WEBSITES ON THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND SPACE

WEBSITES ON THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND SPACE

Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address (URL). Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the "Back" button

All of the sites listed were active as of January 24, 2004. The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom.

Mars Sites Excellent Very Good Good

MARS SITES

All sites are also in alphabetical listing.

DESTINATION MARS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM392
A lesson plan for elementary students on Mars. "You have been selected to travel on a special mission to Mars. But before you go, you must decide what to pack. The amount of space for cargo is extremely limited. Space engineers have collected what they believe to be the most useful items; however the list is still not cut down – you only have space for 10 additional items. Discuss this with your group, make your selection and mark the quantity of each you decide to take with you. Prepare your extra cargo list. Then you will use a scenario to see how well you decided. Be sure to note that scarcity can exist in many different forms and many choices need to be considered. After you are finished selecting which items to keep you will be able to recognize that setting your criteria can increase or decrease you chances for success." Excellent

DESTINATION RED PLANET: EXPLORING MARS, ONE MISSION AT A TIME – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040106tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on Mars. "In this lesson, students will consider why scientists are interested in Mars and research the history of man’s exploration of Mars to create a class timeline. Then, students will write diary entries from the perspective of a scientist or technician involved in a mission they researched during class." Excellent

EXPLORE MARS NOW MARS!
http://www.exploremarsnow.org/
An interactive Mars habitat to explore. Sections: Mars Base Layout, Base Exterior, Enter Base, Exit Base, Stair to Upper Level, Laboratory, EVA Preparation, Airlock, Medical, Bunks, Galley, Wardroom, Personal Hygiene, Sample Port, Greenhouse, Pressurized Rover, Mission Overview and Mars Facts. Excellent

EXPLORING MARS IN THE CLASSROOM MARS!
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/expmars.html
"This web site provides access to a variety of educational products about Mars that have been developed at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These include classroom activities, image collections and slide sets, descriptive text, and references for further study. All documents included in this web site are written at a general level." Excellent

LIFE ON MARS: SCIENCE FACT OR SCIENCE FICTION? – INVESTIGATING AND EVALUATING THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990105tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students investigate the basic requirements needed for human survival and contemplate the possibility of sustaining life on other planets, as is being researched by the recently-launched Mars Polar Lander and the Mars Climate Orbiter. As the main activity, students work in small groups to create a chart and a graph comparing statistics of the nine planets in the solar system and evaluating the elements that prevent life from flourishing on other planets." Excellent

MAPPING MARS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/marsmap.html
A lesson plan on Mars and mapping for grades 6-8. "This lesson introduces students to some common map projections and representations (e.g., globes or close-ups) and asks them to consider the ways that each representation can be used to show specific features of Mars. Students will draw three different representations of Mars and will illustrate each one with details of research they have conducted on the planet." Excellent

MARS MARS!
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/mars.html
Detailed information about our nearest planetary neighbor including photos, myths, facts, speculation and more. Note: Part of The Nine Planets website. Excellent

MARS EXPLORATION ROVER MISSION MARS!
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
The official site of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Get the latest news and images. Excellent

MARS EXPLORATION STATION MARS!
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/ac/mars/index.html
"Scenario: The year is 2031. You are a visitor to Mars and the Mars Exploration Station, a Martian community for 100 settlers. Through this site, you can explore the historical study of Mars, discover scientific information relating to Mars and its resources, and participate in ongoing discussions about Mars and future settlement of the Red Planet." Sections: Timeline, Library, Science Lab, Life Support, and Town Hall. Excellent

MARS LANDING: EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT – LESSON MODULE MARS!
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/activities/mars/situation.html
A teaching module on Mars. "This is it! You are Captain aboard the good ship Low Bid, the first manned spacecraft to orbit Mars. The trip has been a long one--18 months in a minimum energy orbit (naturally). It has also been tedious, with only the pilot, and your know-it-all computer, the SAL 9,000,000,000 (Sarcastic, Arrogant, and Loquacious: "I'm 3² billion times smarter than you humans") to talk to. Now that you are actually in orbit around Mars, it is time to choose a landing site and get off this flying tin can. This has been a really cost-effective flight, so you have no big windows or high-powered telescopes aboard, only an internal guidance system controlled by SAL and some old Viking Orbiter images taken way back in the 70s to help you to find a good spot to settle down. You and the pilot are a bit concerned about using the old images, but SAL is very nonchalant: "Don't worry about it. You pick a spot, and I'll land you there within an accuracy of a few millimeters." Excellent

MARS MOBILES – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/marsmobiles.html
A lesson plan on Mars and the Earth for grades K-2. "This activity introduces students to the basic features of the Mars landscape. Students will compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and create mobiles showcasing some of the features of the Martian landscape." Excellent

MARTIAN REAL ESTATE: A GOOD INVESTMENT? – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g35/marsreal.html
A lesson plan comparing Earth and Mars for grades 3-5. "This lesson has students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and explore why the two planets are so different. They will conclude by writing letters convincing fictitious family friends that it is probably not a good idea to invest in Martian real estate." Excellent

MISSION TO MARS WEBQUEST MARS!
http://www.geocities.com/mickey6040/
A webquest on Mars exploration for grades 8-12. "In fourteen days, your mission team will be the first humans to endeavor on a journey to mars. Your mission team is comprised of a journalist, a history teacher and a scientist. You will see things no one else in this world has seen first hand. Before you go, your team will have some last minute activities to complete to prepare for your journey. Remember, mystery and the unknown is everywhere. No human has stepped foot on this planet until now. Your team coming from varied walks of life, will become the most knowledgeable individuals about the planet mars. Your journey begins now." Excellent

MOONWALKING TO MARS? CONSIDERING BUSH’S PLANS FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040120tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Moon and Mars for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students research past U.S. presidents' space exploration goals. They then synthesize their knowledge by holding a presidential panel to analyze President George W. Bush's plans regarding missions to the Moon and Mars." Excellent

MYSTERY ON MARS DERBY MARS!
http://www.headbone.com/derby/
An Internet learning adventure. Sections: Next Stop, Mars!; Turf, No Surf; Not Just Chillin’; Moon Madness; Holy Smoke!; Cydonian Cell Block; and Back to Normal! Excellent

RED PLANET ROVERS MARS!
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
News and information about the Spirit Rover exploration of Mars. Very extensive. Excellent

SCIENCE LESSON PLANS –MARS – ASTRONOMY MARS!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMO.htm
Lesson plans revolving around the theme the Colonization of Mars. Excellent

THE TECHNOLOGY OF MARS EXPLORATION – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g912/marstech.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on Mars exploration. "This lesson asks students to research the types of technology that are used to map and explore Mars. Students will imagine that they are working as "technology experts" for NASA, and will create visual presentations to show the American public the types of technology that their tax dollars are funding for Mars mapping and exploration." Excellent

ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT:
– DONNA SHIRLEY INTERVIEW– MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM MARS!
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/shi0int-1
Transcript of an interview with Donna Shirley of the Mars Exploration Program. Includes audio and video clips along with a Profile and a Biography. Visit the Curriculum Center for teacher and student materials. Very Good

CENTER FOR MARS EXPLORATION MARS!
http://cmex.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX/index.html
Brings together NASA’s plans for Mars exploration. Sections: Mars Concept Maps, Atlas, Calendar, Gallery, Mars Surveyor Landing Sites, Missions, Movies, and Science. Includes Educator Resources. Very Good

