8 Free Emergency Space Science - Sub Plan - Resources
- olivershearman
- Oct 21
- 5 min read
As a science teacher for middle / high school science and sometimes mathematics (generally a STEM educator broadly speaking), I enjoy making plenty of engaging and interesting activities that I can use to engage students. Of course, I sell many of these resources for a small price and they are all available on my store - The Teaching Astrophysicist Store. Yet, I also like to try and give back to the teaching community and help a fellow teacher out where I can. In order to do that, I make a significant amount of what I make free to others.
With that in mind my hope and dream would be to both support the teaching community and also to help others as well. Following this, please find my eight supportive and varied teaching resources on different topics to help you learn some new topics in some new ways. Enjoy!
Massive stars are the lifeblood of galaxies, they are the brightest parts of our Milky way and while not always blue, they are always huge if they are indeed massive main-sequence stars. From supernova to the leftover cores of stars such as neutron stars, there is a lot to learn about large stars and this resource has got you covered on that front! Let's learn about it together.
Learning about neutron stars is important because they offer profound insights into fundamental physics and astrophysics by allowing scientists to study matter under extreme conditions, test theories of gravity, understand stellar life cycles, and explore the production of heavy elements through processes like neutron star mergers—which are
sources of gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation—thus advancing our knowledge of the universe, contributing to technological innovations inspired by extreme physics, and potentially leading to breakthroughs in physics and astronomy. Let's learn about it together.
Adopting a structured research project template on massive stars gives teachers a ready-made scaffold that nurtures both scientific literacy and authentic inquiry. Requiring a concise one-paragraph summary pushes students to distill complex astrophysical concepts - stellar evolution, fusion, supernovae - into clear prose, honing communication skills. A mini glossary of relevant terms invites learners to construct personal definitions, reinforcing vocabulary acquisition through active engagement. Engineering and technical connections spotlight real-world applications and potential STEM careers, while the mathematics section lets students translate luminosity–mass relationships or inverse-square-law calculations into numbers they can manipulate. Finally, three open-ended critical-thinking prompts encourage synthesis and debate. Together, these subsections transform massive-star study from passive content consumption into a rich, interdisciplinary exploration that meets curriculum standards and sparks genuine curiosity. With this in mind, let's engage with this excellent learning and teaching resource.
Studying Mars rovers combines robotics, space exploration, and planetary science, offering insights into Mars' environment and potential for past life. These rovers teach valuable lessons in engineering and problem-solving, foster international collaboration, and inspire advancements in STEM fields. Their contributions are instrumental in preparing for future human missions to Mars, making this a dynamic and impactful area of study. With all this in mind, let's engage with this teaching resource.
Learning about neutron stars is important because they offer profound insights into fundamental physics and astrophysics by allowing scientists to study matter under extreme conditions, test theories of gravity, understand stellar life cycles, and explore the production of heavy elements through processes like neutron star mergers—which are sources of gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation—thus advancing our knowledge of the universe, contributing to technological innovations inspired by extreme physics, and potentially leading to breakthroughs in physics and astronomy. Let's learn about it together.
Designing a research-project template around Mars rovers turns a headline-grabbing mission into a hands-on learning scaffold: students must weave together physics (gravity, energy, materials), engineering design (mobility, sensors), Earth-space comparisons, data literacy, and even ethics of exploration. Because the template structures tasks - defining a driving question, reviewing sources, planning an investigation, communicating results - teachers can map the work directly onto NGSS practices without reinventing the wheel, while students get authentic experience in how real rover teams operate: posing questions, iterating solutions, and defending evidence-based conclusions. With this in mind, let's engage with this excellent learning and teaching resource.
Studying space exploration connects middle and high school science to real technology, engineering design, and big questions about our place in the universe, and this high engagement set makes those ideas stick. A Two Truths and a Lie activity paired with 10 Fascinating Facts turns curiosity into evidence based reasoning as students evaluate claims about rockets, space stations, planetary landers, telescopes, and future missions, building vocabulary and critical thinking. The bundle includes a 5 slide student ready Google Slides activity with 10 facts and 5 lies, a 12 slide presentation featuring 10 Strange But True Facts, and a 6 page printable set with answer keys and mix and match versions, so it fits bell work, stations, or a full class launch with minimal prep. With a total of 20 facts and 5 carefully crafted lies presented across multiple formats, learners practice analyzing sources, interpreting simple data, and explaining causes and effects while exploring how exploration advances communications, weather monitoring, and planetary science. This flexible resource supports NGSS style practices, strengthens science literacy, and sparks discussions that carry into research projects, design challenges, and cross curricular writing.
Hexagonal thinking is a highly interactive and student-centered approach that can deepen school learners’ understanding of black holes and related scientific concepts. By arranging and rearranging labeled hexagons, students make and debate meaningful connections between different concepts about black holes, their attributes, causes and effects. This hands-on, puzzle-like method engages learners in active discussion, prompting them to justify their thinking using evidence from texts or prior knowledge. Because each hexagon can connect to up to six others, students must carefully consider multiple perspectives, ultimately forming an interlocking web of ideas that reveals how black hole concepts link to one another and to the broader world of science.
Hopefully you found the above useful and will consider purchasing some of my paid resources as well in the future.
Thanks for reading
Cheers and stay curious
Oliver - The Teaching Astrophysicist
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