s composition, weather, atmosphere, and
satellites. Using information on equilibrium and levers, students create
their own mobiles containing planets and satellites. Finally, they will
teach the class about the planet they researched via oral presentations."
Excellent
PLANETSCAPES – A GATEWAY SITE
http://planetscapes.com/
A huge
site on the planets and other bodies of the solar system. Includes
information, puzzles, games and more. This is a gateway site.
Excellent
POWERS OF TEN
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html
"View the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth.
Then move through space towards the Earth in successive orders of
magnitude until you reach a tall oak tree just outside the buildings of
the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. After
that, begin to move from the actual size of a leaf into a microscopic
world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and
finally, into the subatomic universe of electrons and protons."
Sections: Optics Timeline, Student Activities,
Teacher Resources, Tutorials, Background, Intel Play and Movie Gallery.
Excellent
RED PLANET ROVERS
MARS!
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
News
and information about the Spirit Rover exploration of Mars. Very
extensive. Excellent
ROCKET LAUNCH – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=145
A
lesson plan on rockets for grades 9-12. "In this lesson, students
will explore design considerations of model rockets. They will consider
how model rockets are similar to real rockets (in design and flight), as
well as how they are different due to the constraints placed upon them
such as size and intended user. In order for this to be a substantive
lesson, it is important for students to be very specific in their thoughts
and discussions." Excellent
SCIENCE LESSON PLANS –MARS – ASTRONOMY
MARS!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMO.htm
Lesson
plans revolving around the theme the Colonization of Mars.
Excellent
SCOPING OUT SPACE: EVALUATING EXISTING AND PROPOSED
TELESCOPE PROJECTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20031230tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on telescopes for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students
research existing and proposed telescope projects. They then synthesize
their knowledge by creating presentations on each telescope and
speculating about which project is worthy of additional funding."
Excellent
SEEING STARS: DEVELOPING PLANETARIUM EXHIBITS IN THE
SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000215tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the stars for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students
explore the history of planetariums and the features of the new Hayden
Planetarium as a springboard to planning, developing and displaying their
own planetarium exhibits." Excellent
A SHUTTLE’S EYE VIEW: EXPLORING THE GOALS OF THE SHUTTLE
RADAR TOPOGRAPHY MISSIONS AND CREATING TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF LOCAL REGIONS
– LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020129tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the space shuttle for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn about the goals of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission as
a springboard to exploring the topographical features of their own state
or region. They then synthesize their understanding of landforms and
topography by mapping their region and proposing the development of a
project appropriately located in relation to those landforms."
Excellent
SIZING UP THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=33
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the solar system. "This investigation
focuses on the part of the universe that is most familiar to students: the
solar system. Students' grasps of the ideas of composition and magnitude
of the universe have to develop over time. In middle school, students can
begin to add more detail to their picture of the solar system and the
universe, paying increasing attention to matters of scale and distance."
Includes hands-on activities. Excellent
SKY AND ARTIST – LESSON PLANS
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2366/
A
lesson plan for grades 5-8 on the sky. "In this lesson, students
analyze different visual representations of the night sky. They begin by
looking at how artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Edward Munch, Henri
Matisse, and Joan Miro painted the night sky, then compare these artworks
to scientific representations of stars and constellations. Students then
create a painting of the night sky using the ideas they have gathered from
the artists' and scientists' work." Excellent
SKY LESSON PLAN GROUP:
SKY 1:
OBJECTS IN THE SKY – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=4&DocID=155
A
lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "This lesson is part of a
four-lesson series in which students observe the daytime and nighttime sky
regularly to identify sequences of changes and to look for patterns in
these changes. At the K-2 level, learning about objects in the sky should
be entirely observational and qualitative. The priority is to get students
noticing and describing what objects in the sky look like at different
times." Excellent
SKY 2: SHADOWS – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=10
A
lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "In this lesson, students
will explore making shadows and tracking the movement of an object over
the course of a day to look for patterns. It is best to couple this shadow
activity with reading the book, Bear Shadow, and making a map of Bear's
neighborhood when the sun is relatively high in the sky, either near the
beginning or the end of the school year. You'll want to measure sun
shadows at least twice and perhaps three or four times during the year to
see how they vary with the time of year." Excellent
SKY 3: MODELING SHADOWS – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=9
A
lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "students construct models to
demonstrate their understanding of shadows." Excellent
SKY 4: THE MOON – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=172
A
lesson plan for grades K-2 on the Moon. "In this
lesson, students will draw the moon's shape for each evening on a calendar
and then determine the pattern in the shapes over several weeks. Students'
understandings should be confined to observations, descriptions, and
finding patterns. Attempting to extend this understanding into
explanations using models will be limited by the inability of young
children to understand that earth is approximately spherical. Children at
this age also have little understanding of gravity and usually have
misconceptions about the properties of light that allow us to see objects
such as the moon. (Benchmarks for Science Literacy, p.336.) Thus, these
topics should be avoided."