HOW THE MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS WORK MARS!
http://science.howstuffworks.com/mars-rover.htm
An explanation for students of how the Mars rovers work, why we use them instead of people, a day in the life of a rover and more. Very Good

MISSION TO MARS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/mission_2_mars/index.html
A lesson plan for grades 5-12 on Mars and the possibility of humans landing on Mars. "Sometime during the next twenty years, a human being may step out of a spacecraft and actually set foot onto the surface of another world, the Planet Mars! Before that day comes, many unmanned missions will take place to lead the way. One question that will need to be answered is where is a suitable place to land. If you compare the diameter of Mars with the diameter of Earth, it is approximately one-half the size. But because Mars has no oceans like Earth, the amount of land is almost the same. This makes for a great deal of land to choose from! What do you think would be important for a landing site to have?" Very Good

KYE’S SKIES MARS LINKS MARS!
http://www.kyes-world.com/mars.htm
Links to information about Mars. Good

MARS MARS!
http://calspace.ucsd.edu/marsnow/library/index.htm
Information on Mars. Sections: Mars in Myth & Science Fiction, Mars Science: What We Know About Mars, Mars Exploration, and Future Mars Exploration. Good

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR MARS ORBITER CAMERA IMAGE GALLERY MARS!
http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/index.html
Contains all of the pictures of Mars obtained by the Mars Global Surveyor through February 2003. Provides background for current events. Good

2003: A SPACE TRAGEDY: EXAMINING THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA DISASTER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030203monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the shuttle Columbia disaster for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students examine the facts and logistics connected to the space shuttle Columbia tragedy and present at a teach-in on the incident." Excellent

AMAZING SPACE
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/
A huge array of classroom and online activities with resources for teachers and students. Includes reading materials, basic facts. Online explorations and much, much more. Outstanding. Excellent

THE APOLLO PROGRAM
http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/apollo.htm
"This site presents imagery & information from manned Apollo missions. This information comes from NASA and the National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies RPIF collection." A huge amount of information on the Apollo missions 1-17 including the spacecraft, astronauts, launches, landing sites. Includes extensive images and audio and video clips. Excellent

ASPIRE – SPACE SCIENCE
http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/studentside/lessons.html
"The ASPIRE Lab is now one of the most innovative and interactive science education websites available on the Internet. You will find not only fun interactive labs, but well designed and produced curriculum content, created by teachers for teachers. The powerful combination of inquiry-based content, along with interactive, hands-on labs provides a powerful visualization tool for you and your students `to use. Best of all, the ASPIRE Lab is free!" Includes lessons, quizzes, science fair projects and much more. Outstanding. Excellent

ASTEROID MINING WEBQUEST
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/asteroid-mining-webquest.html
A webquest on mining the asteroids for grades 9-12. "You have just won a contract to write, direct and film a middle-school puppet show about an asteroid mining colony. This WebQuest guides you through the steps required to make your puppet show a success." Excellent

ASTRONOMY BASICS
http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/basics/
Basic facts and terms for students studying astronomy and the solar system. Excellent

ASTRONOMY FOR KIDS
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
A colorful site on astronomy for kids. Sections: Outer Space, Solar System, Deep Space, Space Exploration, How Big is the Universe?, News, Astronomy Dictionary, Games and Teacher’s Corner. The Teacher’s Corner includes free worksheets. The Games include puzzles, word search, coloring pages, space jokes and more. Excellent

ASTRONOMY – OUR PLACE IN SPACE
http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/index.htm
A colorful site from the American Museum of Natural History. Sections: The Journey Begins; Gravity: The Universe’s Main Attraction; A Closer Look at Mars; One-on-One with the Sun; Cosmic Connections; Don’t Be Lost in Space; The Milky Way Galaxy; How Did the Universe Begin?; Stuff to Do; Meet the Ologists; What Do You Know?; and Astro Poll. Outstanding. Excellent

ASTRONOMY (SOLAR SYSTEM/SPACE) THEME
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/theme/space.html
A huge list of links to classroom activities, printable, puzzles, recipes and much more. Excellent

ASTRONOMY/SPACE LESSON PLANS
http://www.aviationnow.com/content/ncof/lo_eas00.htm
A collection of lesson plans on astronomy and space. All for grades 4-6. Excellent

ASTRONOMY WEBQUESTS
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/astronomy-webquests.html
A page of webquests on astronomy. Excellent

AT HOME ASTRONOMY – HANDS-ON SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS
http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/AtHomeAstronomy/
A collection of 10 experiments on the principles of astronomy. Shadow Dance, Where is the Sun?, Finding the Size of the Sun and Moon, Building a Lunar Settlement, Meteoroids & the Craters They Make, Rockets Away, Making a Simple Astrolabe, Using a Simple Astrolabe, The Order of the Planets, and The Size and Distance of the Planets. Excellent

AN ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE
http://anzwers.org/free/universe/
"This web page is designed to give everyone an idea of what our universe actually looks like. There are nine main maps on this web page, each one approximately ten times the scale of the previous one. The first map shows the nearest stars and then the other maps slowly expand out until we have reached the scale of the entire visible universe." Excellent

AURORAS – PAINTINGS IN THE SKY
http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/auroras/
A self-guided lesson on auroras. Includes audio and video clips. Excellent

THE BEST OF HUBBLE
http://wires.news.com.au/special/mm/030811-hubble.htm
A slide show with sound of the best images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Very impressive. Note: This takes a while to load but is worth it. Excellent

BLACK HOLES – JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN – WEBQUEST
http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/blackhole_webquest/hole5.html
A webquest for junior/senior students on black holes. "You and your traveling companions, a group of scientists, are currently enjoying a remarkable and relaxing tour of the local universe. Your tour guide suddenly informs you that the rocket's engines have failed. In order to navigate, the captain will use the enormous gravity of a black hole to guide you to a nearby help station. Recognizing a great scientific opportunity, your group, decides to gather as much information about these mysterious objects." Excellent

BLACK HOLES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=272
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on black holes. "In this activity, students will explore a Web resource called No Escape: The Truth About Black Holes on the Amazing Space website. This is a module that introduces students to the science of black holes. Students examine the anatomy of a black hole using a diagram of an accretion disk, the event horizon, and jets of hot gas. This module also includes subsections about myths, the history related to the discovery of black holes, an animated trip to the center of a black hole, a discussion of different types of black holes, and an opportunity to see actual Hubble images that support the hypothesis of black holes." Includes worksheets. Excellent

CASSINI-HUYGENS MISSION TO SATURN AND TITAN
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
"Launched from Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 15, 1997, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft will reach the Saturnian region in July 2004. The mission is composed of two elements: The Cassini orbiter that will orbit Saturn and its moons for four years, and the Huygens probe that will dive into the murky atmosphere of Titan and land on its surface. The sophisticated instruments onboard these spacecraft will provide scientists with vital data to help understand this mysterious, vast region." In-depth information on the mission, the spacecraft, and more including images and videos. Excellent

CERES PROJECT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/EdActivities.html
A collection of activities and webquests on space and astronomy. Excellent

CHANDRA X-RAY OBSERVATORY CENTER
http://chandra.harvard.edu/
"NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was launched and deployed by Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, is the most sophisticated X-ray observatory built to date. Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as the remnants of exploded stars. The two images of the Crab Nebula supernova remnant and its pulsar shown below illustrate how higher resolution can reveal important new features." Sections: Photo Album, Field Guide, Educational Materials, Pres Room, About Chandra, Resources, Chandra Chronicles and more. The Multimedia section has animations and video. The Educational Materials include classroom activities, projects, puzzles, games, printables and more. Excellent

