For Educators
Clark Planetarium offers classroom resources and lesson plans. In addition, we also offer professional development workshops for teachers.
Professional Development Workshops for Teachers
Workshops typically are scheduled through district science specialists and can be taught on-site for a single district or for several districts together. Some workshops can only be scheduled if funding is available, and some may offer resource kits teachers can take back to their schools. E-mail clarkeducation@slco.org with questions.
Seasons and Moon Phases – Curriculum for Utah 6th grade SEEd 6.1.1
In this training, learn how to demonstrate the phenomena of seasons and moon phases. In addition, learn how to guide students through investigations of the causes.
This workshop meets 6th-grade SEEd standards, and it includes training on using the “Seasons and Moon Phases” teacher resource kits. For information about your district contact and to request a “Seasons and Moon Phases” teacher resource kit, contact clarkeducation@slco.org.
Kinesthetic Astronomy – Curriculum for Utah 6th grade SEEd 6.1.1
Learn how to act out the motions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun in this active and engaging workshop. Teachers will act as students in modeling the correct motions and appearances of the Moon and Sun in the sky. Students use their bodies to represent the Earth, with different features of the room representing the Sun and stars.
Electricity and Magnetism – Curriculum for Utah 5th grade Science standards 3 and 4
Experience several hands-on activities that allow students to explore static electric, current electric, and magnetic phenomena. Aligned with 3D science teaching, these activities give students tools to explore and model electric and magnetic fields.
Density – Curriculum for 6th-grade SEEd 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3
This curriculum helps students develop an understanding of density – a core concept of standard 6.2. These lessons scaffold upward, starting with planets and moons (6.1.3), moving on to molecules and phase changes (6.2), and ending with the water cycle (6.3.1).
Universe Sandbox
Universe Sandbox is an interactive physics-based space simulation. This “video game” program allows teachers and students to explore gravity and the movement of objects in space. In this workshop, Clark educators will introduce educators to the program, guide them in using the software for both demonstrations, and provide student-led lesson plans. Attending educators will each receive a license to install the software at their school.
Curriculum and Lessons
Clark Planetarium offers digital versions its teacher professional development sessions. They can be downloaded from the links shown below. For questions about the materials, or to inquire about professional development opportunities, contact us at 385-468-1248 or clarkeducation@slco.org.
6th-grade Seasons and Moon Phase Activity Kits (Kits meet SEEd standards)
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MASTER Seasons and Moon Phases Kit Curriculum with Worksheets (Download PDF document)
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MASTER Seasons and Moon Phases Kit Curriculum (Download PDF document)
Instructions for Kinesthetic Astronomy Kit Activities
Resources for SEEd Density Activities
Some of the PowerPoint slides have notes with additional information.
Standard 6.1.3 – Structure of the Solar System
Standard 6.2.1 – Atoms and Molecules
Standard 6.2.2 – Heat Energy and Phase Changes
Standard 6.3.1 – The Water Cycle
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Activity 2 - Effects of Uneven Heating on Density (Download Word document)
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Activity 3 – Cycling Water Through Earth Systems (Download PDF document)
Standard 6.3.3 – Heat and Atmospheric/Oceanic Circulation
5th-grade Electricity and Magnetism Activity Kits
Universe Sandbox Lesson Plans
Fourth Grade Astronomy Kit Activities
Teacher Resources
Scavenger Hunts
Prepare your class for a field trip with an exploration guide and scavenger hunts for our exhibits. Each guide is targeted towards particular grade levels or a general audience.
- 3rd-grade Exploration Guide and Scavenger Hunt (Download PDF), Key (Download PDF document)
- 6th-grade Exploration Guide and Scavenger Hunt (Download PDF document), Key (Download PDF document)
- Scavenger Hunt (General Public) (Download PDF document)
- Scavenger Hunt (Parents with Young Children) (Download PDF document)
- Solar System Fact Sheet (Download PDF document)
Astronomy Resources
- Extra-solar Planets Encyclopedia – Catalog of potential planets beyond our Solar System
- Figures In the Sky – A diverse set of constellations with stories about local legends and myths
- Pluto & the New Horizons Mission
- Solar System Live – The interactive Orrery of the Web. You can view the entire Solar System, or just the inner planets (through the orbit of Mars)
- The Eight Planets – Multimedia Tour of the Solar System
- Telescope Information - Private site. Good general information on telescopes.
- Jet Propulsion Laboratories
- NASA's – The gateway for all the space stuff. Look specifically at the “what’s new” section
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute – Great source for the latest images from Hubble
- Voyage to Saturn
- Project Galileo
- NASA Worldview – Browse up-to-date global satellite imagery
- NASA’s Eyes – an immersive app to explore the Solar System through NASA missions
- SOS Explorer – A mobile app version of Clark Planetarium’s Science on a Sphere global data sets
- Earth/Wind Map– More than just a map of the Earth’s wind patterns, users can view data on global weather and air patterns
Education Resources
- National Science Teachers Association
- NASA – Blast Back to School 2010
- NASA’s Earth Observatory
- Utah State Science Core – All science teachers should know about this link!
- International Planetarium Society
- Ott Planetarium at Weber State University