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Explore the size relationship between the sun and Earth by using tape and stickers. Learners estimate, then place and count the number of one-inch diameter stickers (representing Earths) that would fit across the diameter of a nine-foot circle of... (View More) tape (representing the sun). The relative size of each becomes visually apparent. Related Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are listed. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
Using stickers created from the templates provided, students create a Venn diagram of objects in our solar system, our galaxy and the universe. This short activity can be used as a formative assessment.
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
Students "observe" an imaginary new planet in our galaxy from the relative distances of a ground-based telescope, the Hubble Telescope, and a fly-by mission. After recording their observations and discussing the differences, they compare their... (View More) observations to actual images of Pluto taken from the New Horizons spacecraft during its July 2015 fly-by. (View Less)
Using different perspectives- the unaided eye, a magnifying lens, and a satellite- provides different information. Children make observations of common objects- along with images of butterflies, the Mississippi River, a fire in the Colorado Black... (View More) Forest, and Mars- to learn how views from close up and views from far away change our understandings. This activity was designed for use in a library program. (View Less)
An introduction to the Landsat satellite is presented through a poster with accompanying images, information and classroom lesson. The poster displays 10 pairs of international Landsat images highlighting changes over time from both natural and... (View More) human-induced causes. The back of the poster provides a glimpse into the history, purpose, and benefits of the Landsat mission. An introduction to the AmericaView program includes information on Earth Observation Day. The lesson uses a matching game format to encourage students to investigate, identify, compare/contrast and report on scenes in Landsat images. See Related & Supplemental Resources for a booklet format of the poster back and additional Landsat image change pairs from Earthshots. (View Less)
Students analyze and interpret the accompanying large-format images of Mars taken by NASA’s Mars Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera. The analysis involves identifying geologic features, calibrating the size of those features, and... (View More) determining surface history. The lesson culminates in students conducting in-depth research on questions generated during their analyses. The lesson is part of the Mars Education Program series; it models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary. Next Generation Science Standards are listed. (View Less)
Twice each day, once during daytime and once at sunset, students observe sky color, visibility, and sky conditions over a one week period. Each observation is recorded on a sky report form (included) for follow-up discussions and comparisons. This... (View More) lesson is one of four in the GLOBE program storybook entitled, "What's Up in the Atmosphere? Exploring Colors in the Sky." GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)
This unit consists of five activities, all of which focus on the response of plant life-cycle events to climate change. Students participate in discussions, field observations, data collection and analyses, plant identification, seed dispersal... (View More) comparisons, and graphing and analyses of plant phenology (timing of life-cycle events). Project BudBurst, a citizen science project which studies the impact of climate change on phenology, is integrated into this unit. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
This unit consists of four activities. Students begin by examining temperature cycles (current, recent and historical) then add in factors such as carbon dioxide, precipitation and cloud cover to discover regional and global differences in the... (View More) effects of climate change. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
This unit focuses on the impacts of climate change on humans. Students participate in activities using "Character Cards" (included with the unit). The cards introduce fictitious citizens who describe the local economic, social and political factors... (View More) that impact their country's climate change issues/responses. A second activity in the unit has students research, discuss and present their findings on the impacts of climate change - first at the global level then narrowed to a country, region and/or state level. In addition, students examine how their own energy and food choices impact climate change and then propose ideas to reduce their carbon footprint. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students