CLASSIFYING GALAXIES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.smv.org/hastings/galaxy.htm
A lesson plan for grades 5-9 on galaxies. "Topics Covered by This Lesson: What is a galaxy? - Hubble classification of galaxies - Practice using Hubble classification system as an example of how scientists classify objects in nature." Excellent

COMET WEBQUEST
http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/webweavers/suea/cometweb.htm
A webquest on comets for elementary students. "A team of prominent scientists you work with has just discovered a deadly comet headed for earth. It will impact the earth in just one year. According to your team the comet is approximately 2 kilometers in size. This comet has the potential of destroying the human species. Your team of scientists must find solutions to this threat within 2 months and present your findings to an international task force on the Impact Hazards of Comets ." Excellent

COMETS WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Comets.html
A webquest for elementary students on comets. "Webquests #1-5. We live in a region of space known to us as the Solar System. The Solar System consists of planets and their moons, stars (the sun), and other objects such as asteroids, meteors, and comets. These Web Quests will explore comets by using web resources. Be sure you have a pencil and your Comments on Comets booklet." Excellent

CONSTELLATION CRUSADERS – WEBQUEST
http://www.cesa8.k12.wi.us/teares/it/summer2001/Astronomy/web%20page/constellationindex.htm
"Your adventure begins with a look at 12 myths involving constellations chosen especially for you. After conquering the myths provided, you will create your own myth story with a model of that constellation to represent it. The crew that best fulfills the mission requirements will become dictators of the science room for 1 day." Excellent

CONSTELLATIONS IN SCIENCE AND MYTHOLOGY – WEBQUEST
http://chsweb.lr.k12.nj.us/dscheinberg/constellations/constellations.htm
A webquest for high school students in which they design and write a book on constellations for 3^rd-5^th grade students. "Each group of four students will produce one illustrated book that would be appropriate for third to fifth grade students to read and enjoy." Excellent

CONSTELLATION PRIZES: LEONID METEORS AND MAKING COMETS IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981117tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on comets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about meteors, meteorites, and comets by reading and discussing a related New York Times article about the Leonid meteor showers and the methods that scientists are using to learn from these meteors. Students then create and observe a comet in their classroom." Excellent

COSMIC CHEMISTRY WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2000/cosmicchemistry.html
A webquest for grades 6-9 on chemistry in space. "Purpose: To investigate the chemistry of stars, nebula, planets, and other celestial bodies. This activity will help the learner understand and appreciate the integration of the sciences of astronomy and chemistry." Excellent

COSMIC QUEST
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/cosmicquest/index.html
Three sections: Living in Space: Designing a Space Station, Field Guide to the Universe, and Expedition to the North Magnetic Pole. Includes Teacher Resources. Excellent

CULTURAL ASTRONOMY – BRINGING THE HEAVENS TO EARTH
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/ecuip/diglib/science/cultural_astronomy/
"This module explores the cultures that have observed the heavens, the phenomena they observed, and the ways they incorporated their observations of the sky into their daily lives." Sections: Cultures, Phenomena, Cultural Expressions, Lessons, Multimedia Gallery, Further Explorations, and Tour the Exhibit. Excellent

DEEP IMPACT? COULD IT HAPPEN? – WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Deep.html
A webquest exploring the likelihood that a meteor impact affected life on Earth and could it in the future. "In this lesson we will explore the recent information about the crater called Chicxulub. Scientists have found evidence worldwide that an E.L.E ended the existence of many life forms and changed the direction of life on Earth as we know it. In this Web Quest you will search a database and analyze the most recent information available. At the completion of this lesson you will be able to answer the question: "What caused the end of the dinosaur age?" Excellent

DESTINATION MARS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM392
A lesson plan for elementary students on Mars. "You have been selected to travel on a special mission to Mars. But before you go, you must decide what to pack. The amount of space for cargo is extremely limited. Space engineers have collected what they believe to be the most useful items; however the list is still not cut down – you only have space for 10 additional items. Discuss this with your group, make your selection and mark the quantity of each you decide to take with you. Prepare your extra cargo list. Then you will use a scenario to see how well you decided. Be sure to note that scarcity can exist in many different forms and many choices need to be considered. After you are finished selecting which items to keep you will be able to recognize that setting your criteria can increase or decrease you chances for success." Excellent

DESTINATION RED PLANET: EXPLORING MARS, ONE MISSION AT A TIME – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040106tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on Mars. "In this lesson, students will consider why scientists are interested in Mars and research the history of man’s exploration of Mars to create a class timeline. Then, students will write diary entries from the perspective of a scientist or technician involved in a mission they researched during class." Excellent

EDUCATIONAL SPACE SIMULATIONS PROJECT
http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Simulations/simserver.html
"Welcome to the Educational Space Simulations Project, affiliated with the National Association of Space Simulating Educators (NASSE). The purpose of this web site is to promote the development of education via simulation. Although the primary focus of this site is space simulations, the concept of education via simulation is applicable to a wide range of disciplines." Contains all of the instructions necessary along with photos and details of projects completed by other schools. Outstanding. Excellent

EXPLORE MARS NOW MARS!
http://www.exploremarsnow.org/
An interactive Mars habitat to explore. Sections: Mars Base Layout, Base Exterior, Enter Base, Exit Base, Stair to Upper Level, Laboratory, EVA Preparation, Airlock, Medical, Bunks, Galley, Wardroom, Personal Hygiene, Sample Port, Greenhouse, Pressurized Rover, Mission Overview and Mars Facts. Excellent

EXPLORE THE SKY
http://www.seasky.org/mainmenu.html
A colorful site for students. Sections: Sky News, Astronomy Resources, The Cosmos, Space Exploration, Sky Lab, Sky Gallery, Sky Links and Sky Games. Excellent

EXPLORING MARS IN THE CLASSROOM MARS!
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/expmars.html
"This web site provides access to a variety of educational products about Mars that have been developed at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These include classroom activities, image collections and slide sets, descriptive text, and references for further study. All documents included in this web site are written at a general level." Excellent

EXPLORING PLANETS IN THE CLASSROOM – HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES
http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/index.html
A collection of lesson plans and activities exploring Earth and the planets. Excellent

EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=165
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the solar system. "Students likely know some information about the other planets in our solar system as well as about earth's moon. In this lesson, students will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other eight planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet would be feasible. Students will determine such factors as: what it is like, whether or not it is habitable, and how its orbit affects planning a trip. The lesson begins with a whole class exercise in which students plan a trip to the moon. In addition to giving students a broader knowledge of the moon, this exercise gives the teacher an opportunity to model the steps that students will take as they work in small groups to research and develop their own proposals." Excellent

EXTREME SCIENCE SPACE PORTAL
http://www.extremescience.com/spaceport.htm
A fun, informative site on space. Sections include: Our Solar System, All About the Sun, All About the Earth’s Moon, How the Earth Was Formed, and links to other sites such as the Earth Moon Viewer, NASA Shuttle Launch Cams and more. Excellent

EYE IN THE SKY: EXPLORING THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE: A WEB SCAVENGER HUNT – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19991207tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Hubble Space Telescope for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students use the Internet to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the Hubble Space Telescope by participating in an Internet scavenger hunt, searching for information about the objectives, past successes and repair of the telescope. Each student will then write two additional interesting questions and challenge classmates to both answer them and to correctly cite the Web sites with the answers." Excellent

