This is a unit in 7-8 sessions about objects outside of our solar system, including galaxies and the universe. Learners will investigate the contents of the universe, why light years are used to measure distances in space, the lifespan of a star,... (View More) and detecting extrasolar planets. Finally, they will examine evidence for habitable worlds beyond earth. This is Unit 4 of the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8, which is available for purchase (see related link). (View Less)

This is an activity about the Earth's revolution as it relates to the zodiac. Learners will role-play, acting as the revolving Earth and Sun, while others will hold signs of the 12 zodiac constellation names to form a circle around the Earth-Sun... (View More) system. Then, they will model the motion of the Earth-Sun system during the year in order to visualize why the Sun appears to move into different constellations. This is Activity F-9 of Universe at Your Fingertips 2.0: A Collection of Activities and Resources for Teaching Astronomy DVD-ROM, which is available for purchase. (View Less)