Welcome

Please use this blog to share your ideas on teaching Earth and Space concepts to your students. Please post at least one strategy each week of class, for a total of four or more posts.

Please use the following format:

Curricular concept:

Grade level:

Tools needed:

Web resources:

Strategy:

Example:

Curricular concept: Identifying major constellations visible in the Northern Hemisphere

Grade level: 7th

Tools needed: Observation Logs

Web resources: 

• Orion
• Ursa Major
• Cygnus
• Scorpius
• Cassiopeia
• StarDate Constellation Guide
• Constellation Photos 
• Monthly Sky Maps

Strategy: Ask students to record their observations of the night sky at the same time each night for one week. Provide them with an observation log the includes the following:

• Their location
• Time of observation
• Description of what they saw.

Then introduce students to the concept of constellations and provide visual and written descriptions of the following constellations: Orion, Ursa Major, Cygnus, Scorpius, and Cassiopeia.

Repeat observations and observations logs for a second week. Discuss with students:

• What they have learned about constellations?
• What other constellations why were able to identify?
• How did their observations changed over time?
• To what do they attribute these changes?
• How can they apply what they learned about these observations to other areas in science?