FIREBALLS FROM SPACE
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/fireballs/fireballs.html
A Discovery Channel feature on meteors. Sections: Latest News, The Hunt for Earth-Killers, Launch a Fireball at Earth, Big Hits in Earth’s Past, Landing on an Asteroid. Rendezvous with a Comet, and links. Excellent

FUTURISTIC FLIGHTS: LEARNING ABOUT AND DESIGNING ORBITAL SPACE PLANES AND THEIR MISSIONS – LESSON PLANS
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030701tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on space flight for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about the orbital space plane, NASA's proposed spacecraft of the future. They then work in groups to plan missions to take place twenty years from now and design orbital space planes in which to carry out the missions." Excellent

GALAXY DIRECTORY – ASTRONOMY
http://www.einet.net/galaxy/Science/Astronomy/
A gateway to a huge number of sites dealing with astronomy and the solar system. Excellent

GARY’S ASTRONOMY HOMEWORK HELP LINKS PAGE
http://members.aol.com/gca7sky/astrohelp.htm
A terrific resource for elementary students researching astronomy and the solar system. Excellent

GRAVITY AND BLACK HOLES – CURRICULUM GUIDE
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/ac/gravity/index.shtml
Two sections: grades 5-8, grades 9-12. "You have been chosen to lead a select team to orbit Hades and observe its behavior and effects on its surroundings. The scientific rewards will be fantastic and may challenge our knowledge of gravity and increase our understanding of this force, which shapes our Universe. Ultimately, the team hopes to describe the black hole in a way that will help all people of Earth understand this entity known mostly through science fiction." Excellent

HOW OLD ARE THE STARS? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=267
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the stars. "In this lesson, students examine the Jewelbox cluster, located within the southern constellation Crux, and determine its age using a relationship between temperature, color, and luminosity. Before beginning this lesson, students should have an understanding of what stars are composed of and their life cycle. Students should also understand the relationship between temperature and color." Excellent

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 3D SITE
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/vrml/station/
"Welcome to the International Space Station 3D web site. When your browser has a Virtual Reality Markup Language, or VRML, plug-in, you will be able to explore these Virtual Reality-based models, either from the preset viewpoints or by interactive navigation. The intuitive interactive navigation allows you to explore and discover the International Space Station." Excellent

AN INTRODUCTION TO REMOTE SENSING – LESSON PLAN - LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=294
A lesson plan on remote sensing for grades 6-8. "This lesson combines several resources from NASA's Observatorium to teach about remote sensing. Although students will learn about the technology involved in remote sensing as part of the lesson, teachers should focus their attention on the ideas in the benchmark by discussing how technology has assisted scientific investigation and how it has enhanced our natural abilities." Excellent

IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? USING TECHNOLOGY TO SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19980929tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students focus on the tremendous public interest in the potential of extraterrestrial life. Students read and discuss an article about the search for alien life. They then divide into small groups and discuss the issues and implications of this search. Finally, they write about the complex issues involved in this search and its implications in one of several suggested genres." Excellent

JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html
Get the latest info and images from the current Mars exploration. Includes animations, images, videos, feature stories, latest news, other astronomy news, and more. Check out the Resource Center in the Education section for information on materials you can get by mail. Excellent

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/
The official site for the Kennedy Space Center, where all space shuttles are launched. Sections include: View Launches & Landings, Spaceport Technology Center, Expendable Launch Vehicles, Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Educational Resources, Media Resources, Our History, Live Video. The Fun Space includes a launch simulation and much, much more. Outstanding. Excellent

THE LIFE CYCLE OF STARS – WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2003/starlife.html
A webquest for grades 9-12 on the life cycle of stars. "In this webquest, you will investigate the process of nuclear fusion explained by Einstein's famous equation E = MC²and learn how mass in the form of hydrogen atoms is converted to helium and causes a release of energy that makes stars shine. We will also begin to understand the forces involved in stars that maintain this nuclear reaction and how these forces change as the star ages." Excellent

LINKS/SITES FOR SOLAR SYSTEM INFORMATION OR PHOTOS
http://www.indianchild.com/links_for_solar_system.htm
An excellent page of links to sites on the solar system and space. Note: Many of the sites appear elsewhere on this list. Excellent

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! MAKING MODELS OF SOLAR ECLIPSES AND BUILDING PINHOLE PROJECTORS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990810tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on solar eclipses for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about solar eclipses by participating in a number of hands-on activities. In class, students work in teams using tennis balls, grapes and flashlights to model partial and total solar eclipses. At home, students build pinhole projectors and experiment with how they work." Excellent

LOOKING BACK, UP AND AHEAD: FORECASTING THE LEONID METEOR SHOWER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021112tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on meteors for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students explore how scientists have forecasted the 2002 Leonid meteor shower. They then pose their own predictions for peak meteor rates per hour during the 2002 shower and compare their results with actual observed rates." Note: Adaptable for any year. Excellent

LUNAR CYCLE – WEBQUEST
http://www.can-do.com/uci/ssi2001/lunarcycle.html
A webquest for elementary students on the lunar cycle. "Students will investigate the moon's appearance and changes during the lunar cycle using the information provided from the internet as well as teacher made activities." Excellent

THE MAKING OF A STAR: DIAGRAMMING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION MODULE ZVEZDA – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000711tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the International Space Station for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module 'Zvezda.' Students use information from the featured article and information from additional research to help them create their diagrams." Excellent

MAPPING MARS – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/marsmap.html
A lesson plan on Mars and mapping for grades 6-8. "This lesson introduces students to some common map projections and representations (e.g., globes or close-ups) and asks them to consider the ways that each representation can be used to show specific features of Mars. Students will draw three different representations of Mars and will illustrate each one with details of research they have conducted on the planet." Excellent

MARS EXPLORATION ROVER MISSION MARS!
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
The official site of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Get the latest news and images. Excellent

MARS LANDING: EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT – LESSON MODULE MARS!
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/activities/mars/situation.html
A teaching module on Mars. "This is it! You are Captain aboard the good ship Low Bid, the first manned spacecraft to orbit Mars. The trip has been a long one--18 months in a minimum energy orbit (naturally). It has also been tedious, with only the pilot, and your know-it-all computer, the SAL 9,000,000,000 (Sarcastic, Arrogant, and Loquacious: "I'm 3² billion times smarter than you humans") to talk to. Now that you are actually in orbit around Mars, it is time to choose a landing site and get off this flying tin can. This has been a really cost-effective flight, so you have no big windows or high-powered telescopes aboard, only an internal guidance system controlled by SAL and some old Viking Orbiter images taken way back in the 70s to help you to find a good spot to settle down. You and the pilot are a bit concerned about using the old images, but SAL is very nonchalant: "Don't worry about it. You pick a spot, and I'll land you there within an accuracy of a few millimeters." Excellent

MARS MOBILES – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/marsmobiles.html
A lesson plan on Mars and the Earth for grades K-2. "This activity introduces students to the basic features of the Mars landscape. Students will compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and create mobiles showcasing some of the features of the Martian landscape." Excellent

MARTIAN REAL ESTATE: A GOOD INVESTMENT? – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g35/marsreal.html
A lesson plan comparing Earth and Mars for grades 3-5. "This lesson has students compare the landscapes of Mars and Earth and explore why the two planets are so different. They will conclude by writing letters convincing fictitious family friends that it is probably not a good idea to invest in Martian real estate." Excellent

