This is a lesson about the size and scale of the planets in the solar system. Learners will help create and then navigate an outdoor course of the traditional planets (including dwarf planet Pluto), which are represented by small common objects. By... (View More) counting the jumps needed to reach each object, learners experience firsthand the vast scale of our solar system. The activity should be done in a large outdoor area. This activity is part of Explore! Jupiter's Family Secrets, a series designed to engage children in space and planetary science in libraries and informal learning environments. (View Less)

Learners and their families are encouraged to go outside on a clear evening and view the sky to see the planets for themselves. Using sky charts and other resources, and possibly in partnership with a local astronomical society, children navigate... (View More) the night sky and view planets with the naked eye and binoculars or telescopes. This activity is part of Explore! Jupiter's Family Secrets, a series designed to engage children in space and planetary science in libraries and informal learning environments. (View Less)

This is a lesson about geologic history. Learners will work together to create models of volcanic lava flows and analyze the layers that form on a planet's surface. They will sequence lava flows produced by multiple eruptions. Students will be asked... (View More) to observe where the flows travel, make a model, and interpret the stratigraphy. Students will use their volcanic layering model to demonstrate the relative dating and geologic mapping principles to later be applied to satellite imagery. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary. (View Less)

This is a set of four activities about Saturn. Learners will read a series of Saturn minibooks, and then use this information to answer questions and construct a poster to display their learning. The fourth activity returns to the idea of size and... (View More) scale by comparing Saturn and Titan to our Earth and Moon. Includes a glossary, information for families, and guidance for deepening the science. This is lesson 3 of 8 in the Jewel of the Solar System: From Out-of-School to Outer Space, an adaptation for after school programs of the Cassini-Huygens educational product, Reading, Writing, and Rings. (View Less)

This is a lesson about discovering distant planets using an Earth-based observing technique called stellar occultation. Learners will explore how a stellar occultation occurs, how planetary atmospheres can be discovered, and how planetary diameters... (View More) can be determined using actual light curves from stellar occultation events. Includes adaptations for younger students and those with visual impairments. (View Less)

This is a series of hands-on activities comprised of fieldwork and lab work about the basics of soil science. Learners record soil context descriptions, measure soil moisture, describe soil color, structure, consistency, and texture and conduct... (View More) tests for biomarkers and chemical analysis and pH. By measuring for themselves many of the properties scientists use to characterize soil samples, learners will be better prepared to interpret those properties as used in actual applications. The sample analysis experiments are similar to the types of experiments as NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. Includes teacher guide and student guide. (View Less)