Looking for some virtual astronomy and Earth science educational resources to use in your remote classrooms? Here is a list of our recommendations to get you started.
If you have a useful resource you would highly recommend to other K-12 educators, let ourÌýEducation DepartmentÌýknow about it!
Resources
NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover Landing Resources
On February 18, 2021 (at approximately 1:30 pm MT),ÌýÌýwill touch down on Mars! Check outÌýÌýfor a more in-depth look at this mission.
Now through February 2021:
- Ìý- Posters, stickers, fact sheets, mission patches and more.
- Ìý- Try the Photo Booth, Send Your Name on the next mission to Mars, and check out other interactive experiences.
- Ìý- Our quick guide to the TV programs coming up you can watch online.
- Ìý- Launching in mid-January, get Mars-related webcasts for learners of all ages, along with lessons and activities for students.
On Landing Day, Feb. 18, 2021:
- Ìý- The NASA TV broadcast from Mission Control starts at 12:15 pm MST/2:15 p.m. EST.
After Landing:
- Ìý- As the rover begins its mission at Jezero Crater, visit the mission website for the latest news and images every day.
Climate Change Resources
:ÌýCurated list of organizations that provide reviewed listings of the best available student and educators resources related to global climate change, including NASA products.
:ÌýAccurate education about climate and energy topics has never been more important, and it can be challenging to locate reliable, vetted educational materials to use in your classroom. CLEAN is here to help you find the resources that you need, without wondering about their scientific credibility or educational value.
:ÌýThis interactive simulator can be used to test climate solutions and generate climate scenarios for the future.
:ÌýArticle with some thoughts about how to broach the subject with students, no matter what subject you teach.
:ÌýHands-on activities for a variety of grade levels.
:ÌýGLOBE Observer is an international network of citizen scientists and scientists working together to learn more about our shared environment and changing climate. To participate, just download the and submit regular observations.
:ÌýCoCoRaHS is a grassroots volunteer network of backyard weather observers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow) in their local communities.
:ÌýOnline exhibit about climate change
:ÌýThis webinar series is intended to connect middle and high school students that are now in the virtual/remote learning landscape with scientists.
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Hands-on Activities
Offers a range of k-5 curriculum options that inspire kids to love science! Many of the lessons are hands-on and great for at-home learning, and all are aligned with NGSS and Common Core.
from the University of Texas offers a wide variety of activities to explore astronomy. Here are a selection of our favorites to do at home:
- (grades K - 5): Everyone and everything has a shadow. Shadows illustrate how three dimensional objects can be viewed in two dimensions. Younger students can learn about the Sun’s relative motion in the sky as they experiment with shadows
- (grades K - 5): Does the Moon always look the same? Does its surface look different at different times?
- (grades K - 2; 3 - 5; 6 - 8; 9 - 12: Dust is all around us: at home, on Earth, and in space. Explore the properties of dust and the astronomical research of dust in space with these three inquiry based activities from McDonald Observatory.
- (grades 6 - 8): Use playdough to make two balls that represent different objects in the solar system. Can you guess which ones they represent? ( if you don’t already have some!)
- (grades 9 - 12): Observe colors in the flame of a burning candle to explore connections between matter, light, color, and temperature
- (grades 9 - 12): Apply concepts of scale to grasp the distances between stars and galaxies. You will use this understanding to elaborate on the question, Do galaxies collide?
The offers a list of K-12 classroom activities.Ìý
The hosts robust professional development programs, activities for classrooms, and other tools for teaching and learning.
Visit for classroom activities for elementary kids, available in English and Spanish.
General Resources
(grades K - 12): Weekly live storytime, lectures, and activities kids ages 3-15 from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
(grades K - 4, 5 - 8): NASA has compiled a variety of activities, puzzles, games, stories, videos, and more for students to do at home.
: The Space Science Institute’s Science-Technology Activities and Resource Library Network provides a vibrant online community, activities, webinars, and other resources for STEM learning.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain spent 204 days living on the International Space Station and shares her tips for living in close quarters with only a few other people. She shares what human behaviors create a healthy culture for living and working remotely in small groups. . Learn more about for the social isolation they will experience.Ìý
for 8th grade.
Digital Simulations and Apps
(grades 7 - 9) fromÌýNOVA.ÌýAÌýGalactic Resettlement team has received distress calls from aliens in desperate need of new homes. To help, you’ll have to master the same techniques scientists use to find and characterize exoplanets – worlds orbiting faraway stars.
Download theÌýÌýto explore different Earth and space datasets from a tablet or share during a teaching videoconference.
(grades 1 - 12)Ìýallows you to experience Earth and our solar system, the universe and the spacecraft exploring them, with immersive apps for Mac, PC and mobile devices.
(grades 4 - 12)Ìýis a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. Use it to observe patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars, magnify the planets to learn more about them and their moons, and more.
(grades 7 - 12)Ìýoffer a large number of STEM simulations that help students learn challenging concepts effectively. Each simulation also is accompanied by curriculum pieces designed by other teachers for your use!
Videos
(grades K - 12): STEAM videos exploring museum artifacts, hands-on science, live astronomy demonstrations and so much more!
(grades 3 - 12): Videos explaining science, engineering, and the natural world in ways that make you think! Activity links also provided.
(grades 9 - 12): The universe is awe-inspiring! From ground breaking discoveries in the news to the big questions about what makes life possible, SciShow Space brings you answers to your burning questions... and poses some even weirder questions along the way.
(grades 9 - 12): Short videos on astronomy and physics with easy-to-understand illustrations. Learn about fundamental concepts such as gravity and light all the way up to higher level topics like relativity and quantum mechanics.
(grades 11 - 12): Space Time explores the outer reaches of space, the craziness of astrophysics, the possibilities of sci-fi, and anything else you can think of beyond Planet Earth with astrophysicist host Matthew O’Dowd.