In this lesson covers the evolution of a volcanic island from origin to erosion. Students will be able to determine the relative ages of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, given their position in the archipelago and why these islands are so much smaller than the main islands of the Hawaiian chain. They will discover that volcanic islands form over a hot spot on the ocean floor and that islands form ... Full description.

This resource is part of the Science Education Gateway (SEGway) project, funded by NASA, which is a national consortium of scientists, museums, and educators working together to bring the latest science to students, teachers, and the general public. In this module, students investigate the weather similarities and differences between Earth and Mars. Eight investigations allow students to use the internet ... Full description.

MarsQuest users can launch a spacecraft to Mars, explore its volcanoes and canyons, and solve mysteries about the search for life on the Red Planet. The major features of Mars are investigated through educational games, interactive simulations, challenging puzzles, and narrative descriptions. Teacher resources for classroom study are offered, as are archived and current images of the planet as obtained ... Full description.

This site from SERC's Starting Point presents sample Gallery Walk questions about the solar system. Topics examined include snowball earth (driving factors, deglaciation mechanisms, development of life), the composition, structure, fusion process, and features of some stars, the subsolar point, water rich comets, the circle of illumination, seasonal changes, time zones, distinguishing characteristics ... Full description.

This news article examines how scientists are looking at sites on Earth, especially Mono Lake in central California, to see how evidence of past life on Mars might be preserved. A selection of links to related topics is provided. Full description.

This article discusses the possibility that water might exist on the Moon. Topics include some uses for water in space (other than drinking), where the water might be found, and the idea that it may have been 'delivered' to the Moon by comets, which are largely made of ice. Full description.

This archive contains articles written by planetary geoscientists about current research on the planets and some related special topics. Specific topics include: Mercury, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Mars life issues, asteroids, the Jupiter system, Meteorites, comets, and origins of various bodies in our solar system. Users may subscribe to the PSRD mailing list, a secured listing, to receive e-mail notices ... Full description.

This non-profit organization seeks to inspire the people of Earth through education, research, and public participation to explore other worlds and seek other life. Their website offers special sections on: taking political action in support of space exploration; the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI); near-earth objects, such as asteroids and comets; the Red Rover Goes to Mars (RRGTM) ... Full description.

In this activity, students will collect chemical, physical, and biological data from a local lake throughout the year. These data will be contrasted with parallel data from an ice-covered lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) in Antarctica. They will explore the differences between their local environment and a perennially ice covered fresh water lake in the MDV. Full description.

This resource introduces students to astronomers and what they do, the force of gravity, Mars and the search for life there, the Milky Way, and how the universe began. There is a game to connect astronomical photographs to their descriptions, an interview with the Sun, and activities to do off-line such as creating a space travel guide and a Big Dipper mobile. Full description.