TeachersFirst's Moon Phases and Seasons - Science Resources
This collection of resources will help you research information about moon phases and the seasons. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites may be more challenging reading, while others may offer solid basic information. Be sure to try several sources. Explore the lessons ideas, interactives, and content sites.
If you cannot find what you need here, you may want to try searching on TeachersFirst for specific keywords.
Explore these resources related to the moon or this collection of tagged resources related to seasons.
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The Wonder of Science - Paul Andersen
Grades
K to 12
tag(s): biodiversity (30), chemicals (39), climate (80), earth (185), ecology (100), ecosystems (72), energy (130), environment (240), forces (37), genetics (76), life cycles (21), light (52), matter (47), molecules (40), motion (49), oceans (146), planets (111), sound (74), space (213), stars (65), weather (163)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-have for all science teachers to use to find high-quality lessons and teaching materials. Be sure to visit the Phenomena section to find the Master List of Phenomenon Google Document sharing suggestions for observable science events or find phenomena by grade level. Engage students in learning by sharing videos on this site, then use Edpuzzle, reviewed here to add questions and focus comments to the videos to support student learning. Use the ideas and resources on this site to create flipped and blended learning lessons or to create playlists to encourage student choice of learning activities. Learn more about playlists by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Playlists to Personalize Learning, reviewed here and learn about choice boards at the OK2Ask archive: Choice Boards for Differentiation Part 1, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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What is a Solstice? - National Geographic and Michael Greshko
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): seasons (36), solar system (108), sun (69)
In the Classroom
Include this site with your other resources when teaching about the sun, earth, and seasons. Create a complete unit using Actively Learn, reviewed here, and include this article with the other texts and videos available on the site. If you happen to be in school during the summer solstice, try using Global Virtual Classroom, reviewed here, to find a classroom in a different country to compare and contrast how the solstice affects different parts of the world. Extend learning by having students create a game using Scratch, reviewed here, to create an immersive environment demonstrating the features of summer solstice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ready Jet Go! - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 6tag(s): gravity (42), moon (70), planets (111), preK (254), solar system (108), space (213), stars (65), sun (69), temperature (35)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning station or center. Be sure to include a link on your class web page for use at home. If you're beginning to integrate technology in your class or have younger students, augment techology use by creating a word cloud of the important terms students learn from this site using a tool such as Word Clouds For Kids, reviewed here. Alternatively, these students could use an online poster creator such as Printing Press, reviewed here, to present information learned about space. Teachers more advance with integrating technology can tranform tech use with an online poster creator such as Canva, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Solstice and Equinox - Sixty Symbols
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): seasons (36), solar system (108), sun (69)
In the Classroom
Have students share what they know about solstice and equinox using Padlet, reviewed here, before viewing this video. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. Use Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions and comments to this video. Embed on your class webpage for students to view at home, then bring answers to class for discussion. Use an online flashcard maker, like Flashcard Stash, reviewed here, to work on any new vocabulary or information learned. Have students take pictures of the sun outside of your classroom at the same time daily for an extended period (a month or more), then put images together to view these changes in progression.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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When Nature Strikes: Science of Natural Hazards - NBC Learn
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earthquakes (44), floods (10), hurricanes (35), natural disasters (16), scientists (62), tornadoes (15), tsunamis (15), volcanoes (55), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on the weather. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have each group choose a video to use as a launching pad for further study. Enhance their learning with the challenge to use YiNote, reviewed here, which is a Chrome extension for taking notes online on the video while watching it. Have students create an annotated, narrated image, including text boxes and related links, using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Place the videos on your classroom website or blog for students to explore on their own. Flip your instruction, and have your scientists watch the videos before class time to build background knowledge. Review nonfiction reading strategies with students before reading the transcripts. Have students investigate STEM careers by researching the jobs of the scientists interviewed in the videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fun Science Demos - Dr. George Mehler & Jared Hottenstein
Grades
K to 8tag(s): earth (185), electricity (60), energy (130), engineering (119), heat (15), human body (93), life cycles (21), magnetism (36), matter (47), minerals (14), moon (70), recycling (46), rocks (36), solar system (108), sound (74), space (213), STEM (262), sun (69), video (257), water (101)
In the Classroom
Flip your classroom and use a video as homework. Have students take notes on the material and write down questions they still have and topics that confuse them. Or, use a tool like playposit,reviewed here, for students to pause videos and ask or answer questions right on the video. These activities can uncover misconceptions. Show the video to the class, and then discuss the concept at length. To share a single video from this site without all the YouTube clutter, View Pure, reviewed here, and create a shortcut to the View Pure page directly on the desktop. For more advanced classes, provide time for students to choose a video to view and research the underlying concept.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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International Observe the Moon Night - NASA
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): moon (70)
In the Classroom
