A Year Ten module from the Salters’ double award science course. The first section of the module introduces the formation, composition and structure of the atmosphere. The Sun is our main source of energy. Students consider why sunlight is more intense near the equator...

In this activity developed by the Institute of Physics, students use simple diffraction gratings to observe the spectra from different sources, and deduce how scientists can work out which chemicals are present in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. When an exoplanet passes in front of its star, some of the starlight is...

This Science upd8 resource is set in the context of astronomy. Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System. Through analysing data students justify whether or not they believe the 'new' planet to be Earth-like. 

Basketball Earth
This resource uses a basketball as the Earth to set up a scale model to the distance to the Moon, satellites and distances such as the thickness of the...

Produced by the Centre for Science Education, this Science Assessment Task for More Able Students, comprises of two investigations with a space-related theme. Students investigate what needs to be considered if humans are to colonise our solar system.

They look at:

* forces and the force of gravity...

In this activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, students are introduced to the rotating Earth and the concept of longitude. They will carry out simple arithmetic that relates the 24 hour clock with the Earth’s rotation. The questions in the activity require an understanding of angle: one hour being equal to...

Produced by the Hamilton Trust, these resources give details of seven lessons on space. This includes lesson plans, practical activities and all student materials. Students find facts about the Sun, Moon and Earth. They develop an understanding of day and night, the four seasons and the Moon’s phases. The Sun and...

This resource from Physicists in Primary Schools (PIPS) supports the teaching of Earth and Space at Key Stage Two. A presentation introduces Earth and the planets of our solar system, with an activity in which children help demonstrate the relative sizes of planets and the distances between them. It moves on to...

From the Institute of Physics, this resource provides extensive teacher guidance and suggested classroom activities to support the teaching of:

* Gravity and space

* Orbits and satellites

* The solar system and beyond

* Sun, Moon and Earth Each topic is explored from the following...

Volcanoes can be found on many planets and satellites in the Solar System, although not all volcanoes are the same as those found on Earth. It is the conditions on the planet and its composition that determine the shape of the volcanoes and the material that is erupted.

Students will use topography data to...

The loose fragments of material on the Moon’s surface are called regolith. This regolith, a product of bombardment by meteorites, is the debris thrown out of the impact craters. By contrast, regolith on Earth (called ‘soil’ as it contains organic material) is a product of weathering. ‘Weathering’ describes all the...

Guidance on the teaching of three earth and space topics was given in the second edition of the Nuffield Co-ordinated Sciences Teachers’ Guide. As in the first edition, the earth and space topics were closely linked to the teaching of the chemistry and physics. The activities were described in...

Physics and the Earth Sciences for Middle Schools is one of the titles in the series of ASE Lab Books that were published in the early 1970s for the Association for Science Education by John Murray. Each title covered one or two topics and brought together the best of...

The Science Processes and Concepts Exploration (SPACE) project research report on Earth in Space was conducted at two centres: at the University of Liverpool and King’s College, London and published in 1994 by Liverpool University Press. Each centre took responsibility for research in particular concepts and for...