Excellent
SKY WATCHING – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=321
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the night sky. "In this lesson,
students will make their own night-sky observations, diagram and describe
what they see, and will then look at pictures taken by telescopes. They
will compare the two ways of observing to confirm what telescopes can
reveal about the night sky. They will also learn about Galileo and
contemplate how the telescope helped him make his discoveries 400 years
ago." Excellent
THE SOLAR SYSTEM IN
PICTURES
http://www.the-solar-system.net/
"This website has 315 web pages with over 340 pictures. This
website has 2 purposes: To give a pictorial overview of the solar system
and to quiz you about these pictures. After each page of
information about the solar system there are some review questions about
the pictures on that page. There are also 15 picture quizzes with 75
questions - each question comes with a picture. You will also find
astronomy WebQuests here." Sections: Planets
in Our Solar System, Our Solar System Extremes, Asteroids, Comets, The
Sun, Our Solar System Glossary. Includes links to 50 science webquests.
Outstanding. Excellent
SOLAR SYSTEM LESSON PLANS FOR
K-5
SOLAR SYSTEM WEBQUEST
SPACE-AGE EXPERIMENTS: NASA’S AGE EXPERIMENTS IN SPACE AND
FORMER ASTRONAUT F. STORY MUSGRAVE’S VIEWS – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981020tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the space shuttle for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students evaluate the notion of aging by evaluating some of the studies
that will be occurring on the next space shuttle mission, on which
77-year-old John Glenn is an astronaut. Students will then read an article
containing a conversation with F. Story Musgrave, who retired from the
space program upon NASA's urging due to his age (62), and analyze his
views of NASA and John Glenn's participation in the program.
Excellent
SPACE COLONY WEBQUEST
http://www.coollessons.org/spacecolony.htm
A
webquest for elementary students on space colonization. "Your team has been asked to make a proposal to put a colony of 600
humans somewhere in our solar system (sorry - not on Earth or our moon) as
a test of whether it might be possible to someday do large scale
colonization. The colony is to be self sufficient - you will only be
allowed to bring enough materials to start your colony. This means that,
once your colony is built and working, it must provide everything the
colonists need. Other than what you brought, whatever is in the station
must be made new, fixed easily, grown or recycled. It is a long way to
Earth. Replacement parts, food, etc. cannot be shipped due to the high
costs, $100,000 - $1,000,000 per pound, depending on your location. So -
once your colony is operational, you are on your own."
Note: We found a couple of broken links on
this site. Excellent
SPACE.COM – NIGHT SKY
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/
All
about what we see when we look up at night. Sections: Hubble Space
Telescope, Lets Talk Stars Radio, A Martian Perspective: The Strange Tale
of Two Moons, Your Sky Tonight, Find Mars: Easy Doorstep Viewing Guide,
Venus Viewer’s Guide, Luna’s Crazy Names: A Monthly Guide and much more.