MERCURY – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=309
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on Mercury. "In this lesson, students will have the chance to view the solar system and identify the sun and planets that compose it, which is consistent with recommendations that students begin to pay attention to sizes, distances, and other basic concepts dealing with the universe. Students then will be well prepared to explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury—developed by the Adler Planetarium—which is the central focus of this lesson." Excellent

MISSION MAKEOVER: EXPLORING THE PURPOSE AND FUTURE OF A NATIONAL SPACE PROGRAM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030828thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the space program for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about the broad scope of NASA by investigating current missions of the agency. They then write speeches arguing for or against the continued funding of a United States space program." Excellent

MISSION TO MARS WEBQUEST MARS!
http://www.geocities.com/mickey6040/
A webquest on Mars exploration for grades 8-12. "In fourteen days, your mission team will be the first humans to endeavor on a journey to mars. Your mission team is comprised of a journalist, a history teacher and a scientist. You will see things no one else in this world has seen first hand. Before you go, your team will have some last minute activities to complete to prepare for your journey. Remember, mystery and the unknown is everywhere. No human has stepped foot on this planet until now. Your team coming from varied walks of life, will become the most knowledgeable individuals about the planet mars. Your journey begins now." Excellent

MODELING ORBITAL DEBRIS PROBLEMS – LESSON PLAN
http://illuminations.nctm.org/lessonplans/9-12/debris/index.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the debris left in orbit by man-made objects. "In this lesson, students examine the problem of space pollution caused by human-made debris in orbit to develop an understanding of functions and modeling. It allows the students an opportunity to use spreadsheets, graphing calculators, and computer graphing utilities." Excellent

MOON MANIA
http://letrc.lpb.org/MoonMania/index.htm
Information and lesson plans on the Moon. Excellent

MOONWALKING TO MARS? CONSIDERING BUSH’S PLANS FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND MARS – LESSON PLAN
MARS!
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20040120tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Moon and Mars for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students research past U.S. presidents' space exploration goals. They then synthesize their knowledge by holding a presidential panel to analyze President George W. Bush's plans regarding missions to the Moon and Mars." Excellent

MYSTERY ON MARS DERBY MARS!
http://www.headbone.com/derby/
An Internet learning adventure. Sections: Next Stop, Mars!; Turf, No Surf; Not Just Chillin’; Moon Madness; Holy Smoke!; Cydonian Cell Block; and Back to Normal! Excellent

NASA EDUCATION PROGRAMS
http://www.education.nasa.gov/
Your portal to all kinds of educational resources and opportunities for teachers and students. Excellent

NASA KIDS
http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
NASA’s site for kids. Sections: Rockets and Airplanes, Our Earth, Astronauts Living in Space, Space and Beyond, Projects and Games, NASA Toons, Stories by NASA Kids, and more. Includes lots of games, activities, art and stories. Don’t miss the Teacher’s Corner. Excellent

NASA ONLINE MULTIMEDIA
http://www.spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Multimedia/On-line.Multimedia/.index-text.html
Links to online multimedia sites from NASA. Sections: 3D Images, 3D Models, Image Archives, Interactive Models, Multimedia Galleries, NASA Television CU-See-Me, Panoramic Images, Slide Shows, Sound Archives, Video Archives, Webcams and also Instructional Materials: Models (to download and assemble). Excellent

NASA MULTIMEDIA CENTER
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html
NASA’s gallery of images, video, interactive features, NASA TV and more. Excellent

THE NINE PLANETS: A MULTIMEDIA TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/billa/tnp/nineplanets.html
"The Nine Planets is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in our solar system. Each page has text and images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information." An extensive site. Excellent

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR HUMANKIND: REVISITING THE APOLLO 11 MISSION IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES OR LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990719monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on Apollo 11 for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students gain an understanding of the significance of the Apollo 11 lunar landing thirty years later by interviewing an adult about his or her memories of the specific events and impact of the mission. Students then incorporate their interviews into news articles, imagining that they are journalists in July 1969 with the goal of documenting citizens' views of this historic 'step for mankind.'" Excellent

OUT OF THIS WORLD: REVISING THE SOLAR SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021008tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the solar system for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about the discovery of miniplanet Quaoar and the newly disputed status of Pluto as a planet. They then create an updated children's astronomy text to reflect these potential revisions to the solar system." Excellent

PEACE ABOVE EARTH: EXPLORING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON THE WEB – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990603thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the International Space Station for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students use the Internet to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the International Space Station by participating in an Internet scavenger hunt, searching for information about the goals, development and plans for the space station. Each student will then determine which Web site encountered in their scavenger hunt provided the most thorough and interesting information and will write a brief review of that Web site." Excellent

PLANETARY WEBQUEST
http://students.itec.sfsu.edu/edt628/hovey/index.html
A webquest for middle school students on the planets. "You are a member of an international scientific team in charge of the first planetary colony in our solar system. Your team must analyze the different planets and decide on which planet to colonize. While there is no right answer, your team must give reasons both for why you chose a particular planet and why you did not choose the other planets. At the completion of this assignment each team will also need to: 1. Identify all the planets from their pictures 2. Give general physical characteristics of the planets they researched 3. Evaluate the web sites they used as sources" Excellent

THE PLANETS IN BALANCE – LESSON PLAN
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2256/
A lesson plan for grades 5-8 on the planets. "Students conduct independent research on one of the planets in our solar system, specifically discovering a planet’s composition, weather, atmosphere, and satellites. Using information on equilibrium and levers, students create their own mobiles containing planets and satellites. Finally, they will teach the class about the planet they researched via oral presentations." Excellent

PLANETSCAPES – A GATEWAY SITE
http://planetscapes.com/
A huge site on the planets and other bodies of the solar system. Includes information, puzzles, games and more. This is a gateway site. Excellent

POWERS OF TEN
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html
"View the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth. Then move through space towards the Earth in successive orders of magnitude until you reach a tall oak tree just outside the buildings of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. After that, begin to move from the actual size of a leaf into a microscopic world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and finally, into the subatomic universe of electrons and protons." Sections: Optics Timeline, Student Activities, Teacher Resources, Tutorials, Background, Intel Play and Movie Gallery. Excellent

RED PLANET ROVERS MARS!
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
News and information about the Spirit Rover exploration of Mars. Very extensive. Excellent

ROCKET LAUNCH – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=145
A lesson plan on rockets for grades 9-12. "In this lesson, students will explore design considerations of model rockets. They will consider how model rockets are similar to real rockets (in design and flight), as well as how they are different due to the constraints placed upon them such as size and intended user. In order for this to be a substantive lesson, it is important for students to be very specific in their thoughts and discussions." Excellent

SCIENCE LESSON PLANS –MARS – ASTRONOMY MARS!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMO.htm
Lesson plans revolving around the theme the Colonization of Mars. Excellent

SCOPING OUT SPACE: EVALUATING EXISTING AND PROPOSED TELESCOPE PROJECTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20031230tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on telescopes for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students research existing and proposed telescope projects. They then synthesize their knowledge by creating presentations on each telescope and speculating about which project is worthy of additional funding." Excellent

SEEING STARS: DEVELOPING PLANETARIUM EXHIBITS IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000215tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the stars for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students explore the history of planetariums and the features of the new Hayden Planetarium as a springboard to planning, developing and displaying their own planetarium exhibits." Excellent