Use the activities the week before your viewing event to learn about the moon. Use other classes for cross-curricular events. Read books that center on viewing the Moon. Read passages from a variety of sources that reference the Moon, focusing on how the Moon is portrayed in the passages. Research the role of the Moon and other celestial bodies on culture and superstitions. Encourage students to create art or write stories and poems that portray the Moon. Encourage students to draw a picture of the Moon they view during Observe the Moon night. Consider creating a night event for your school or community for the night and share the event using your school website, blog, Twitter or Facebook.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Why Do Leaves Change Color - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): photosynthesis (20), seasons (36), trees (18)
In the Classroom
Use this site as one of multiple sources for researching fall changes. Show students how to take Cornell (two-column) notes and summarize using this information. Pair weak readers with strong readers for this activity. Make a graph using Chartle Online Charts, reviewed here, comparing different types of trees and their rate of change. Find a buddy class in your county, state, or across the country and compare the changes occurring in your areas.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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K-5 GeoSource - American GeoSciences Institute
Grades
K to 6tag(s): careers (139), climate (80), erosion (14), fossils (39), moon (70), rocks (36), seasons (36), soil (16), water (101), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use during any Earth Science unit. View PowerPoints on your interactive whiteboard with students. Use suggestions from the literacy strategies with any classroom subject and share with student teachers as a resource for lesson planning. Enhance learning and augment technology use in your classroom by having students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Moon Phase Module For Websites/Blogs - Image Version - Calculator Cat MoonConnection.com
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): earth (185), moon (70), solar system (108)
In the Classroom
Use to connect students to the night sky and to help them understand why the moon phases change. Use in an Earth Science or Astronomy class when learning about the movement of moons and planets. Have students write information to accompany the widget on your class site, explaining how and why the moon phases change.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Solar System Scope - Sunaeon
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth (185), map skills (56), moon (70), planets (111), seasons (36), solar system (108), sun (69), time zones (7)
In the Classroom
The change in seasons is a difficult concept for students to understand. Use this interactive tool to show the sun's position at various times of the year and how the sunrise and sunset times change. This is terrific to share on an interactive whiteboard or projector, then have elementary (or even middle school) students "act out" the roles of sun. moon, and earth by moving about the room. Turn down the music to avoid distraction. Show how sunrise and sunset are also different at various points on the globe. Allow students the opportunity to play with the tool first and ask them what they notice and what questions they have. Inquire together to understand the various concepts. Share on an interactive whiteboard or projector with a student emcee to run the inquiry. Be sure to include this site with your study of map skills, longitude, and latitude so students can see how our maps and nature's actions fit together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WeatherSpark - WeatherSpark.com
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): climate (80), climate change (87), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Identify changes in average temperatures and precipitation. Compare forecasts and other data from the same location at different years or between more than one location. Identify trends, notice differences among other areas, and develop explanations for these differences. Research various factors that affect the climate.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Extreme Earth - Extreme Science
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): amazon (10), animals (280), antarctica (28), arctic (40), earth (185), earthquakes (44), geology (64), plate tectonics (20), sun (69), tsunamis (15), volcanoes (55), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an alternative to a textbook in a one to one laptop science class. Add the link to the classroom web pafe or wiki as an informational resource for your students. Or, develop questions about the reading and use as a guided reading activity to help enhance reading across the curriculum activities. Engage students and enhance learning by using Read Ahead, reviewed here, to develop a digital guided reading activity. Have cooperative learning groups explore one of the specific topics and create multimedia presentations. Use Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here, to create online posters. Extend learning by having students use Google Drawings, reviewed here, to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lunar Phase Simulator - University of Nebraska Lincoln
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
Consider having the class use this simulation prior to discussion in class and after an initial survey quiz to determine prior knowledge about lunar phases. After using this simulation in groups, encourage students to identify the movement of the Earth and the Moon over time. Allow students to use a projector or other light source and objects resembling the Earth and the Moon to demonstrate what they have learned to the rest of the class. Follow instructions to download and install the native apps on your device.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth View - The Living Earth
Grades
K to 12tag(s): earth (185), globe (12), iwb (32), maps (209), seasons (36), weather (163)
In the Classroom
This tool is great for all levels. Use this as part of a science, social studies or geography lesson. Put this site up on your interactive whiteboard or projector. When using this with young students, use the zoom feature and zoom into different areas of the world to show them day and night. What a great way to teach about opposites. When using with older students show them how to find locations using the latitude and longitude feature. Use the different views with both younger and older students so they can see how the earth looks from the moon and from the sun.Use custom weather imagery as part of a unit on weather and global atmospheric patterns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Meteorology Lesson Ideas - Australian Government
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): weather (163)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities on this site! These would be great for a geosystems or an earth sciences classroom. Be sure to save the site as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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