Astronomy Lesson Plans & Links

Classroom Lessons
Adopt-A-Constellation
Great Gravity
Moon Phases

Note:  I no longer teach an Astronomy unit, but am providing these resources from mini-units I do for current events or ones I used in the past.  If you would like to share your lessons/units, I would love to feature them on this page.

Internet Lessons

NOTE:  All links previously availble on the Kid Zone are now listed in the Sites for Students area. Please provide the links your students need for assignments through your LMS or teacher website.

• Perserverance Landing - My kiddos and I will be watched the Mark Rober video (Safe Video Link) and played some Quizlet Live using the Mars Rover vocabulary set created using the terms and information from the video. I have also added links to the Astronomy Links page in the Sites for Students area. There is also a Blooket set you can use! 

• Solar Eclipse 2017: Eclipse Basics - Students use the links on the Astronomyu page in the Sites for Students area to help them complete this online activity page to understand solar eclipses.

• Solar Eclipse 2017: What's Your View  - Students use the links on the Astronomyu page in the Sites for Students area  to make observations of the solar eclipse from various locations on Earth.  

  • Solar Eclipse Resources for Teachers - Listed on my Astronomy Lesson Plan Links page!

• Astronomy Scavenger Hunt (pdf) - A series of "Who am I?" questions in a crossword format to explore the history of astronomy. Originally contributed by Stacy Baker

• Past and Present Scavenger Hunt (pdf) - Explore Roman and Greek myths and their relationship to astronomy with this worksheet from Stacy Baker.

• Surprise on Mars (pdf) - Worksheet created by Stacy Baker to explore Mars!

• Also available ...
  • Eyewitness Planets Quiz - Students complete this worksheet as they watch the video.
    
  • Astro Bingo (pdf) - Students use astronomy terms to fill in their bingo cards. Print the clues on an overhead transparency and cut apart. For more information, download the Science Bingo Teacher Tips (pdf), which includes a description of my version of bingo and a "blank" bingo card you can use for any topic.
    
  • Astronomy Word Search (pdf)
    
  • Constellation Word Search (pdf)
    
  • What's Your Sign? (pdf) - Create-A-Word challenge puzzle related to the 12 constellations of the zodiac.

 

Classroom Lessons

Adopt-A-Constellation (T.Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts: Stars, constellations

This activity may be used as a stand along project or integrated with an astronomy unit. Students research a constellation using the links listed on the Astronomy page in the Sites for Students area. They use what they have learned to create a "view" of their constellation and complete a fact sheet. I allow at least two class periods for to this project - one for research and another for constructing the viewer. The viewer makes an excellent assessment tool for tests - challenge students to identify constellations using the viewers created by their classmates.

Student Worksheet: Adopt-A-Constellation (pdf)

• Other ideas ...
  • Tami Cooper, a middle school educator in Eureka, suggests using black construction paper to make model constellations. Her students punch their designs on the black paper, then use the overhead to share their models with classmates. Students may use chalk to outline their constellation to help classmates visualize each constellation.
    
  • My students and I built upon Tami's idea described above to make our own "star lab". I taped a copy of a monthly star chart onto a large piece of black construction paper. The students helped me create our "star lab" by punching out the stars in the constellations using the point on a compass. After all the constellations were identified, we placed the chart on the overhead (making sure the black paper covered the top surface) and projected the "star lab" onto a wall. Students used a laser pointer to highlight their contellation and shared several facts from their Adopt-A-Constellation project. It was a "cool" way to wrap up our constellation unit and didn't cost a ton of money!
    NOTE: My projector uses a mirror and the students quickly noticed that wherever the laser pointed to on the screen/wall, it would also point to that spot on the star chart.
    
  • Challenge your students to make 3-D models of their constellations. Visit the Galaxy Mapping page from Newton's Apple for more details.
    
  • Excellent Resources: Constellations for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave, Ranger Rick’s Nature Scope: Astronomy Adventures - contains background info and worksheets on an assortment of astronomy topics. Internet Skywatcher’s Diary will provide you with a wealth of constellation info (listed on the astronomy pages of my Kids Zone).

| Back to top |

Great Gravity (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts: Gravity, mass vs. weight, gravitational forces on other planets

During this activity, students explore the gravitational force of other planets and the moon. Before the lab you will need to set up several safe "jumping" areas or choose an outdoor location. I instruct my students that they may take only one step before each jump. The follow-up assignment challenges students to create questions about the lab for their classmates.

Another version of this lab is completed in the 8th grade classes taught by Lauren Range. Her students analyze super balls, tennis balls, and basketballs to determine how high they would bounce on various planets in our solar system.

Student worksheet: Gravity Exploration (pdf)

| Back to top |

Moon Phases (Worksheet created by T.Tomm for use with the Lunar Lollipops activity)
Targeted Concepts: Moon, phases, models

Visit the Lunar Lollipops webpage for more details about this great lesson! I used plastic golf balls as "moon pops" and placed a table lamp in the middle of my classroom. I used a marker to color one-half of each golf ball black and put them on wooden sticks (used for caramel apples.)

Student worksheet: Moon Phases (pdf)