Star Art - Recognize that patterns of stars can be observed in the sky. (K-8th)
Planet Tac Toe - Identify the planets and their relationship to the Sun. (K-3rd)
Solar System Search - Recognize names and descriptions of the planets of the solar system. (K-3rd)
The Planets and Moons of Our Solar System - Engage your students not only in learning about the solar system, but in practicing important language arts skills. (K-3rd)
Round and Round They Go! - As you introduce students to the orbits of the planets around our Sun, it is important that they understand more than just the order based on distances. (4th-8th)
Just How Big is this Place? - Students often have difficulty comprehending just how immense the Universe actually is. In an effort to help them grasp this abstract concept, this lesson develops a path along which they encounter increasingly larger numbers. (4th-8th)
Where, Oh Where Does That Little Planet Go? - Each of the nine planets orbits around the Sun in a very special way and in a very special place. Can you arrange them correctly?
A Song for All Seasons - This activity features Vivaldi's masterpiece "The Four Seasons" and tests your ability to relate the seasons of the year to the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Planet Hop - Your weight and age calculated for a wide variety of solar system destinations...
RealWorld-InWorld Design Challenge - The RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge invites high school students to work cooperatively as engineers and scientists to solve real-world problems related to the James Webb Space Telescope. There is a classroom part to the challenge, as well as a virtual portion. See the link for more information.
Worlds Beyond - The Worlds Beyond program is an educational art project that explores the fascinating topic of planets outside our own solar system.
Games
Scope It Out! - An educational game that compares a simple telescope to both the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. Approved by the NASA Education Product review. Lesson plans available.
Activities
Space Math @ NASA
Detecting the Most Distant Supernova in the Universe (.pdf) - Students use a graph to compare the brightness of supernova produced by three different masses of stars, and predict whether the Webb Space Telescope can see them. [Grade: 6-8 | Topics: Analyzing a graph; interpreting mathematical models]
Exploring the Cosmos with Supercomputers (.pdf) - Students use two images created by a supercomputer calculation to explore the size and accuracy of computer models of the distanct universe. [Grade: 7-9 | Topics: scale model; proportions; Scientific Notation]
Seeing the Distant Universe Clearly (.pdf) - Students calculate the angular sizes and scales of distant objects to study how different sized telescopes see details with varying degrees of clarity. [Grade: 7-9 | Topics: solving a simple equation for X; angular measure; Scientific Notation]
The Cosmological Redshift - Changing the light from a galaxy (.pdf) - Students learn about the redshift unit of measurement in astronomy, and solve a simple linear equation to explore how the light from very distant galaxies is reddened compared to nearby galaxies. [Grade: 8-10 | Topics: solving a simple equation for X]
Taking a Closer Look: Examining Light and Telescopes (.pdf) - A program of activities appropriate for grades 3-9, which can be presented in approximately 1 hour. Students explore how lenses gather and focus light by examining images using magnifying glasses and telescopes.
Build the Webb's Mirror - An activity from Ball Aerospace to learn about how the Webb's mirror is segmented. For younger kids.
Worlds Beyond - The Worlds Beyond program is an educational art project that explores the fascinating topic of planets outside our own solar system. (Program)
Phenomenally Pfun Puzzle - Can you solve our crossword puzzle? All the answers to the clues come from the Universe pages.
Star Art - Read a set of different culture's constellation myths and try to match the star charts to the myths.
A Universal Puzzler - Use your knowledge of space terminology to solve this puzzle.
Satellites and Space Technology
Get the Picture! - Constructing and analyzing images from digital satellite data. (Lesson Plan)
RealWorld-InWorld Design Challenge - The RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge invites high school students to work cooperatively as engineers and scientists to solve real-world problems related to the James Webb Space Telescope. There is a classroom part to the challenge, as well as a virtual portion. See the link for more information. (Program)
Scope It Out! - An educational game that compares a simple telescope to both the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. Approved by the NASA Education Product review. Lesson plans available. (Games)
Detecting the Most Distant Supernova in the Universe (.pdf) - Students use a graph to compare the brightness of supernova produced by three different masses of stars, and predict whether the Webb Space Telescope can see them. [Grade: 6-8 | Topics: Analyzing a graph; interpreting mathematical models] (Activities)
Exploring the Cosmos with Supercomputers (.pdf) - Students use two images created by a supercomputer calculation to explore the size and accuracy of computer models of the distanct universe. [Grade: 7-9 | Topics: scale model; proportions; Scientific Notation] (Activities)
Seeing the Distant Universe Clearly (.pdf) - Students calculate the angular sizes and scales of distant objects to study how different sized telescopes see details with varying degrees of clarity. [Grade: 7-9 | Topics: solving a simple equation for X; angular measure; Scientific Notation] (Activities)
The Cosmological Redshift - Changing the light from a galaxy (.pdf) - Students learn about the redshift unit of measurement in astronomy, and solve a simple linear equation to explore how the light from very distant galaxies is reddened compared to nearby galaxies. [Grade: 8-10 | Topics: solving a simple equation for X] (Activities)
Taking a Closer Look: Examining Light and Telescopes (.pdf) - A program of activities appropriate for grades 3-9, which can be presented in approximately 1 hour. Students explore how lenses gather and focus light by examining images using magnifying glasses and telescopes. (Activities)
Build the Webb's Mirror - An activity from Ball Aerospace to learn about how the Webb's mirror is segmented. For younger kids. (Activities)
Where, Oh Where Does That Little Planet Go? - Each of the nine planets orbits around the Sun in a very special way and in a very special place. Can you arrange them correctly?
A Song for All Seasons - This activity features Vivaldi's masterpiece "The Four Seasons" and tests your ability to relate the seasons of the year to the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Planet Hop - Your weight and age calculated for a wide variety of solar system destinations...