Excellent
SPACE FOOD AND NUTRITION – AN EDUCATOR’S GUIDE WITH
ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE AND MATH
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Space.Food.and.Nutrition/
A
group of classroom activities for grades K-4 and 5-8. "From John
Glenn's mission to orbit Earth to the International Space Station program,
space food research has met the challenge of providing food that tastes
good and travels well in space. To better understand this process, we can
look back through history. Explorers have always had to face the problem
of how to carry enough food for their journeys. Whether those explorers
are onboard a sailing ship or on the Space Shuttle, adequate storage space
has been a problem. Food needs to remain edible throughout the voyage, and
it also needs to provide all the nutrients required to avoid
vitamin-deficiency diseases such as scurvy. …..While these forms of
packaged food products are fine for travel on Earth, they are not always
suitable for use on space flights. There are limitations to weight and
volume when traveling and the microgravity conditions experienced in space
also affect the food packaging. Currently, there is limited storage space
and no refrigeration. To meet these challenges, special procedures for the
preparation, packaging, and storing of food for space flight were
developed." Excellent
SPACE KIDS
http://www.spacekids.com/
Includes
a Virtual Space Tour, Games, Photos, Movies, Daily Quiz, Sky Watch,
articles and more. Excellent
SPACE: NASA’S FRONTIER: A LESSON PLAN FOR SCIENCE, SOCIAL
STUDIES, LANGUAGE ARTS OR AMERICAN HISTORY CLASSROOM – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981013tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on NASA for grades 6-12. "As NASA turns 40, students
research the history and accomplishments of the American space program and
ponder its role in the future." Excellent
THE SPACE PLACE
http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/index.shtml
A
fun site for elementary-age kids on space. Sections: Make Spacey Things,
Do Spacey Things, Space Science in Action, Dr. Marc’s Amazing Facts, and
Friends Share. Outstanding. Excellent
A SPACE SETTLEMENT WEBQUEST
http://www.what-is-the-speed-of-light.com/webquests/space-ecosystem-webquest.html
A
webquest for middle school students on space settlement. "Due to
your broad expertise in a range of science disciplines you have been
awarded a contract to develop a system to monitor the overall 'health' of
a space settlement. The classroom is divided into several groups (with
around 5 members each) to do this WebQuest. Each group works independently
from the other groups." Excellent
SPACE TRAVEL WEBQUESTS
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/space-webquests.html
A
page of webquests on space travel. Excellent
SPACELINK – THE LIBRARY
SPACESHIP EARTH – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=295
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on life in space. "This lesson is
entitled Spaceship Earth to reinforce the idea that our planet is–in
reality–like a spaceship hurtling through space on a long-duration
mission. There is no resupply from outside sources. Recycling is as much a
part of the natural order of things as is the sunrise everyday. Pollution
occurs when there are outputs that cannot be used as inputs for something
else. Pollution is harmful and can be downright dangerous. The connections
between parts of the natural system are imperative to its normal
operation. By actively thinking through what it takes to keep people alive
on a spaceship, the students will come to understand more fully what it
takes to keep people alive on this planet."
Excellent
SPACEWANDER
http://www.spacewander.com/
Take
a 12-minute multimedia tour of the universe. Outstanding.
Excellent
SPACING OUT: EXPLORING PLANETARY CONDITIONS AND THE NOTION
OF SUSTAINING HUMAN LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20011023tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the planets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students act as teams of scientists to explore environmental and
geological conditions on other planets in our solar system, comparing
their findings to information about Earth. They then propose technologies
that might assist in supporting human life on those planets and present
their ideas at a 'scientific conference." Excellent
SPARC – SPACE PHYSICS AND AERONOMY RESEARCH
COLLABORATORY
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/sparc/
"The purpose of the Space Physics and Aeronomy Research
Collaboratory (SPARC) project is to design, develop, deploy, and evaluate
Internet-based technology that helps space scientists work together in
collaborative studies of space and upper atmospheric science. The SPARC
team includes an international community of space, computer, and
behavioral scientists." Click on Classroom
Activities on the left for a large number of lesson plans about
space and the solar system. Good for them alone. Excellent
STARCHILD – A LEARNING CENTER FOR YOUNG
ASTRONOMERS
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html
Site
is on two levels. Each level has: Solar System, Universe, Space Stuff, and
a Glossary. Also Starchild History, In The Classroom, Question of the
Month and Other Good Places. Includes lots of classroom activities. The
‘In the Classroom’ section includes excellent lesson plans.
Excellent
STARS – A MYSTERY OF SPACE – A THINKQUEST
SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/25763/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0322
A
student-created site on stars with two age groups – 12 & under and 13
& over plus teachers. Sections: Animations, Lesson Index, Lesson
Plans, Library/Gallery, Planetarium, Starting Guide, Interactives:
Constellation Poll, Animations, User-Submitted Art & Pictures,
User-Submitted Sightings & Stories, User-Submitted Myths, and
Celestial News. Excellent
STELLAR DISCOVERIES THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD: CREATING A
‘GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE’ – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990420tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the universe for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students learn of the recent discovery of a group of planets orbiting the
star Upsilon Andromedae as a springboard for individual research on
different elements of which the universe is comprised. Each student will
create a page about an element of the universe, ranging from specific
planets in the solar system to the definition of 'solar system' itself, to
be included in a class Guide to the Universe."
