The Institute of Physics hosts hundreds of teaching resources and lesson plans to cover all aspects of physics and astronomy, suitable for ages 11+, arranged into topics and all linked to the National Curriculum, including;
'Earth & Space' - 215 resources and practical activities for ages 11-19, covering the history of the Solar System models, space and the universe, Kepler's laws, satellites, and equinoxes
''Borrow the Moon' teaching resources from UKRI's Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC), including lesson plans, activities & links for Key Stages 1-5, including;
'Hitting the Moon' (ages 5-7) - create your own Lunar surface using flour and cocoa powder, then make impact craters using marbles (PDF download, lesson plan, activity cards & Powerpoint)
'Edible Rocks' (ages 7-11) - make edible model rocks using home baking ingredients, and learn about the different types of rocks on Earth and in Space (PDF download, lesson plan, activity cards & PowerPoint)
'Locating Lunar Landers' (ages 11-14) - use Google Earth to explore the Moon from your own home, and find all the Moon landing sites (PDF download, lesson plan, Google Earth guide & PowerPoint)
'Our Earth Under Threat' (ages 14-16) - a virtual mission, where students play the part of Near Earth Asteroid scientists, assessing the threat to Earth from asteroid impact (PDF download, lesson plan, student activity sheets, PowerPoint)
'Armageddon Time?' (ages 14-18) - using background from the 1999 movie Armageddon, students can use the context of asteroids & meteorites to explore kinetic energy & momentum to investigate whether the film is accurate or not (PDF download, lesson plan, worksheets)
'Roving with Rosalind' resources to support your very own Mars rover missions at home, funded by the UK Space Agency
'National Schools Observatory' provides access to the Universe for all - free use of the world’s largest robotic telescope, the Liverpool Telescope, to schools around the world. Unlike traditional telescopes, there is no need to stay up through the night!
'Lunar Maths' (ages 5-7 & 7-11) - worksheets for numeracy word problems, prepared by the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
'Stars & Stories' (ages 5-7) - this workshop provides an opportunity for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of our world in space, as well as other cultures. Pupils hear the story of Orion and the Scorpion and then create their own constellations, using art, design, and maths skills. Lesson plan courtesy of the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
'Space Jobs' (ages 7-11) - this workshop provides an opportunity for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of the different jobs available to people who enjoy space and science through class games, quizzes, and discussion. Lesson plan & additional resources courtesy of the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
'Hunting for Asteroids' (ages 11-14) - this workshop encourages pupils to ‘blink’ between several images, taken by the Liverpool Telescope, in a bid to find asteroids. Lesson plan & additional resources courtesy of the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
'Lunar Mountains' (ages 11-16) - this workshop challenges students to measure the shadows cast on the Moon’s surface, then utilise algebraic techniques to determine the height of those mountains. Lesson plan & PowerPoint slides courtesy of the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
'The Hubble Flow' (ages 14-18) - this activity focuses on the concept of Universal expansion and the correlation between the distance and redshift of galaxies discovered by astronomer Edwin Hubble. Lesson plan & additional resources courtesy of the National Schools Observatory (MS Word download)
Contribute to various real life research projects with the Zooniverse, including hunting for undiscovered worlds, star spotting, and the discovery of entirely new galaxies using real scientific data
Explore the Moon in Google Earth - a brief guide & download link, courtesy of UKRI's Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
'Open Learn' from the Open University has a wide range of free, online courses at various levels that are suitable for older children and adults (14+), including various topics relevant to the Solar System & Space Science;
'Astronomy with an Online Telescope' - shows you how to navigate the night sky, and introduces the wide variety of objects it contains. You will develop a hands-on understanding of telescopic observations using the Open University’s own robotic telescope facility COAST sited on the island of Tenerife. Supported by your own measurements we illustrate how stars evolve, and study variable stars.
'Moons of our Solar System' - there are lots of moons in our Solar System. The Earth is the only planet with just a single moon. Some are bigger than ours. Many are much smaller. Some moons have ongoing volcanic eruptions. Others have rivers of liquid methane. A small handful may even be home to primitive life.
'The Evolving Universe' - the Big Bang is said to be the origin of our Universe. This course will help you to comprehend what happened in the moments immediately after the Big Bang and during the initial cooling period. You will also gain an understanding of how this event turned in to the Universe we live in today.
'Galaxies, Stars & Planets' - a general introduction, including scale of the universe from the very large to the very small; orbits and gravity; the Solar System; the Sun and other stars; galaxies and the composition of astronomical objects.
'Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre' is the UK’s latest UNESCO World Heritage Site and an icon for British science and engineering. They have a series of resources available for Science Learning at Home
'Searching for Alien Life' (ages 5-18) - resources for all ages, including colouring sheets, talks, and home-learning activities, courtesy of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
'Journey to the Moon!' (ages 4-7) - a family activity/discussion to explore who went to the Moon, what they needed, and what they found, courtesy of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
'Craters on the Moon!' (ages 7-11) - a family activity to explore the craters on the Moon; why are they there and why are they different sizes? Courtesy of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
'The Maths of a Solar Eclipse' (ages 14-16) - a worksheet prepared by the Royal Astronomical Society (PDF download)
'Act out a Solar Eclipse' (ages 7-10) - a worksheet prepared by the Royal Astronomical Society (PDF download)
'Big Bang Demo' - understand how the redshift of galaxies is due to the expansion of the Universe, provided by the National Schools Observatory
'Apollo Moon Landings' - have a go at imaging the different Apollo landing sites on the Moon, worksheet prepared by the National Schools Observatory (PDF download)
'Day & Night Workshop' (ages 7-11) - use whole sky movies to help you understand what different people around the world experience as our planet spins once every 24 hours, worksheet prepared by the National Schools Observatory
Observing the Moon - a brief guide (PowerPoint slides), courtesy of UKRI's Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
The Little Book of Space Rocks (PDF download), courtesy of UKRI's Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)