A SHUTTLE’S EYE VIEW: EXPLORING THE GOALS OF THE SHUTTLE RADAR TOPOGRAPHY MISSIONS AND CREATING TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF LOCAL REGIONS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020129tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the space shuttle for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn about the goals of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission as a springboard to exploring the topographical features of their own state or region. They then synthesize their understanding of landforms and topography by mapping their region and proposing the development of a project appropriately located in relation to those landforms." Excellent

SIZING UP THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=33
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the solar system. "This investigation focuses on the part of the universe that is most familiar to students: the solar system. Students' grasps of the ideas of composition and magnitude of the universe have to develop over time. In middle school, students can begin to add more detail to their picture of the solar system and the universe, paying increasing attention to matters of scale and distance." Includes hands-on activities. Excellent

SKY AND ARTIST – LESSON PLANS
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2366/
A lesson plan for grades 5-8 on the sky. "In this lesson, students analyze different visual representations of the night sky. They begin by looking at how artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Edward Munch, Henri Matisse, and Joan Miro painted the night sky, then compare these artworks to scientific representations of stars and constellations. Students then create a painting of the night sky using the ideas they have gathered from the artists' and scientists' work." Excellent

SKY LESSON PLAN GROUP:
SKY 1: OBJECTS IN THE SKY – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=4&DocID=155
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "This lesson is part of a four-lesson series in which students observe the daytime and nighttime sky regularly to identify sequences of changes and to look for patterns in these changes. At the K-2 level, learning about objects in the sky should be entirely observational and qualitative. The priority is to get students noticing and describing what objects in the sky look like at different times." Excellent

SKY 2: SHADOWS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=10
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "In this lesson, students will explore making shadows and tracking the movement of an object over the course of a day to look for patterns. It is best to couple this shadow activity with reading the book, Bear Shadow, and making a map of Bear's neighborhood when the sun is relatively high in the sky, either near the beginning or the end of the school year. You'll want to measure sun shadows at least twice and perhaps three or four times during the year to see how they vary with the time of year." Excellent

SKY 3: MODELING SHADOWS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=9
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the sky. "students construct models to demonstrate their understanding of shadows." Excellent

SKY 4: THE MOON – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=172
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the Moon. "In this lesson, students will draw the moon's shape for each evening on a calendar and then determine the pattern in the shapes over several weeks. Students' understandings should be confined to observations, descriptions, and finding patterns. Attempting to extend this understanding into explanations using models will be limited by the inability of young children to understand that earth is approximately spherical. Children at this age also have little understanding of gravity and usually have misconceptions about the properties of light that allow us to see objects such as the moon. (Benchmarks for Science Literacy, p.336.) Thus, these topics should be avoided." Excellent

SKY WATCHING – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=321
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the night sky. "In this lesson, students will make their own night-sky observations, diagram and describe what they see, and will then look at pictures taken by telescopes. They will compare the two ways of observing to confirm what telescopes can reveal about the night sky. They will also learn about Galileo and contemplate how the telescope helped him make his discoveries 400 years ago." Excellent

THE SOLAR SYSTEM IN PICTURES
http://www.the-solar-system.net/
"This website has 315 web pages with over 340 pictures. This website has 2 purposes: To give a pictorial overview of the solar system and to quiz you about these pictures. After each page of information about the solar system there are some review questions about the pictures on that page. There are also 15 picture quizzes with 75 questions - each question comes with a picture. You will also find astronomy WebQuests here." Sections: Planets in Our Solar System, Our Solar System Extremes, Asteroids, Comets, The Sun, Our Solar System Glossary. Includes links to 50 science webquests. Outstanding. Excellent

SOLAR SYSTEM LESSON PLANS FOR K-5
http://www.proteacher.com/110066.shtml
A collection of lesson plans on the solar system and planets for grades K-5. Note: We found one broken link on this site. Excellent

SOLAR SYSTEM WEBQUEST
http://www.monet.k12.ca.us/challenge/Teacher_Webpages/OWStemigD/SolarSystemWebquest/solar_system_webquest.htm
A webquest for 3^rd grade students on the solar system. "Your class has been given the assignment of creating the Solar System area at the Orville Wright Science Museum. This museum will be a hand-on display area where visitors can play with the displays." "This museum is to be built on our campus for the school and the community. Your group will be completing a travel poster, a KidPix slide show, and an interactive display about your planet. This display should include hands-on activities that children and adults can play with to better understand the Solar System." Excellent

SPACE-AGE EXPERIMENTS: NASA’S AGE EXPERIMENTS IN SPACE AND FORMER ASTRONAUT F. STORY MUSGRAVE’S VIEWS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981020tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the space shuttle for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students evaluate the notion of aging by evaluating some of the studies that will be occurring on the next space shuttle mission, on which 77-year-old John Glenn is an astronaut. Students will then read an article containing a conversation with F. Story Musgrave, who retired from the space program upon NASA's urging due to his age (62), and analyze his views of NASA and John Glenn's participation in the program. Excellent

SPACE COLONY WEBQUEST
http://www.coollessons.org/spacecolony.htm
A webquest for elementary students on space colonization. "Your team has been asked to make a proposal to put a colony of 600 humans somewhere in our solar system (sorry - not on Earth or our moon) as a test of whether it might be possible to someday do large scale colonization. The colony is to be self sufficient - you will only be allowed to bring enough materials to start your colony. This means that, once your colony is built and working, it must provide everything the colonists need. Other than what you brought, whatever is in the station must be made new, fixed easily, grown or recycled. It is a long way to Earth. Replacement parts, food, etc. cannot be shipped due to the high costs, $100,000 - $1,000,000 per pound, depending on your location. So - once your colony is operational, you are on your own." Note: We found a couple of broken links on this site. Excellent

SPACE.COM – NIGHT SKY
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/
All about what we see when we look up at night. Sections: Hubble Space Telescope, Lets Talk Stars Radio, A Martian Perspective: The Strange Tale of Two Moons, Your Sky Tonight, Find Mars: Easy Doorstep Viewing Guide, Venus Viewer’s Guide, Luna’s Crazy Names: A Monthly Guide and much more. Excellent

SPACE FOOD AND NUTRITION – AN EDUCATOR’S GUIDE WITH ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE AND MATH
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Space.Food.and.Nutrition/
A group of classroom activities for grades K-4 and 5-8. "From John Glenn's mission to orbit Earth to the International Space Station program, space food research has met the challenge of providing food that tastes good and travels well in space. To better understand this process, we can look back through history. Explorers have always had to face the problem of how to carry enough food for their journeys. Whether those explorers are onboard a sailing ship or on the Space Shuttle, adequate storage space has been a problem. Food needs to remain edible throughout the voyage, and it also needs to provide all the nutrients required to avoid vitamin-deficiency diseases such as scurvy. …..While these forms of packaged food products are fine for travel on Earth, they are not always suitable for use on space flights. There are limitations to weight and volume when traveling and the microgravity conditions experienced in space also affect the food packaging. Currently, there is limited storage space and no refrigeration. To meet these challenges, special procedures for the preparation, packaging, and storing of food for space flight were developed." Excellent

SPACE KIDS
http://www.spacekids.com/
Includes a Virtual Space Tour, Games, Photos, Movies, Daily Quiz, Sky Watch, articles and more. Excellent

SPACE: NASA’S FRONTIER: A LESSON PLAN FOR SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, LANGUAGE ARTS OR AMERICAN HISTORY CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981013tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on NASA for grades 6-12. "As NASA turns 40, students research the history and accomplishments of the American space program and ponder its role in the future." Excellent