Excellent
STELLAR RESORTS: EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORBITAL
VACATIONS – LESSON PLANS
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000518thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the Milky Way galaxy for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students explore the future of 'orbital vacations' and create
fanciful tours of the Milky Way Galaxy." Excellent
STUDENT OBSERVATION NETWORK
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/sunearthday/2003/network.htm
A
combination of four programs allowing students to make observations of the
Sun and phenomena and learn how to use the data. Programs: Sunspotters,
Radio Waves, Magnetosphere, and Auroral Friends. Excellent
THE SUN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=166
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the Sun. "Students
have started to add more detail to their picture of the universe at this
age. Now students should start to learn about individual planets, moons,
and the stars. By focusing on physical characteristics of the sun, this
lesson will give students a general understanding of what a star is, which
can be the basis of understanding the general make-up of other stars in
far off galaxies. Includes a hands-on
activity. Excellent
SUNSPOTS LESSON PLAN GROUP
SUNSPOTS
1: A LOOK AT SUNSPOTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=184
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 on sunspots. "In this lesson, students
are introduced to sunspots and the types of technology and solar imaging
that can be used to collect information about the sun's features. The
second and third lessons in the series are activities in which students
apply information gathered by scientific instruments (telescopes and
satellites) to infer knowledge about the behavior of sunspots."
Excellent
SUNSPOTS 2: CORRELATING SUNSPOTS TO
ACTIVE REGIONS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=185
A
lesson plan on sunspots for grades 9-12. "This second lesson allows
students to see how sophisticated technology can be used to learn about
the sun. In this activity, students apply the use of two types of solar
imaging to determine a correlation between sunspots and active regions on
the sun. The sunspots are visualized through the use of visible light
solar imaging whereas the active regions are visualized utilizing x-ray
energy. Students compare the two images and determine the area of sunspots
and active regions using a Java applet. The information gathered is used
to determine the existence of a correlation between the two types of solar
features." Excellent
SUNSPOTS 3: TRACKING THE MOVEMENT OF
SUNSPOTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=186
A
lesson plan on sunspots for grades 9-12. "Through the activities of
lessons 1 and 2, students should now be familiar with sunspots, active
regions, and the type of imaging used to visualize these features of the
sun. In this activity, students collect one of two types of images
gathered by the SOHO satellite currently circling the sun about one
million miles from earth. Over a two-week period, students will obtain
images directly from SOHO's official site on the Web and track the
movement of sunspots using a latitude/longitude grid."
Excellent
SWEET HOME, OUTER SPACE – A WEBQUEST ON SPACE
SETTLEMENTS
http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/webq/webq65/
A
webquest for high school students on space settlements. "You and
three others have been appointed to a special task force team by the
President of the United States. In response to rumors that Russia is
currently developing a space settlement, The President has devised this
task force team to insure that America will be the first to send an
orbiting settlement into space." Excellent
SWINGING ON A STAR: EXPLORING THE ISSUES RELATED TO
INTERSTELLAR SPACE TRAVEL – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020305tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on space travel for grades 6-12. "In this lesson,
students will learn about the issues that might arise if humans were to go
on an interstellar space mission. They then synthesize their understanding
of interstellar travel by writing scenes from a science fiction novel that
would depict such a mission." Excellent
TAKE A VACATION ON THIS PLANET –
WEBQUEST
http://milforded.org/schools/eastshore/mking/wq/planet.html
A
webquest for elementary students on the planets. "You are a travel
agent astronomer trying to sell a vacation on your planet. As a
travel agent you will provide the necessary facts and information to
entice your clients into visiting your planet in our solar system."
Excellent
THE TECHNOLOGY OF MARS EXPLORATION – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g912/marstech.html
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 on Mars exploration. "This lesson asks
students to research the types of technology that are used to map and
explore Mars. Students will imagine that they are working as "technology
experts" for NASA, and will create visual presentations to show the
American public the types of technology that their tax dollars are funding
for Mars mapping and exploration." Excellent
THURSDAY’S CLASSROOM – LESSON PLANS
http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com/
"The aim of Thursday's Classroom is to provide a connection
between NASA research and the classroom. And we don't mean old research!
