The purpose of the ESS activities associated with the GLOBE 1987 Global Patterns Poster is to help students understand the broader global context for local GLOBE measurements. Students discover patterns in global maps of environmental data, interpret those patterns, and draw conclusions and make predictions based on them; communicate those interpretations and predictions; and develop an understanding ... Full description.

Students create a model to demonstrate the scale distances of the solar system using astronomical units that have been converted to a 10 cm scale and in doing so, understand the distances between the Sun, planets and small objects in the solar system. Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. It focuses on the phases of the Moon. Students use information about the phase of the Moon and its relation to the Sun's location to approximate the time of night. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, suggested readings, and vocabulary. There are videos available ... Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan teaches the basic concepts of celestial mechanics, including perihelion and aphelion, the expanding universe, and gravity. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating themes necessary to raise the activity ... Full description.

This balloon activity will allow students the opportunity to construct a scale model of the Earth-Moon system, both in terms of planetary sizes and distances. In addition, students make a scale model of Mars, and discover how far one might have to travel to visit the planet. The activity is a good introduction to a unit on the solar system, to preassess student knowledge of planetary distances. Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan teaches students about the components of the Universe, such as stars, solar systems, galaxies, planets and the composition of our own solar system. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating themes ... Full description.

A joint effort of NOAA Research and the College of Education at the University of South Alabama, this site seeks to provide middle school science students and teachers with research and investigation experiences using on-line resources. It contains activities pertaining to ocean currents (their properties and influence on weather and sea life). Students gather data from other websites, apply the data ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. It focuses on the planet Jupiter, including characteristics such as size, surface features, and distance. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, performing extensions, suggested readings, and vocabulary. Students gather information and become 'tour guides' of the ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. It focuses on how star positions shift over long periods of time. By using a program called Skyglobe, students gain understanding of movements of the stars, and predict how objects will be different with different changes in time. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades K-5. It focuses on the relationship of the nine planets in our solar system to the Sun by creating a 3-D representation. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, suggested readings, and vocabulary. There are videos available to order which complement this lesson, an audio-enhanced ... Full description.