THE SPACE PLACE
http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/index.shtml
A fun site for elementary-age kids on space. Sections: Make Spacey Things, Do Spacey Things, Space Science in Action, Dr. Marc’s Amazing Facts, and Friends Share. Outstanding. Excellent

A SPACE SETTLEMENT WEBQUEST
http://www.what-is-the-speed-of-light.com/webquests/space-ecosystem-webquest.html
A webquest for middle school students on space settlement. "Due to your broad expertise in a range of science disciplines you have been awarded a contract to develop a system to monitor the overall 'health' of a space settlement. The classroom is divided into several groups (with around 5 members each) to do this WebQuest. Each group works independently from the other groups." Excellent

SPACE TRAVEL WEBQUESTS
http://www.the-solar-system.net/webquests/space-webquests.html
A page of webquests on space travel. Excellent

SPACELINK – THE LIBRARY
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/
A guide to NASA's hundreds of web pages. Excellent

SPACESHIP EARTH – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=295
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on life in space. "This lesson is entitled Spaceship Earth to reinforce the idea that our planet is–in reality–like a spaceship hurtling through space on a long-duration mission. There is no resupply from outside sources. Recycling is as much a part of the natural order of things as is the sunrise everyday. Pollution occurs when there are outputs that cannot be used as inputs for something else. Pollution is harmful and can be downright dangerous. The connections between parts of the natural system are imperative to its normal operation. By actively thinking through what it takes to keep people alive on a spaceship, the students will come to understand more fully what it takes to keep people alive on this planet." Excellent

SPACEWANDER
http://www.spacewander.com/
Take a 12-minute multimedia tour of the universe. Outstanding. Excellent

SPACING OUT: EXPLORING PLANETARY CONDITIONS AND THE NOTION OF SUSTAINING HUMAN LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20011023tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the planets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students act as teams of scientists to explore environmental and geological conditions on other planets in our solar system, comparing their findings to information about Earth. They then propose technologies that might assist in supporting human life on those planets and present their ideas at a 'scientific conference." Excellent

SPARC – SPACE PHYSICS AND AERONOMY RESEARCH COLLABORATORY
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/sparc/
"The purpose of the Space Physics and Aeronomy Research Collaboratory (SPARC) project is to design, develop, deploy, and evaluate Internet-based technology that helps space scientists work together in collaborative studies of space and upper atmospheric science. The SPARC team includes an international community of space, computer, and behavioral scientists." Click on Classroom Activities on the left for a large number of lesson plans about space and the solar system. Good for them alone. Excellent

STARCHILD – A LEARNING CENTER FOR YOUNG ASTRONOMERS
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html
Site is on two levels. Each level has: Solar System, Universe, Space Stuff, and a Glossary. Also Starchild History, In The Classroom, Question of the Month and Other Good Places. Includes lots of classroom activities. The ‘In the Classroom’ section includes excellent lesson plans. Excellent

STARS – A MYSTERY OF SPACE – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/25763/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0322
A student-created site on stars with two age groups – 12 & under and 13 & over plus teachers. Sections: Animations, Lesson Index, Lesson Plans, Library/Gallery, Planetarium, Starting Guide, Interactives: Constellation Poll, Animations, User-Submitted Art & Pictures, User-Submitted Sightings & Stories, User-Submitted Myths, and Celestial News. Excellent

STELLAR DISCOVERIES THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD: CREATING A ‘GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE’ – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990420tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the universe for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students learn of the recent discovery of a group of planets orbiting the star Upsilon Andromedae as a springboard for individual research on different elements of which the universe is comprised. Each student will create a page about an element of the universe, ranging from specific planets in the solar system to the definition of 'solar system' itself, to be included in a class Guide to the Universe." Excellent

STELLAR RESORTS: EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORBITAL VACATIONS – LESSON PLANS
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000518thursday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Milky Way galaxy for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students explore the future of 'orbital vacations' and create fanciful tours of the Milky Way Galaxy." Excellent

STUDENT OBSERVATION NETWORK
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/sunearthday/2003/network.htm
A combination of four programs allowing students to make observations of the Sun and phenomena and learn how to use the data. Programs: Sunspotters, Radio Waves, Magnetosphere, and Auroral Friends. Excellent

THE SUN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=166
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the Sun. "Students have started to add more detail to their picture of the universe at this age. Now students should start to learn about individual planets, moons, and the stars. By focusing on physical characteristics of the sun, this lesson will give students a general understanding of what a star is, which can be the basis of understanding the general make-up of other stars in far off galaxies. Includes a hands-on activity. Excellent

SUNSPOTS LESSON PLAN GROUP
SUNSPOTS 1: A LOOK AT SUNSPOTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=184
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on sunspots. "In this lesson, students are introduced to sunspots and the types of technology and solar imaging that can be used to collect information about the sun's features. The second and third lessons in the series are activities in which students apply information gathered by scientific instruments (telescopes and satellites) to infer knowledge about the behavior of sunspots." Excellent

SUNSPOTS 2: CORRELATING SUNSPOTS TO ACTIVE REGIONS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=185
A lesson plan on sunspots for grades 9-12. "This second lesson allows students to see how sophisticated technology can be used to learn about the sun. In this activity, students apply the use of two types of solar imaging to determine a correlation between sunspots and active regions on the sun. The sunspots are visualized through the use of visible light solar imaging whereas the active regions are visualized utilizing x-ray energy. Students compare the two images and determine the area of sunspots and active regions using a Java applet. The information gathered is used to determine the existence of a correlation between the two types of solar features." Excellent

SUNSPOTS 3: TRACKING THE MOVEMENT OF SUNSPOTS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=186
A lesson plan on sunspots for grades 9-12. "Through the activities of lessons 1 and 2, students should now be familiar with sunspots, active regions, and the type of imaging used to visualize these features of the sun. In this activity, students collect one of two types of images gathered by the SOHO satellite currently circling the sun about one million miles from earth. Over a two-week period, students will obtain images directly from SOHO's official site on the Web and track the movement of sunspots using a latitude/longitude grid." Excellent

SWEET HOME, OUTER SPACE – A WEBQUEST ON SPACE SETTLEMENTS
http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/webq/webq65/
A webquest for high school students on space settlements. "You and three others have been appointed to a special task force team by the President of the United States. In response to rumors that Russia is currently developing a space settlement, The President has devised this task force team to insure that America will be the first to send an orbiting settlement into space." Excellent

SWINGING ON A STAR: EXPLORING THE ISSUES RELATED TO INTERSTELLAR SPACE TRAVEL – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020305tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on space travel for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students will learn about the issues that might arise if humans were to go on an interstellar space mission. They then synthesize their understanding of interstellar travel by writing scenes from a science fiction novel that would depict such a mission." Excellent

TAKE A VACATION ON THIS PLANET – WEBQUEST
http://milforded.org/schools/eastshore/mking/wq/planet.html
A webquest for elementary students on the planets. "You are a travel agent astronomer trying to sell a vacation on your planet. As a travel agent you will provide the necessary facts and information to entice your clients into visiting your planet in our solar system." Excellent

THE TECHNOLOGY OF MARS EXPLORATION – LESSON PLAN MARS!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g912/marstech.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on Mars exploration. "This lesson asks students to research the types of technology that are used to map and explore Mars. Students will imagine that they are working as "technology experts" for NASA, and will create visual presentations to show the American public the types of technology that their tax dollars are funding for Mars mapping and exploration." Excellent