Our weekly lessons --prepared by professional educators and scientists--
are based on breaking Science@NASA news reports." Includes an archive of all past lessons. Excellent
TRAVEL IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON
PLAN
http://illuminations.nctm.org/lessonplans/6-8/travel/index.html
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on space travel. "This lesson affords
students the opportunity to think about two aspects of the time required
to complete space travel within the solar system. First, students
consider the amount of time that space travelers must spend on the
journey. Second, students think about what kinds of events might
occur on Earth while the space travelers are on their journey.
Thinking about both situations improves student’s concept of time and
distance as well as improves their understanding of the solar system."
Excellent
VIEWS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
http://www.solarviews.com/ss.html
"Views of the Solar System presents a vivid
multimedia adventure unfolding the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons,
comets, asteroids, and more. Discover the latest scientific information,
or study the history of space exploration, rocketry, early astronauts,
space missions, spacecraft through a vast archive of photographs,
scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. Views of the Solar System
offers enhanced exploration and educational enjoyment of the solar system
and beyond." A huge site.
Includes maps, animations, images and more. Check out the lesson
plans under Resources. Excellent
A VIRTUAL JOURNEY INTO THE UNIVERSE – A THINKQUEST
SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/?tqskip1=1
Actually
a tour of the solar system, you aim your viewfinder toward a planet to
explore it, both the surface and the interior. Terrific graphics and flash
animation. Each includes an interactive section with games or movies.
Excellent
VIRTUAL SOJOURNER – LESSON PLAN
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/modules/Virtual_Sojourner/index.html
A
lesson plan for grades 4-12 on Mars. "Carry out a "virtual Mars
mission" just like the one Mars Pathfinder's rover, Sojourner, performed.
Apply your new knowledge to future Mars missions!" Note: Easily
adaptable to the current Mars mission. Excellent
THE WARMTH OF THE SUN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=329
A
lesson plan for grades K-2 on the Sun. "In this lesson, students
will take a closer look at the sun and begin to recognize its critical
function in heating and warming the air, land, and water that sustain our
lives. This will involve drawing their attention to the basics of the heat
around them and how the sun is the primary source of that warmth. They
will then perform a number of indoor and outdoor activities that support
the benchmark, and help to begin their identification of the sun as the
natural, universal source of heat in the world."
Excellent
WHAT A COSMIC WEB WE WEAVE: INVESTIGATING COSMIC EVOLUTION
SINCE THE "BIG BANG" – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010814tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on the cosmos for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students
explore how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and
create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution."
Excellent
WHERE NOW MAN HAS GONE BEFORE: REFLECTING ON FORTY YEARS
OF SPACE EXPLORATION: A SCIENCE LESSON – LESSON PLAN
A WHOLE NEW WORLD: INVESTIGATING DIRECT EVIDENCE OF AN
EXTRASOLAR PLANET AND THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON DIFFERENT WORLDS – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19991116tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this
lesson, students explore the significance of direct scientific evidence of
an extrasolar planet, focusing on the relationship of this new discovery
to the notion of survival of living things on other planets. Students work
in small groups to investigate statistics regarding the nine planets in
the solar system and participate in a 'scientific conference' to examine
the elements that allow or prevent life from flourishing on other planets.
Students then explore the available information about the extrasolar
planet and assess the importance of this astronomical find."
Excellent
WINDOWS TO THE UNIVERSE
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/windows3.html
An
outstanding site on the solar system and the universe. Sections: Our
Planet; Our Solar System; The Universe; Myths, Art, Books & Film;
Space Missions; People; Headline Universe; Cool Stuff (includes lots of
games, Ask a Scientist, and Image Archive) and Data. Check out the
Teacher’s Section for lots of lesson plans. Excellent
WORLD BUILDERS
– BUILD YOUR OWN WORLD
http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/builders/
"This website has step-by-step information and hundreds
of links to help you design your world • supports a university distance
education course, EDIT 472 World Builders (January-March) • is a resource
for teachers who want to teach their students how to build worlds • is a
model course using constructivist and project-based learning • welcomes
home schoolers, science fiction fans, and anyone who shares our
interests." Includes lesson plans, links and much,
much more. Excellent
X – GLIDERS
– MODELS
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/X.Gliders/
"Instructional Materials: X1 Paper Glider Kit - This NASA
Educational Brief, featuring the X-1, investigates the basics of flight
with a paper model of the first superson