K to Grade 5 Self-paced
online course
online course
Astronomy Year
Astronomy Year
Free online astronomy course · 12 missions
- Grade
- K to Grade 5
- Ages
- Ages 5 to 11
- Price
- Free
- Format
- Self-paced online course at learn.lanternlearn.com
About this course
Astronomy Year is a free 12-mission online astronomy course for Kindergarten to Grade 5, with a grown-up. Kids learn to watch the sky safely, track the Moon and predict the next full moon, find north with the Big Dipper, tell planets from stars, find constellations through the seasons, catch meteors, and learn why dark skies matter. Each mission has short indoor lessons Monday to Friday and a Saturday Sky Night outside with a grown-up, with a cloudy-night backup.
12-week list
Each mission has short indoor lessons Monday to Friday and a Sky Night outside with a grown-up on Saturday.
| Week | Topic | Focus | NGSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safe Sky Watchers | Sky safety, day and night | 1-ESS1-1 |
| 2 | The Moon Changes | Moon shapes and a moon log | 1-ESS1-1 |
| 3 | Predict the Full Moon | The Moon's monthly pattern | 1-ESS1-1 |
| 4 | Find North | The Big Dipper and the North Star | 5-ESS1-2 |
| 5 | Planet or Star? | Wanderers and twinklers | 5-ESS1-1 |
| 6 | Star Pictures | Constellations, the Little Dipper and Cassiopeia | 5-ESS1-2 |
| 7 | Seasons in the Sky | New stars and new sunsets | 1-ESS1-2 |
| 8 | Orion the Hunter | A winter giant and a summer triangle | 5-ESS1-2 |
| 9 | Star Colors and Brightness | Hot stars, cool stars, near and far | 5-ESS1-1 |
| 10 | Shooting Stars | Meteors and meteor showers | 5-ESS1-1 |
| 11 | Dark Skies | The Milky Way and light pollution | 5-ESS1-1 |
| 12 | Plan Your Own Sky Night | Eclipse safety and your year of sky watching | 5-ESS1-2 |