THURSDAY’S CLASSROOM – LESSON PLANS
http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com/
"The aim of Thursday's Classroom is to provide a connection between NASA research and the classroom. And we don't mean old research! Our weekly lessons --prepared by professional educators and scientists-- are based on breaking Science@NASA news reports." Includes an archive of all past lessons. Excellent

TRAVEL IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM – LESSON PLAN
http://illuminations.nctm.org/lessonplans/6-8/travel/index.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on space travel. "This lesson affords students the opportunity to think about two aspects of the time required to complete space travel within the solar system. First, students consider the amount of time that space travelers must spend on the journey. Second, students think about what kinds of events might occur on Earth while the space travelers are on their journey. Thinking about both situations improves student’s concept of time and distance as well as improves their understanding of the solar system." Excellent

VIEWS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
http://www.solarviews.com/ss.html
"Views of the Solar System presents a vivid multimedia adventure unfolding the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and more. Discover the latest scientific information, or study the history of space exploration, rocketry, early astronauts, space missions, spacecraft through a vast archive of photographs, scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. Views of the Solar System offers enhanced exploration and educational enjoyment of the solar system and beyond." A huge site. Includes maps, animations, images and more. Check out the lesson plans under Resources. Excellent

A VIRTUAL JOURNEY INTO THE UNIVERSE – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/?tqskip1=1
Actually a tour of the solar system, you aim your viewfinder toward a planet to explore it, both the surface and the interior. Terrific graphics and flash animation. Each includes an interactive section with games or movies. Excellent

VIRTUAL SOJOURNER – LESSON PLAN
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/modules/Virtual_Sojourner/index.html
A lesson plan for grades 4-12 on Mars. "Carry out a "virtual Mars mission" just like the one Mars Pathfinder's rover, Sojourner, performed. Apply your new knowledge to future Mars missions!" Note: Easily adaptable to the current Mars mission. Excellent

THE WARMTH OF THE SUN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=329
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the Sun. "In this lesson, students will take a closer look at the sun and begin to recognize its critical function in heating and warming the air, land, and water that sustain our lives. This will involve drawing their attention to the basics of the heat around them and how the sun is the primary source of that warmth. They will then perform a number of indoor and outdoor activities that support the benchmark, and help to begin their identification of the sun as the natural, universal source of heat in the world." Excellent

WHAT A COSMIC WEB WE WEAVE: INVESTIGATING COSMIC EVOLUTION SINCE THE "BIG BANG" – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010814tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the cosmos for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students explore how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution." Excellent

WHERE NOW MAN HAS GONE BEFORE: REFLECTING ON FORTY YEARS OF SPACE EXPLORATION: A SCIENCE LESSON – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990720tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on the Moon for grades 6-12. "Students examine the Apollo lunar landings and past theories about the creation and structure of the Earth's Moon as a springboard for investigating missions and milestones in space exploration since the creation of NASA in 1958." Excellent

A WHOLE NEW WORLD: INVESTIGATING DIRECT EVIDENCE OF AN EXTRASOLAR PLANET AND THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON DIFFERENT WORLDS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19991116tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on life on other planets for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students explore the significance of direct scientific evidence of an extrasolar planet, focusing on the relationship of this new discovery to the notion of survival of living things on other planets. Students work in small groups to investigate statistics regarding the nine planets in the solar system and participate in a 'scientific conference' to examine the elements that allow or prevent life from flourishing on other planets. Students then explore the available information about the extrasolar planet and assess the importance of this astronomical find." Excellent

WINDOWS TO THE UNIVERSE
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/windows3.html
An outstanding site on the solar system and the universe. Sections: Our Planet; Our Solar System; The Universe; Myths, Art, Books & Film; Space Missions; People; Headline Universe; Cool Stuff (includes lots of games, Ask a Scientist, and Image Archive) and Data. Check out the Teacher’s Section for lots of lesson plans. Excellent

WORLD BUILDERS – BUILD YOUR OWN WORLD
http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/builders/
"This website has step-by-step information and hundreds of links to help you design your world • supports a university distance education course, EDIT 472 World Builders (January-March) • is a resource for teachers who want to teach their students how to build worlds • is a model course using constructivist and project-based learning • welcomes home schoolers, science fiction fans, and anyone who shares our interests." Includes lesson plans, links and much, much more. Excellent

X – GLIDERS – MODELS
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/X.Gliders/
"Instructional Materials: X1 Paper Glider Kit - This NASA Educational Brief, featuring the X-1, investigates the basics of flight with a paper model of the first supersonic aircraft." "Instructional Materials: Models - International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope, gliders, paper airplanes, and Mars spacecraft. These are just a few of the models that you can download and assemble. Check out these sites with skill levels that range from beginner to advanced." Excellent

XLIFE WEBQUEST
http://www.resa.net/nasa/webquest.htm
A webquest on exploring for life on other planets. The Xlife Mission! Pick the likeliest planet (or moon) in the Solar System for the existence of off-Earth life and design the robotic vehicle-explorer and the instruments and experiments - and money no limit? It was a dream come true - her dream." Click on the Index at the bottom for the links. Excellent

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE: EXAMINING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF AURORAS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000328tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on auroras for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students examine how the interaction between solar activity and the Earth's geomagnetic field result in the phenomena known as aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, and the impact of increased solar activity on humans." Excellent

ZOOM ASTRONOMY
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/
A fun site for young students on astronomy. Sections: The Planets, Classroom Activities, Fun Things (incl. coloring pages), The Solar System, The Sun, The Moon, Small Bodies, Miscellaneous Topics, Stars and an Astronomy Dictionary. Excellent

ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT
– ADM. ALAN SHEPARD INTERVIEW - ASTRONAUT
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/she0int-1
Transcript of an interview with Alan Shepard, the first American in space and Maxime Faget who designed the Mercury spacecraft Shepard traveled in. Includes audio and video clips. Also includes a Profile and Biography of each. Visit the Curriculum Center for teacher and student materials. Very Good

– STORY MUSGRAVE INTERVIEW – ASTRONAUT
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/mus0int-1
Transcript of an interview with Story Musgrave, the "Dean of American Astronauts". He discusses his tragic early years and success in the space program including the difficulties of repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. Includes audio and video clips along with a Profile and Biography. Visit the Curriculum Center for teacher and student materials. Very Good

– DONNA SHIRLEY INTERVIEW– MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM MARS!
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/shi0int-1
Transcript of an interview with Donna Shirley of the Mars Exploration Program. Includes audio and video clips along with a Profile and a Biography. Visit the Curriculum Center for teacher and student materials. Very Good

ARE WE READY FOR LIFE IN SPACE? – WEBQUEST
http://www.lfelem.lfc.edu/tech/DuBose/webquest/pictor/space.html
A webquest for elementary students on life in space. "You will explore the Space Station Mir, its crew and the shuttle missions that have and will support its existence. You will work in groups of four, searching web sited and reading articles about it. The first two classes are for gathering information and answering the questions. Class three you will pick a project that will demonstrate what was learned. The fourth class will be used to give presentations." Very Good

ASTRONOMY – LIBRARIAN’S INDEX TO THE INTERNET
http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/SegwayEd/index.html
A page of astronomy topics with links in each. Very Good

ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
A daily picture from the NASA archives along with an explanation of what it shows. Currently showing pictures from the Mars Spirit rover. Includes an index of the images. Very Good

BUILD A SOLAR SYSTEM
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/