The science of astrobiology is concerned with the question of whether or not life exists on other planets. This educator's guide presents eight activities in which younger students investigate this question and explore topics related to the search for life beyond their own planet by using some of the same strategies that astrobiologists use. They will express their opinions on the existence of alien ... Full description.

This educator's guide consists of nine sequential activities for younger students, in which they acquire content knowledge and conduct investigations to compare and contrast Mars and Earth. They will begin by examining images of the two planets, learn about the instruments used to make them, and use the knowledge they have gained by examining images of Earth to begin analyzing images of Mars. The ... Full description.

This educator's guide features eight activities in which younger students use brainstorming, observations, and experiments to learn about the Sun. They will begin by learning that light is our means of studying the Sun, use spectroscopes to separate white light into its component colors, and learn that there are other forms of light outside the visible spectrum. Then the students will conduct experiments ... Full description.

This activity engages students in the new definitions of ?planet,? ?dwarf planet,? and ?asteroid? through the use of direct vocabulary instruction. The publicity generated by the International Astronomical Union?s definition of Pluto as a dwarf planetAU in 2006 created a teachable moment for schools around the world to consider the definitions of these concepts of ?planet,? ?dwarf planet,? and ?asteroid? ... Full description.

This fictitious story centers on a celestial family of asteroids and their adventures in the "skyborhood." Students will learn about smaller bodies of our solar system and the Dawn mission by identifying some aspects of the story that are true, some that might be true, and some that are false. Educators can choose from three versions, including storyteller, learning notations, or illustrators. The ... Full description.

In this story, the GLOBE Kids are extremely excited to perform a play for the rest of the school, demonstrating what they have learned about the Earth and all of its parts. They have a glitch when they can?t decide which Earth component is the most important, but end up learning a lot about the Earth, sun, water, air, soil, and living things ? and the way these components are interconnected. Full description.

In this book and activities set, tThe GLOBE Kids are on the trail of Scoop, an eager dog who loves to dig holes in the soil. At each hole Scoop has dug, the kids make observations of the soil, learn about soil color, texture, structure, and about the ?treasures? one can find in soil. *Activity 1: Getting to Know Soil* Students learn about soil profiles and the different properties of soil, including ... Full description.

In this book and activities set, the GLOBE Kids share information about the different cloud types by acting out analogies that show what each cloud type looks like and its height in the sky. *Activity 1: Cloud Fun* Students learn about the shape and appearance of cumulus clouds, how to describe them, and what kind of weather is generally happening when these clouds are in the sky. *Activity 2: Cloudscape* ... Full description.

This building-wide science enrichment program consists of a series of posters and accompanying questions designed to pique student interest in science concepts and their application to the world in which we live. Accompanying each poster are question sheets of increasing difficulty levels that students answer and submit at a designated location (collection box, office, etc.). Random prize drawings ... Full description.

Through this lesson plan, students learn to use a dichotomous key to identify cloud-types. Detailed Procedure and Materials, Vocabulary linked to an on-line glossary, and Teacher Notes are provided. This hands-on activity is related to NASA CERES Students' Cloud Observations Online (S?COOL) project. Full description.